Control apparatus for general purpose machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9410487-B2
Application number	US-201414570643-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2014
Priority date	Dec 19, 2013
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

In an apparatus for controlling a general purpose engine having a choke valve, a choke valve opening/closing mechanism, a choke valve opening regulating mechanism, a heater and a heater connection terminal, it is configured to detect temperature of the general purpose engine, to determine whether the heater is connected to the heater connection terminal, and to control operation of the choke valve opening/closing mechanism based on the detected temperature to open/close the choke valve when it is determined that the heater is connected to the heater connection terminal, while informing a user to manually open/close the choke valve by a manual opening/closing mechanism when it is determined that the heater is not connected to the heater connection terminal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for controlling a general purpose engine having a choke valve disposed at an intake air passage, a choke valve opening/closing mechanism that opens/closes the choke valve, a choke valve opening regulating mechanism having regulating member that regulates opening of the choke valve opened/closed by the choke valve opening/closing mechanism and a heater that can heat the regulating member, and a heater connection terminal that connects the heater to a power circuit, comprising:
a temperature detector that detects temperature of the general purpose engine;
a heater connection determiner that determines whether the heater is connected to the heater connection terminal; and
a choke controller that controls operation of the choke valve opening/closing mechanism based on the detected temperature to open/close the choke valve when it is determined that the heater is connected to the heater connection terminal, while informing a user to manually open/close the choke valve by a manual opening/closing mechanism when it is determined that the heater is not connected to the heater connection terminal.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heater connection determiner determines whether the heater is connected to the heater connection terminal by detecting a voltage applied to the heater connection terminal.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the heater connection determiner determines that the heater is connected to the heater connection terminal when the detected voltage of the heater connection terminal is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the choke controller controls current supply to the heater based on the detected temperature when it is determined that the heater is connected to the heater connection terminal.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the engine is an engine that is usable in a cold land.

6. A method for controlling a general purpose engine having a choke valve disposed at an intake air passage, a choke valve opening/closing mechanism that opens/closes the choke valve, a choke valve opening regulating mechanism having regulating member that regulates opening of the choke valve opened/closed by the choke valve opening/closing mechanism and a heater that can heat the regulating member, and a heater connection terminal that connects the heater to a power circuit, comprising the steps of:
detecting temperature of the general purpose engine;
determining whether the heater is connected to the heater connection terminal; and
controlling operation of the choke valve opening/closing mechanism based on the detected temperature to open/close the choke valve when it is determined that the heater is connected to the heater connection terminal, while informing a user to manually open/close the choke valve by a manual opening/closing mechanism when it is determined that the heater is not connected to the heater connection terminal.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the step of heater connection determining determines whether the heater is connected to the heater connection terminal by detecting a voltage applied to the heater connection terminal.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the step of heater connection determining determines that the heater is connected to the heater connection terminal when the detected voltage of the heater connection terminal is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the step of choking functioning controls current supply to the heater based on the detected temperature when it is determined that the heater is connected to the heater connection terminal.

10. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the engine is an engine that is usable in a cold land.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Bungo Keiichiro

Classifications

• F02M1/12

  with means for electrically heating thermostat · CPC title

• F02D2041/2089

  detecting open circuits · CPC title

• F02D2200/604

  Engine control mode selected by driver, e.g. to manually start particle filter regeneration or to select driving style · CPC title

• F02M31/02

  for heating ({F02M31/005 takes precedence;} for purifying liquid fuel F02M37/30) · CPC title

• F02D9/02 Primary

  concerning induction conduits (throttle valves, or arrangements thereof in conduits F02D9/08) · CPC title