Multiple fuel tank purge system and method
OwnerClarence Greenlawinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multiple fuel tank purge system and method includes providing a pair of fuel tanks, including a main fuel tank for containing impure fuel and a separate, auxiliary fuel tank that contains commercial canned fuel. The engine runs on the impure fuel from the main fuel tank while the engine is in normal use, and then employs a shutdown cycle that switches to the commercial canned fuel from the auxiliary fuel tank for some pre-set time period. This arrangement allows the engine to be purged of the impure fuel (by burning the impure fuel during the shutdown cycle) and replaced by the commercial pre-mixed fuel before the engine is finally shut down. The system may further include a novel fuel cap with a fuel line, a tank within a tank fuel container, and/or an electronically actuated shutdown cycle mechanism.
Claims13
A retrofittable purge system for combustion engines, said purge system comprising:
- a combustion engine;
- a main fuel tank containing a first liquid fuel, said main fuel tank having a first fuel line operatively connected thereto for transporting said first liquid fuel to said combustion engine;
- an auxiliary fuel tank containing a second liquid fuel which is different from said first fuel and is ethanol-free, a second fuel line operatively connected thereto for transporting said second liquid fuel, wherein said first liquid fuel in said main fuel tank and said second liquid fuel in said auxiliary fuel tank are isolated from one another to prevent mixing of said first liquid fuel with said second liquid fuel;
- and
- a valve connected to said first fuel line and said second fuel line for receiving said first liquid fuel from said main fuel tank and for receiving said second liquid fuel from said auxiliary fuel tank, and a third fuel line extending outwardly from said valve and is operatively connected to said combustion engine in order to provide fuel for running said combustion engine, wherein said valve includes a switch for allowing said liquid fuels to flow therethrough from either said main fuel tank or said auxiliary fuel tank, and wherein said valve prevents said first liquid fuel and said second liquid fuel from flowing therethrough simultaneously.
A cap that is attachable to a disposable fuel container comprising:
- a top portion and a side portion, wherein an inner face of said side portion is circular and
- includes a threaded portion for engaging a threaded mouth of a fuel container;
- a fuel line having a first end and a second end, said fuel line extending through a hole in
- said top portion of said cap so that said first end of said fuel line extends into said fuel container when said cap is screwed onto said fuel tank mount;
- and
- said second end of said fuel line having a quick-connect device for removable operative attachment to a combustion engine, so that said fuel container, said cap, and said fuel line may be detached from said combustion engine while said cap and said fuel line remain attached to said disposable fuel container.
A method for purging a combustion engine, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a combustion engine;
- providing a main fuel tank containing a first liquid fuel, said main fuel tank having a first fuel line that is operatively connected to said combustion engine for transporting said first liquid fuel;
- providing an auxiliary fuel tank containing a second liquid fuel which is different from said first fuel and is ethanol-free, said auxiliary tank having a second fuel line that is operatively connected to said combustion engine for transporting said second liquid fuel to said combustion engine;
- running said combustion engine with said first liquid fuel;
- shutting off flow of said first liquid fuel from said main fuel tank while said combustion engine is running and allowing said second liquid fuel to flow from said auxiliary fuel tank so that said engine begins running on said second liquid fuel;
- allowing said combustion engine to run on said second liquid fuel for a predetermined period of time;
- and
- shutting down said combustion engine after said first liquid fuel has been exhausted from said combustion engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.