US 12,729,655 B2Granted

Dual fuel selector switch

AssigneeChampion Power Equipment, Inc.

InventorsMark J. Sarder, Leigh Jenison, Ian Schmit

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A fuel selector for use with a dual fuel generator includes a selector plate, a first fuel valve assembly positioned adjacent the selector plate and actuatable between an ON position and an OFF position to selectively control a first fuel flow to an engine of the dual fuel generator, and a second fuel valve assembly positioned adjacent the selector plate and actuatable between an ON position and an OFF position to selectively control a second fuel flow to the engine of the dual fuel generator. A selector switch coupled to the selector plate is linearly translatable from a first position to a second position, so as to enable positioning of only one of the first fuel valve assembly and the second fuel valve assembly in the ON position at a given time, such that the first and second fuel valve assemblies cannot be in the ON position concurrently.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A dual fuel generator comprising:

a dual fuel engine operable on a first fuel from a first fuel source or a second fuel from a second fuel source;
an alternator operatively connected to the dual fuel engine;
a fuel selector to provide for selection of a first fuel flow from the first fuel source or a second fuel flow from the second fuel source to the dual fuel engine, the fuel selector comprising:
a valve assembly fluidly couplable to each of the first fuel source and the second fuel source and operable to selectively control the first fuel flow and the second fuel flow to the dual fuel engine, the valve assembly comprising:
a first fuel valve comprising open and closed positions to selectively control the first fuel flow to the dual fuel engine;
and
a second fuel valve comprising open and closed positions to selectively control the second fuel flow to the dual fuel engine;
a carburetor solenoid switch configured to activate an associated carburetor solenoid when actuated;
and
a selector switch movable between a first position and a second position to allow an operator to manually select the first fuel flow in the first position or the second fuel flow in the second position, the selector switch configured to actuate the carburetor solenoid switch when in the first position to activate the carburetor solenoid and prohibit the second fuel flow to the dual fuel engine.

7 more elements

A dual fuel generator comprising:

a dual fuel engine operable on a first fuel from a first fuel source or a second fuel from a second fuel source;
an alternator operatively connected to the dual fuel engine;
a fuel selector to provide for selection of a first fuel flow from the first fuel source or a second fuel flow from the second fuel source to the dual fuel engine, the fuel selector comprising:
a valve assembly fluidly couplable to each of the first fuel source and the second fuel source and operable to selectively control the first fuel flow and the second fuel flow to the dual fuel engine, the valve assembly comprising:
at least one fuel valve comprising open and closed positions to selectively control the first fuel flow or the second fuel flow to the dual fuel engine;
a first fuel input fluidly couplable to the first fuel source;
a second fuel input fluidly couplable to the second fuel source;
a first fuel output fluidly coupled to the dual fuel engine to supply the first fuel flow to the dual fuel engine;
and
a second fuel output fluidly coupled to the dual fuel engine to supply the second fuel flow to the dual fuel engine;
and
a selector switch positioned on or adjacent the valve assembly and movable between a first position and a second position to allow a user to manually select only the first fuel flow in the first position or only the second fuel flow in the second position.

9 more elements

A dual fuel generator comprising:

a dual fuel engine operable on a first fuel from a first fuel source or a second fuel from a second fuel source;
an alternator operatively connected to the dual fuel engine;
a fuel selector to provide for selection of a first fuel flow from the first fuel source or a second fuel flow from the second fuel source to the dual fuel engine, the fuel selector comprising:
a valve assembly fluidly couplable to each of the first fuel source and the second fuel source and operable to selectively control the first fuel flow and the second fuel flow to the dual fuel engine, the valve assembly comprising:
a first fuel valve comprising:
an input fluidly couplable to the first fuel source;
an open position configured to enable the first fuel flow to the dual fuel engine;
and
a closed position configured to prevent the first fuel flow to the dual fuel engine;
an output fluidly coupled to the dual fuel engine to supply the first fuel flow to the dual fuel engine when the first fuel valve is in the open position;
and
a second fuel valve comprising:
an input fluidly couplable to the second source;
an open position configured to enable the second fuel flow to the dual fuel engine;
and
a closed position configured to prevent the second fuel flow to the dual fuel engine;
an output fluidly coupled to the dual fuel engine to supply the second fuel flow to the dual fuel engine when the second fuel valve is in the open position;
and
a selector switch positioned on or adjacent the valve assembly and movable between a first position and a second position to allow a user to manually select only the first fuel flow in the first position or only the second fuel flow in the second position.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 19/027,054Filed 17 Jan 2025 · continuation
Priority: 1 Nov 2013
Published: US 2025/0154912 A115 May 2025
Granted: 8 Sep 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

F02D 19/0676
Valves; Pressure or flow regulators; Mixers: multi-way valves; Switch-over valves
F02D 19/0613
Control of components of the fuel supply system: switch-over from one fuel to another
F02D 19/0647
At least one fuel being gaseous, the other fuels being gaseous or liquid at standard conditions: the gaseous fuel being liquefied petroleum gas…
F02D 29/06
Controlling engines, such controlling being peculiar to the devices driven thereby, the devices being other than parts or accessories essential…

Family

Application14/069,747Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Nov 2013
Application15/015,205Parent of this continuation · filed 4 Feb 2016
US 9,435,273 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Sep 2016
Application16/789,722Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Feb 2020
US 10,598,101 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Mar 2020
Application17/651,245Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Feb 2022
US 11,306,667 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Apr 2022
Application18/330,807Parent of this continuation · filed 7 Jun 2023
US 11,761,390 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Sep 2023
Application18/443,530Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Feb 2024
US 11,905,896 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 20 Feb 2024
US 2025/0154912 A1Pre-grant publication · published 15 May 2025
US 12,723,549 B2Related patent
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US 2016/0146122 A1Published application
US 2020/0182166 A1Published application
US 2022/0170421 A1Published application
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US 2024/0183321 A1Published application
US 12,729,655 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.