Fuel system purge and starter system
AssigneeWalbro Engine Management, L.L.C.
InventorGeorge Pattullo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A recoil starter for an internal combustion engine has a housing with a pulley carried at least in part for rotation therein. The pulley is arranged in operable communication with a crankshaft of the engine. A pull cord is wound about the pulley with one end of the cord being arranged to be pulled by a user to rotate the pulley. An actuator is carried for rotation in response to rotation of the pulley. A pump is arranged for actuation in response to rotation of the actuator to provide fresh liquid fuel to a carburetor and remove fuel vapor and stale fuel from the carburetor and deliver it to a fuel tank prior to starting the engine.
Claims13
A recoil starter for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a housing;
- a pulley received in the housing in operable communication with a crankshaft of the engine for rotation in an unwinding direction and a winding direction, the pulley rotating in the unwinding direction prior to causing the crankshaft to rotate;
- a pull cord wound about the pulley to facilitate rotating the pulley in the unwinding direction and causing rotation of the crankshaft to start the engine;
- an actuator carried for movement in response to rotation of the recoil pulley;
- and
- a pump driven by the actuator to pump liquid fuel and fuel vapor toward and away from the pump.
A recoil starter system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- a fuel tank;
- a carburetor in fluid communication with the fuel tank;
- a housing;
- a pulley received in the housing in operable communication with a crankshaft of the engine for rotation in an unwinding direction and a winding direction, the pulley rotating in the unwinding direction prior to causing the crankshaft to rotate;
- a pull cord wound about the pulley to facilitate rotating the pulley in the unwinding direction;
- a cam lobe arranged for movement in response to rotation of the recoil pulley;
- and
- a purge pump actuatable by the cam lobe to take in liquid fuel and fuel vapor from the carburetor and to discharge liquid fuel and fuel vapor into the fuel tank to facilitate starting the engine.
A method of purging a fuel system of an engine, the engine having a pulley in operable communication with a crankshaft and with a pull cord wound about the pulley, an actuator arranged for movement in response to rotation of the pulley, a pump arranged in operable communication with the actuator and in fluid communication with a fuel tank downstream from the pump and a carburetor upstream from the pump, the method comprising the steps of:
- pulling the pull cord in an unwinding direction and causing conjoint movement of the pulley and the actuator to actuate the pump prior to the crankshaft being caused to rotate, the pump taking in fluid from the carburetor and discharging fluid into the fuel tank.
The method of claim 14 wherein the carburetor has a pump chamber upstream from a metering chamber with a check valve therebetween, the pump being in direct fluid communication with the metering chamber to purge vapor directly from the metering chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.