Starter and power equipment unit incorporating same
AssigneeThe Toro Company
InventorChris A. Wadzinski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A push-button starter for use with an outdoor power equipment unit. In one embodiment, the starter includes a housing defining an opening to receive a removable button, and a peripheral edge surrounding the opening. The peripheral edge may define two scalloped areas such that two opposite sides of a head portion of the button are exposed and accessible when the button is in a neutral position within the housing while remaining sides of the head portion are enclosed within the housing. Moreover, the opening and the head portion may be configured to control an orientation of the button relative to the housing, and further prevent rotation of the button relative to the housing.
Claims20
An electric starter for a power equipment unit, the starter comprising:
- a button comprising a shaft portion and an enlarged head portion;
- and
- a housing defining an opening configured to receive the shaft portion and the head portion such that, when the button is in a neutral position within the opening, the shaft portion is contained within the housing and at least part of the head portion is surrounded by the housing, wherein the housing comprises:
- a deflectable tab configured to engage the head portion and retain the button within the housing when the button is in the neutral position;
- and
- a peripheral edge surrounding the opening, the peripheral edge defining two or more notched areas such that two opposite sides of the head portion may be grasped from outside the housing when the button is in the neutral position.
An electric starter for a power equipment unit, the starter comprising:
- a button comprising a shaft portion and an enlarged head portion;
- and
- a housing defining an opening configured to removably receive the shaft portion therein such that, when the button is inserted into the housing and positioned at a neutral position within the opening, the shaft portion is contained within the housing, the housing comprising:
- a deflectable tab configured to engage the head portion and retain the button in the neutral position;
- and
- a peripheral edge surrounding the opening, the peripheral edge defining two scalloped areas such that two opposite sides of the head portion are exposed and accessible when the button is in the neutral position while remaining sides of the head portion are surrounded by the housing, wherein the opening and the head portion are configured to control an orientation of the button relative to the housing, and further minimize rotation of the button relative to the housing.
A power equipment unit comprising:
- a ground-engaging implement;
- an internal combustion engine operatively coupled to the implement and configured to power the same;
- an electric starter motor operatively coupled to the engine;
- and
- a push-button electric starter attached to the implement, the starter comprising:
- a button comprising:
- a shaft portion;
- and an enlarged head portion located at an end of the shaft portion;
- and
- a housing defining an opening configured to removably receive the shaft portion therein such that, when the button is inserted and at a neutral position within the opening, the shaft portion is contained within the housing, wherein the housing comprises:
- a resilient tab configured to engage the head portion and retain the button in the neutral position;
- and
- a peripheral edge surrounding the opening, the peripheral edge defining two scalloped areas such that two opposite sides of the head portion are exposed and accessible when the button is in the neutral position while remaining portions of the head portion are surrounded by the housing, wherein the opening and the head portion are configured to control an orientation of the button relative to the housing, and further minimize rotation of the button relative to the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.