Engine starting system and method
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorMasaki Yamazaki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An engine starting system includes a recoil starter with a recoil rope having a mark formed thereon, defining a predetermined length of the recoil rope required to turn a crankshaft from a compression stroke top dead center position to a start-operation-initiating position suitable to start operation of a 4-stroke engine. A method of starting a 4-stroke engine includes steps of pulling the recoil rope to turn a crankshaft to an initial position where a piston is located near a compression stroke top dead center; pulling the recoil rope again to the position of the mark on the rope, to rotate the crankshaft from the initial position to a start-operation-initiating position; and pulling the recoil rope once again to further turn the crankshaft from the start-operation-initiating position suitable for starting the engine.
Claims20
An engine starting system for a 4-stroke engine having a piston and a crankshaft, said engine starting system comprising:
- a recoil starter comprising a reel and a recoil rope wound around the reel;
- a ratchet mechanism, said recoil starter being connected to the crankshaft via said ratchet mechanism for transmitting a one-directional rotation of the recoil starter to the crankshaft;
- a generator for generating electric power in conjunction with rotation of the crankshaft by the recoil starter;
- a control unit;
- and
- an ignition device controlled by the control unit using the electric power from the generator as a power supply to generate a spark in the vicinity of a compression stroke top dead center orientation of the piston;
- wherein said 4-stroke engine is adapted to be started by pulling the recoil rope to rotate the crankshaft, and
- wherein said engine starting system further comprises:
- a notifying unit for notifying a length of the recoil rope required to turn the crankshaft from a turning position of the crankshaft, encountered when the piston is located in the vicinity of the compression stroke top dead center, to a turning position of the crankshaft adapted to initiate a start operation of the engine.
A method of starting a 4-stroke engine having a piston and a crankshaft, a recoil starter having a recoil rope for pull-starting the engine, a generator for generating electric power in conjunction with turning of the crankshaft, a control unit, a fuel injector controlled by the control unit for supplying fuel, and an ignition device controlled by the control unit using the electric power outputted by the generator as a power supply to generate a spark in a vicinity of compression stroke top dead center of the piston, said engine being started by turning the crankshaft,
- said engine starting method comprising the steps of:
- setting, with a first pull of the recoil starter, an initial position of the crankshaft at a turning position of the crankshaft where the piston is located in a vicinity of the compression stroke top dead center;
- turning the crankshaft, with a second pull, from the initial position to a start operation initiating position so that the piston is displaced from the vicinity of the compression stroke top dead center to a next top dead center, said start operation initiating position being indicated by a mark on the recoil rope;
- and
- further turning the crankshaft, with a third pull, beyond the start operation initiating position to cause the generator to generate electric power, said control unit to supply fuel to the engine, and to allow the ignition device to ignite the fuel.
An engine starting system for a 4-stroke engine having a piston and a crankshaft, said engine starting system comprising:
- a recoil starter having reel and a recoil rope wound around said reel, and a ratchet mechanism operatively mounted on said reel;
- said recoil starter being operatively connected to the crankshaft via said ratchet mechanism for transmitting a one-directional turn of the recoil starter to the crankshaft;
- said engine being configured to start by pulling the recoil rope turning the crankshaft;
- a generator for generating electric power in conjunction with turning of the crankshaft by the recoil starter;
- an ignition device controlled by a control unit using the electric power outputted by the generator to generate a spark of fuel-air mixture in the vicinity of a compression stroke top dead center of the piston;
- and
- a mark disposed on said recoil rope providing a predetermined length of the recoil rope required to turn the crankshaft from a turning position of the crankshaft encountered when the piston is located in the vicinity of said compression stroke top dead center to a turning position of the crankshaft adapted to initiate a start operation of the 4-stroke engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.