Internal combustion engine including starting system powered by lithium-ion battery
View Patent ↗An internal combustion engine includes an engine block including a cylinder, a piston positioned within the cylinder, a crankshaft configured to be driven by the piston, a fuel system for supplying an air-fuel mixture to the cylinder, a starter motor, and a lithium-ion battery mounted on the engine, the lithium-ion battery configured to power the starter motor to start the engine, wherein the piston is configured to reciprocate in the cylinder along a cylinder axis, wherein the lithium-ion battery includes at least one lithium-ion cell having a longitudinal cell axis, and wherein the cylinder axis and the longitudinal cell axis are not parallel to one another.
1. An internal combustion engine, comprising:
an engine block including a cylinder;
a piston positioned within the cylinder;
a crankshaft configured to be driven by the piston;
a fuel system for supplying an air-fuel mixture to the cylinder;
a starter motor; and
a lithium-ion battery mounted on the engine, the lithium-ion battery configured to power the starter motor to start the engine.
2. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 , further comprising:
starting circuitry positioned on the engine, the starting circuitry configured to start the engine with the starter motor in response to actuation of a first user interface and a second user interface.
3. The internal combustion engine of claim 2 , wherein the starting circuitry is configured to disengage the starter motor when the engine is running at a sufficient speed.
4. The internal combustion engine of claim 2 , wherein the starting circuitry is configured to deactivate the starter motor if the engine has not started within a predetermined amount of time.
5. The internal combustion engine of claim 2 , wherein the lithium-ion battery includes the starting circuitry.
6. The internal combustion engine of claim 2 , wherein the lithium-ion battery includes a battery housing and the starting circuitry is located within the battery housing.
7. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 , further comprising:
a battery receiver;
wherein the lithium-ion battery is removably attached to the battery receiver.
8. The internal combustion engine of claim 7 , wherein the lithium-ion battery is configured to be selectively attached to and removed from the battery receiver without tools.
9. The internal combustion engine of claim 7 , further comprising:
an engine housing attached to the engine block, wherein the battery receiver comprises a portion of the engine housing.
10. The internal combustion engine of claim 7 , further comprising:
a blower housing wherein the battery receiver comprises a portion of the blower housing.
11. The internal combustion engine of claim 7 , further comprising:
an engine cover wherein the battery receiver comprises a portion of the engine cover.
12. The internal combustion engine of claim 7 , wherein the battery receiver comprises a receptacle for receiving the lithium-ion battery.
13. The internal combustion engine of claim 7 , wherein the battery receiver is integrated with the engine.
14. The internal combustion engine of claim 7 , wherein the battery receiver is attached to the engine block.
15. The internal combustion engine of claim 7 , wherein the crankshaft is a vertical crankshaft.
16. The internal combustion engine of claim 15 , wherein the battery receiver is positioned above the crankshaft.
17. The internal combustion engine of claim 16 , wherein the battery receiver comprises a receptacle for receiving the lithium-ion battery and an air intake for allowing air to flow to the engine block.
18. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 , wherein the piston is configured to reciprocate in the cylinder along a cylinder axis;
wherein the lithium-ion battery includes at least one lithium-ion cell having a longitudinal cell axis; and
wherein the cylinder axis and the longitudinal cell axis are not parallel to one another.
19. The internal combustion engine of claim 18 , further comprising:
starting circuitry positioned on the engine, the starting circuitry configured to start the engine with the starter motor in response to actuation of a first user interface and a second user interface.
20. The internal combustion engine of claim 19 , wherein the lithium-ion battery includes the starting circuitry.
21. The internal combustion engine of claim 19 , wherein the lithium-ion battery includes a battery housing and the starting circuitry is located within the battery housing.
22. The internal combustion engine of claim 18 , further comprising:
a battery receiver;
wherein the lithium-ion battery is removably attached to the battery receiver.
23. The internal combustion engine of claim 22 , wherein the lithium-ion battery is configured to be selectively attached to and removed from the battery receiver without tools.
24. The internal combustion engine of claim 22 , further comprising:
a blower housing wherein the battery receiver comprises a portion of the blower housing.
25. The internal combustion engine of claim 22 , wherein the battery receiver is positioned so that with the lithium-ion battery attached to the battery receiver, the cylinder axis and the longitudinal cell axis are substantially transverse to one another.
26. The internal combustion engine of claim 22 , wherein the battery receiver is positioned so that with the lithium-ion battery attached to the battery receiver, the cylinder axis and the longitudinal cell axis are positioned at an angle of at least 45 degrees relative to one another.
27. The internal combustion engine of claim 22 , wherein the battery receiver is positioned so that with the lithium-ion battery attached to the battery receiver, the cylinder axis and the longitudinal cell axis are positioned at an angle of at least 15 degrees relative to one another.
28. The internal combustion engine of claim 22 , wherein the crankshaft is a vertical crankshaft.
29. The internal combustion engine of claim 28 , wherein the battery receiver is positioned above the crankshaft.
30. The internal combustion engine of claim 29 , wherein the battery receiver comprises a receptacle for receiving the lithium-ion battery and an air intake for allowing air to flow to the engine block.