Patents Assigned to Briggs & Stratton, LLC
  • Publication number: 20210270221
    Abstract: A battery system includes a battery assembly and an equipment interface. The battery assembly includes a battery pack, a battery housing enclosing the battery pack, a communication gateway, and a first electrical connector. The battery pack includes rechargeable battery cells. The communication gateway is configured to communicate using a first communication protocol and a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol. The first electrical connector includes a plurality of first terminals. The equipment interface is configured to be coupled to a piece of equipment, and includes a second electrical connector including a plurality of second terminals. The second electrical connector is configured to mate with the first electrical connector to electrically coupled the plurality of first terminals with the plurality of second terminals to electrically couple the battery assembly to the equipment interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Applicant: BRIGGS & STRATTON, LLC
    Inventors: Kyle Michael HARVEY, Bryan Keith DANDRIDGE
  • Publication number: 20210270225
    Abstract: An engine including an engine block having a cylinder defining a front of the engine, a blower housing coupled to the engine block and defining a hot half and a cool half opposite the front half, a starter mount assembly coupled to the blower housing and positioned within the cool half, an electric starter motor retained by the starter mount assembly, and a battery mounted to the blower housing and positioned in the cool half. The battery is electrically coupled to the electric starter motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Applicant: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Meyer, David W. Procknow, James Michael Busse
  • Patent number: 11105279
    Abstract: An on-demand generator starting system and method is disclosed. The generator starting system is included as part of a standby or portable generator that includes one or more outlets that provide electrical power to an electrical device. The operating system includes a generator controller that monitors for a request for power from the electrical device connected to the outlet. When the control circuit of the generator controller determines that electric power is required from the generator, the control circuit initiates operation of the internal combustion engine. After the internal combustion engine starts, the control circuit operates a relay to provide power from the generator to the outlet of the generator. When the electrical device is no longer operating, the control circuit of the generator controller terminates operation of the internal combustion engine of the generator. In this manner, the generator operates only when the electrical device is requesting electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Robert John Koenen, Jason A. Hansen, Dale C. VanPatten, Jeffrey Berger, Philip Betzhold
  • Patent number: 11103886
    Abstract: A sprayer equipment includes a support frame, a pump, a pressure regulator, a concentrate tank, an injector, a spray nozzle, and a controller. The support frame has a plurality of wheels. The pump is coupled to the support frame and includes a pump inlet configured to be fluidly coupled to a water source and a pump outlet providing water at an increased water pressure. The pressure regulator is configured to control the pressure of the water. The concentrate tank is supported by the support frame and configured to store a concentrate fluid. The injector is fluidly coupled to the concentrate tank and configured to inject the concentrate fluid into the water. The spray nozzle is fluidly coupled to the pump outlet and the injector. The controller is coupled to the injector and is configured to control operation of the injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Kyle Harvey, Todd Johnson, Jeffrey Zeiler
  • Patent number: 11105308
    Abstract: A battery pack for selectively providing electrical power to power equipment includes a housing, a plurality of rechargeable lithium-ion battery cells, and a printed circuit board. The housing defines an internal cavity and an external terminal connection. The external terminal connection includes a plurality of high voltage connection pins and a plurality of low voltage connection pins. The plurality of rechargeable lithium-ion battery cells are received within the internal cavity and are configured to supply electrically power through the external terminal connection to the power equipment. The printed circuit board is received within the housing and includes a controller and a transceiver. The transceiver includes a near-field communication chip in communication with the controller. The near-field communication chip is configured to detect a near-field communication tag on power equipment and communicate information from the near-field communication tag to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Kyle Michael Harvey, Bryan Keith Dandridge
  • Patent number: 11102929
    Abstract: A standing ride on mower includes a frame, a right drive wheel, a left drive wheel, a prime mover, a cutting deck assembly, a right side integrated transaxle operating under influence of the prime mover to drive rotation of the right drive wheel, the right side integrated transaxle including a right side housing, a right hydraulic pump within the housing, and a right hydraulic motor within the housing, a left side integrated transaxle operating under the influence of the prime mover to drive rotation of the left drive wheel, the left side integrated transaxle including a left side housing, a left hydraulic pump within the housing, and a left hydraulic motor within the housing, and an operator platform to support a standing operator of the mower. The operator platform extends beneath the left housing and beneath the right housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Robert S. Laurin, E. Mark Lynch, Derrick R. Camenga
  • Publication number: 20210243947
    Abstract: A dethatcher includes a frame having a front and a rear end, a handle coupled to the frame and movable between a use position and a storage position, multiple wheels coupled to the frame, a cutting reel housed in the frame, and an engine for powering a drive mechanism of the shaft. The cutting reel includes a shaft having a first end and a second end, at least one cutting mechanism located between the first end and the second end of the shaft, and the drive mechanism for powering the shaft. When the handle is in the use position, the handle extends away from the front end of the frame and when the handle is in the storage position the handle extends toward the front end of the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Applicant: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Kyle Harvey, Ryan Jaskowiak, Matthew S. Zurawski
  • Publication number: 20210247059
    Abstract: A portable lighting tower includes a frame, an adjustable mast, multiple legs, a controller, and a battery pack. The adjustable mast is coupled to the frame and includes a light. The multiple legs each include an actuator operable to deploy and retract the respective leg. The controller is operatively coupled to the light and the actuators and configured to control operation of the light and the actuators. The battery pack is electrically coupled to the controller, the light, and the actuators. The light is dimmable between a maximum setting and a minimum setting, and the controller operates each of the linear actuators to deploy or retract the respective leg response to a user input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Applicant: BRIGGS & STRATTON, LLC
    Inventors: Todd Johnson, Mark Noller
  • Patent number: 11085412
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an engine block, a blower housing configured to direct cooling air to the engine block, an electric starting system, and a crankshaft configured to rotate about a crankshaft axis. The electric starting system includes an electric motor and an energy storage device located within the blower housing. The energy storage device is electrically coupled to the electric motor to power the electric motor. When the starter motor is activated, the electric starting system rotates the crankshaft to rotate the engine for starting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: David W. Procknow, Mark Meyer
  • Patent number: 11067556
    Abstract: A generator includes an internal combustion engine and a carbon monoxide (CO) sensor unit. The CO sensor unit includes a CO sensor controller including a CO sensing circuit configured to detect a level of CO and a shutdown circuit. The shutdown circuit is configured to receive a detected level of CO and calculate a trailing window average of the detected level of CO. The trailing window average includes an average of the detected level of CO over a predetermined sampling window. The shutdown circuit is further configured to determine whether to initiate a shutdown of the generator based on at least the calculated trailing window average and a predetermined trailing window average threshold and initiate the shutdown of the generator based on determining that the trailing window average exceeds the predetermined trailing window average threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Janscha, Austin Baeten
  • Publication number: 20210204476
    Abstract: An outdoor power equipment unit includes independent suspension system having a frame, a first wheel assembly, a second wheel assembly, a first laterally-extending suspension arm pair, and a second laterally-extending suspension arm pair. The first wheel assembly includes a first wheel and a first side suspension arm. The first side suspension arm is pivotably coupled at a first end to a first side structural member and is fixedly coupled at a second opposite end to a joint of the first wheel assembly. The second wheel assembly is arranged similarly to the first wheel assembly. Both the first laterally-extending suspension arm pair and the second laterally-extending suspension arm pair are configured to independently pivot about the frame to be vertically displaceable relative to the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Krajewski, Robert S. Laurin, E. Mark Lynch
  • Patent number: 11053906
    Abstract: A battery pack for use in providing starting power for a starter motor of an internal combustion engine and to supply power to one or more auxiliary loads. The battery pack includes an outer housing that encloses a plurality of battery cells. A control unit is positioned within the outer housing and is connected to at least a starter switching element and an auxiliary switching element. The control unit controls the position of both the starter switching element and the auxiliary switching element to selectively connect the battery cells to the starter motor and the auxiliary loads. The battery pack further includes an ignition input terminal that is connected to the ignition circuit of the internal combustion engine such that the control unit can monitor the operational status of the internal combustion engine. The control unit can selectively ground the ignition coil of the ignition circuit to enable and/or terminate operation of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Robert J. Koenen, Jason A. Hansen, Andrew Paskov
  • Patent number: 11028786
    Abstract: A portable generator includes a CO sensor module to sense CO levels in the environment surrounding the portable generator. The CO sensor module senses high levels of CO and sends a signal to shut down the engine on the portable generator. The CO sensor module alerts the user by emitting an LED light whether the CO sensor module is functioning properly, improperly or if high CO levels are detected. The CO sensor module is removable from a control panel of the portable generator to be replaced or maintained by the user per a replacement or maintenance schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan D. Janscha, Mark Willer
  • Patent number: 11022085
    Abstract: An engine operation detection system includes an engine including a spark plug and a spark plug wire, and an engine run sensor including a signal wire including an antenna, the antenna configured to receive a spark plug signal from the spark plug wire, a data acquisition output wire outputting an engine on/off condition signal, a power supply providing power to the engine run sensing circuit, and an engine run sensing circuit configured to transform the spark plug signal into the engine on/off condition signal output via the data acquisition output wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Jason Raasch, Robert Koenen, Christopher Meyers, Timothy Ogden, Kevin Bernier
  • Patent number: 11015565
    Abstract: A battery pack for use in providing starting power for a starter motor of an internal combustion engine and to supply power to one or more auxiliary loads. The battery pack includes an outer housing that encloses a plurality of battery cells. The battery pack further includes a control module. The control module includes a processing circuit configured to control one or more functions associated with the internal combustion engine and an interface circuit configured to interface with the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Koenen
  • Patent number: 11006572
    Abstract: A dethatcher includes a frame having front and rear ends, a cover coupled to the frame and configured to selectively move between an open position and a closed position, a handle extending from the frame, multiple wheels coupled to the frame, a cutting reel housed in the frame, and an engine for powering a drive mechanism of the shaft. The cutting reel includes a shaft having a first end and a second end, at least one cutting mechanism located between the first end and the second end of the shaft, and the drive mechanism for powering the shaft. When the cover is in the open position, a user may access the cutting reel from a top end of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Kyle Harvey, Ryan Jaskowiak, Matthew S. Zurawski
  • Patent number: 11002234
    Abstract: A fuel delivery injector includes a housing, an inlet port fluidly coupled to a cavity to direct fuel vapor and liquid fuel into the cavity, and an outlet port fluidly coupled to the cavity to direct fuel vapor and liquid fuel out of the cavity. A magnetic assembly is fixedly positioned within the cavity, and a pumping assembly includes a bobbin and a piston. A return spring is coupled to the pumping assembly to bias the pumping assembly to a home position. A valve is positioned within the piston and is movable between an open position and a closed position. The liquid fuel entering the housing through the inlet port flows from the inlet port to the cavity and fuel vapor entering the housing through the inlet port is directed through a conduit to the outlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Michael D. Pitcel, David W. Procknow, Jacob Zuehl, David A. Kratz
  • Publication number: 20210122237
    Abstract: Ride-on equipment includes a pair of front wheels, a pair of rear wheels, a main frame, a subframe pivotally coupled to the main frame about a pivot axis, a power source, and a transaxle assembly. The power source is coupled to and supported by the main frame and includes a drive pulley. The transaxle assembly is configured to pivot with respect to the power source, is operably coupled to the pair of rear drive wheels, and includes at least one driven pulley. The drive pulley and the at least one driven pulley are operably coupled by a belt such that the at least one driven pulley of the transaxle assembly is configured to be driven by the drive pulley of the source via the belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Applicant: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Mark J. Melone, James F. Marshall, Richard Smith, Mark Lynch, Travis Rasch, Erik Slegelis, Steven J. Weber, Denis Oswald
  • Patent number: D920470
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Elizabeth Woytach, Bryce Metcalf, Randall Ammentorp
  • Patent number: D926286
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: Adam J. Hellman, John Schneiker