Abstract: A generator having a plastic frame. The frame includes plastic panels surrounding the engine and alternator assembly for the generator, providing an enclosure for the engine and alternator assembly and permitting additional features to added to the frame without adding additional pieces. A retractable cord wrap folds into and out of recesses in one or more panels of the generator. An oil drain chute is provided in one portion of the frame. A retractable handle is extendable from a first recessed position in which the handle is substantially contained within the frame for the generator to an extended position in which the handle extends outward from the frame. A fuel gauge extends along the outer portion of a fuel tank and is formed from a translucent tube.

Abstract: A workbench for an air compressor that includes a work surface as its top surface. The workbench is provided on wheels, such as caster wheels. The workbench may be closed by panels to attenuate sound. The panels may be removable to provide access to the compressor for maintenance or repair. A mechanism may be provided whereby a drain for the air compressor may be remotely actuated so that the compressor tank may be drained without opening the panels or having to reach under the workbench. The power feed to the motor may be used to power an outlet on the workbench when the motor is not running. The outlet may be provided on the outer shell of the workbench (e.g., on a panel on the outside of the workbench). A switch may be provided that routes the power to the outlet instead of the motor.

Abstract: A power washer that is foldable and that may be hung on a wall in the folded configuration. The power washer includes front and rear legs. The front legs and rear legs fold in toward one other and under a prime mover so as to make the power washer more compact when hung. The front legs are formed integral with a handle, and the front legs and handle rotate relative to the prime mover. This feature permits the folded power washer to be hung from the handle, and enables the power washer to be hung so that the prime mover is held in an upright position. The rear legs may be pivotally attached to the front legs, so that folding of the front legs causes a corresponding folding of the rear legs.

Abstract: An air compressor includes a valve plate with cooling fins and a piston also having cooling fins. The valve plate includes an integral and angled valve plate outlet. The angling of the valve plate outlet reduces turbulence and improves compressed air flow. The pump frame of the gas compressor includes a lipless bearing bore, decreasing the distance between the portion of the frame supporting the bearing and the piston. The pump frame is flat such that a portion of the cylinder is over a portion of the motor. The flatness of this arrangement increases the strength of the pump frame. The piston bearing bore includes two clamping structures having screw holes. Each screw hole is formed from a series half-cylinder or barrel portions, which individually do not form the complete circumference of a hole. Such a screw hole does not require a core pull on casting, lowering manufacturing costs. The piston includes a piston seal which is angled with respect to the piston.

Abstract: An air compressor having a cooling fan that cools both a pump and an electric motor. Baffle compress air against the top of the motor, causing it to break up and flow around fours sides of the motor and through the motor. The pump includes an elongate intake tube or muffler that attenuates pump intake noise. A compressor tank for the air compressor includes a roll cage for protecting a condensate valve for the compressor tank. The compressor tank includes a rim base formed on the bottom of the compressor tank that permits the compressor tank to rest on a surface without additional supports or legs. Controls and gauges are mounted in the bottom clamshell piece, and openings on a top fit around the controls and gauges. The top and the bottom are aligned with guides so that the controls and gauges may be properly aligned with the openings.

Abstract: A foot-actuated condensate drain for an air compressor tank. The foot-actuated condensate drain includes a lever that is connected to a valve on the bottom of the air compressor tank. Movement of the lever, for example by a user's foot, causes the drain valve to open. The lever may be moved to a locked position where the drain valve is held in an open position, even if the user releases his or her foot. The valve stem of the valve is hollow and includes a seal for closing off the opening, and radial holes below the seal and in fluid communication with a hollow interior portion of the stem. When moved away from the closed position, fluid in the compressor tank flows out of the opening, around the seal, into the radial holes, through the stem, and out of the valve.

Abstract: An air compressor includes a valve plate with cooling fins and a piston also having cooling fins. The valve plate includes an integral and angled valve plate outlet. The angling of the valve plate outlet reduces turbulence and improves compressed air flow. The pump frame of the gas compressor includes a lipless bearing bore, decreasing the distance between the portion of the frame supporting the bearing and the piston. The pump frame is flat such that a portion of the cylinder is over a portion of the motor. The flatness of this arrangement increases the strength of the pump frame. The piston bearing bore includes two clamping structures having screw holes. Each screw hole is formed from a series half-cylinder or barrel portions, which individually do not form the complete circumference of a hole. Such a screw hole does not require a core pull on casting, lowering manufacturing costs. The piston includes a piston seal which is angled with respect to the piston.

Abstract: An air compressor includes a valve plate with cooling fins and a piston also having cooling fins. The valve plate includes an integral and angled valve plate outlet. The angling of the valve plate outlet reduces turbulence and improves compressed air flow. The pump frame of the gas compressor includes a lipless bearing bore, decreasing the distance between the portion of the frame supporting the bearing and the piston. The pump frame is flat such that a portion of the cylinder is over a portion of the motor. The flatness of this arrangement increases the strength of the pump frame. The piston bearing bore includes two clamping structures having screw holes. Each screw hole is formed from a series half-cylinder or barrel portions, which individually do not form the complete circumference of a hole. Such a screw hole does not require a core pull on casting, lowering manufacturing costs. The piston includes a piston seal which is angled with respect to the piston.

Abstract: An air compressor includes a valve plate with cooling fins and a piston also having cooling fins. The valve plate includes an integral and angled valve plate outlet. The angling of the valve plate outlet reduces turbulence and improves compressed air flow. The pump frame of the gas compressor includes a lipless bearing bore, decreasing the distance between the portion of the frame supporting the bearing and the piston. The pump frame is flat such that a portion of the cylinder is over a portion of the motor. The flatness of this arrangement increases the strength of the pump frame. The piston bearing bore includes two clamping structures having screw holes. Each screw hole is formed from a series half-cylinder or barrel portions, which individually do not form the complete circumference of a hole. Such a screw hole does not require a core pull on casting, lowering manufacturing costs. The piston includes a piston seal which is angled with respect to the piston.

Abstract: An air compressor includes a valve plate with cooling fins and a piston also having cooling fins. The valve plate includes an integral and angled valve plate outlet. The angling of the valve plate outlet reduces turbulence and improves compressed air flow. The pump frame of the gas compressor includes a lipless bearing bore, decreasing the distance between the portion of the frame supporting the bearing and the piston. The pump frame is flat such that a portion of the cylinder is over a portion of the motor. The flatness of this arrangement increases the strength of the pump frame. The piston bearing bore includes two clamping structures having screw holes. Each screw hole is formed from a series half-cylinder or barrel portions, which individually do not form the complete circumference of a hole. Such a screw hole does not require a core pull on casting, lowering manufacturing costs. The piston includes a piston seal which is angled with respect to the piston.

Abstract: A system provides electrical power and compressed air includes a wheeled hand truck frame, an engine, a compressor, a generator, and a reservoir having several horizontally disposed cylindrical tanks in fluid communication and arranged in one or a few vertical planes. A portion of a lower-most tank of the reservoir is below the plane including the axle for the wheels; and the respective centers of gravity of the engine, the fuel tank, and the reservoir are arranged for relatively greater stability. A control system for the engine, generator, and compressor provides priority response to air demand and/or priority response to electrical power demand by reducing lower priority loads on the engine prior to increasing engine speed. A throttle controller moves the engine throttle from high speed to low speed in response to low demand for compressed air in combination with low demand for electrical power. The throttle controller includes a low demand valve and throttle positioning air cylinder.

Abstract: An air compressor includes a valve plate with cooling fins and a piston also having cooling fins. The valve plate includes an integral and angled valve plate outlet. The angling of the valve plate outlet reduces turbulence and improves compressed air flow. The pump frame of the gas compressor includes a lipless bearing bore, decreasing the distance between the portion of the frame supporting the bearing and the piston. The pump frame is flat such that a portion of the cylinder is over a portion of the motor. The flatness of this arrangement increases the strength of the pump frame. The piston bearing bore includes two clamping structures having screw holes. Each screw hole is formed from a series half-cylinder or barrel portions, which individually do not form the complete circumference of a hole. Such a screw hole does not require a core pull on casting, lowering manufacturing costs. The piston includes a piston seal which is angled with respect to the piston.

Abstract: A canister assembly includes a canister, a plug enclosure, a vent mechanism, a delivery valve mechanism, and a protective handle. The plug enclosure may be attached to the canister at an opening and forms a pressurized seal of the interior cavity of the canister. The vent mechanism automatically reduces pressure when pressure inside the canister exceeds a preset level. The delivery valve mechanism can be automatically and remotely activated subject to a user's control to provide gaseous flow from the canister. The protective handle is fastened to the canister and includes the handle docking element. A docking assembly includes a canister assembly, a manifold assembly, a docking station, and a docking mechanism. The docking mechanism includes a handle docking element and a port docking element. The manifold assembly includes a manifold and at least one port attached to the manifold. The docking station includes a canister bay, protective housing, and the port docking element.

Abstract: A detachable air compressor system includes a detachable air compressor unit and a second storage tank. The detachable air compressor unit is portable and includes an air pump powered by a motor and connected to a first storage tank, where the pump, motor, and first storage tank are all connected to a first base. The first storage tank is also attached to a regulator in order to release the compressed air stored inside and to a first coupler to permit the transport of compressed air between the first storage tank and the second storage tank. The detachable air compressor unit can be attached to a second storage tank of a larger size than the first storage tank. The second storage tank includes a second coupler adapted for receiving the first coupler from the first base as well as a second base adapted for coupling with the first base to removably secure the detachable air compressor unit to the second storage tank.

Abstract: A pole for use in a magnetic circuit includes a flux-passing portion for passing magnetic flux and a cap. The flux-passing portion has a face through which at least some of the magnetic flux passes and to which the cap is fixed. The cap is made of a permeable material and is formed to impede eddy currents in the cap. The cap may have a top and bottom surface joined by a shoulder to provide a distribution of magnetic flux through the shoulder that is less concentrated than the flux distribution through a 90-degree corner. The pole may be incorporated into a generator, a motor, a linear motor, or a portable engine-driven generator to increase the efficiency thereof.

Abstract: A portable fuel cell electric power generator is disclosed, suitable for use as a UPS (100), including a fuel cell assembly (200), a power conditioning system (160) including a DC to DC converter and a DC to AC inverter, a plurality of metal hydride canisters (300), a manifold assembly (320), and a battery system (150), all enclosed in a mobile chassis (130). The fuel cell assembly includes a compressor (230) for providing compressed air to the fuel cell stack (210) and a condenser for condensing water vapor generated by the fuel cell stack. The canisters provide hydrogen to the fuel cells, and can be hot swapped such that the generator can operate continuously for an indefinite period. The battery system provides start-up power to the compressor, as well as initial back up power for the power outlet during fuel cell start-up. A heat transfer device (307) in the canisters aids in maintaining the desired temperature in the metal hydride.

Abstract: A power conversion system includes an engine coupled to drive an alternator, a rectifier circuit, and an ignition controller. The alternator includes a stator and a rotor that cooperate when driven to provide a current supplied to the rectifier circuit. The rectifier circuit provides output power having a voltage. The ignition controller supplies energy to the spark plug of the engine. If the voltage exceeds a predetermined limit, the ignition controller supplies less energy to the spark plug to decrease engine drive. The stator may include several windings (or a tapped winding) and the system further includes an engine throttle controller and a winding control circuit. The winding control circuit selectively couples one or more windings of the plurality (or one or more turns of a tapped winding) to the rectifier circuit. The winding control circuit cooperates with a throttle controller to facilitate provision of a predetermined output power with a relatively low engine RPM for noise abatement.