Patents Assigned to Walbro Engine Management , L.L.C.
  • Patent number: 6848405
    Abstract: A self-relieving choke starting system for a carburetor of a combustion engine has an elongated cammed latch which projects radially outward from a rotating shaft of a choke valve located in an upstream region of a fuel-and-air mixing passage carried by a body of the carburetor. During a first attempt at starting a cold engine, the user manually rotates the choke valve from a spring biased open to a full choke position whereupon a cam end of the latch contacts a follower arm, which projects radially outward from a rotating shaft of a throttle valve located downstream of a venturi of the mixing passage. As the choke valve manually rotates closed, the throttle valve automatically rotates in an open direction against the biasing force of a throttle spring from a slow idle state, for normal engine operation, to a fast idle state for engine starting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Walbro Engine Management , L.L.C.
    Inventors: Paul J. Dow, Joseph M. Graham
  • Patent number: 6814343
    Abstract: A carburetor including a main body and a throttle valve received in a mixing passage through the main body. The throttle valve is movable to adjust the quantity of a fuel and air mixture supplied to an engine. A carrier member on the main body has a threaded bore in which a shank of an idle speed adjustment screw is received to adjust and control the idle position of the throttle valve. The idle speed adjustment screw is formed of a polymeric material such that the shank is deformed by engagement with the threaded bore to reliably retain the idle speed adjustment screw in its adjusted position in the threaded bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Walbro Engine Management, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Gary U. Gliniecki, Jeffrey H. Krueger, Paul S. Learman
  • Patent number: 6779785
    Abstract: A self-relieving choke adjustment apparatus for an internal combustion engine carburetor including a choke valve body and a choke mixing passage formed in the valve body. A choke plate is supported in the mixing passage for pivotal motion about a parallel choke plate axis between an open position and a closed position, such that airflow through the mixing passage tends to rotate the choke plate toward the open position. A rotary biasing element is connected between the choke plate and the choke body and applies a torque biasing the choke plate toward its closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Walbro Engine Management, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Donald W. Warner
  • Patent number: 6761193
    Abstract: A level sensor and fuel pump assembly insertable through an access hole of a fuel tank so that an elongated fuel pump is disposed substantially completely within the fuel tank, and so that a flange of the assembly covers the hole and is engaged sealably to the wall of the fuel tank. The fuel level sensor has an arm which projects generally laterally when in a biased operating position from the elongated fuel pump to a float at a distal end. During insertion of the fully pre-assembled fuel sensor and pump assembly through the access hole of the fuel tank, the fuel level sensor is pivoted from the biased operating position to a collapsed position by an external force thus pivoting the fuel level sensor generally parallel, and closely orientated, to the fuel pump. This temporary orientation permits insertion of the fuel pump assembly through the relatively small access hole of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Walbro Engine Management, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Cotton, Jeffrey D. Hanby, Gerald A. Hill, Jeffrey C. Hoppe, Roger N. Smith
  • Patent number: 6581579
    Abstract: A fuel pump assembly for use with a fuel injected combustion engine has a liquid cooled vapor separator from which conditioned fuel is drawn by a high pressure fuel pump. The vapor separator has an internal heat conductive sleeve which defines a fuel chamber or reservoir. A coolant chamber surrounds the heat conducting sleeve and is carried laterally between an exterior housing of the fuel pump assembly and the internal sleeve. A coiled baffle disposed within the coolant chamber forms a coolant channel which spirals about the sleeve. The channel has a first end which communicates with a coolant passage inlet and an opposing second end which communicates with a coolant passage outlet carried by the housing. The introduction of the baffle, therefore the channeling of coolant flow through the spiraling channel, improves the fuel cooling efficiency of the vapor separator by eliminating hot spots created by stagnate or non-flowing coolant areas within the coolant chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Walbro Engine Management, L.L.C.
    Inventors: David L. Knight, Ronald H. Roche, Roger N. Smith