Starter system for an engine

Abstract

A pressure washer includes an engine, a water pump driven by the engine, a starter motor coupled to the engine to start the engine, an energy storage device electrically coupled to the starter motor, a spray device including an activation device for starting and stopping a flow of water from the spray device, a pressure sensor, and a flow sensor. The water pump has a low pressure side and a high pressure side. The high pressure side provides pressurized water. The pressure sensor is located at the low pressure side and is configured to indicate a water pressure relative to a threshold pressure. The flow sensor is located at the low pressure side and is configured to indicate a water flow relative to a threshold flow. With the engine off, the starter motor starts the engine when the pressure sensor indicates the water pressure is above the threshold pressure and the flow sensor indicates the water flow is above the threshold flow.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pressure washer comprising:
 an engine;   a water pump driven by the engine, the water pump having a low pressure side and a high pressure side, the high pressure side providing pressurized water;   a starter motor coupled to the engine to start the engine;   an energy storage device electrically coupled to the starter motor;   a spray device including an activation device for starting and stopping a flow of water from the spray device;   a pressure sensor located at the low pressure side, the pressure sensor configured to indicate a water pressure relative to a threshold pressure;   a flow sensor located at the low pressure side, the flow sensor configured to indicate a water flow relative to a threshold flow; and   wherein, with the engine off, the starter motor starts the engine when the pressure sensor indicates the water pressure is above the threshold pressure and the flow sensor indicates the water flow is above the threshold flow.   
     
     
         2 . The pressure washer of  claim 1 , wherein, with the engine on, the engine is stopped when the flow sensor indicates the water flow is below the threshold flow. 
     
     
         3 . The pressure washer of  claim 1 , wherein, with the engine on, when the flow sensor indicates the water flow is below the threshold flow for a predetermined amount of time, the engine is stopped when the predetermined amount of time is met. 
     
     
         4 . The pressure washer of  claim 3 , wherein the engine speed is reduced during the predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         5 . A pressure washer comprising:
 an engine;   a water pump driven by the engine, the water pump providing pressurized water;   a starter motor coupled to the engine to start the engine;   an energy storage device electrically coupled to the starter motor;   a spray device including an activation device for starting and stopping a flow of water from the spray device;   a pressure sensor configured to indicate a water pressure relative to a threshold pressure;   a flow sensor configured to indicate a water flow relative to a threshold flow; and   a controller configured to control the operation of the engine, wherein, with the engine off, the controller activates the starter motor to start the engine when the pressure sensor indicates the water pressure is above the threshold pressure and the flow sensor indicates the water flow is above the threshold flow.   
     
     
         6 . The pressure washer of  claim 5 , wherein with the engine on, the controller is configured to stop the engine when a stopped flow condition is detected. 
     
     
         7 . The pressure washer of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to implement an off delay timer set for a predetermined amount of time, the off delay timer runs when the flow sensor indicates the water flow is below the threshold flow; and
 wherein the controller is configured to stop the engine when the predetermined amount of time is met.   
     
     
         8 . The pressure washer of  claim 7 , wherein the off delay timer is reset when the flow sensor indicates the water flow is above the threshold flow before the predetermined amount of time is met. 
     
     
         9 . The pressure washer of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is incorporated into the engine. 
     
     
         10 . The pressure washer of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is incorporated into the energy storage device. 
     
     
         11 . The pressure washer of  claim 5 , wherein the energy storage device is removably coupled to a receiving port and the controller is incorporated into a housing of the receiving port. 
     
     
         12 . The pressure washer of  claim 11 , wherein the energy storage device is rechargeable. 
     
     
         13 . The pressure washer of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is incorporated into an electric start control module separate from the engine and the energy storage device. 
     
     
         14 . The pressure washer of  claim 5 , wherein the controller comprises non-programmable circuitry having discrete components. 
     
     
         15 . The pressure washer of  claim 14 , wherein the discrete components include:
 a starter motor activation circuit configured to activate the starter motor to start the engine when the pressure sensor indicates the water pressure is above the threshold pressure and the flow sensor indicates the water flow is above the threshold flow; and   an off time delay circuit configured to implement a timer that runs when the flow sensor indicates the water flow is below the threshold flow and to stop the engine when the timer expires.   
     
     
         16 . The pressure washer of  claim 5 , wherein the controller does not include a microcontroller. 
     
     
         17 . The pressure washer of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to implement an off delay timer set for a predetermined amount of time;
 wherein the off delay timer is started in response to a change in pressure indicated by the pressure sensor; and   wherein the controller is configured to stop the engine when the predetermined amount of time is met.   
     
     
         18 . A pressure washer comprising:
 an engine;   a water pump driven by the engine, the water pump providing pressurized water;   a starter motor coupled to the engine to start the engine;   an energy storage device electrically coupled to the starter motor;   a spray device including an activation device for starting and stopping a flow of water from the spray device;   a sensor configured to indicate a water flow or a water pressure relative to a threshold; and   non-programmable circuitry configured to control the operation of the engine, the non-programmable circuitry including a starter motor activation circuit configured to activate the starter motor to start the engine when the sensor indicates the water flow above the threshold or the water pressure above the threshold.   
     
     
         19 . The pressure washer of  claim 18 , wherein the sensor comprises a flow sensor configured to indicate the water flow relative to the threshold; and
 wherein the non-programmable circuitry further includes an off time delay circuit configured to implement a timer that runs when the flow sensor indicates the water flow is below the threshold flow and to stop the engine when the timer expires.   
     
     
         20 . The pressure washer of  claim 19 , wherein the non-programmable circuitry further includes an on delay timer circuit configured to implement a timer that delays activation of the starter motor until the flow sensor indicates the water flow is above the threshold flow for a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         21 . The pressure washer of  claim 18 , wherein the non-programmable circuitry further includes a crank limiting timer circuit configured to implement a timer that runs while the starter motor is activated and to stop the starter motor when the timer expires.