Patent ID: 9429086
Filing Date: 2016-08-30
CPC Classification: F02D,F02M,Y02T

Claim Text:
1. An engine control device for controlling starting of an engine, comprising: a needle valve assembly including a step motor having a motor shaft for undergoing a rotational movement, a plunger for undergoing a linear vertical movement converted from the rotational movement of the motor shaft, and a needle valve body, the needle valve body having a needle disposed on the plunger, and an orifice, the needle and the orifice defining an opening therebetween, the opening having an opening degree variable to one of a plurality of opening degrees including a first opening degree provided by the opening being opened by 50% and a second opening degree provided by the opening being opened by 70%, the needle being operable in response to the linear vertical movement of the plunger to vary the opening degree for adjusting a flow rate of gas to mix with an air into a fuel-air mixture to be supplied to the engine; a control section connected to the needle valve assembly for controlling the needle valve assembly to set the opening degree of opening, the control section being configured to start, upon detection of a first operation signal, a predetermined number of times or less of cranking with the opening degree set by the control section to the first opening degree in accordance with the first operation signal, and start, if a number of rotations of the engine has not yet reached a predetermined value through the cranking with the opening degree set to the first opening degree, the predetermined number of times or less of cranking with the opening degree set by the control section to the second opening degree, wherein the plurality of opening degrees further includes a third opening degree larger than the second opening degree, and the control section is operable to start the predetermined number of times or less of cranking with the opening degree set to the third opening degree if after varying the opening degree from the second opening degree back to the first opening degree the number of rotations of the engine has not yet reached the predetermined value through the cranking with the opening degree set to the first opening degree; and a shut-off valve connected to the needle valve assembly and the control section to be controlled by the control section to open for a predetermined period of time to allow supply of gas from a fuel supply source to the needle valve assembly during the predetermined number of times or less of cranking.