Apparatus for confirming and reporting the operating conditions of a chain saw or the like

Confirmation of the existance of the proper operating conditions of a power tool is obtained by providing confirmation sensing means for sensing and confirming inspection and verification of the appropriate condition of each one of a plurality of preset operating conditions by the user, a confirmed state judging means for receiving the output of the completed confirmation sensing means and judging what operating conditions have been completely inspected and verified; a confirmation instructing means for informing the user of those operating conditions yet to be inspected and verified in response to the output of the confirmed state judging means; and, switching means for receiving the output of the confirmed state judging means and thereby allowing energization of the igniting circuit of the engine only after confirmation of all the preset operating conditions are completed and met.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an apparatus for confirming and reporting the 
operating conditions of a chain saw, mower, sprinkler, duster or 
sterilizer having an internal combustion engine (which unit shall be 
merely called "a chain saw or the like" hereinafter). 
That is to say, the present invention relates to an apparatus wherein such 
conditions required for the normal operation of a chain saw or the like as 
whether the fuel is contained and whether the lubricating oil is contained 
(which conditions shall be merely called "operating conditions" 
hereinafter) are confirmed by the user or the like in advance before 
starting the operation and, when such confirmation is failed, the 
operation of the chain saw or the like will be stopped. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In a chain saw or the like, before starting the operation, it will be 
required of the user or the like to confirm such several operating 
conditions as whether the fuel is contained, whether the lubricating oil 
is contained and whether the tension of the chain is proper. 
However, in the conventional chain saw or the like, there is provided no 
means of warning the user or the like to confirm the operating conditions 
and therefore such confirmation is likely to be failed. Even if the 
confirmation is failed, the operation will be possible. Therefore, there 
have been defects that, for example, in case there is no lubricating oil 
or in case the tension of the chain is loose, during the operation, the 
internal combustion engine will seize or the chain will be removed to be 
dangerous. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is to provide an apparatus which warns the user or 
the like to confirm the operating conditions of a chain saw or the like 
before starting and will prevent the operation of the chain saw or the 
like when the user or the like fails to confirm the operating conditions. 
Therefore, the present invention comprises a completed confirmation sensing 
means of sensing the completed confirmations of the respective operating 
conditions by the user or the like, a confirmed state judging means of 
receiving the output of the completed confirmation sensing means and 
thereby judging what operating conditions have been completely confirmed, 
a confirmation instructing means of informing the user or the like of the 
operating conditions to be confirmed in response to the output of the 
confirmed state judging means and a switching means of receiving the 
output of the above mentioned confirmed state judging means and thereby 
energizing the igniting circuit of the engine only after the confirmations 
of all the preset operating conditions are completed. 
According to the present invention of the above mentioned formation, first 
of all, at the time of starting the engine, the confirmation of the first 
operating condition is instructed to the user or the like from the 
confirmation instructing means. 
In the case, when the confirmed state judging means having received the 
output of the completed confirmation sensing means judges that the 
confirmation of the above mentioned first operating condition has not yet 
been completed, the confirmation of the first operating condition will be 
further instructed to the user or the like from the confirmation 
instructing means. When the confirmation of the first operating condition 
is judged to have been completed, the confirmation of the second operating 
condition will be instructed to the user or the like from the confirmation 
instructing means. 
When the above operations are repeated in the same manner, the user or the 
like will confirm in turn the respective operating conditions. 
Thus, only when the confirmed state judging means judges that the 
confirmations of all the preset operating conditions have been completed, 
the switching means having received the output of the confirmed state 
judging means will energize the igniting circuit of the engine. 
As in the above, according to the present invention, before starting the 
operation of a chain saw or the like, the operating conditions are 
confirmed by the user or the like and, when the confirmation is failed, 
the operation of the chain saw or the like will be able to be prevented. 
Therefore, there is no fear that, during the operation, the internal 
combustion engine will seize or the chain will be removed to be dangerous. 
Thus, the invention is very advantageous to the safety.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The fundamental formation of the present invention shall be described with 
reference to FIG. 1. 
A confirmed state judging means 2 is to receive the output of a completed 
confirmation sensing means sensing the completed confirmations of the 
respective operating conditions by the user or the like and to thereby 
judge what operating conditions have been completely confirmed. A 
confirmation instructing means 3 is to inform the user or the like 4 of 
the operating conditions to be confirmed in response to the output of the 
above mentioned confirmed state judging means. A switching means 5 is to 
receive the output of the above mentioned confirmed state judging means 
and to thereby energize the igniting circuit of the engine only after the 
confirmations of all the preset operating conditions are completed. 
According to the present invention of the above mentioned formation, first 
of all, at the time of starting the engine, the confirmation of the first 
operating condition is instructed to the user or the like 4 from the 
confirmation instructing means 3. 
In this case, when the confirmed state judging means 1 having received the 
output of the completed confirmation sensing means judges that the 
confirmation of the above mentioned first operating condition has not yet 
been completed, the confirmation of the first operating condition will be 
further instructed to the user or the like 4 from the confirmation 
instructing means 3. When the confirmation of the first operating 
condition is judged to have been completed, the confirmation of the second 
operating condition will be instructed to the user or the like from the 
confirmation instructing means 3. 
When the above operations are repeated in the same manner, the user or the 
like 4 will confirm in turn the respective operating conditions. 
Thus, only when the confirmed state judging means 2 judges that the 
confirmations of all the preset operating conditions have been completed, 
the switching means 5 having received the output of the confirmed state 
judging means will energize the igniting circuit 6 of the engine. 
As in the above, according to the present invention, before starting the 
operation of a chain saw or the like, the operating conditions are 
confirmed by the user or the like and, when the confirmation is failed, 
the operation of the chain saw or the like will be able to be prevented. 
Therefore, there is no fear that, during the operation, the internal 
combustion engine will seize or the chain will be removed to be dangerous. 
Thus, the invention is very advantageous to the safety. 
The present invention shall be described in detail in the following with 
reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. 
FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention. 
In FIG. 2, the reference numeral 1 represents a completed confirmation 
sensing means of sensing the completed confirmations of the respective 
operating conditions by the user or the like. The completed confirmation 
sensing means 1 is formed of a nonlocked type switch 7 and resistances 8 
and 9 connected with one another as illustrated and is connected to an 
interface 13 of a microcomputer 10. That is to say, when the user or the 
like 4 has completed the confirmations of the operating conditions and 
pushes the switch 7, a completed confirmation signal will be fed to the 
interface 13. By the way, the switch 7 may be provided to correspond to 
each of the respective operating conditions or may be one. 
The reference numeral 2 represents a confirmed state judging means, for 
example, by using a microcomputer 10, comprising mostly a microprocessor 
(central operating device) 11, a memory (memorizing device) 12 and an 
interface (input and output signal processing circuit) 13 into which 
completed confirmation signals are to be put as described above. 
Further, the output of the interface 13 is to be put into the confirmation 
instructing means 3 and switching means 5. 
The confirmation instructing means 3 is to inform the user or the like of 
the operating conditions to be confirmed and comprises a speech 
synthesizing LSI 14 and a speaker 15. The speech synthesizing LSI has 
memorized several kinds of preset speech informations and is to receive 
speech selecting signals and speech generating signals and to generate 
predetermined speechs through the speaker 15. In the present invention, 
such speech informations corresponding to the operating conditions to be 
confirmed as, for example, of "Is there the fuel?" and "Is there the 
lubricating oil?" are set. That is to say, in the case shown in FIG. 2, 
the outputs of the above-mentioned interface 13 are used as the speech 
selecting signals and speech generating signals of the speech synthsizing 
LSI 14 to inform the user or the like 4 by speeches of the operating 
conditions to be confirmed in response to the result of the judgment of 
the confirmed state. 
By the way, the confirmation instructing means 3 may use as well such 
indicator as a lamp or liquid crystal indicator or may use only such 
indicator. 
The switching means 5 is to receive the output of the above-mentioned 
interface 13 and to thereby energize the igniting circuit 6 of the engine 
only after the confirmations of all the preset operating conditions are 
completed. In the case shown in FIG. 2, a transistor 16 is used. That is 
to say, in the transistor 16, for example, an emitter and collector are 
connected in series with the igniting circuit 6 so that the conduction and 
nonconduction may be controlled by the output of the interface 13. 
Therefore, when the transistor 16 is nonconductive, the igniting circuit 6 
will not operate and, as a result, the operation of the chain saw or the 
like will be prevented. 
By the way, the switching means 5 is not limited to be of a transistor but 
may be such electronic switch or relay as of a thyristor. 
The contents of confirmation instructions and the states of the transistor 
16 corresponding to the outputs of the confirmation judging means 2, that 
is, the outputs of the interface 13 determined by the values of the output 
register are made, for example, as shown in the following table: 
______________________________________ 
Values of States of 
the output Contents of the confirmation 
the tran- 
register instructions sistor 
______________________________________ 
1 Is there the fuel? (First 
OFF 
operating condition) 
2 Is there the lubricating oil? 
OFF 
(Second operating condition) 
3 Is the tension of the chain 
OFF 
proper? (Third operating 
condition) 
4 Is the chain sharpened well? 
OFF 
(Fourth operating condition) 
5 (None) ON 
______________________________________ 
Further, a flow chart for carrying out the judgment of the confirmed state 
of the operating conditions is shown in FIG. 2. By the way, in the chart, 
P.sub.1 to P.sub.7 represent the respective steps of the flow chart. 
This judgment is carried out by being initially set at the time of starting 
the engine or, for example, at the time of putting in a current source. 
First of all, at P.sub.2, (1) is memorized in the register A and, at 
P.sub.3, the contents of the register A are moved to the output register. 
Then, at P.sub.4, whether the confirmation has been completed or not, that 
is, whether the switch 7 is ON or not is judged. If this confirmation has 
not been completed, P.sub.3 and P.sub.4 will be repeated. If this 
confirmation has been completed, at P.sub.5, whether all the confirmations 
have been completed or not will be judged. If all the confirmations have 
been completed, at P.sub.6, the addition of (1) to the original contents 
of the register A will be made the contents of the register A and the 
process will return to P.sub.3. If all the confirmations have been 
completed, at P.sub.7, the judgment will be completed. 
According to the present invention of the above-mentioned formation, at the 
time of starting the engine, first of all, a speech of "Is there the 
fuel?" will be issued from the speaker 15 to instruct the user or the like 
4 to confirm the first operating condition. 
In such case, unless the user or the like 4 sets the switch 7 ON, the 
speech of "Is there the fuel?" will continue to be issued from the speaker 
5. 
If the user or the like 4 sets the switch 7 ON, a speech of "Is there the 
lubricating oil?" will be issued from the speaker 15 to instruct the user 
or the like 4 to confirm the second operating condition. 
The above operations are repeated in the same manner so that the user or 
the like 4 may confirm in turn the respective operating conditions. 
Thus, in case a speech of "Is the chain sharpened well?" is issued from the 
speaker 15 to instruct the user or the like to confirm the last operating 
condition, if the user or the like 4 sets the switch 7 ON, the issue of 
the speech from the speaker 15 will be stopped and the transistor 16 will 
be conductive for the first time. As a result, for the first time, at this 
time point, the igniting circuit 6 will be energized and the chain saw or 
the like will be able to be started. Thereafter, the transistor will 
remain conductive. 
FIG. 4 shows another embodiment different from the embodiment shown in FIG. 
2 in the formation of the completed confirmation sensing means 1. 
That is to say, nonlocked type switches 7a, 7b, 7c and 7d to be pushed by 
the user or the like when the confirmations of the operating conditions 
have been completed are provided to correspond to the respective operating 
conditions. The switch 7a corresponds to the confirmation of the fuel. The 
switch 7b corresponds to the confirmation of the lubricating oil. The 
switch 7c corresponds to the confirmation of the tension of the chain. The 
switch 7d corresponds to the confirmation of the sharpness of the chain. 
The switch 7a is connected to resistances 8a and 9a as illustrated and 
further to one input end of an AND-gate 17a. 
The output of a fuel amount detecting sensor 18a for detecting the fuel 
amount as an analogue signal is connected to the other input end of the 
AND-gate through a comparator 19a which compares the analogue signal with 
the signal corresponding to the required amount of the fuel, judges 
whether the fuel is contained or not and puts out the result. Needless to 
say, in case it is to be detected as a digital signal that the required 
amount of the fuel is not contained, the above mentioned comparator 19a 
will be unnecessary. 
The output of the AND-gate 17a is to be put into the interface 13 as a 
completed confirmation signal of one operating condition, that is, the 
fuel. 
The above formation is the same also of the switches 7a and 7c, resistances 
8b, 9b, 8c and 9c, AND-gates 17b and 17c, oil amount detecting sensor 18c 
and comparators 19b and 19c. By the way, in the absence of the means of 
detecting the sharpness of the chain, the switch 7d and resistances 8a and 
9d will be formed the same as in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 
2 so that the ON and OFF-signals of the switch 7d may be put directly into 
the interface. 
According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 of the above-mentioned 
formation, for example, in confirming the fuel, when the user or the like 
4 sets the switch 7a ON, if the required amount of the fuel is not 
actually contained, no completed confirmation signal will be put into the 
interface 13. 
Therefore, though no fuel is actually contained, in case the user or the 
like 4 pushes the switch 7a by misconfirmation, a speech of "Put in the 
fuel" will continue to be issued from the speaker 15 to instruct the user 
or the like to confirm the fuel. 
Therefore, in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the confirmations 
of the operating conditions will not be judged to have been completed by 
only the user or the like and therefore the safety will be enhanced. 
As detailed in the above, according to the present invention, before 
starting the operation of a chain saw or the like, the operating 
conditions are confirmed by the user or the like and, when the 
confirmation is failed, the operation of the chain saw or the like will be 
able to be prevented. Therefore, there is no fear that, during the 
operation, the internal combustion engine will seize or the chain will be 
removed to be dangerous. Thus, there is obtained an effect that the 
invention is very advantageous to the safety.