Abstract:
The invention provides a system for providing power assisted starting for a variety of gasoline engine devices. In one embodiment, a device comprises a drill having a chuck, a hex shank socket extension coupled to the chuck and a tube. The tube has two dowel pins and the tube is coupled to the drill such that the tube encircles the hex shank socket extension. The tube is configured to couple to an anchor device configured around the hex nut of a bolt securing a flywheel of a gasoline engine.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a modified cordless electric power drill, and more specifically to methods and systems for providing power assisted starting for a variety of gasoline engine devices. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a modified cordless electric power drill, and more specifically to methods and systems for providing power assisted starting for a variety of gasoline engine devices. 
     Many gasoline engines use a pull-cord in which a cord is wound about a pulley which is coupled to the engine&#39;s crankshaft. Using the pull-cord to start an engine requires a certain level of physical strength and range of motion. Because of this, many people have difficulty using a pull-cord to start an engine. Accordingly, various mechanical starters have been developed to help start gasoline engines. 
     Such prior art devices have included expensive and complex power starting units such as those utilizing a starter ring and Bendix drive with an electric starter and battery. Although these units work satisfactorily, battery charging and replacements are cumbersome while permanently mounted in the device, they increase weight and the initial cost of the lawn mower. In an attempt to devise a more economically feasible starter, prior proposals have suggested using a coupler to connect an electric drill to the crankshaft to provide the torque needed to turn the crankshaft. Certain of these devices have proved to be hazardous to operate due to the difficulty in disengaging the coupler from the engine once the engine is started. Certain embodiments also required a special mounting structure on the lawn mower which required modifying the existing crankshaft configuration. 
     In previous patents, an uncovered hex shank socket extension with a linkage device has been used to engage an existing hex nut of the bolt securing a flywheel to its crankshaft. This open configuration may cause safety concerns upon removal of the starter as kick-back from the starter device caused injuries. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,647 disclosed a large rig to hold a drill in place. This rig is only applicable, however, for larger equipment and lacks a shielding device for the rotating linkage mechanism. Other systems employ a simple clutch to assist in the disengagement of the linkage of the starter mechanism. However, these clutches also failed to remedy the danger associated with kick-back. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,596 discloses a sleeved drive shaft that rotates upon withdrawal from the linkage. Moreover, the device disclosed in the &#39;596 patent does not provide any mechanism for locking the starter in place to prevent kick-back. 
     For the foregoing reasons, there is a strong need for a system for providing power assisted starting for a variety of gasoline engine devices that provides adequate shielding for the user to alleviate safety concerns. The present invention provides these and other advantageous results. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present system provides methods and systems for providing power assisted starting for a variety of gasoline engine devices. In one embodiment, a device comprises a drill having a chuck, a hex shank socket extension coupled to the chuck and a tube. The tube has two dowel pins disposed on opposite sides of the tube at a first end on the tube, and the second end of the tube is coupled to the drill such that the tube encircles the hex shank socket extension. The device further comprises an anchor that is configured to encircle the hex nut of a bolt securing a flywheel of a gasoline engine. The anchor comprises two hemispherical sidewalls that form a circle, and wherein the hemispherical sidewalls further form two elongate slots on opposite sides of the circle. The tube is configured to fit within the anchor circle and the two tube dowel pins are configured to engage within the two elongate slots of the circle. 
     The invention described herein provides several advantages. For example, a tubular linkage is configured to provide safety by securing the starter device to the engine device. Another advantage of the invention is to provide a removable starter that will not add any additional weight to the equipment after the equipment&#39;s engine has been starting. The invention also is cost effective because it can be used to start a wide variety of equipment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood from a reading of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying Figures in the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary linkage device in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side-perspective view of an exemplary hex shank socket extension adaptor in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary starter system in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 4A  illustrates an overhead view of an anchor device in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4B  illustrates a side perspective view of an engine cover in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the invention described herein are, for example, capable of operation in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Furthermore, the terms “include,” “have,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show the exemplary embodiment by way of illustration and its best mode. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, it should be understood that other embodiments can be realized and that logical and mechanical dimensional changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation. For example, the steps recited in any of the method descriptions can be executed in any order and are not limited to the order presented. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of a removable starter device in accordance with the present invention. The device can be used to start various equipment including, but not limited to mowers, weed trimmers, hedge trimmers, tillers, power rakes, power blowers, snow blowers, pressure washers, chippers, edgers, sweepers, generators, cultivators, chain saws, air compressors, and the like. The device can also be used to start various vehicles such as outboard boats, snowmobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, ultralight aircraft, and the like. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an electric drill with removable linkage device is illustrated. The removable linkage device  160  is configured to removably attach to an electric drill  105 . Linkage device  160  comprises a tube  155 , locking clamp  165  and dowel pins  170  and  175 . Tube  155  is configured to house a hex shank socket extension  110  (HSSE) coupled to a chuck  125  of drill  105 . 
     Electric drill  105  can be any type of electric drill, including both cordless and traditional cord drills. In one exemplary embodiment, drill  105  comprises a fourteen volt cordless drill without a reverse mode. Drill  105  can comprise a chuck to receive any size HSSE  110 . In one exemplary embodiment, chuck  125  of drill  105  is a ¾ inch chuck. 
     Tube  155  is configured as a tube having an interior and an exterior diameter. The walls between the interior and exterior diameter can range between approximately 1/32 inch in thickness to ⅛ inch in thickness. Tube  155  can comprise any type of rigid material. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, tube  155  comprises a structurally sound metal, such as, for example, steel, titanium, brass, copper, and/or the like. Tube  155  is configured to extend along the length of HSSE  110 , such that it houses substantially all of HSSE  100  within tube  155 . For example, tube  155  can be configured to extend lengthwise approximately four inches, and the exterior diameter of tube  155  can be configured to be approximately two inches. 
     Locking clamp  165  a circular ring that fits around the outside of tube  155  that is open on one side. Extending outward from each edge of the open side of locking clamp  165  are two locking parts configured to receive a clamping device in an opening within the locking parts. The clamping device as described herein, includes, but is not limited to a bolt, a screw, studs and/or the like. As the clamping device is tightened within the two locking parts, the two locking parts come closer together. This locking movement tightens tube  155  around the drill collar. 
     With additional reference to an exemplary block diagram illustrated in  FIG. 2 , HSSE  110  comprises a socket  115  that is configured to engage with an existing hex nut of a bolt that secures the flywheel of a gasoline engine to its crankshaft. HSSE  110  is coupled to chuck  125  of drill  105 . HSSE  110  and socket  115  are housed substantially within linkage device  160 . 
     Dowel pins  170  and  175  are configured to facilitate locking the electric drill with removable linkage device into place when coupled to the hex nut of a bolt that secures the flywheel of engine  150 . Pins  170  and  175  are disposed on opposite sides of tube  155  at the end of tube  155  that is adjacent to socket  115 . Dowel pins  170  and  175  can be coupled to tube  155  by any means such as by screwing pins into tube  155 , by glue, and/or by affixing pins to tube  155  in any other manner. Dowel pins  170  and  175  can comprise any type of rigid material, such as, for example, wood, PVC, metal and/or the like. In one exemplary embodiment, dowel pins  170  and  175  comprise stainless steel. Dowel pins  170  and  175  can be configured to have any length or diameter to facilitating locking drill  105  and removable linkage device  160  to the crankshaft of an engine. In one exemplary embodiment, dowel pins  150  and  175  are approximately ¼ inch in length and have a diameter of approximately ⅜ inch. 
     With reference to an exemplary block diagram of a starter system illustrated in  FIG. 3 , removable linkage device  160  can be used to facilitate starting a lawn mower  150 . Lawn mower  150  can be started with the rope starter in place and/or with it removed. While a lawn mower is illustrated in  FIG. 3 , removable linkage device can be used to start any type internal combustion engine powered equipment, described herein. 
     Lawn mower  150  comprises an engine that comprises conventional engine components, such as, for example, an ignition, a starter, a piston and piston rod assembly, a cylinder, a fuel tank, a crankshaft, a flywheel and the like. The engine is coupled to one or more mower blades. An anchor device  225  is configured to substantially surround the hex nut  230  of a bolt that secures the flywheel of the engine to facilitate locking the electric drill with removable linkage device to engine  150 . 
     Anchor device  225  can be further explained with reference to an exemplary overhead view depicted in  FIG. 4A . Anchor device  225  is configured as two generally hemispherical halves  210  around hex nut  230  that form slots  220 ,  240  for receiving dowel pins  170  and  175  of device  160 . Hemispherical halves  210  of anchor device  225  are configured to form a circle having a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of tube  155 , such that tube  155  can fit within the circle formed by halves  210 . For example, in one exemplary embodiment, halves  210  form a circle having a diameter of four ¼ inches to accommodate tube  155  having an outer diameter of four inches. In addition, anchor device  225  is configured of a height that is approximately the same as that of tube  155 . As such, the top of tube  155  is an orifice around which anchor device  225  is introduced. Anchor device  225  can comprise any substantially rigid material described such as a sound metal and/or polyvinyl chloride PVC. Anchor device  225  can be configured to have a length ranging from approximately one to four inches. 
     Anchor device  225  is configured to be coupled to a mower  150  such that anchor  225  is concentric with hex nut  230 . Anchor device  225  can be coupled to mower  150  by any manner described herein. In one exemplary embodiment, anchor device  225  is coupled to mower  150  by being part of/encompassed under a molded engine cover  255  and the orifice of the anchor device ( FIG. 4B ) may be covered by engine cover  255 , wherein cover  255  comprises a hinged lid and/or spring operated lid that will return to the closed position as device is withdrawn. In another exemplary embodiment, the height of halves  210  is governed by the configuration of anchor device  225  under molded engine cover  255 . 
     With reference again to  FIG. 1 , removable linkage device  160  is used by first coupling HSSE  110  to chuck  125  of drill  105 . HSSE  110  is further coupled to socket  115 . Tube  115  of removable linkage device  160  is then coupled to drill  105  by placing tube  155  around HSSE  110  and locking tube  155  to drill  105  using locking clamp  165 . The dowel pin  170 ,  175  end of tube  155  is then positioned within anchor  225  such that socket  115  engages with hex nut  230  and dowel pins  170  and  175  engage with slots  220  and  230 . Drill  105  is then powered on. The rotational energy of HSSE  110  by drill  105  is then transferred to hex nut  230 , which in turn rotates the crankshaft of the mower engine to start the engine. Once the engine has started running, drill  105  with linkage device  160  can be removed from anchor  225 . 
     It should be apparent that an invention has been provided with significant advantages. The removable linkage device of the present invention allows an engine having a rotary crankshaft to be started quickly and safely. 
     The present invention has been described above with reference to various exemplary embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes in modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” and/or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, and/or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed and/or inherent to such process, method, article, and/or apparatus. Further, no element described herein is required for the practice of the invention unless expressly described as “essential” and/or “critical.”