Patent ID: 7168407

Claim:
An operation unit starting and stopping an engine via a start motor and controlling an engine rotation comprising: an engine operation box storing therein a control operation portion controlling an opening degree of a throttle valve of the engine and a pair of start switch terminals connected to the start motor starting the engine; a throttle operating lever provided in an outer portion of the engine operation box and operating the control operation portion so as to control the opening degree of the throttle valve from an idle position to a full-open position; and an operating portion of a start switch connecting and disconnecting the pair of start switch terminals, wherein the throttle operating lever has a switch shielding portion which enables to operate the start switch without shielding the operating portion of the start switch at a time when the throttle operating lever is at the idle position, and disables to operate the start switch by shielding at least a part of the operating portion of the start switch by means of a part of the switch shielding portion at a time when the throttle operating lever is operated so as to be apart from the idle position.