Title of Invention

"AN ENGINE DRIVEN WORKING MACHINE"

Abstract

An engine driven working machine in which a power unit comprising an engine and a working machine connected to the engine is supported by a frame of a frame structure, characterized in that a main frame constituting a main part of the frame comprises a pair of lower frame portions extending in a lateral direction on opposite sides of a lower part of the power unit, a pair of first inclined frame portions connected to one ends of both the lower frame portions and the other end sides of both the lower frame portions, a pair of second inclined frame portions connected to upper ends of both the first inclined frame portions and the one end sides of both the lower frame portions, and an upper connecting frame portion connecting upper ends of the pair of the second inclined frame portions to straddle a top surface of the power unit.

Full Text

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an engine driven working machine in which a power unit comprising an engine and a working machine connected to the engine is supported at a frame of a frame structure, and particularly to a compact portable engine driven working machine. Description of the Related Art An engine driven working machine driven by an engine is widely used, for example, in engine generators, engine driven water pumps and the like. The engine driven working machines of this type, which are made compact and portable, are already known in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No . 63-21696 and Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No. 60-27274. The engine driven working machine in which the entire engine and working machine are covered with the frame for supporting and protecting is already known in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No. 1-34800. In the engine generators disclosed in the above-described Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open Nos. 63-21696 and 60-27274, elaboration is made to the component layout for making the entire machine compact and the position of a carrying handle, but it is difficult to say that consideration is given to protection of the engine and working machine from an external force. On the other hand, in the engine generator disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No. 1-34800, the frame for supporting the engine and the generator is constructed into a rectangular parallelepiped shape to cover the entire engine and. generator so that the engine and the working machine are protected from the external force. However, using such a frame structure for a compact portable engine driven working machine complicates the structure in spite of the compact feature, and an increase in the weight due to the frame becomes the factor of impairing portability. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been achieved uxider the above-mentioned circumstances, and has an object to provide an engine driven working machine capable of effectively protecting an engine and a working machine by a frame of a simple and light structure, and portable in good balance. In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to a first feature of the present invention, there is provided an engine driven working machine in which a power unit comprising an engine and a working machine connected to the engine is supported by a frame of a frame structure, characterized in that a main frame constituting a main part of the frame comprises a pair of lower frame portions extending in a lateral direction on opposite sides of a lower part of the power unit, a pair of first inclined frame portions bent to connect, to one ends of both the lower frame portions and inclined upward as they approach the other end sides of both the lower frame portions, a pair of second inclined frame portions bent to connect to upper ends of both the first inclined frame portions and inclined upward as they approach the one end sides of both the lower frame portions, and an upper connecting frame portion connecting upper ends of the pair of the second inclined frame portions in such a manner as to straddle a top surface of the power unit to function as a carrying handle. With the first characterizing feature, in the main frame constituting the main part of the frame, the portions which are disposed on opposite sides of the power unit, are constructed by continuously connecting the lower frame portions, the first inclined frame portions and the second inclined frame portions, and the upper connecting frame portion which functions as the carrying handle connects the upper ends of the pair of the second inclined frame portions by straddling the power unit. Therefore, the power unit can be effectively protected at least from opposite sides and from above, to thereby simplify the structure of the main frame, and the upper ends of the second inclined frame portions, that is, the upper connecting frame portion, are disposed above the center of gravity position of the power unit, thus making it possible to carry the engine driven working machine by grabbing the upper connecting frame portion while keeping the weight of the entire engine driven working machine in good balance. In addition to the first feature, according to a second feature of the present invention, the main frame further comprises a support member between the pair of the lower frame portions to support the engine and the working machine arranged along a longitudinal direction of the lower frame portions in such a manner that the engine and the working machine are placed on the support member, and the pair of the first inclined frame portions are formed to be disposed on opposite outer sides of the engine and the working machine. With the second characterizing feature, the engine and the working machine can be supported on the main frame while they are protected from the opposite sides by at least the first incf ined frame portions. In addition to the second feature, according to a third feature of the present invention, a fuel tank is disposed above the power unit, and the upper connecting frame portion is disposed at aposition where the upper connecting frame portion performs a protection function against an action of an external force onto the fuel tank. With the third characterizing feature, the opposite sides and the upper portion of the fuel tank can be protected by the upper connecting frame portion. In addition to the third feature of the present invention, according to a fourth feature of the present invention, a virtual rectangular parallelepiped which substantially covers the engine, the working machine and the fuel tank is constructed by a first virtual plane which is in contact with the one ends of both the lower frame portions and bent connecting portions of both the first inclined frame portions and is orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of both the lower frame portions, a second virtual plane which is parallel to the first virtual plane and is in contact from outside with the other ends of both the lower frame portions, third and fourth virtual planes which are respectively in contact from outside with the pair of the lower frame portions, the first inclined frame portions and the second inclined frame portions and are orthogonal to the first and the second virtual planes, a fifth virtual plane which is in contact from above with the upper connecting frame portion and is orthogonal to the first to the fourth virtual planes, and a sixth virtual plane which is in contact from below with both the lower frame portions and is orthogonal to the first to the fourth virtual planes. With the fourth characterizing feature, it is easy to accommodate the engine driven working machine in a package box, and the entire engine, working machine and fuel tank can be effectively protected by the main frame. Accordingly, the present invention relates to an engine driven working machine in which a power unit comprising an engine and a working machine connected to the engine is supported by a frame of a frame structure, characterized in that a main frame constituting a main part of the frame comprises a pair of lower frame portions extending in a lateral direction on opposite sides of a lower part of the power unit, a pair of first inclined frame portions bent to connect to one ends of both the lower frame portions and inclined upward as they approach the other end sides of both the lower frame portions, a pair of second inclined frame portions bent to connect to upper ends of both the first inclined frame portions and inclined upward as they approach the one end sides of both the lower frame portions, and an upper connecting frame portion connecting upper ends of the pair of the second inclined frame portions in such a manner as to straddle a top surface of the power unit to function as a carrying handle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPAYING DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view of an engine generator according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plane view seen in the direction of the arrow 2 in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a rear view seen from the arrow 3 in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a right side view seen from the arrow 4 in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a frame. FIG- 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. First, in FIG. 1 to FIG. A, an engine generator as an engine driven working machine is a compact portable engine generator and constructed by mounting, on a frame 11 of a frame structure, an engine E, a generator G as a working machine connected to the engine to construct a power unit P in cooperation with the engine E, a fuel tank 13 for storing an fuel to be supplied to the engine E, and a control box 14 for accommodating unillustrated electrical equipment. The engine E is disposed so that an axis of a crankshaft 15 (only the axis of the crankshaft is shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3) of the engine E is made horizontal and the cylinder axis is inclined. The generator G is connected to one end of the crankshaft 1:A recoil starter 17 including a pulley 16 connectable to the other end of the crankshaft 15 is attached to the engine E on a side opposite from the generator G. Referring to FIG. 5 together, the power unit P is supported with cushioning on a main frame 12 constituting a main part of the frame 11. The main frame 12 is constructed by a pair of lower frame portions 12a and 12a which extend in a lateral direction along an arranging direction of the engine E and the generator G on opposite sides of a lower part of the power unit P, a pair of first inclined frame portions 12b and 12b which bend to connect to one ends of both the lower frame portions 12a ... and incline upward as they approach the other end sides of both the lower frame portions 12a ..., a pair of second inclined frame portions 12c and 12c which bend to connect to upper ends of both the first inclined frame portions 12b ..., and incline upward as they approach the one end sides of both the lower frame portions 12a ..., an upper connecting frame portion 12d for connecting upper ends of a pair of second inclined frame portions 12c ... in such a manner as to straddle a top surface of the power unit P to function as a carrying handle, and a lower connecting frame portion 12e for connecting the other ends of both the lower frame portions 12a The main frame 12 is constructed by coaxially welding a plurality of pipe members including a plurality of cylindrical pipe members which have been previously bending-molded so that portions corresponding to connecting portions of one ends of the pair of lower frame portions 12a ... and the pair of first inclined frame portions 12b ..., connecting portions of the pair of first inclined frame portions 12b ... and the pair of second inclined frame portions 12c ..., connecting portions of opposite ends of the upper connecting frame portion 12d to upper ends of the pair of the second inclined frame portions 12c ..., and connecting portions of opposite ends of the lower connecting frame portion 12e to the other ends of the pair of the lower frame portions 12a ... are bent and rounded. The main frame 12 may be constructed by reducing the number of pipe members constituting the main frame 12, for example, by coaxially welding opposite ends of two pipe members which are bending-molded, or the main frame 12 may be constructed by coaxially welding opposite ends of one pipe member which is bending-molded. A pair of support members 18 and 18 respectively corresponding to the engine E and the generator G placed along a longitudinal direction of the lower frame portions 12a ... are laid between the pair of the lower frame portions 12a ... of the main frame 12 . Opposite ends of both the support members 18 ... are welded at undersurfaces of the pair of the lower frames 12a .... Leg members 19 and 19 ... made of an elastic material are respectively fixed to opposite ends of both the support members 18 ..., and these leg members 19, 19 ... contact the ground to allow both the support members 18 ... to float from a contact surface. In the support members 18 ..., mount rubbers 21 ... including receiving plates 20 bent in gene rally an L-shape on their top surfaces are fixed to top surfaces at two spots which are spaced in a longitudinal direction of both the support members 18 ... by baking, and the engine E and the generator G are supported on the supporting members 18 ... via these mount rubbers 21 .... Namely, the engine E and the generator G are supported with cushioning on both the lower frame portions 12a ... of the main framel2 via the mount rubbers 21 .... In the main frame 12, the pair of the first inclined frame portions 12b ... are formed to be disposed on opposite outer sides of the engine E and the generator G. A support stay 22 which is formed generally into a U-shape opened downward to straddle a part of the engine E and the recoil starter 17 is laid between these first inclined frame portions 12b ..., and the fuel tank 13 is mounted to the support stay 22 and both the second inclined frame portions 12c .... A pair of receiving members 23 and 23 formed generally into a U-shape opened downward are fixed by welding or the like to a top surface of the support stay 22, spaced from each other. Generally L-shaped support plates 24 and 24 are fixed by welding or the like to inner surfaces of both the second inclined frame portions 12c ... of the main framel2 respectively. The fuel tank 13 is constructed in a generally rectangular shape in the plane view, and a cap 25 for closing and closing an unillustrated fuel charging port is attached to a top portion of the fuel tank 13. A flange portion 13a projecting outward is provided on a side surface of an intermediate portion in a vertical direction of this fuel tank 13, and four corner portions of this flange portion 13a are fixed to both the receiving members 23 ... and both the support plates 24 ... with bolts 26, 26; 28, 28 and weld nuts 27, 27; 29, 29. In addition, elastic spacers 30 and 30 for absorbing an error by bending when errors occur at positions in the vertical direction of the receiving members 23 ... and the support plates 24 ... are interposed between the flange portion 13a and both the receiving members 23 The upper connecting frame portion 12d of the main framel2 is disposed at an upper position from a center of gravity position GP of the power unit P to function as a carrying handle, and is disposed at an upper position from the cap 25 in the fuel tank 13 toperform the protection function against an action of an external force onto the fuel tank 13. Referring to FIG. 6 together, opposite ends of a box support member 33 in generally an L-shape in lateral cross section, which extends between the second inclined frame portions 12c ... are fixed to the support plates 24 ... fixed to the pair of second inclined frame portions 12c ... of the main framel2 with screw members 34 and 34 and weld nuts 35 and 35. The control box 14 is disposed above the generator G to sandwich the box support member 33 between the control box 14 and the fuel tank 13, and the control box 14 is supported at the box support member 33 and supported at one of the bent connecting portions of the first and second inclined frame portions 12b and 12c of the main framel2. The control box 14 is constructed by a box-shaped box body 37 having a generally L-shaped opening 36 extending between the front surface side (side shown in FIG. 1) and a side surface of the fuel tank 13, and a lid plate 38 mounted to the box body 37 to close the opening 36 air-tightly. A base end of a first support arm 39 is fixed to an intermediate portion in a longitudinal direction of the box support member 33. A base end of a second support arm 40 is fixed to a bent connecting portion of the first and the second inclined frame portions 12b and 12c in the front surface side among the first and second inclined frame portions 12b, 12c; 12b, 12c each set of which is disposed on opposite sides of the power unit P, and the control box 14 is fixed to the first and the second support arms 39 and 40. A support piece 43 is fixed by welding or the like to an undersurface of an intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the box support member 33, and the first support arm 39 is accommodated in the control box 14 so as to sandwich the lid plate 38 between the base end of the first support arm 39, and the box support member 33 and the support piece 43. Hence, a bolt 41 which is inserted through the box support member 33, the lid plate 38 and an upper portion of the base end of the first support arm 39 is screwed into a weld nut 42 fixed to the upper portion of the base end of the first support arm 39, and a bolt 44 which is inserted through the support piece 43, the lid plate 38 and a lower portion of the base end of the first support arm 39 is screwed into a weld nut 45 fixed to the lower portion of the base end of the first support arm 39. Hence, by fastening both the bolts 41 and 44, the lid plate 38 of the control box 14 is fixed to the box support member 33 and the base end of the first support arm 39 is fixed to the box support member 33. A tip end of the first support arm 39 is extended to reach an inner surface of the box body 37 in the control box 14, and the box body 37 is fixed to the tip end of the first support arm 39 with a bolt 46 and a weld nut 47. A skirt portion 37a extending downward to cover the generator G from the front surface side is integrally formed at the box body 37. The skirt portion 37a is provided with a pocket portion 48 which receives a tip end side of the second support arm 40, the base end of the arm 40 being fixed to one of the bent connecting portions of the first and second inclined frame portions 12b and 12c. The skirt portion 37a is fixed with a bolt 49 and a weld nut 50 to the tip end of the second support arm 40 entering the skirt portion 37a from the pocket portion 48. The main frame 12 is constructed into the shape whose outer ends are in contact with an inner surface of a virtual rectangular parallelepiped IR which substantially covers the entire engine E, generator G, fuel tank 13 and control box 14. The virtual rectangular parallelepiped IRwhich substantially covers the entire engine E, generator G, fuel tank 13 and control box 14 is constructed by a first virtual plane PLl which is in contact with bent connecting portions of the one ends of both the lower frame portions 12a ... and both the first inclined frame portions 12b ..., and is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of both the lower frame portions 12a, a second virtual plane PL2 which is parallel to the first virtual plane PLl, and is in contact from outside with the other ends of both the lower frame portions 12a ..., third and fourth virtual planes PL3 and PL4 which are respectively in contact from outside with the pair of the lower frame portions 12a ..., the first inclined frame portions 12b ... and the second inclined frame portions 12c ..., and are orthogonal to the first and the second virtual planes PLl and PL2, a fifth virtual plane PL5 which is in contact from above with the upper connecting frame portion 12d, and is orthogonal to the first to the fourth virtual planes PLl to PL4, and a sixth virtual plane PL6 which is in contact from below with both the lower frame portions 12a ..., and is orthogonal to the first to the fourth virtual planes PLl to PL4. Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. The main frame 12 which forms a main part of the frame 11 of a frame structure includes a pair of the lower frame portions 12a ... which extend in the lateral direction along the arranging direction of the engine E and the generator G on opposite sides of the lower parts of the engine E and the generator G constituting the power unit P in cooperation with each other, a pair of first inclined frame portions 12b ... which bend to connect to the one ends of both the lower frame portions 12a ... and incline upward as they approach the other end sides of both the lower frame portions 12a, and a pair of second inclined frame portions 12c ... which bend to connect to the upper ends of both the first inclined frame portions 12b and incline upward as they approach the one end sides of both the lower frame portions 12a .... Namely, the parts of the main frame 12, which are respectively disposed on the opposite sides of the power unit P, are constructed by the lower frame portions 12a, the first inclined frame portions 12b and the second inclined frame portions 12c being continuously connected, thereby effectively protecting the power unit P at least from opposite sides to simplify the structure of the main frame 12. Since the upper connecting frame portion 12d which functions as a carrying handle connects the upper ends of the pair of second inclined frame portions 12c ... in such a manner as to straddle the power unit P, the power unit P can be effectively protected from above. Moreover, the upper connecting frame portion 12dis disposed above the center of gravity position GP of the power unit P, whereby it is made possible to carry the engine generator by grabbing the upper connecting frame portion 12d while keeping the weight of the entire engine generator in good balance. Apair of supporting members 18 and 18 for supporting the engine E and the generator G in such a manner that the engine E and the generator G are laid between the pair of lower frame portions 12a ..., and the pair of first inclined frame portions 12b ... are formed to be disposed on the opposite outer sides of the engine E and the generator G, thus supporting the engine E and the generator G by the main frame 12 while protecting the engine E and the generator G from opposite sides with at least the first inclined frame portions 12b .... The engine E and the generator G are supported with cushioning at the support members 18 ... via the mount rubbers 21 ..., and the fuel tank 13 which is disposed above the power unit P is mounted on the support stay 22 laid between the pair of the first inclined frame portions 12b ... of the main f ramel2 andboth the second inclined frame portions 12c .... Therefore, the fuel tank 13 is insulated with cushioning from the engine E and the generating G, thereby suppressing occurrence of noise from the fuel tank 13 due to vibration during the operation. The upper connecting frame portion 12d of the main framel2 is disposed at the position where the upper connecting frame portion 12d performs the protection function against the action of the external force onto the fuel tank 13, and therefore the opposite sides and the upper portion of the fuel tank 13 can be protected by the upper connecting frame portion 12d. In the main frame 12, the support plates 24 for supporting the fuel tank 13 are respectively fixed to the pair of the second inclined frame portions 12c ..., and the control box 14, which is disposed at the position where the box support, member 33 is sandwiched between the fuel tank 13 and the control box 14, is supported at the box support member 33 laid between the support plates 24 and one of the bent connecting portions of the first and the second inclined frame portions 12b and 12c. Therefore, the fuel tank 13 is stably supported, and the control box 14 can be supported at the main frame 12 by utilizing the support plates 24 ... for supporting the fuel tank 13, thus suppressing the vibration of the control box 14, thereby preventing an adverse effect due to the vibration from acting on the electric equipment in the control box 14. The base end of the first support arm 39 is fixed to the box support member 33, the base end of the second support arm 40 is fixed to the one of the bent connecting portions of the first and the second inclined frame portions 12b and 12c, and the control box 14 is fixed to the tip ends of the first and the second support arms 39 and 40, thus stably supporting the control box 14 at the main frame 12. The main frame 12 is constructed into the shape whose outer ends are in contact with the inner surface of the virtual rectangular parallelepiped IR that substantially covers the entire engine E, generator G, fuel tank 13 and control box 14. Therefore, not only the engine generator can be easily accommodated in a package box, but also the entire engine E, generator G, fuel tank 13 and control box 14 can be effectively protected by the main frame 12. The embodiment of the present invention is described, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various design changes in design can be made without departing from the subject matter of the present invention described in the claims. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the engine generator in which the working machine is the generator G is explained, but the present invention can be widely carried out with respect to any engine driven working machine such as an engine driven water pump in which the working machine is a water pump. We claim: 1. An engine driven working machine in which a power unit (P) comprising an engine (E) and a working machine (G) connected to the engine (E) is supported by a frame (11) of a frame structure, characterized in that a main frame (12) constituting a main part of the frame (11) comprises a pair of lower frame portions (12a) extending in a lateral direction on opposite sides of a lower part of the power unit (P), a pair of first inclined frame portions (12b) connected to one ends of both the lower frame portions (12a) and the other end sides of both the lower frame portions (12a}, a pair of second inclined frame portions (12c) connected to upper ends of both the first inclined frame portions (12b) and the one end sides of both the lower frame portions (12a), and an upper connecting frame portion (12d) connecting upper ends of the pair of the second inclined frame portions (12c) to straddle a top surface of the power unit (P). 2. The engine driven working machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main frame comprises a support member (18) between the pair of the lower frame portions (12a) to support the engine (E) and the working machine (G) provided along a longitudinal direction of the lower frame portions (12a) to place the engine (E) and the working machine (G) the support member (18), and wherein the pair of the first inclined frame portions (12b) is provided on opposite outer sides of the engine (E) and the working machine (G). The engine driven working machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein a fuel tank (13) is provided above the power unit (P), and the upper connecting frame portion (12d) is provided at the upper connecting frame portion (12d) for protection against an action ol an external force onto the fuel tank (13). The engine driven working machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein a virtual rectangular parallelepiped (IR) covers the engine (E), the working machine (G) and the fuel tank (13) is constructed by a first virtual plane (PLl) in contact with the one ends of both the lower frame portions (12a) and bent connecting portions of both the first inclined frame portions (12b) and is orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of both the lower frame portions (12a), a second virtual plane (PL2) parallel to the first virtual plane (PLl) and is in contact from outside with the other ends of both the lower frame portions (12a), third and fourth virtual planes (PL3 and PL4) respectively in contact from outside with the pair of the lower frame portions (12a), the first inclined frame portions (12a) and the second inclined frame portions (12b) and are orthogonal to the first and the second virtual planes (PLl and PL2), a fifth virtual plane (PL5) which is in contact from above with the upper connecting frame portion (12a) and is orthogonal to the first to the fourth virtual planes (PLl to PL4), and a sixth virtual plane (PL6) which is in contact from below with both the lower frame portions (12a) and is orthogonal to the first to the fourth virtual planes. 5. An engine driven working machine substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompan3dng drawing.

Documents:

876-del-2004-abstract.pdf

876-del-2004-claims.pdf

876-del-2004-complete specification(as files).pdf

876-del-2004-complete specification(granted).pdf

876-DEL-2004-Correspondence-Others-(02-12-2009).pdf

876-DEL-2004-Correspondence-Others-(16-03-2011).pdf

876-del-2004-correspondence-others.pdf

876-del-2004-correspondence-po.pdf

876-del-2004-description (complete).pdf

876-del-2004-drawings.pdf

876-del-2004-form-1.pdf

876-del-2004-form-19.pdf

876-del-2004-form-2.pdf

876-DEL-2004-Form-27-(16-03-2011).pdf

876-DEL-2004-Form-3-(02-12-2009).pdf

876-del-2004-form-3.pdf

876-del-2004-form-5.pdf

876-del-2004-gpa.pdf

876-del-2004-petition-138.pdf