US 11761390

Here's a concise summary of US Patent 11761390, titled "Dual fuel selector switch":

Title: Dual fuel selector switch
Assignee: Champion Power Equipment Inc [cite: US11761390B2]
Inventors: Mark J. Sarder, Leigh Jenison, Ian Schmit [cite: US11761390B2]
Filing Date: February 16, 2022 [cite: US11761390B2]
Issue Date: September 19, 2023 [cite: US11761390B2]

Abstract:
A fuel selector for use with a dual fuel generator includes a selector plate, a first fuel valve assembly and a second fuel valve assembly. These assemblies are positioned adjacent the selector plate and are actuatable between ON and OFF positions to selectively control the flow of a first and second fuel, respectively, to the generator's engine. A selector switch is coupled to the selector plate and is linearly translatable between a first position and a second position. This translation ensures that only one of the fuel valve assemblies can be in the ON position at any given time, thereby preventing both fuel valve assemblies from being ON concurrently. [cite: US11761390B2]

Independent Claims Overview:

• Claim 1 (Fuel Selector with Solenoid Control): This claim describes a fuel selector with a selector switch having a first fuel mode and a second fuel mode. It also includes a fuel solenoid (with open and closed positions) and a solenoid switch (with open and closed positions). The core of the claim is that when the selector switch is in the first fuel mode, the fuel solenoid is in its closed position, and when the selector switch is in the second fuel mode, the solenoid switch is in its open position, which in turn causes the fuel solenoid to be in its open position. [cite: US11761390B2]

• Claim 11 (Fuel Selector with Mechanical Interlock): This claim describes a fuel selector for a dual fuel generator comprising a valve assembly. This valve assembly has a first selector switch for a first fuel flow and a second selector switch for a second fuel flow. Crucially, it includes an "interlock" positioned on or adjacent to the valve assembly. The purpose of this interlock is to prevent the simultaneous operation of the first selector switch and the second selector switch, ensuring only one fuel can be selected at a time. [cite: US11761390B2]

Litigation Status:
The patent indicates active litigation.

• First worldwide family litigation was filed, as linked to Darts-ip. [cite: US11761390B2]
• A PTAB (Patent Trial and Appeal Board) case, IPR2025-01438, was filed (though not instituted procedurally) by Unified Patents. [cite: US11761390B2]
• US cases were filed in the Wisconsin Eastern District Court (2:24-cv-01302), California Central District Court (2:24-cv-08722), and Arizona District Court (2:23-cv-02371). [cite: US11761390B2]

A search of CAFC 2026 dockets did not immediately return specific cases directly listing patent 11761390. General information on CAFC scheduled cases for April, May, and June 2026 is available, but without direct links to this specific patent number. The litigation information found directly on the Google Patents page is more specific to this patent.