US 11905896

US Patent 11905896, titled "Dual fuel selector switch," was issued to Champion Power Equipment Inc. on February 20, 2024. The patent was filed on June 7, 2023, and lists Mark J. Sarder, Leigh Jenison, and Ian Schmit as the inventors.

Abstract:
The patent describes a fuel selector for use with a dual fuel generator. This selector includes a selector plate, a first fuel valve assembly, and a second fuel valve assembly, both positioned adjacent to the selector plate. These assemblies can be actuated between ON and OFF positions to 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 can be linearly translated between a first and second position. The design ensures that only one of the fuel valve assemblies can be in the ON position at any given time, preventing concurrent fuel flow from both sources.

Plain-language overview of the independent claims:

• Independent Claim 1: This claim describes a dual fuel generator. It includes an internal combustion engine capable of using fuel from either a first or second fuel source. The key component is a fuel selector with a selector plate, a first fuel valve assembly (with a valve and handle) and a second fuel valve assembly (with a valve and handle), both positioned near the selector plate. The handles can be moved between ON and OFF positions to control fuel flow. A sliding selector switch is designed to cover either the first or second fuel valve handle, preventing that covered handle from being moved to the ON position. Additionally, the generator includes a carburetor fuel shutoff solenoid that is activated when the selector switch is in the first position.

• Independent Claim 7: This claim focuses on a fuel selector for a dual fuel generator. It comprises a valve assembly that can connect to a first and second fuel source and regulate their flow to an engine. This valve assembly specifically includes a first mechanical fuel valve and a second mechanical fuel valve, both with open and closed positions. The selector also features a selector switch that a user can move to manually choose between the first and second fuel flows.

• Independent Claim 15: This claim also describes a fuel selector for a dual fuel generator. It includes a valve assembly that can be connected to a first and second fuel source to control the respective fuel flows to an engine. This valve assembly has a first fuel valve and a second fuel valve, each with open and closed positions. The selector further includes at least one valve handle that is mechanically connected to both the first and second fuel valves. Actuating this handle selectively opens and closes the valves, allowing either the first or second fuel flow to the engine.

• Independent Claim 21: This claim describes a fuel selector for a dual fuel generator that includes a valve assembly to control fuel flow from first and second sources to an engine. It also features a selector switch with a first and second fuel mode, a fuel solenoid (with open and closed positions), and a solenoid switch (with open and closed positions). When the selector switch is in the first fuel mode, both the solenoid switch and the fuel solenoid are in their closed positions. Conversely, when the selector switch is in the second fuel mode, both the solenoid switch and the fuel solenoid are in their open positions. This positioning of the selector switch allows for the selection of either the first or second fuel flow.

• Independent Claim 30: This claim describes a fuel selector for a dual fuel generator. It includes a valve assembly that can be connected to a first and second fuel source, and is designed to control their flow to an engine. The valve assembly has two fuel inputs (one for each source) and two fuel outputs that selectively supply fuel to the engine. The fuel selector also has a selector switch located on the valve assembly, which allows a user to manually choose between the first and second fuel flows.

Regarding CAFC dockets for 2026, a search for patent 11905896 did not yield any direct results. The provided CAFC docket information for 2026 includes various patent infringement cases, but none explicitly mention US11905896.