An engine is arranged in a lower part of a housing, an alternator and a fan are coaxially joined to an output shaft of the engine, a recoil starter that starts the engine is arranged in front of the fan, a fuel tank is arranged in an upper part of the housing, and a canister containing activated carbon is arranged between the fuel tank and the output shaft.

An electric turning machine (ETM) operatively connected to an internal combustion engine (ICE) is operated as a motor with a first control strategy and as a generator with a second control strategy. In the first control strategy, electric power is delivered from a power source to the ETM selectively through at least one transistor of an electrical converter. After switching from the first control strategy to the second control strategy, the ETM delivers electric power to an accessory selectively through the at least one transistor of the electrical converter.

An electric turning machine (ETM) operatively connected to an internal combustion engine (ICE) is operated as a motor with a first control strategy and as a generator with a second control strategy. In the first control strategy, electric power is delivered from a power source to the ETM selectively through at least one transistor of an electrical converter. After switching from the first control strategy to the second control strategy, the ETM delivers electric power to an accessory selectively through the at least one transistor of the electrical converter.

In a recoil starter that starts an engine, the recoil starter rotating a drive shaft of the engine using rotation force of a reel through a recoil rope wound around the reel, by the recoil rope being pulled, a ratchet claw is provided on the reel, the ratchet claw pivoting in a radial direction of the reel with rotation of the reel by the recoil rope and then engaging with a pulley provided on the drive shaft, a guide member is provided around a reel shaft, the guide member covering the ratchet claw, the reel shaft being a rotation shaft of the reel, and a rib is provided on the guide member, the rib abutting on the ratchet claw.

In a recoil starter that starts an engine, the recoil starter rotating a drive shaft of the engine using rotation force of a reel through a recoil rope wound around the reel, by the recoil rope being pulled, a ratchet claw is provided on the reel, the ratchet claw pivoting in a radial direction of the reel with rotation of the reel by the recoil rope and then engaging with a pulley provided on the drive shaft, a guide member is provided around a reel shaft, the guide member covering the ratchet claw, the reel shaft being a rotation shaft of the reel, and a rib is provided on the guide member, the rib abutting on the ratchet claw.

A generator includes: an engine; an alternator attached to an output shaft of the engine; an inverter that rectifies current flowing between the alternator and a power receptacle (power input-output part) in both directions and performs power conversion; an ECU that supplied electric power to the inverter and controls the engine and the inverter; and a starting unit that supplies, to the ECU, electric power from an external power supply device to be connected to the power receptacle, and the alternator is energized to start the engine, by sending a starting initiation instruction from the ECU to the inverter.

There is provided a rope reel provided in a recoil starter including: a rope holding groove; a flange portion disposed on both sides of the rope holding groove; a through hole provided in the flange portion and configured to allow an end of the rope wound around the rope holding groove to pass through; and an arch portion provided on a side surface of the rope reel and adjacent to the through hole. The arch portion is configured such that the rope is inserted therein, and the arch portion is capable of holding the inserted rope along the side surface of the rope reel. According to the above configuration, a front end portion of the rope is prevented from interfering with a rotation member at an engine side.

There is provided a rope reel provided in a recoil starter including: a rope holding groove; a flange portion disposed on both sides of the rope holding groove; a through hole provided in the flange portion and configured to allow an end of the rope wound around the rope holding groove to pass through; and an arch portion provided on a side surface of the rope reel and adjacent to the through hole. The arch portion is configured such that the rope is inserted therein, and the arch portion is capable of holding the inserted rope along the side surface of the rope reel. According to the above configuration, a front end portion of the rope is prevented from interfering with a rotation member at an engine side.

An internal combustion engine (ICE) includes a crankshaft, a cylinder head defining in part a variable combustion chamber of the ICE, a direct fuel injector mounted on the cylinder head, a power source, an electric turning machine (ETM) rotating the crankshaft, an absolute position sensor providing an indication of an angular position of a rotor of the ETM, and an engine control unit (ECU) operatively connected to the absolute position sensor. The ECU controls a delivery of electric power from the power source to the ETM based on the angular position of the rotor of the ETM and causes the direct fuel injector to inject fuel directly in the combustion chamber at a time selected based on the angular position reached by the rotor of the ETM.

An internal combustion engine (ICE) includes a crankshaft, a cylinder head defining in part a variable combustion chamber of the ICE, a direct fuel injector mounted on the cylinder head, a power source, an electric turning machine (ETM) rotating the crankshaft, an absolute position sensor providing an indication of an angular position of a rotor of the ETM, and an engine control unit (ECU) operatively connected to the absolute position sensor. The ECU controls a delivery of electric power from the power source to the ETM based on the angular position of the rotor of the ETM and causes the direct fuel injector to inject fuel directly in the combustion chamber at a time selected based on the angular position reached by the rotor of the ETM.