FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[001] The present invention relates to a fuel supply control system and, more particularly relates to, a choke device of a vehicle.
BACKGROUND

[002] Generally, a two-wheeled vehicle such as a motorcycle, a scooter, etc., is provided with a carburetor which is a part of a fuel supply system of the two-wheeled vehicle. The carburetor comprises a choke valve which controls air/fuel flow and provides a predetermined fuel-air mixture to an internal combustion engine, in certain conditions. A choke knob is operated by the user to actuate a choke device. The choke knob is generally mounted on a handle bar or near to the handle bar so that a rider can easily access and operate the choke device. Total force required to operate the choke device, is equal to the forces such as spring force which is exerted by a spring member of the choke valve; frictional force because of a choke cable layout; a sliding friction force choke shaft and a holding ribs. Such combination of forces may be significant, and hence there is a need for a choke device which can be easily operated by the user of the vehicle.
SUMMARY
[003] In an embodiment, a choke device of a two-wheeled vehicle is disclosed. The choke device of the two-wheeled vehicle includes a barrel body, a plunger and a flexible open end ring. The barrel body includes a first end portion and a second end portion. The barrel body includes an annular slot in the first end portion. The plunger includes a shaft tubular ring configured on a peripheral section between a first end portion and a second end portion of the plunger. The plunger is adapted to reciprocate within the barrel body to enable an activated state and a deactivated state of the choke device. The flexible open end ring is disposed in the annular slot of the barrel body. The flexible open end ring is adapted to expand in the slot. In the deactivated state, when the plunger is pulled away from the second end portion for enabling the activated state, the shaft tubular ring passes through the flexible open end ring by expanding the flexible open end ring and rests against the flexible open end ring, thereby restricting a movement of the plunger towards the second end portion. In the activated state, when a push force is applied on the plunger for enabling the deactivated state, the shaft tubular ring passes through the flexible open end ring towards the second end portion by expanding the flexible open end ring to enable the deactivated state.
[004] In an embodiment, the choke device further includes an annular flange covering the first end portion. The annular flange includes the annular slot of the barrel body. In an embodiment, the choke device further includes a choke knob removably connected to the first end portion. The choke knob is configured to be pulled or pushed for enabling the movement of the plunger in the barrel body.
[005] In an embodiment, the flexible open end ring includes a first end and a second end. The first end and the second end are adapted to move away from each other when the flexible open end ring expands upon passing of the shaft tubular ring. In an embodiment, an outer diameter ‘Y’ of the shaft tubular ring is greater than an inner diameter ‘U’ of the flexible open end ring, when the flexible open end ring is not expanded and the outer diameter ‘Y’ of the shaft tubular ring is smaller than a mean diameter ‘Z’ of the flexible open end ring.
[006] In an embodiment, the choke device further includes a cable. The cable has a first end portion and a second portion. The first end portion is connected to the second end portion of the plunger and the second end extends out from the second end portion of the barrel body and is connected to a choke valve. In an embodiment, the barrel body includes a stopper in the second end portion, the stopper includes a hole through which the cable passes. The stopper is configured to restrict movement of the plunger towards the second end portion.
[007] In an embodiment, a two-wheeled vehicle is disclosed. The two-wheeled vehicle includes a choke device. The choke device of the two-wheeled vehicle includes a barrel body, a plunger and a flexible open end ring. The barrel body includes a first end portion and a second end portion. The barrel body includes an annular slot in the first end portion. The plunger includes a shaft tubular ring configured on a peripheral section between a first end portion and a second end portion of the plunger. The plunger is adapted to reciprocate within the barrel body to enable an activated state and a deactivated state of the choke device. The flexible open end ring is disposed in the annular slot of the barrel body. The flexible open end ring is adapted to expand in the slot. In the deactivated state when the plunger is pulled away from the second end portion for enabling the activated state, the shaft tubular ring passes through the flexible open end ring by expanding the flexible open end ring and rests against the flexible open end ring, thereby restricting a movement of the plunger towards the second end portion. In the activated state when a push force is applied on the plunger for enabling the deactivated state, the shaft tubular ring passes through the flexible open end ring towards the second end portion by expanding the flexible open end ring to enable the deactivated state.
[008] In an embodiment, the choke device further includes an annular flange covering the first end portion. The annular flange includes the annular slot of the barrel body. In an embodiment, the choke device further includes a choke knob removably connected to the first end portion. The choke knob is configured to be pulled or pushed for enabling the movement of the plunger in the barrel body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[009] The invention itself, together with further features and attended advantages, will become apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. One or more embodiments of the present invention are now described, by way of example/s only, with reference to the accompanied drawings wherein like reference numerals represent like elements and in which:
[0010] Figure 1 illustrates a side view of a two-wheeled vehicle such as a scooter in accordance with the present invention;
[0011] Figure 2 illustrates a view of a choke device, according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0012] Figure 3 illustrates a sectional view of the choke device when a choke knob is not pulled, according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] Figure 4 illustrates a sectional view of the choke device when the choke knob is pulled, according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] Figure 5 illustrates a flexible open end ring, according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0015] Figure 6 illustrates a shaft tubular ring, according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] Figure 7 illustrates a relationship between dimensions of the shaft tubular ring and the flexible open end ring, according to one embodiment of the present invention; and
[0017] Figure 8 illustrates a view of the choke device, according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] The drawings referred to in this description are not to be understood as being drawn to scale except if specifically noted, and such drawings are only exemplary in nature.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternative falling within the spirit and the scope of the invention.
[0020] The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a setup, device or method that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus proceeded by “comprises… a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or apparatus.
[0021] For the better understanding of this invention, reference would now be made to the embodiments illustrated in greater depth in the accompanying figures and description here below, further, in the following figures, the same reference numerals are used to identify the same components in various views.
[0022] The terms “front / forward”, “rear / rearward / back / backward”, “up / upper / upward”, “down / downward / lower / lower ward” that may be used therein represent the directions as seen from a vehicle driver sitting astride and these directions are referred by arrows Fr, Rr, U, Lr in the drawing. Further, “left / leftward”, “right / rightward” that may be used herein represent the directions as seen from a vehicle driver sitting astride.
[0023] While the present invention is illustrated in the context of a two-wheeled vehicle, however, a choke device and other aspects and features thereof can be used with other type of a vehicle as well. Examples of vehicles in which the choke device can be used, may include but not limited to, a motorcycle, a scooter, a bicycle, a moped, an all terrain vehicles (ATV), a three wheeler, an auto rickshaw, a car, a four wheeler, an automobile. In this invention the two-wheeled vehicle is used as a reference, however, invention is applicable to all vehicles, and particularly to all straddle-type vehicles.
[0024] Figure 1 illustrates a one view of a two-wheeled vehicle (200) of conventional construction employing the present invention. The two-wheeled vehicle (200) comprises, inter-alia, a front fork (1), a front fender (3), a front wheel (2), a front cover (4), a leg shield (5), a steering handle bar (6), a storage box (15), a display meter (9), a side cover (33), a rear fender (34), a rear wheel (35), a muffler (36), a main stand (37), a tail light (38), a seat (19), and a step floor (21). Forward to the seat (19) of the two-wheeled vehicle (200), the step floor (21) is formed for putting feet of the rider. A choke device (100) is mounted to the leg shield of the two-wheeled vehicle (200) such that the rider can easily access and operate the choke device (100) while being seated on the seat (19). It may be noted that the two-wheeled vehicle (200) is shown to have included the above stated parts, however, those skilled in the art would appreciate that the vehicle includes other parts which may not be relevant for explaining the present invention and hence are not shown and described.
[0025] In the illustrated embodiment as shown in the Figures 2, 3 and 4, the choke device (100) comprises a barrel body (10), a plunger (18), a cable (12), a choke knob (16), a flexible open end ring (22) and a shaft tubular ring (20).
[0026] The barrel body (10) has a first end portion (10a) and a second end portion (10b). In an embodiment, the choke device (100) includes an annular flange (14) covering the first end portion (10a) and a cable (12passing through opening of the second end portion (10b). The cable (12) has a first end portion (12a) and a second end portion (12b).The plunger (18) is slidably disposed inside the barrel body (10) such that the plunger (18) is configured to reciprocally move in the barrel body (10). One end portion (e.g., first end portion (18a)) of the plunger (18) extends out of the first end portion (10a) of the barrel body (10) and another end portion (e.g., second end portion (18b)) of the plunger (18) remains inside the barrel body (10). The choke knob (16) is removably connected to the first end portion (18a) of the plunger (18). The rider can push or pull the choke knob (16) to move the plunger (18) in the barrel body (10), thereby operating the choke device (100). The first end portion (12a) of the cable (12) is connected to the second end portion (18b) of the plunger (18) and the cable (12) extends out from the second end portion (10b) of the barrel body (10). The second end portion (12b) of the cable (12) is connected to a choke valve (15) of the carburetor (not shown). When the rider pulls the choke knob (16), the choke valve (15) is actuated.
[0027] In an embodiment, the flexible open end ring (22) is disposed in an annular slot (26) in the first end portion (10a) of the barrel body (10) such that the flexible open end ring (22) can expand within the annular slot (26). In an embodiment, the annular slot (26) is provided in the annular flange portion (14) of the barrel body (10), where the annular flange portion (14) covers the first end portion (10a). The flexible open end ring (22) is configured such that it can expand in the slot (26), as two open ends (28, 30) of the flexible open end ring (22) can move away from each other. The plunger (18) passes through the slot (26) without any friction. Furthermore, the plunger (18) includes the shaft tubular ring (20) fixed on a peripheral section of the plunger (18) between the first end portion (18a) and the second end portion (18b). The shaft tubular ring (20) is also adapted to reciprocate within the barrel body (10) alongwith the plunger (18). In an embodiment, the barrel body (10) includes a stopper (15) with a hole (24) such that the cable (12) can pass through the hole (24) provided in the stopper (15). The stopper (15) restricts the downward movement of the plunger (18) towards the second end portion (10b) beyond a point where the stopper (15) is located.
[0028] In the Figures 3 and 4, the engagement mechanism of the plunger (18) with the barrel body (10) of the choke device (100) is illustrated showing the activated state and the deactivated state of the choke device (100). As Shown in the Figure 3, in the deactivated state of the choke device (100), the shaft tubular ring (20) lies downward of the flexible open end ring (22) in the barrel body (10) and the choke valve (15) is in a default position. However, when the rider pulls the choke knob (16) to operate (or activate) the choke device (100), the plunger (18) is pulled towards the first end portion (10a) of the barrel body (10), and the shaft tubular ring (20) moves towards the first end portion (10a) of the barrel body (10).
[0029] When the shaft tubular ring (20) hits the flexible open end ring (22), the flexible tubular ring (22) expands and the shaft tubular ring (20) passes through the flexible open end ring (22) and the shaft tubular ring (20) finally engages with the flexible open end ring (22). For example, the shaft tubular ring (20) rests against the flexible open end ring (22) after the shaft tubular ring (20) is passed through the flexible open end ring (22). At this stage, if the rider releases the choke knob (16) the flexible open end ring (22) restricts the shaft tubular ring (20) from moving downwards. Such state is the activated state of the choke device (100).
[0030] To shift the choke device (100) to its deactivated state (while the choke device (100) is in activated state), the rider has to apply a gentle push force on the choke knob (16). On pushing the choke knob (16), the flexible open end ring (22) expands and the shaft tubular ring (20) passes through the flexible open end ring (22), and the shaft tubular ring (20) is released for downward movement towards the second end portion (10b) of the barrel body (10). Hence, the plunger (18) moves downwards along with the shaft tubular ring (20) under a spring force of a spring of choke valve (15), and the choke device (100) achieves the deactivated state.
[0031] As illustrated in the Figures 5 and 8, the flexible open end ring (22) is an open end ring, having a first end (28) and a second end (30), such that the flexible open end ring (22) can expand within the annular slot (26). The flexible open end ring (22) consists of an inner space (32) through which the shaft tubular ring (20) can pass easily with slight application of force. The distance between the open ends of the flexible open end ring (22) increases when the flexible open end ring (22) expands. The shaft tubular ring (20) has an inner diameter ‘X’ and an outer diameter ‘Y’. In an embodiment, to engage the shaft tubular ring (20) with the flexible open end ring (22), the outer diameter ‘Y’ of the shaft tubular ring (20) is required to be greater than the inner diameter ‘U’ of the flexible open end ring (22)but smaller than the mean diameter ‘Z’ of the flexible open end ring (22).
[0032] While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the particular features of this invention, it will be appreciated that various modifications can be made, and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the invention. These and other modifications in the nature of the invention or the preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the invention herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation.

CLAIMS:
We claim:
1. A choke device (100) of a two-wheeled vehicle (200), the choke device (100) comprising:
a barrel body (10) having a first end portion (10a) and a second end portion (10b), the barrel body (10) comprising an annular slot (26) in the first end portion (10a);
a plunger (18) comprising a shaft tubular ring (20) configured on a peripheral section between a first end portion (18a) and a second end portion (18b) of the plunger (18), the plunger (18) adapted to reciprocate within the barrel body (10) to enable an activated state and a deactivated state of the choke device (100), and
a flexible open end ring (22) disposed in the annular slot (26) of the barrel body (10), the flexible open end ring (22) adapted to expand in the slot (26),
wherein in the deactivated state when the plunger (18) is pulled away from the second end portion (10b) for enabling the activated state, the shaft tubular ring (20) passes through the flexible open end ring (22) by expanding the flexible open end ring (22) and rests against the flexible open end ring (22), thereby restricting a movement of the plunger (18) towards the second end portion (10b); and
wherein in the activated state when a push force is applied on the plunger (18) for enabling the deactivated state, the shaft tubular ring (20) passes through the flexible open end ring (22) towards the second end portion (10b) by expanding the flexible open end ring (22) to enable the deactivated state.

2. The choke device (100) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an annular flange (14) covering the first end portion (10a), the annular flange (14) comprising the annular slot (26) of the barrel body (10).
3. The choke device (100) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a choke knob (16) removably connected to the first end portion (18a), wherein the choke knob (16) is configured to be pulled or pushed for enabling the movement of the plunger (18) in the barrel body (10).
4. The choke device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible open end ring (22) comprises a first end (28) and a second end (30) adapted to move away from each other when the flexible open end ring (22) expands upon passing of the shaft tubular ring (20) from therein.
5. The choke device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of the shaft tubular ring (20) is greater than an inner diameter of the flexible open end ring (22) when the flexible open end ring (22) is not expanded, and wherein the outer diameter of the shaft tubular ring (20) is smaller than a mean diameter of the flexible open end ring (22).
6. The choke device (100) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cable (12) having a first end portion (12a) and a second portion (12b), the first end portion (12a) connected to the second end portion (18b) of the plunger (18), the second end (12b) extending out from the second end portion (10b) of the barrel body (10) and connected to a choke valve (15).
7. The choke device (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the barrel body (10) comprises a stopper (15) in the second end portion (10b), the stopper (15) comprising a hole (24) through which the cable (12) passes, the stopper (15) configured to restrict movement of the plunger (18) towards the second end portion (10b).
8. A two-wheeled vehicle (200), comprising:
a choke device (100) comprising
a choke valve (15); and
a barrel body (10) having a first end portion (10a) and a second end portion (10b), the barrel body (10) comprising an annular slot (26) in the first end portion (10a);
a plunger (18) comprising a shaft tubular ring (20) configured on a peripheral section between a first end portion (18a) and a second end portion (18b) of the plunger (19), the plunger (18) operatively coupled to the choke device (15) and adapted to reciprocate within the barrel body (10) to enable an activated state and a deactivated state of the choke device (100);
a flexible open end ring (22) disposed in the annular slot (26) of the barrel body (10), the flexible open end ring (22) adapted to expand in the slot (26),
wherein in the deactivated state when the plunger (18) is pulled away from the second end portion (10b) for enabling the activated state, the shaft tubular ring (20) passes through the flexible open end ring (22) by expanding the flexible open end ring (22) and rests against the flexible open end ring (22), thereby restricting a movement of the plunger (18) towards the second end portion (10b), and
wherein in the activated state when a push force is applied on the plunger (18) for enabling the deactivated state, the shaft tubular ring (20) passes through the flexible open end ring (22) towards the second end portion (10b) of the barrel body (10) by expanding the flexible open end ring (22) to enable the deactivated state.

9. The two-wheeled vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the choke device (100) further comprises an annular flange (14) covering the first end portion (10a), the annular flange (14) comprising the annular slot (26) of the barrel body (10).
10. The two-wheeled vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the choke device (100) further comprises a choke knob (16) removably connected to the first end portion (18a), wherein the choke knob (16) is configured to be pulled or pushed for enabling the movement of the plunger (18) in the barrel body (10).