Abstract: The present invention relates to a starter for an engine, capable of driving the engine at a high torque at the beginning of the starting and of driving it in a high-rotation condition at the end of the starting. An inner circumferential tapered portion of a movable cam plate is pressed against an outer circumferential portion of an outer cam of a clutch so that the outer cam and an internal gear are integrated to rotate at the same speed. Thus, on the epicycle reduction principle, in an epicycle reduction gear device, a sun gear, a planetary gear and an arm portion enter an identical-rotation condition, that is, a reduction ratio 1 condition. Moreover, an outer circumferential tapered portion of the movable cam plate is pressed against a tapered portion of a housing so that the internal gear is placed into a fixed, non-rotatable condition, thereby providing an ordinary epicycle reduction to produce a high reduction ratio.

Abstract: A starter for an internal combustion engine is provided which includes a pair of angular contact ball bearings used to support an armature shaft. The bearings are disposed close to opposed ends of a core of an armature. The core has disposed thereon coils which define a commutator on one of the ends of the core. One of the bearings is disposed within an inner periphery of the commutator. This structure results in a decreased interval between the bearings, thus ensuring stability in supporting the armature shaft during rotation, which results in decreased mechanical vibrations, magnetic noises, and wear of the bearings.

Abstract: In a rotary electric machine, a collar for restricting expansion of coil ends includes a boss fitted on an armature rotation shaft, a flange radially extending from the boss and a pressing portion for pressing coil ends toward an armature core. The thickness of the boss is greater than that of the flange, so that the force F1 that is caused by deflection of the flange when coil ends expand due to a temperature increase is smaller than the force F2 that is required to remove the boss from the rotation shaft. The force F1 is applied to the boss in a direction that the collar separates from the armature core. Because the pressing portion presses against the coil ends toward the armature core through an insulation ring, the coil ends are restricted from expanding by a centrifugal force when the armature rotates.

Abstract: A starter for automotive internal combustion engines is provided which includes a starter output shaft with a pinion which establishes engagement with a ring gear of the engine and a spline tube. The starter output shaft is disposed within the spline tube in splined engagement therewith. The spline tube is supported firmly by a housing through at least two bearings, thereby avoiding precession or wrenching of a pinion-mounted portion of the starter output shaft projecting from the housing about an outside one of the bearings.

Abstract: A starter for cranking an engine has a pinion gear coupled via a helical spline to an output shaft driven by an electric motor. The pinion gear is pushed forward to engage with a ring gear of the engine by restricting rotation of the pinion. A rod member is coupled to one of depressions formed on an outer periphery of an annular member integrally formed with the pinion gear to restrict the rotation of the pinion gear. Rollers are disposed between the neighboring two depressions to reduce abrasive force between the rod member and the outer periphery of the annular member under a situation where the pinion gear is forcibly rotated by the electric motor while its rotation is restricted. The rod member coupled to the depression rolls over the rollers to be coupled to other depressions to allow such a forcible rotation of the pinion gear, thereby alleviating the abrasive force.

Abstract: A magnet switch has a coil of a reduced size and a sufficiently large contact and does not have a rod running through the plunger or the fixed iron core. A flange and a joint are fixed at one end of the plunger. The arm of the flange is connected to a holder via an elastic body. Movable contacts are pushed into the holder to be fixed at one end thereof. When the plunger moves, the flange, the holder, and the movable contacts move somewhat simultaneously to work as a switch.

Abstract: Two or more rolling-contact bearings, each having rolling members, are aligned in an axial direction. A pinion shaft, inserted in an inner cylindrical bore of each rolling-contact bearing, is supported by a housing via the rolling-contact bearings. The pinion shaft is disposed rotatably on the output shaft via a plain bearing and is shiftable on the output shaft in the axial direction. A pinion gear is attached in a cantilever fashion to a distal end of the pinion shaft opposed to the motor. The pinion gear selectively meshes with a ring gear of an engine in a startup operation to transmit the rotational force of a motor to the ring gear.

Abstract: A crank bar has a rod portion rotating in response to a magnetic force of an electromagnetic switch and an actuating arm formed at a distal end of the rod portion so as to swing about an axis of the rod portion when the rod portion rotates. A rotation restricting member is assembled with the actuating arm and is movable in a longitudinal direction of the actuating arm.

Abstract: A metal-graphite brush has a copper-graphite brush body to which a metal sulfide solid lubricant is added and a lead embedded. Indium is at least added to an interface between the brush body and the lead in a concentration of 0.4-8 wt %.

Abstract: A starter includes an electric motor, a pinion gear driven by the electric motor and a magnetic switch having a plunger driven by a magnetic coil. Electric power to be fed to both the electric motor and the magnetic coil is supplied from an on-board battery through a single common input terminal of the starter. The magnetic switch is composed of a main switch through which a full power is supplied to the electric motor and an auxiliary switch through which a limited power is supplied. Upon closing the auxiliary switch, the motor is driven at a low speed and the pinion gear is engaged with a ring gear of the engine. Then, the main switch is closed to thereby crank up the engine with a full power.

Abstract: In a two-layer brush for a commutator, the plane form projected on a commutator surface is nearly similar to the plane form of the segment. A molding die used in brush fabrication has a lower punch which slides obliquely up and down along a sliding groove provided in the lower die, and an upper punch which can slide obliquely up and down in relation to the lower punch. The pressure applying face of the upper punch is formed nearly level, while the pressure receiving face of the lower punch is inclined by a predetermined angle relative to the pressure applying face of the upper punch. It is, therefore, possible to form a first brush material to a predetermined shape, and to apply a uniformly pressure to the second brush powder, to thereby form a second brush material having nearly fixed thickness.

Abstract: A magnet switch has a coil of a reduced size and a sufficiently large contact and does not have a rod running through the plunger or the fixed iron core. A flange and a joint are fixed at one end of the plunger. The arm of the flange is connected to a holder via an elastic body. Movable contacts are pushed into the holder to be fixed at one end thereof. When the plunger moves, the flange, the holder, and the movable contacts move somewhat simultaneously to work as a switch.

Abstract: Ag particles produced by chemical reduction and having a mean particle size of 5 &mgr;m are added by 0.05-3 wt % and Zn are added by 2-10 wt % to a Pb-less brush body containing graphite, Cu and a metal sulfide solid lubricant of a metal-graphite brush.

Abstract: In a magnet switch for a starter, a first contact portion and a second contact portion are connected in parallel between a battery and a motor. The first contact portion makes contact through a resistive component so that the motor starts rotation at low speed. By this, a pinion is pushed in an axial direction by an axial component of splines and brought into mesh with a ring gear in a condition that its rotation is restricted. Thereafter, the second contact portion makes contact in accordance with further movement of a plunger so that electric power is fully supplied to the motor through the second contact portion, thereby starting engine. A fixed contact of the first contact portion is made of a carbon material. The resistive component is provided by the carbon material.

Abstract: A copper-zinc alloy powder of which zinc content is from 10 to 50 wt % and of which mean particle diameter is from 15 &mgr;m or under is added to a Pb-less brush body comprising graphite, copper and a metal sulfide solid lubricant of a copper-graphite brush.

Abstract: A metal-graphite brush comprises a brush body which is made by mixing and molding metal powder and graphite powder. 2 mg to 30 mg as amounts of phosphate ion of at least one of phosphoric acid and a phosphate compound is added to 1 g of the brush body of the metal-graphite brush.

Abstract: In a rotary electric machine, a collar for restricting expansion of coil ends includes a boss fitted on an armature rotation shaft, a flange radially extending from the boss and a pressing portion for pressing coil ends toward an armature core. The thickness of the boss is greater than that of the flange, so that the force F1 that is caused by deflection of the flange when coil ends expand due to a temperature increase is smaller than the force F2 that is required to remove the boss from the rotation shaft. The force F1 is applied to the boss in a direction that the collar separates from the armature core. Because the pressing portion presses against the coil ends toward the armature core through an insulation ring, the coil ends are restricted from expanding by a centrifugal force when the armature rotates.

Abstract: 0.4 to 8 wt % of indium is added to a Pb-less metal-graphite brush containing graphite, copper and a metal sulfide solid lubricant.

Abstract: A rotary electric machine includes a frame having a bearing box at a rear center thereof, a stator fixed to the frame, a rotor disposed inside the frame to be rotatable inside stator, a bearing fitted to the bearing box to support a rear portion of a rotor shaft, and a bearing cover fitted to the bearing box. The bearing cover is a rubber-made cup-shaped member having a hollow cylindrical portion, a plurality of ring-shaped projections around the cylindrical portion and a waterproofing bottom.

Abstract: In an armature, a slot insulation paper provided in a slot of an armature core protrudes from an insulation plate in the axial direction. A part of the slot insulation paper that faces an outer peripheral surface of a coil end is cut out to expose the outer peripheral surface of the coil end. A reinforcing ring is fitted at the axial outside of the armature core to surround the exposed outer peripheral surface of the coil end. Accordingly, the reinforcing ring is disposed close to the armature core in the axial direction. Therefore, a straight portion of the coil end is shortened by an amount of cut of the slot insulation paper, and as a result, the axial length of the armature is shortened.