Abstract: The starter includes a housing housing a solenoid and fixed to an engine, a center case held between a motor thereof and the housing, a clutch housed in the center case, and a pinion shaft movable in its axial direction and spline-connected to an inner periphery of an inner tube of the clutch, which is rotatably supported by a bearing. The housing has a tubular wall section through which the pinion shaft extends and to which the center case is coupled in the axial direction. The tubular wall section is formed with a through hole. The center case has a bearing holding section holding the bearing and a cylindrical projecting section projecting in the axial direction towards the housing at a position radially outwardly of the bearing holding section inside the tubular wall section. The outer periphery of the projecting section faces the through hole.

Abstract: The starter for an engine of a vehicle includes a motor generating torque for starting the engine, an output shaft configured to move in an axial direction thereof by being pressed at a pressure-receiving portion thereof, and applied with the torque to rotate, and a lever switch configured to press the pressure-receiving portion of the output shaft at a pressure-applying portion thereof in accordance with an external command so that a pinion rotatably fixed to the output shaft engages with a gear of the engine to thereby start the engine. A protection member rotatable with respect to the pressure-receiving portion is provided between the pressure-receiving portion and the pressure-applying portion. The pressure-applying portion facing the pressure-receiving portion across from the protection member is formed with a groove to be filled by lubricant.

Abstract: An electromagnetic switch has a solenoid and an electric contact section set to a closed state in response to an attraction force of the solenoid. The contact section is covered with a contact cover fixed to the solenoid, and a terminal electrically connected with the solenoid is placed within the cover. An end of the terminal is protruded from the cover and is electrically connected with a conducting member. The member has a portion joined to the terminal and other portions separated or detachable from the terminal. In the maintenance of the switch, the portion of the member joined to the terminal is removed from the switch. After the maintenance, one of the other portions of the member is joined to the end of the terminal.

Abstract: A starter and a method of manufacturing the starter are disclosed wherein the starter comprises a case, a housing disposed in front of the case, a pinion moving body slidably received by the case and the housing, and a lever unit having a lever, swingably supported on a lever support member, for actuating the pinion moving body to an operative position to allow a pinion to be brought into meshing engagement with a ring gear of an engine to start up the same. The lever support member is mounted on the case via a positioning mechanism composed of positioning components, formed on the lever support member, and the positioning components, formed on the case, with which the positioning components engage, respectively.

Abstract: An electromagnetic switch mounted on a starter for cranking an internal combustion engine includes an excitation coil for driving a plunger upon supplying electric current to the excitation coil. A conductor member led out from the excitation coil is connected to an outside cable to supply electric current to the excitation coil. The conductor member is made of a thin plate to be easily led out from a molded contact cover and is connected to a reinforcing member made of a thick plate that is embedded in the contact cover. The outside cable is connected to the reinforcing member so that the thin conductor member is not damages by a high vibration of an engine. The outside cable is easily connected to the reinforcing member with a screw after completion of the electromagnetic switch.

Abstract: An electromagnetic switch of an engine starter includes a pair of stationary contacts connectable to a starter motor, a movable contact disposed at a first distance from the pair of stationary contacts; a rod having one end that slidably supports the movable contact via an insulating member and a stopper that restricts axial movement of said movable contact, an electromagnetic coil unit that includes a plunger, a stator core, a spring that urges the movable contact against the stopper and an exciting coil which moves the rod by the plunger a second distance when excited, and an inclination rectifying member, disposed near the stationary contacts, for providing a rectifying surface disposed at a third distance from the movable contact to abut the movable contact when one of the stationary contacts wears to a preset degree. There is the following relationship between the first, second and third distances: the second distance>the third distance>the first distance.

Abstract: A starter for an internal combustion engine includes a motor, a pinion gear connected to the motor to be engaged with a ring gear of the engine. The pinion gear has teeth of a negative addendum modification whose number is larger than a standard gear that has the same outside diameter. Therefore the gear ratio of the pinion gear to the ring gear can be increased without change of the outside diameter thereof.

Abstract: An electromagnetic switch of an engine starter includes a pair of stationary contacts connectable to a starter motor, a movable contact disposed at a first distance from the pair of stationary contacts; a rod having one end that slidably supports the movable contact via an insulating member and a stopper that restricts axial movement of said movable contact, an electromagnetic coil unit that includes a plunger, a stator core, a spring that urges the movable contact against the stopper and an exciting coil which moves the rod by the plunger a second distance when excited, and an inclination rectifying member, disposed near the stationary contacts, for providing a rectifying surface disposed at a third distance from the movable contact to abut the movable contact when one of the stationary contacts wears to a preset degree. There is the following relationship between the first, second and third distances: the second distance>the third distance>the first distance.

Abstract: In a starter, an output shaft is disposed on a same axial line with a motor shaft through a planetary gear reduction device. The output shaft has an accommodation recess at the rear end thereof and rotatably receives the top end of the motor shaft therein through a ball. The output shaft and the motor shaft have respective end surfaces opposing each other in the axial direction with a spacing therebetween under a condition that the ball is disposed between the output shaft and the motor shaft. A thrust receiving member thinner than the spacing is disposed in the spacing. The thrust receiving member limits a movement of the output shaft toward the motor due to wear of the accommodation recess.

Abstract: A starter for an internal combustion engine includes a motor, a pinion gear connected to the motor to be engaged with a ring gear of the engine. The pinion gear has teeth of a negative addendum modification whose number is larger than a standard gear that has the same outside diameter. Therefore the gear ratio of the pinion gear to the ring gear can be increased without change of the outside diameter thereof.

Abstract: In a starter, an output shaft is disposed on a same axial line with a motor shaft through a planetary gear reduction device. The output shaft has an accommodation recess at the rear end thereof and rotatably receives the top end of the motor shaft therein through a ball. The output shaft and the motor shaft have respective end surfaces opposing each other in the axial direction with a spacing therebetween under a condition that the ball is disposed between the output shaft and the motor shaft. A thrust receiving member thinner than the spacing is disposed in the spacing. The thrust receiving member limits a movement of the output shaft toward the motor due to wear of the accommodation recess.