Electric-starting Motor Patents (Class 290/48)
  • Patent number: 6791201
    Abstract: In a starter, a pinion is fitted on a pinion shaft such that a rear end surface of the pinion is pressed against a thrust receiving wall provided on the pinion shaft, while a front end surface of the pinion is pressed backward by a detent ring. The detent ring has a tapered surface and fitted in a recess provided on a pinion shaft. A front rising wall defining the recess has a tapered wall so as to correspond to the tapered surface. Since resiliency of the detent ring constricting radially inward is applied to the tapered wall, a component force of the resiliency pressing the pinion axially backward is generated. Thus, the pinion is restricted from moving axially backward by pressing a rear end surface against a thrust receiving wall of the pinion shaft, while the front side surface of the pinion is pressed axially backward through the detent ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Mituhiro Murata, Toyohisa Yamada, Shinji Usami
  • Patent number: 6791204
    Abstract: A system and method to provide an improved power electronics starting system (100) in which starting torque is delivered by a salient pole synchronous machine (102), while associated power electronics (110) and (118) utilization is maximized by adjusting the Park vector of the armature (102A) phase current to remain in-phase with the Park vector of the armature (102A) terminal voltage, regardless of the level of saturation of the pole synchronous machine (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Bulent Sarlioqlu, Colin E. Huggett
  • Patent number: 6759756
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Shiga, Masami Niimi
  • Patent number: 6753621
    Abstract: A starter for an internal combustion engine is comprised of an armature, a motor case, a planetary gear speed reduction mechanism connected to an armature shaft, a frame and a partition plate disposed between the motor case and the frame. The partition plate has an armature-shaft hole and a chamber-connection passage between the armature shaft hole and the armature shaft for connecting the motor chamber and the speed reduction chamber. An undulating circumferential groove is formed between the partition plate and the frame to connect the speed reduction chamber and the outside. A long water drainpipe is removed from a starter for a recreational vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Sawafuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youichi Hasegawa, Yasuo Osawa
  • Publication number: 20040112319
    Abstract: A starter for an internal combustion engine produces less noise and has a longer life and includes a transmission element for actuating an electric motor. The transmission element has two independently coaxially seated components—a stop pin and an engaging bar. The engaging bar is positioned between a pinion of the motor and the stop pin. The stop pin is seated in an internal shoulder in a cavity of the armature shaft of the electric motor and through the shoulder of a fixed core. A narrow portion of the stop pin is seated in an engaging spring positioned in the cavity of a mobile core of a disengaging electromagnet. The stop pin bears with a second front surface against a washer secured in the mobile core, where the length of the mobile core cavity is greater than the length of the narrow part of the stop pin by a predetermined distance c.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventor: Miloslav Hnilica
  • Publication number: 20040107932
    Abstract: A pinion gear of a starter is engaged with a ring gear of an internal combustion engine by restricting rotation of the pinion gear while driving a motor at a low speed. After the engagement is established, the motor is driven at a full speed by supplying a full current, thereby cranking up the engine. A crank bar for transferring movement of a plunger in a magnetic switch to a pinion-rotation-restricting member is divided into two or three portions. After the divided portions are assembled to the starter, they are connected together to form a solid piece. In this manner, a process of assembling the crank bar into the starter is simplified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Murata, Masami Niimi, Tsutomu Shiga, Masanori Ohmi
  • Patent number: 6731037
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a housing assembly structure of a starter motor for a vehicle which is capable of implementing an easier assembling operation of a magnet switch and a lever in a finished assembling line of a starter motor based on a shape change of a housing in a housing with a magnet switch which is attached to a front bracket of a starter motor for thereby operating a lever and decreasing a fabrication cost of a product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Valeo Mando Electrical Systems
    Inventors: Soo-Sin Kim, Sang-Hyuk An, Jong-In Lee, Byung-Chan Seo, Jae-Cheol Lee
  • Patent number: 6720669
    Abstract: A starter for a piston aircraft engine is constructed by placing the pinion-gear and drive clutch, the engagement solenoid and the driving motor in a linear arrangement, the motor driving the clutch via a geared shaft passing by the engagement solenoid. Such construction provides minimum diameter for a solenoid-engaged piston aircraft engine starter in order to fit the available space on existing aircraft originally designed to be equipped with centrifugally-engaged starters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Inventors: Eugene Chiappe, Leven Edward Staples
  • Publication number: 20040036296
    Abstract: A system of preserving a starter/alternator in an I.C. engine system installation from excessive operation in the starter mode is disclosed. The system describes a method of comparing the respective rotational speeds of the starter/alternator and I.C. engine in starter mode first to each other and then, if the same, to a predetermined threshold speed. If an overspeed condition is detected, disabling the starter/alternator in starter mode. In addition, if a predetermined number of I.C. engine start sequences have occurred without successful I.C. engine operation, the starter mode is disabled for a predetermined period of time. If several start failures have been detected, the starter/alternator can be disabled until a repair of the I.C. engine fault can be made. Where the respective rotational speeds of the starter/alternator and I.C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: Scott Evart Blackburn, Eric Keith Manning
  • Patent number: 6593713
    Abstract: A control apparatus utilizes an electric motor to initially start-up an engine. In an engine restart under certain conditions, the control apparatus sets a motor output value for the electric motor to a value exceeding the rated performance. Thus, when starting up the engine, the control apparatus makes up for a shortage of power by executing overload driving of the motor for a short time period. When certain conditions are not met, the control apparatus operates the electric motor in combination with a starter motor to restart the engine. The electric motor is located between the engine and a transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Morimoto, Yoshiaki Omata
  • Patent number: 6443023
    Abstract: An electromagnetic switch for controlling an electric power supply to a starting motor is located in the periphery of one side of an output shaft in a radial direction thereof and coaxially with the output shaft. The electromagnetic switch has a motor contact connected with a power supply circuit for supplying brushes with electric power. The motor contact comprises a battery-side fixed contact formed integrally with a battery terminal, a motor-side fixed contact electrically connected with a positive brush through a lead wire and a plate, and a movable contact held by an end of a plunger. In the case where the electromagnetic switch is located not coaxially, the electromagnetic switch is shaped in a flat form and located in parallel with the output shaft so that the central axis thereof resides radially inside the outer periphery of a starting motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Sadayoshi Kajino, Yoshiharu Tomida, Masahiro Soh
  • Patent number: 6369532
    Abstract: A control system for an electric motor having an integral flywheel rotor. The motor includes a stator mounted co-axially with the engine crankshaft and a rotor surrounding the stator. A sensor is positioned near the rotor for sensing its rotational speed. The sensor is coupled to a controller. The controller is operable to deliver an output signal to the stator to start the internal combustion engine. While the engine is starting, the processor steps the starter motor from a low speed to a high speed. Once the engine has started and is rotating at a speed greater than a trigger speed, the processor delivers another output signal such that the motor is commutated at a speed that is less than the speed of the rotor to generate a speed slip. By commutating the motor in this manner, it acts as a generator. The speed slip is regulated when the motor is generating electric power so that the motor produces a constant output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Koenen, Scott Wesenberg
  • Patent number: 6274945
    Abstract: A multi-injector combustion system in which a brake resistor is utilized to provide a minimum load for the combustor system during idle or low power operation of the permanent magnet turbogenerator/motor and also to absorb power during transients to prevent flame out of the combustor. In addition, during single injector operation, a relighting method and system are provided to relight the combustor and prevent the necessity of a complete shutdown of the system. The method and system includes switching between the multiple injectors to find the most stable injector in single injector operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Capstone Turbine Corporation
    Inventors: Mark G. Gilbreth, Simon R. Wall, Joel B. Wacknov
  • Patent number: 6225718
    Abstract: To prevent powder caused by wear of brushes from entering a contact chamber, a first stationary contact is electrically connected to a battery and a second stationary contact is connected to positive brushes, wherein a contact bracket is provided to hold the first stationary contact, and a contact chamber cover is provided to interpose and hold the second stationary contact between the contact chamber cover and the contact bracket so that the contact chamber can be kept in an airtight state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichiro Kamei, Shigeru Shiroyama, Akira Kuragaki, Hidekazu Katayama
  • Patent number: 6201311
    Abstract: A starter in which a terminal is each provided for a motor side fixed contact point and an excitation coil separately, and the terminal of the motor side fixed contact point and the terminal of the excitation coil are of a snap-on type. Therefore, the work efficiency of connecting the motor side fixed contact point and the excitation coil of the electromagnetic switch can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichiro Kamei, Shigeru Shiroyama, Akira Kuragaki, Motoi Hisamoto, Takehiro Kobayashi, Hidekazu Katayama
  • Patent number: 6114772
    Abstract: In a starter, a plate that turns with a pinion moving body is disposed behind the pinion moving body. The plate has a receiving part that engages with the lower extension of a rotation restricting member for restricting the rotation of the pinion moving body until a pinion gear engages with a ring gear. In a power supply circuit for a starter motor, a first switch and a second switch are provided. The first switch turns on first to energize the starter motor. When the pinion gear engages with the ring gear thereafter, the second switch turns on to energize further the starter motor by short-circuiting a resistor wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Araki, Keiichi Matsushima
  • Patent number: 6040634
    Abstract: The engine unit for a vehicle comprises a thermal engine (1) and a coaxial relatively flat electric motor (2) which can operate up to, at least, the maximum operating speed of said thermal engine. Said electric motor is constructed and arranged to provide at rest and at low rotational speeds a maximum torque higher than the resisting torque of the thermal engine at rest, and than about one third of the maximum torque of the thermal engine, in order to perform safely the starter function down to the lowest forecast temperature. Said electric motor is constructed and arranged to provide a maximum volumic torque of active parts of at least about 10 Nm/dm.sup.3. The controls associated with said electric motor are capable of providing the power corresponding to the maximum torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Inventor: Rene Larguier
  • Patent number: 6008606
    Abstract: A starting assistance device for a vehicle has an electric motor and a dog clutch which is switched on at the time of starting of the vehicle to thereby transmit a torque to idler wheels. A sensor is provided to detect the switching on and switching off of the dog clutch. In case the switching off of the dog clutch is not detected when the rotational speeds of the idler wheels have exceeded a predetermined value after the starting of the vehicle, the electric motor is driven in such a direction of rotation so as to cancel the torque which operates on the dog clutch due to the frictional force in the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kentaro Arai, Tetsuro Hamada, Shigenobu Sekiya
  • Patent number: 5945755
    Abstract: A starter has a housing formed with a fitting part and a flange on the outer periphery thereof. The fitting part is in circular shape when viewed in the axial direction and is press-fitted, in the socket-and-spigot joint manner, into a fitting hole of an engine-side body with the flange being in abutment with a fitting plane of the engine-side body. The outer diameter Ho of the fitting part is set larger than the axial length of the center of gravity of an armature of a starter motor from a fitting plane of the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Ohmi, Tsutomu Shiga
  • Patent number: 5937696
    Abstract: In an engine starter according to the present invention, an annular stopper disposed between the pinion unit and the solenoid device so as to determine the rest position of the pinion unit is formed with a tongue projecting radially outwardly from its outer periphery, and a shoulder surface defined in the gear cover so as to abut an end surface of the solenoid device and thereby determine the axial position of the solenoid device is formed with a recess for receiving the tongue of the annular stopper, with the tongue and the recess being dimensioned with respect to each other so as to allow the tongue to be resiliently interposed between the recessed part of the shoulder surface and the end surface of the solenoid device and to define a space which accommodates a corresponding deformation of the tongue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Masaaki Ohya, Koji Nara, Michio Okada, Yoshikazu Sato, Shinichi Nagashima
  • Patent number: 5909067
    Abstract: A contactor for a motor vehicle starter comprises a contactor coil, a movable contactor core actuated by a control rod, and a fixed contactor core. It also has an electromagnetic auxiliary control relay which includes a movable relay core carrying a movable contact ring which is arranged for cooperation with at least one pair of fixed relay contacts, carried by a fixed annular contact carrier plate. The relay coil, the contact carrier plate, and the movable contact ring are arranged in axial succession, in that order towards the front of the contactor, and are disposed between the movable contact of the contactor and the fixed core, so that the relay and the contactor are closed in the same, forward, direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventor: Andre Liadakis
  • Patent number: 5901604
    Abstract: In an engine starter including a solenoid device for actuating a switch for the electric motor and to drive the pinion into mesh with the ring gear of an internal combustion engine, the solenoid device includes an armature outer member which moves in the direction to push out the pinion against the spring force of a first return spring in the energized state of the solenoid device, and an armature inner member which is resiliently urged by a second return spring, and is telescopically disposed with respect to the armature outer member with a coil spring interposed coaxially between them. An annular spring retainer is press fitted into the inner bore of the armature outer member to receive a corresponding coil end of the coil spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Sato, Michio Okada, Koji Nara, Masaaki Ohya, Shinichi Nagashima, Eiichi Kimura
  • Patent number: 5898229
    Abstract: In a one way clutch of a starter having an outer member, inner member and rollers, a planet carrier is formed integrally with the outer member and through holes are formed avoiding cam chambers for rollers so as not to interfere with cam chambers formed in the inner circumferential surface of outer member. At one end portion of outer member, limiting portion for limiting the axial shifting of rollers is integrally formed, and at the other end surface, a limiting plate for limiting the axial shifting of rollers is provided and press-fitted into pins. The limiting portion may be replaced by another limiting plate. Through holes for the through holes are formed at locations where the outer member is radially thick, e.g., between circumferentially adjacent two of the cam chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Murata, Shinya Yamanouchi, Masanori Ohmi, Tsutomu Shiga, Nobuyuki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 5894256
    Abstract: In a magnet switch, when an exciting coil is turned on to generate magnetic force, a plunger is moved by the magnetic force so that a movable contact contacts a fixed contact. The fixed contact includes an elastically deformable, flat plate-like elastic deformable portion having a contact portion which is contacted by the movable contact and a terminal bolt connected to a battery. When the movable contact contacts the contact portion of the fixed contact, the elastically deformable portion is elastically deformed by the collision force to absorb collision force, thereby preventing the bouncing of the movable contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1999
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kobayashi, Tsutomu Shiga
  • Patent number: 5892421
    Abstract: A rotation restricting member made of a resilient body such as a leaf spring is driven by a magnet switch upon energization of a motor and engages engaging grooves formed on an outer peripheral surface of an outer portion of a one-way clutch so that the rotation restricting member restricts rotation of the one-way clutch. The motor has first and second field coils connected in parallel. The first field coil is connected to an exciting coil in the magnet switch in series and the second field coil is connected to a motor contact in the magnet switch in series. When a starter switch is actuated, only the first field coil is actuated first with low voltage. Then, the motor contact is closed and the second field coil is actuated also so that the motor rotates at a high speed with full voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Keiichi Matsushima
  • Patent number: 5877575
    Abstract: In a starter for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a pinion; shift mechanism for moving the pinion into mesh with a ring gear of the engine; a housing for accommodating the pinion and the shift mechanism; an electric motor for rotating the pinion; a substantially cylindrical motor casing for accommodating the electric motor; a contact unit for selectively providing electric power to the electric motor; a brush holder stay disposed between the housing and the motor casing, the brush holder stay having a cavity opened toward the motor casing and the contact unit being mounted in the cavity; and a cover for covering the cavity of the brush holder stay, the cover is made of a flexible member so that the cover is naturally curved, and the cover is disposed between the brush holder stay and the motor casing with its concave surface facing the brush holder stay so that the cover is pushed toward the brush holder stay by an axial end of the motor casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Nara, Masaaki Ohya, Yoshikazu Sato, Michio Okada, Shinichi Nagashima
  • Patent number: 5847471
    Abstract: A starter in which a flange member is mounted to the starter body in accordance with the mounting conditions of the engine. An output shaft is disposed coaxially with the rotating shaft of the motor, and a front housing of the overhang type is used. Changing the mounting angle does not change the position of the motor, so that by simply replacing the flange member, a common front housing can be used to allow mounting in accordance with a larger number of mounting conditions. In addition, the tabular shape of the flange member allows die costs to be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Morishita, Keisaku Zenmei, Shuzo Isozumi
  • Patent number: 5834852
    Abstract: In an armature in which upper coil end arms extend toward an armature shaft substantially perpendicular to the armature shaft, at least one of first and second bearings supporting the armature shaft uses a ball bearing. The inner ring of the ball bearing is fixed to the armature shaft and the outer ring of the ball bearing is fixed to a cylindrical part of a holding plate such as of a brush holding member. The armature is pressed in the axial direction by brush springs so that, even if the armature tends to move in the axial direction due to armature imbalance when it rotates at high speeds, it is prevented from such an axial movement and is kept centered by the axial pressing action of the brush springs combined with a thrust bearing action of the ball bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Katoh, Tsutomu Shiga
  • Patent number: 5831340
    Abstract: An output shaft is arranged coaxially with an armature shaft forwardly of a starter motor, and an electromagnetic switch is arranged at the rear of the starter motor. The output shaft and the armature shaft are independently supported by a first to fourth bearings. The first and second bearings are held on a housing and a center case. In the starter motor, a face type commutator is provided on the rear end of the armature, so that the axial length of the armature shaft is set short. The third and fourth bearings are held on a partition wall of a yoke of the starter motor and a holder, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kobayashi, Tsutomu Shiga, Nobuyuki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 5818118
    Abstract: In an engine starter comprising a pinion slidably fitted on the output shaft for driving a ring gear of an engine that is to be started, and a one-way clutch having a first end secured to the pinion and a second end which is engaged by the output shaft via spline means, a compression coil spring is interposed between a stopper secured to the output shaft and an annular shoulder defined in a cylindrical extension of the second end of the one-way clutch. Therefore, even when the pinion is forced into a high speed rotation by the engine which has been started by the engine starter, the pinion simply rotates freely, and no friction is applied to the compression coil spring or the stopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Eiichi Kimura, Shinichi Nagashima, Mitsuhiro Kogure, Michio Okada, Koji Nara
  • Patent number: 5814896
    Abstract: A rotation restricting member is driven to engage a pinion moving member by a magnet switch and restricts it to rotate, so that it advances under rotation of an output shaft accompanied with energization of a motor and is engaged with a ring gear. Since it is satisfactory to displace the rotation restricting member in order to cause the pinion restricting member to abut against the pinion moving member under application of residual plunger stroke after both contacts of the magnet switch are abutted, it is not necessary to arrange any resilient member between a plunger and the rotation restricting member, thereby simplifying configuration of the magnet switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Araki
  • Patent number: 5796172
    Abstract: A starter apparatus comprises a mounting arrangement for an engine 16, an overhang type front housing 21, and a metal flange member 22 for mounting a starter main body. A sealing ring 23 and accommodating groove 22c are provided in the cast iron flange member, to avoid any weakening groove in the aluminum front housing. An excess number of screw holes 21a, 22b and 16a are provided in the front housing, the flange member and the engine to enable the mounting angle of the starter apparatus to be adapted to different engine requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Morisita, Keiichi Konishi, Kyohei Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 5789821
    Abstract: A starter which reduces the number of parts for a pinion rotation regulation and provides an accurate magnet switch operation. A concave portion is formed on the bottom side of a plunger to store a spherical body set on the rear end of a cord-shaped member, e.g., wire. A male screw and a fixing are used so that the length of the cord-shaped member is adjusted thereby. The length of the string-shaped member is adjusted so that the claw of the pinion rotation regulating member fits into the notch on the outer circumference of a pinion gear. Furthermore, the claw is fit into the notch via the wire when the plunger moves. The cord-shaped member may be replaced by a rod member disposed radially inside or outside the yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Shiga, Nobuyuki Hayashi, Masanori Ohmi, Masami Niimi, Kazuhiro Yamaguchi, Masao Saito, Yoshio Murakami, Takeshi Araki
  • Patent number: 5780934
    Abstract: In a starter, one end of a spring is connected with a pinion, whereas the other end of the spring is connected with an annular plate. A regulation claw of a regulation member for moving the pinion toward a ring gear is made separate from the spring which is flexed in the rotational direction of an output shaft so as to engage the pinion with the ring gear, when the pinion is brought into contact with the ring gear. Thus, appropriate setting of the specification of the regulation claw of the regulation member and that of the spring can be very easily accomplished. Further, because the specification of the spring can be independently appropriately set without difficulty, the spring is made more durable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuo Imanishi, Nobuyuki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 5777393
    Abstract: A retreat restricting member for restricting the retreat of a pinion in an advanced state of the pinion on an output shaft and in a resulting meshed state of a pinion gear with a ring gear is engaged with a pair of pins rotatably, the pins being each attached to a thrust ring. In a rotation restricting member for restricting the rotation of the pinion, upon meshing of the pinion gear with the ring gear, the front end of a rotation restricting bar is disengaged from a recess of a rotation restricting plate and falls to the rear end side of the thrust ring, thereby releasing the rotation-restricted state of the pinion. Further, engaging portions of the rotation restricting member come into engagement with engaging recesses of the retreat restricting member to hold the posture of the member, thereby inhibiting the retreat of the pinion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Katoh, Takeshi Araki, Masami Niimi, Tsutomu Shiga
  • Patent number: 5767585
    Abstract: Rotation of a pinion is regulated by a pinion regulating claw when a starter is actuated. After the pinion engages a ring gear, the regulating claw positioned rearward the pinion regulates the return of the pinion from the ring gear. A thrust bearing including a rolling bearing positioned on the rear face of the pinion absorbs the difference between the rotational speed of the pinion and that of the regulating claw. Such a construction allows only the pinion to move axially and a magnet switch to be made compact and light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Shiga, Takeshi Araki, Nobuyuki Hayashi, Masanori Ohmi, Masahiro Katoh, Masami Niimi
  • Patent number: 5765439
    Abstract: A starter for an automotive vehicle is comprised of an output shaft rotationally driven by a DC motor, a pinion having on its inner circumference a helical spline engaged with a helical spline on the output shaft. A pinion restricting member has a long arm engageable with teeth formed on the outer circumference of the pinion. A drive housing abuts axially at the pinion restricting member, and a center case abuts axially against the pinion restricting member. The pinion restricting member is held assuredly and axially by the drive housing and the center case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Araki
  • Patent number: 5760485
    Abstract: A starter is provided that includes a starter motor having an armature core with an armature coil wound therearound and an armature shaft for rotatably holding the armature core. A drive shaft is further provided having a pinion that meshes with a ring gear of an engine. A reduction gear mechanism is interposed between the drive shaft and the armature shaft for reducing the rotation relative to the armature shaft to transmit the reduction rotation to the drive shaft. The reduction gear mechanism has a speed reduction ratio of 6:1 to 10:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Shiga, Nobuyuki Hayashi, Masanori Ohmi, Sadayoshi Kajino
  • Patent number: 5760487
    Abstract: In a coaxial engine starter comprising a pinion connected to the output shaft which is driven by an electric motor, via a helical spline, a switch unit for selectively closing a power supply line to the electric motor, and a solenoid device consisting of an annular armature and an annular energization coil surrounding the output shaft to axially drive the pinion and a moveable contact of the switch unit in the axial direction, the energization coil is disposed between the electric motor and the pinion with a commutator of the electric motor facing the energization coil, and a pigtail for one of the brushes is directly connected to the moveable contact. Also, the contacts of the switch unit are placed between a pair of adjacent brushes of the commutator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Eiichi Kimura, Shinichi Nagashima, Mitsuhiro Kogure, Michio Okada, Koji Nara
  • Patent number: 5720247
    Abstract: In an engine starter, a plurality of mounting seats 12 for mounting an auxiliary switch 8 are provided on a housing 11. Accordingly, the auxiliary switch 8 can be mounted to the same housing 11 without interfering with neighboring equipment or the like with different engine or car body combinations. Standardization of the housing 11 can therefore easily achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Suzuki, Noriaki Moriyama, Akira Morishita
  • Patent number: 5684334
    Abstract: A starter device having a reduced output shaft diameter is provided. A stopper mechanism for impeding the outward movement of the pinion (12) along the output shaft (3a) is implemented by forming the helical splines (31) on the output shaft (3a) as being alternately open (31a, 31b) and closed (32a) helical splines. The thrust washer (21), for bearing the outward axial force of the output shaft (3a), is disposed in the front bracket (5) of the starter in front of the front bearing (16) and opposed to the front end (3d) of the output shaft (3a). Both the stopper mechanism and thrust washer configuration according to the invention allow for a reduced diameter of the output shaft (3a). The reduced diameter of the output shaft, in turn, affords the option of making the pinion (12) smaller in diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisaku Zenmei, Shuzo Isozumi
  • Patent number: 5644171
    Abstract: A starter comprising: a shift lever for engaging and disengaging a pinion and a ring gear of an engine; a magnetic switch for actuating the shift lever; a motor for driving the pinion; a front case having an open end to which the magnetic switch and the motor are mounted substantially in the same direction, the pinion being enclosed in the front case; a seal portion provided in the vicinity of the open end of the front case so as to seal a gap which communicates between the inside and the outside of the front case; the seal portion including a taper face and an elastic material, the taper face having an axis of taper substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the motor, the elastic material being fitted onto the taper face so as to be disposed between the magnetic switch and the motor and so as to be urged in the direction along which a width of the taper face becomes narrower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Yumiyama, Shigehiko Omata, Takashi Suzuki, Yoshinobu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5621249
    Abstract: A starter which reduces the number of parts for a pinion rotation regulation and provides an accurate magnet switch operation. A concave portion is formed on the bottom side of a plunger to store a spherical body set on the rear end of a cord-shaped member, e.g., wire. A male screw is formed on the inner wall of the concave portion, and a fixing screw that fixes the spherical body is screwed into this male screw so that the length of the cord-shaped member is adjusted. The length of the string-shaped member is adjusted so that when a plunger shaft moves upward and a lower movable contact contacts a terminal bolt, the claw of the pinion rotation regulating member fits into the notch on the outer circumference of a pinion gear. Furthermore, the claw is is fit into the notch via the wire when the plunger moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Shiga, Nobuyuki Hayashi, Masanori Ohmi, Masami Niimi
  • Patent number: 5617758
    Abstract: In a permanent magnet starter, a pinion clutch is smoothly engaged with a rotating shaft of an electric motor through a helical spline. A rotation restraint member is arranged at an outer periphery portion and this rotation restraint member is forcibly arranged by a magnetic field coil which is controlled from an outside portion. In a permanent magnet type motor having no magnetic field coil for exciting the motor, it is unnecessary to alter a motor unit. By the rotation force of an armature a pinion gear of the pinion clutch is moved, accordingly the permanent magnet starter for reducing the collision force during the meshing time of the pinion gear to a ring gear can be obtained. Further the permanent magnet starter having a superior gear meshing withstanding property and further without the lowering in the sealing property in the motor unit can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsumi Nishida, Koki Ueta, Yasuhiko Maruhashi
  • Patent number: 5610445
    Abstract: Disclosed is a starter which is simplified in the structure of its pinion rotation regulating mechanism and is down-sized in its entire structure. A pinion regulating member abuts with a pinion and moves the pinion towards a ring gear by the rotation of an output shaft, while preventing rotation of the pinion. When the pinion abuts with the ring gear, the pinion regulating member bends and gradually rotates the pinion to mesh with the ring gear. By this arrangement and operation, generation of abrasion powder is reduced with reduced number of component parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Shiga, Nobuyuki Hayashi, Masanori Ohmi, Masami Niimi, Masahiro Katoh, Yasuhiro Nagao, Takeshi Araki
  • Patent number: 5600184
    Abstract: In order to absorb the impact force produced when a pinion meshes a ring gear, a magnet switch is disposed apart from a pinion. The distance between a plunger of the magnet switch and a pinion rotation regulating member is lengthened so that a link mechanism having an elastic member such as a cord-shaped member or a spring is lengthened. As a result, the impact force produced when the pinion meshes the ring gear can be prevented from being directly transmitted to the plunger. Consequently, there is no vibration of the plunger and a movable contact can be reliably prevented from moving away from a fixed contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Shiga, Nobuyuki Hayashi, Masanori Ohmi, Masami Niimi
  • Patent number: 5592912
    Abstract: In a starter, to improve a heat dissipation performance, an axial length from the end of a starter housing fit into a clutch housing to a starter installation surface of the clutch housing is set to be longer than an axial length from the end of a starter motor not fit into the clutch housing to the starter installation surface. Alternatively, the exposed surface area of the starter housing fit into the clutch housing is set to be larger than the exposed surface area of the portion of the starter housing not fit into the clutch housing and the starter motor. With this configuration, the starter housing can be effectively cooled by whirling air flow in the clutch housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Uryu, Nobuyuki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 5528084
    Abstract: A starter that can improve heat radiation efficiency and improve the brush life. An upper movable contact is set on the end of a plunger shaft fixed on a plunger. The upper movable contact moves together with the plunger due to the attraction force of an attraction coil and contacts a fixed contact set to face the upper movable contact and which is connected to a terminal bolt. The upper movable contact is directly installed and integrated with a brush, so the heat generated by the bush is efficiently dissipated through the brush, upper movable contact, fixed contact and terminal bolt out the battery cable connected to the terminal bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Shiga, Nobuyuki Hayashi, Masanori Ohmi, Masami Niimi
  • Patent number: 5521441
    Abstract: A starter which assuredly and simply sealed an outer circumference of one engagement portion between a housing and a yoke or the other engagement portion between the yoke and an end frame with a band-shaped seal member. The banded-shaped seal member covers each engagement portion of the yoke, a center plate, the housing, a brush holder, and the end frame. The seal member has a clearance which is placed to correspond to a notched ventilation hole so that the yoke can be opened in the direction of the starter bottom or the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Shiga, Nobuyuki Hayashi, Masanori Ohmi, Hideki Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 5508566
    Abstract: A starter for starting an engine with a ring gear includes a starter motor having a plurality of field poles disposed around an inner periphery thereof, an output shaft for transmitting rotation of the starter motor, a pinion mounted on the output shaft for meshing with the ring gear, and a magnet switch including a fixed contact and a plunger with a movable contact, which abuts the fixed contact. By moving the plunger and causing the movable contact, to abut the fixed contact electrical current is passed to the starter motor. The magnet switch is disposed in an end of the starter opposite an end where the pinion is disposed, with the plunger being disposed orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the starter motor. The starter disclosed herein reduces the axial and diametral lengths and overall volume of the starter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nagao, Tsutomu Shiga, Nobuyuki Hayashi, Masanori Ohmi, Masami Niimi