Engine Starters Patents (Class 74/6)
  • Patent number: 11802532
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a starter pulley arrangement for an internal combustion engine. The arrangement comprises a cord drum (1) configured to house a starting rope wound thereon, a driver (3) configured to interact with a flywheel (5) or other part connected to an engine crankshaft, and a torsion spring (7) connecting the cord drum (1) to the driver (3), such that the cord drum can resiliently urge the engine crankshaft via the driver. The torsion spring (7) is tensioned in a resting position where the driver does not influence the crankshaft. This provides an improved resistance against wear on the parts of the starter pulley arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: HUSQVARNA AB
    Inventors: Peter Björkman, Alex Rasooli
  • Patent number: 11692586
    Abstract: A self-aligning support incorporates a support attachment fitting and a rotatable pin assembly having a primary load pin coupling the support attachment fitting to an attachment support, and inboard and outboard attachment claws engaged to end portions of the primary load pin. The rotatable pin assembly is configured to rotate relative to the support attachment fitting. At least one fuse pin extends through the primary load pin to limit translation of the primary load pin relative to the inboard and outboard claws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Ths Boeing Company
    Inventors: Bryan J. Gruner, John Thomas B. Homrich
  • Patent number: 11624345
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignees: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD., STARTING INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Ito, Yutaro Kinoshita, Tomoyasu Mizuno, Yoshinori Horikoshi
  • Patent number: 11519463
    Abstract: A clutch mechanism is used in a rotary power tool having a motor. The clutch mechanism includes an input member to which torque from the motor is transferred and an output member co-rotatable with the input member. The output member defines a rotational axis. A cam surface is formed on one of the input member or the output member. First and second compression springs are carried by the other of the input member or the output member for co-rotation therewith. A follower has a circular cross-sectional shape and is biased against the cam surface by the first and second compression springs. In response to relative rotation between the input member and the output member, the cam surface displaces the follower along a line of action coaxial or parallel with each of the first and second compression springs. The line of action does not intersect the rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mitchell Carlson
  • Patent number: 10914238
    Abstract: An air turbine starter (ATS) assembly includes a rotatable pinion gear (72) wherein the rotatable pinion gear is coupled to a combustion engine (10), a speed sensor (78) measuring the rotational speed (302) of the rotatable pinion gear (72), a torque sensor (79) providing a torque output (304) indicative of a torque experienced by the pinion gear (72), and a controller module configured to operate a starting sequence for the ATS assembly such that the rotational speed (302) is controllably increased while the torque output (304) is kept below the start sequence torque threshold (310).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC
    Inventors: Ruben Blanco, Saul Ledesma
  • Patent number: 10907720
    Abstract: A gear for transmitting power has a plurality of teeth, each having two tooth flanks for transmitting power to another gear. The gear can be rotated about an axis of rotation, and has a reference plane, which is arranged orthogonal to the axis of rotation. Tooth flanks of the same name are the tooth flanks for transmitting power in one direction of rotation, wherein the tooth flanks have a tooth flank length proceeding from a front side of the reference plane. Two tooth flanks of the same name are arranged directly adjacent to a crown tooth flank, said two tooth flanks of the same name each having a smaller tooth flank length than the crown tooth flank. The gear has at least one of the crown tooth flanks and is configured as a helically toothed gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Nick Bretl, Matthias Stangl
  • Patent number: 10718308
    Abstract: There is provided an internal-combustion-engine starting apparatus that eliminates the restriction that the portion of the output axle at the axial-direction anti-motor side needs to be narrower than the inner diameter of an inner ring portion and that eliminates the requirement that a member for restricting the output axle from traveling toward the axial-direction anti-motor side is added as an extra component. An internal-combustion-engine starting apparatus is characterized in that the outer helical spline includes an outer ridge portion, in that an inner helical spline includes a both-side opened recess groove portion and a one-side opened recess groove portion in that the outer ridge portion engages with the one-side opened recess groove portion, and in that the axial-direction length of the inner small-diameter portion is the same as or larger than the axial-direction length of the outer ridge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Tasuku Ito
  • Patent number: 10677211
    Abstract: A prime mover for a lightweight vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, a starter motor integrally integrated with the internal combustion engine, and a housing for the prime mover. The prime mover additionally comprises a Hall Effect sensor and an prime mover control module structured and operable to communicate with the Hall Effect sensor, determine when operation of the internal combustion engine should cease, and upon the determination that operation of the internal combustion engine should cease, utilize the communication from the Hall Effect sensor to stop the internal combustion engine such that a piston of the internal combustion engine is positioned at between 15° and 25° after bottom-dead-center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Zekarias W. Yohannes, Matthew Wilcox, David Smith, Brian Moebs, Matthew D. Wilson, Russell William King
  • Patent number: 10605218
    Abstract: A number of variations may include a solenoid assembly comprising: a shaft; a pinion-plunger operatively attached to the shaft and having a first end comprising a plurality of teeth; a plurality of iron cores surrounding at least a portion of the pinion-plunger and the shaft; at least one solenoid coil winding and at least one spool surrounding each of the plurality of iron cores; a stop adjacent a first end of the plurality of iron cores; a guide adjacent a second end of the plurality of iron cores opposite of the stop; a biasing member in operative communication with the first end the pinion-plunger; and wherein the solenoid assembly is constructed and arranged so that when the solenoid assembly is activated the pinion-plunger is magnetically drawn toward the stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: BORGWARNER INC.
    Inventor: Michael D. Bradfield
  • Patent number: 10436169
    Abstract: The invention relates to a starting method for internal combustion engines in motor vehicles, comprising a start-stop system, and to a starting device (10) for carrying out said method, said starting device comprising a starter motor (11) and an insertion device (12, 20) which axially inserts a slip-on pinion (13) into a crown gear (14) of the internal combustion engine when a stop cycle begins. In order to minimize the period until the engine can be restarted, the pinion (13) is resiliently inserted into the still rotating crown gear (14) by means of a pressure spring (25) when the stop phase begins, once the internal combustion engine (15) is switched off but before it comes to a standstill and with the starter motor (11) switched off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: SEG Automotive Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Sven Hartmann, Juergen Gross, Stefan Tumback
  • Patent number: 9726138
    Abstract: The engine starter includes a pinion-mobile component which is linked to an output shaft by a helical spline and can be slid in a shaft direction, in a state where the pinion-mobile component includes; an overrunning clutch which is idled when the pinion gear, which is engaged to the ring gear, is driven by the engine via the ring gear so as to be rotated at a rotational speed which is higher than a rotational speed of the output shaft; and a breaking mechanism in which the overrunning clutch breaks a transmission of a torque, which is generated in accordance with a rotation of the motor and is transmitted to the ring gear, when a value of the torque is a predetermined condition value with respect to a direction where the torque is transmitted to the ring gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Sasaki, Daisuke Mizuno, Hiroaki Kitano, Koichiro Kamei, Kazuhiro Odahara, Takenobu Matsubara
  • Patent number: 9670892
    Abstract: An engine startup device is provided having a helical-spline-engaging part where an output shaft (5) and a moving body (3) are coupled with each other, wherein a notch (37b, 38b) is formed on a power-transmitting-side tooth surface (37a, 38a) of at least either one of the output shaft and the moving body, and an angle formed by the notch with respect to a shaft direction is made smaller than the lead angle of a helical spline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masami Abe, Koichiro Kamei, Kazuhiro Odahara
  • Patent number: 9249770
    Abstract: The engine starter includes: a starter motor; a pinion unit (30) for sliding in an axial direction on an output shaft of the starter motor; and a ring gear (100) which meshes with a pinion pushed out by a push-out mechanism (60) and receives a transmission of a rotational force of the starter motor to thereby start an engine, and the pinion portion (30) includes a pinion gear divided in the axial direction into two pinion gears which are a first pinion gear (35) having a protruded shape for synchronization, for first colliding with the ring gear upon start of meshing with the ring gear, and a second pinion gear (34) for serving to transmit the rotational force after the meshing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Mizuno, Haruhiko Shimoji, Koichiro Kamei, Masami Abe, Kazuhiro Odahara, Masahiko Kurishige, Hiroaki Kitano, Yuhei Tsukahara, Masahiro Iezawa
  • Publication number: 20150075304
    Abstract: A hand-operating starting device with clutch structure is mounted to one side of an engine and includes a driving portion and a driven portion. The driving portion includes a housing. A rotary member that is received in the housing and has a pull cord wounded thereon is provided with an elastic member and an axle having a positioning pin projecting therefrom. The driven portion includes a cover that covers the housing. The cover receives therein a sleeve for driving the engine. The sleeve includes a helical channel and is fit over the axle with the positioning pin received in and guided by the helical channel. After the engine has been started up, a main shaft of the engine is no longer coupled to and thus impeded by the starting structure so as to avoid loss of power. And, no additional power consumption is needed for powering an electric starting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: Daimler Chu
  • Patent number: 8944021
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a device for starting an internal combustion engine for handheld equipment such as chain saws, lawn mowers, lawn trimmers and the like, or for vehicles such as mopeds, boats or miniature aircraft. The starting device features an output element into which a starter torque can be introduced when the starting device is actuated. The output element is functionally connected to a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine in order to introduce a crankshaft torque therein. The functional connection between the output element and the crankshaft introduces variable crankshaft torque into the crankshaft depending on the rotational angle of the crankshaft at a constant starter torque. This advantageously improves force or torque characteristics for largely operating the starter device independently of the compression phase and the expansion phase of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: DOLMAR GmbH
    Inventor: Christian Kellermann
  • Patent number: 8943914
    Abstract: A starting system for a hybrid vehicle includes a pinion gear driven by a starter motor and a drive plate having a set of teeth in constant meshed engagement with the pinion gear. A one-way clutch assembly drivingly interconnects the drive plate and an engine crankshaft and includes an inner race fixed for rotation with the crankshaft, an outer race coupled for rotation with the drive plate and a plurality of rollers positioned radially therebetween. The outer race includes a first set of teeth drivingly engaging a second set of teeth on the drive plate and arranged to allow the outer race to rotate about an axis misaligned with an axis of rotation of the drive plate. A spring engages the drive plate and the outer race to urge the first and second sets of teeth into alignment with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Magna Powertrain Inc.
    Inventors: Sean Steele, Adrian Cioc
  • Patent number: 8925404
    Abstract: The invention relates to a starting device for an internal combustion engine, having a hollow shaft (34), a pinion element (43), which comprises a pinion shank (37) having a shank axis (46) in a displacement direction of the pinion shank (37), wherein the pinion shank (37) is inserted in the hollow shaft (34), characterized in that an axial movement of the pinion shank (37) relative to the hollow shaft (34) is limited by a securing element (76), which is secured in the hollow shaft (34) directly or indirectly by an press fit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Lees, Patrick Hallas
  • Patent number: 8850909
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle starting system includes a pinion gear driven by a starter motor, and a drive plate having a set of teeth in constant meshed engagement with the pinion gear. A one-way clutch drivingly interconnects the drive plate and an engine crankshaft and includes an inner race fixed for rotation with the crankshaft, an outer race fixed for rotation with the drive plate, and a plurality of rollers positioned radially therebetween. A cage positions the rollers in circumferentially spaced apart alignment with outer cam surfaces. A split ring is positioned within grooves on each of the inner race and the outer race. The split ring is fitted within one of the grooves at a first clearance and fitted within the other of the grooves at a predetermined second clearance at least ten times the first clearance to isolate the outer race from vibrations of the inner race.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Magna Powertrain Inc.
    Inventors: Sean Steele, Adrian Cioc
  • Patent number: 8813586
    Abstract: A starter motor is disclosed which includes: 1) a hollow yoke having an open end; 2) a magnetic field system provided on an inner periphery of the yoke; 3) an armature surrounded by the magnetic field system with a predetermined gap therebetween, the armature having an armature shaft; 4) an end frame that closes the open end of the yoke and has a bearing box formed therein, the bearing box being recessed inward of the yoke from an end face of the end frame and having an open end on the end face of the end frame, the bearing box also having a bearing disposed therein to rotatably support an end portion of the armature shaft; and 5) a flexible seal plate that is attached on the end face of the end frame to hermetically seal the open end of the bearing box formed in the end frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshige Kako, Kazuhiro Andoh
  • Patent number: 8813587
    Abstract: A device has an output which is formed by a gearwheel that can be coupled to a gearwheel on a crankshaft of a combustion engine. The device comprises a first auxiliary drive source arranged as an electromotor, which is coupled to the output via a node. A first branch of a drive line is present between the electromotor and the node and a second branch of the drive line is present between the node and the output. The device further includes a second auxiliary drive source arranged as a flywheel which is coupled to the output via the node. A third branch is then present between the flywheel and the node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: DTI Group B.V.
    Inventors: Roell Marie Van Druten, Alexander Franciscus Anita Serrarens, Bas Gerard Vroemen
  • Patent number: 8794090
    Abstract: In a vehicle power unit including a twin clutch type transmission that includes a pair of main shafts and clutches mounted on mutually different shafts, to enable compact shaft arrangements and to achieve a reduction in the size of the unit and the surrounding areas. Axial centers of a shift drum and a countershaft are disposed across a line that connects axial centers of main shafts in a side view as viewed from a direction of an axis of each of the main shafts and the countershaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kinya Mizuno, Yoshiaki Tsukada, Takashi Ozeki, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Mitsuo Nakagawa, Yasushi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 8776752
    Abstract: A starter includes a shift lever that is engaged between a washer and a space collar and moves an output shaft in an axial direction, and a locking portion that is disposed between a snap ring attached to the output shaft and the shift lever to be movable on the output shaft and locks at least a part of an outer circumference portion of the snap ring when the shift lever is engaged between the washer and the space collar. An axial length of the locking portion is shorter than an axial movable length of the locking portion when the snap ring is attached to or removed from the output shaft and longer than the axial movable length of the locking portion when the shift lever is engaged between the washer and the space collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Motoaki Kimura
  • Patent number: 8770163
    Abstract: A starter device (10) for a combustion engine (1), particularly of a motor vehicle. The device includes a rotary electrical machine (11) comprising a drive member (12) and a tensioner. A belt (13) collaborates with the drive member of the rotary electrical machine and with the combustion engine in order that the latter can be started using the belt rotationally driven by the electrical machine in a first direction (A). A tensioner (15) presses against a length (16) of the belt that runs between the electrical machine and the combustion engine. As the rotary electrical machine rotates in a second direction (B) the opposite of the first, it is possible for the tensioner to be brought from a stopped position into a position for beginning to start the combustion engine. The movement from the stopped position to the position for beginning to start being accompanied by a lengthening of said length of belt and/or by an increase in the tension in this length of belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventors: Julien Quincerot, Karine Stofleth, Jean-Marc Dubus, Arnaud Devries, Michaël Chemin
  • Patent number: 8731791
    Abstract: When an internal combustion engine is cranked up from a stopped position of a piston in a restart-time first ignition cylinder which is scheduled to start a combustion at the time of an automatic restart of the engine under an automatic stop of the engine during an idling-stop control, a restart-time ignition time interval between a time point when the cranking of the engine is started and a time point when the restart-time first ignition cylinder is initially ignited is calculated. A drive-start timing of a starter motor is delayed according to this restart-time ignition time interval. Thereby, the cranking of the engine is carried out by the starter motor under a state where the hydraulic pressure supplied from the electric oil pump has increased. Thus, the slip in the clutch of the CVT can be suppressed when the gas mixture in the restart-time first ignition cylinder is initially ignited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shouta Hamane, Takayuki Iwasaki, Yoshikazu Hirato
  • Patent number: 8661924
    Abstract: A system and method for absorbing rock-back and oscillation in a drive assembly of an engine start-stop device. The drive assembly has a pinion with at least two slots that receive axially extending protrusions of a barrel element. Damping elements in the slots and a spring element absorb rock-back and impact oscillations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies
    Inventors: Ravi Atluru, Wei Xue, Eric Twigg
  • Publication number: 20140026689
    Abstract: Disclosed is a protection device of an engine starting device that protects the engine starting device provided with a plurality of starting devices including a starter capable of starting an engine and a motor/generator capable of starting the engine, the engine being started by driving the motor/generator under a first condition, the engine being started by driving the starter under a second condition less generated than the first condition, wherein the starter is forcedly driven on a regular basis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: Koin Nakamura, Satoru Okuma, Fumihiko Imamura
  • Publication number: 20140000546
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system and apparatus for starting an engine. The apparatus includes a stand that can be erected in a folded configuration above the engine to be started. A lever arm is pivotally secured to the bottom portion of the stand. A cord extends from the engine, over the stand, and connects to the lever arm. A pulley may be used to route the cord over the stand. This allows the user to push down upon the lever arm to pull the cord and start the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventor: Philip R. Hardy
  • Patent number: 8601887
    Abstract: A starter is disclosed as having a housing carrying thereon a motor, and a pinion moving body including a pinion gear, operative to mesh with a ring gear of an engine to transfer a rotational force of the motor thereto, and a pinion shielding member connected to the pinion gear at a front end thereof. The pinion shielding member has an outer circular periphery, having an outer diameter greater than the diameter of the addendum circle of the pinion gear, and a bottomed cylindrical configuration formed with a hollow portion having a front opened end and a closed rear end. Further, a clearance between an inner circumferential periphery of the nose portion and the outer circular periphery of the pinion shielding member is minimized to avoid interference between the nose portion of the housing and the pinion shielding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kensuke Hirai, Kazuhiro Andoh, Tadahiro Kurasawa
  • Patent number: 8596155
    Abstract: A drive for coupling an engine starter to an engine includes a drive portion including a screw shaft, and a clutch portion including a clutch body, wherein the clutch body is integrated with the screw shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Cardinal Valley Industrial Supply, Inc.
    Inventors: William M. Mullins, III, Albert C. Jones, Samuel S. Beckett
  • Patent number: 8584642
    Abstract: A method is provided for detecting a tow start operation of an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle. In this case, a signal representing the activity and/or inactivity of a starter unit of the internal combustion engine is detected. A tow start operation of the internal combustion engine is determined when, following detection of a successful start-up process of the internal combustion engine, the signal representing the activity and/or inactivity of the starter unit has not displayed any activity of the starter unit since the beginning of the start-up process of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dirk Abendroth, Werner Weigl, Peter Straehle
  • Publication number: 20130283938
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a starter machine that includes a motor operatively coupled to a first shaft and a pinion coupled to a second shaft. In some embodiments, a planetary gear drive system can be coupled to the first and the second shafts. The planetary gear drive system can include a planetary gear system and a first clutch being substantially adjacent to a second clutch. The planetary gear drive system can be configured and arranged so that when the first clutch is engaged, the motor can move the pinion at a first rotational speed. The planetary gear drive system is further configured so that when the second clutch is engaged, the motor can move the pinion at a second rotational speed. In some embodiments, the first rotational speed is a greater rotational speed than the second rotational speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Balazs Palfai, Kirk Neet, Joel Gray, Attila Nagy
  • Patent number: 8534145
    Abstract: In an engine starting apparatus, together with a one-way clutch, a pinion is pushed toward a ring gear of an engine mounted in a vehicle. The one-way clutch has an idling torque smaller than a torque of the ring gear that tries to turn the pinion when the pinion is pushed to the ring gear. By a control device, a pinion pushing device is enabled to operate when i) the revolution speed of the ring gear is larger than a revolution speed of the pinion and ii) a relative revolution speed between the revolution speed of the ring gear and the revolution speed of the pinion is a desired value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masami Niimi, Mitsuhiro Murata, Kiyokazu Haruno, Hiroaki Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20130186212
    Abstract: The press molded product of the present invention is configured as a press molded product 1 that includes fitting portions 13 and 15, which can be fitted to other component 3, wherein the fitting portions includes protruded portions 19 that can be contacted to the fitted other component 3, and the portions 19 are molded by press working.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuru MIYAMOTO, Hirofumi MIYOSHI, Kensuke KATO, Junichi IMAI
  • Patent number: 8490592
    Abstract: A removable torque transfer starter for engine that includes a housing releasably attachable to an engine, wherein torque is transferred to a crank axle of the engine internally relative the housing, whereby an operator need not apply an external torque to start the internal combustion engine, but may depress a start button and securely support the device being started instead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Inventor: Eric G. Von Tiergen
  • Patent number: 8479599
    Abstract: A starter for an internal combustion engine includes a power transmission mechanism. The power transmission mechanism has an outer race plate fastened to a crankshaft, and a ring gear coupled to a rotational shaft of an electric motor for starting the engine. The power transmission mechanism further has a one-way clutch for permitting torque transmission only from the ring gear to the outer race plate, and two sealing members. Lubricant is supplied from the cylinder block to the interior of the power transmission mechanism for lubricating the power transmission mechanism. The outer race plate has a groove on its contact surface of a contact portion between the crankshaft and the outer race plate. The groove extends in the entire circumferential direction of the crankshaft. This maintains the coupling strength between the outer race plate and the crankshaft, while enhancing the sealing performance of the power transmission mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Shiba, Toshiaki Asada, Makoto Ishikawa, Tomoaki Suzuki, Kazuhito Sakai
  • Publication number: 20130091967
    Abstract: The combustion engine starter with output pinion (18) comprises a front bearing (12) provided with a front face (120) having an opening (312), a drive assembly equipped with a bush (26) passing through the opening (312) and bearing the output pinion (18) outside the front bearing (12), complementary splines (67,167). A groove (64, 164) interrupts the splines (67) of the bush (26) in order to mount a stop (60, 160) for immobilizing the pinion, a play-compensating spring (61) urging the pinion into contact with the stop (60, 160) formed by a spring ring which has a height greater than its thickness and which is housed with radial clearance at least partially in an annular recess (62) made in the front face (183) of the pinion (18); the internal periphery of the spring ring (60, 160) being mounted in the groove (64, 164) in the bush (26).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Inventors: Guillaume Seillier, Laurent Boisserenq
  • Patent number: 8418571
    Abstract: Obtained is an engine starter having a structure in which, even when frictional heat is generated on a roller due to sliding of a roller and a clutch inner with respect to each other, deformation of a rolling contact surface of the roller is reduced by suppressing reduction in hardness of the rolling contact surface of the roller due to the frictional heat, thereby making it possible to improve transmission of a rotation force from a clutch outer to a clutch inner. The engine starter includes a clutch (5) for transmitting a rotation force of an output shaft (4) to a pinion gear (7), a clutch outer (10), a clutch inner (11) having one end portion facing an inner portion of the clutch outer (10) and another end portion to which the pinion gear (7) is fixed, and a roller (12) which rolls while being provided between the clutch outer (10) and the clutch inner (11). The clutch outer (10) is formed with a notch portion (10a) of a tapered shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Koichiro Kamei, Hidekazu Katayama, Kazuhiro Odahara, Mutsuhiro Ichioka
  • Publication number: 20130074618
    Abstract: The front bearing (110) of a heat engine starter having an output pinion starter drive (120) comprises, in the front, a transverse wall (111) having an opening (112), for passing a body (122) of the starter drive (120) there through, and a cavity (200) for mounting a sealing joint (240). The cavity is set up on the inner periphery of the rear surface (400) of the front bearing. The rear surface is configured so as to form a bearing abutment for the outer ring (231) of a rolling bearing (230) and moreover has at least one hollowed-out area (300) intended to be filled with grease so as to form a grease supply. The hollowed-out area is mostly set up outside the cavity. A heat engine starter having an output pinion is characterized in that it comprises one such front bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Inventors: Alexis Chalmet, Thierry Paltrie
  • Publication number: 20130035193
    Abstract: A vehicle drive system includes a first power path wherein an engine drives an accessory and a starter-alternator at relatively low speed, a second power path wherein the engine drives the accessory and a starter-alternator at relatively high speed, a third power path wherein the starter-alternator drives the accessory while the engine is off, and a fourth power path wherein the starter-alternator cranks the engine before an engine restart.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: David A. Janson, John E. Brevick, Reid A. Baldwin
  • Patent number: 8307730
    Abstract: To provide a transmission device in which assembly of a shift spindle is improved. In the transmission device, a groove is formed on a shift spindle into an annular shape along the peripheral portion of the shift spindle. A positioning pin is mounted so as to be inserted through a through hole of a rear cover from the outside. The distal end of the positioning pin projecting inwardly of the rear cover is locked with the groove. A rib with which a spindle plate can come into abutment is formed on the inner side of the rear cover. The groove is arranged on the extension of the through hole in a state in which the spindle plate comes into abutment with the rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Koyama, Hitoshi Tokotani, Hiroaki Egashira
  • Publication number: 20120247238
    Abstract: In a vehicle power unit including a twin clutch type transmission that includes a pair of main shafts and clutches mounted on mutually different shafts, to enable compact shaft arrangements and to achieve a reduction in the size of the unit and the surrounding areas. Axial centers of a shift drum and a countershaft are disposed across a line that connects axial centers of main shafts in a side view as viewed from a direction of an axis of each of the main shafts and the countershaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kinya MIZUNO, Yoshiaki TSUKADA, Takashi OZEKI, Kazuhiko NAKAMURA, Mitsuo NAKAGAWA, Yasushi FUJIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20120216634
    Abstract: A method for checking engagement of a pinion of a starter system with a ring gear of a drive unit to be started, including measuring a variable indicating a speed of the pinion or a speed of the drive unit to be started, and checking the engagement on the basis of the measured variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Apostolos Tsakiris, Jie Ge, Stefan Tumback
  • Patent number: 8240286
    Abstract: A starting system for an internal combustion engine includes a pinion gear selectively driven by a starter motor, a drive plate having a set of teeth in constant meshed engagement with the pinion gear and a one-way clutch adapted to interconnect the drive plate and an engine crankshaft. The clutch assembly includes an inner race adapted to be fixed for rotation with the crankshaft. An outer race is fixed for rotation with the drive plate and has circumferentially spaced apart cam surfaces. The clutch also includes a cage for positioning rollers in circumferentially spaced apart alignment with the cam surfaces. A pair of seal plates are coupled to one of the inner race and the outer race. Each seal plate is positioned proximate to and spaced apart from the other of the inner race and the outer race.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Magna Powertrain Inc.
    Inventors: Jianwen Li, Richard D. Muizelaar, Sean Steele
  • Patent number: 8215195
    Abstract: An electromagnetic controller includes an exciting coil unit that is provided with a coil main body and an exciting piece that is positioned at a tip end side of the coil main body so as to be magnetized according to an excitation of the coil main body; and a plunger that is disposed in a ring-shaped space formed at an inner diameter side of the exciting coil unit so as to be movable in the ring-shaped space in an axial center direction, the plunger being displaceable from a non-acting position to an acting position at a tip end side under an attracting force based on magnetization of the exciting piece, wherein an urging member is provided at the inner diameter side of the exciting coil unit so as to urge the plunger to a side of the non-acting position according to demagnetization of the exciting piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Masataka Odagiri, Tomohiko Ikemori, Hitoshi Ono, Yoshikazu Sato, Hiroshi Ooka, Shigeyuki Enkaku
  • Patent number: 8215194
    Abstract: In a starter with which a pinion movable body with which a pinion gear and a one-way clutch were united moves on an output shaft, a holder is attached to the one-way clutch. A seal component having the shape of a ring is provided so that an end of an outer circumference of the seal component is fixed to a nose part of a housing and an end of an inner circumference of the seal component slidably contacts an outer circumferential surface of the holder. The holder is provided so that relative rotation to the one-way clutch is possible. Since the holder doesn't rotate relative to the housing, wear of a seal component is reduced compared with the case where the seal component contacts the one-way clutch which rapidly rotates whereby the sealability preventing a foreign substance or water from infiltrating into the inside of the starter can be maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kensuke Hirai, Kazuhiro Andoh
  • Patent number: 8069740
    Abstract: A screw mounting hole and a female screw part are formed in a bearing part of a gear cover, and the screw insertion hole is formed in the idle shaft. The idle shaft is fixed to the gear cover by inserting a fixing screw through the screw mounting hole and screwing it into the female screw part through the screw insertion hole. A positioning groove in a predetermined position in relation to the screw insertion hole is formed in the end face of the idle shaft. When the positioning groove is disposed perpendicularly to an engine mounting surface and the idle shaft is fitted to the gear cover, the screw mounting hole is opposed to the screw insertion hole and, when the fixing screw is fitted, the confirmation of hole positions and the aligning of holes can be eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Saito, Chihiro Horikoshi, Shigeyuki Enkaku, Hitoshi Ono
  • Publication number: 20110252902
    Abstract: An engine starter mechanism using a one way clutch includes a starter motor; a ring gear for receiving a driving force from the starter motor; the one way clutch including an outer race, an inner race disposed away from the outer race in a radially inner direction and relatively rotatably disposed concentrically with the outer race, and a torque transmitting section disposed between the outer race and the inner race to transmit a torque; and an oil seal for sealing the one way clutch, the ring gear is connected to the outer race of the one way clutch, and the oil seal is held between the ring gear and the outer race.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Inventors: Yukiyoshi SUZUKI, Takaya YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20110247437
    Abstract: A system and method for absorbing rock-back and oscillation in a drive assembly of an engine start-stop device. The drive assembly has a pinion with at least two slots that receive axially extending protrusions of a barrel element. Damping elements in the slots and a spring element absorb rock-back and impact oscillations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventors: Ravi Atluru, Wei Xue, Eric Twigg
  • Patent number: 8033191
    Abstract: A starter that includes a motor portion that includes a motor shaft; a deceleration mechanism portion that is integrated with the motor portion, the deceleration mechanism portion includes a planetary gear that revolves around the motor shaft; and an output shaft that rotates integrally with a revolution of the planetary gear, wherein a bracket of the deceleration mechanism portion, in which a ring-shaped gear is formed at an inner circumferential surface so as to mesh with the planetary gear, is integrated with a casing of the motor portion by an intermediate bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignees: Mitsuba Corporation, Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ken Nagahara, Shuji Uehara, Kazuo Iwashita, Kazuhiko Ono, Koji Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20110179890
    Abstract: A hybrid powertrain for a vehicle is provided with a motor/generator for providing torque to a final drive input member. The powertrain includes an engine, a transmission having a transmission input member configured to receive power from the engine and a transmission output member. The powertrain further includes a final drive arrangement that has a final drive input member, and a motor/generator that has a motor shaft operatively connected to the final drive input member downstream of the transmission gearing arrangement. A drive system may operatively connect the transmission output member and the motor shaft to the final drive input member. A method of assembling a hybrid powertrain is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Shawn H. Swales, Leonid Basin, Fredrick R. Poskie, James W. Haynes