Abstract: A coaxial starter motor assembly that includes a housing. An electrical motor is provided in the housing that has a rotatable armature shaft that is linked with a drive shaft. A pinion assembly is provided that is engageable at one end with the drive shaft and includes a pinion at the other end engageable with a flywheel of an engine. A solenoid assembly is provided for selectively energizing the electrical motor. The solenoid assembly is coaxial with the drive shaft. The solenoid assembly includes a plunger having a bore. The plunger is engageable with the pinion assembly to move the pinion assembly including the pinion into engagement with the flywheel. The plunger is also engageable with a moveable contact to move the moveable contact to electrically connect with a pair of fixed contacts. A return spring is provided that is positioned at least in part within the bore of the plunger of the solenoid assembly for moving the pinion assembly including the pinion away from engagement with the flywheel.

Abstract: A starter motor assembly is provided. A motor housing encloses an electrical motor having a rotatable armature shaft. A rotatable drive shaft is provided that is engageably linked with the armature shaft. A pinion assembly is also provided, which includes a pinion that is engageable with the drive shaft for turning a flywheel of an engine. A solenoid assembly is provided, which includes a plunger. The plunger, when the solenoid assembly is energized, is moved in an axial direction to close electrical contacts to start the electrical motor and to move the pinion into-engagement with the engine flywheel. Once the engine is cranked and the solenoid is deenergized, a return spring moves the pinion away from engagement with the engine flywheel. The return spring of the present invention moves the pinion without utilizing contact between the spring and the pinion (or any pinion shaft) to move the pinion away from engagement.

Abstract: A starter motor assembly is provided. A motor housing encloses an electrical motor having a rotatable armature shaft. A rotatable drive shaft is provided that is engageably linked with the armature shaft. A pinion assembly is also provided, which includes a pinion that is engageable with the drive shaft for turning a flywheel of an engine. A solenoid assembly is provided, which includes a plunger. The plunger, when the solenoid assembly is energized, is moved in an axial direction to close electrical contacts to start the electrical motor and to move the pinion into engagement with the engine flywheel. Once the engine is cranked and the solenoid is deenergized, a return spring moves the pinion away from engagement with the engine flywheel. The return spring of the present invention moves the pinion without utilizing contact between the spring and the pinion (or any pinion shaft) to move the pinion away from engagement.

Abstract: A coaxial starter motor assembly that includes a housing. An electrical motor is provided in the housing that has a rotatable armature shaft that is linked with a drive shaft. A pinion assembly is provided that is engageable at one end with the drive shaft and includes a pinion at the other end engageable with a flywheel of an engine. A solenoid assembly is provided for selectively energizing the electrical motor. The solenoid assembly is coaxial with the drive shaft. The solenoid assembly includes a plunger having a bore. The plunger is engageable with the pinion assembly to move the pinion assembly including the pinion into engagement with the flywheel. The plunger is also engageable with a moveable contact to move the moveable contact to electrically connect with a pair of fixed contacts. A return spring is provided that is positioned at least in part within the bore of the plunger of the solenoid assembly for moving the pinion assembly including the pinion away from engagement with the flywheel.

Abstract: A starter motor assembly is provided having a solenoid assembly that includes a pull-in coil that is comprised of a plurality of coils connected in parallel. The plurality of coils may comprise three coils that are formed from a single wire cut and connected to form the pull-in coil. Also provided is a method of making a pull-in coil for a solenoid assembly for a starter motor assembly. The method includes the step of winding a wire down a length of a solenoid coil holder and then back up the length of the solenoid coil holder a plurality of times. Then, the wire is cut at points to form separate coils, each coil then having a first lead and a second lead opposite the first lead. The first leads of the coils are electrically connected together and the second leads of the coils are electrically connected together to form the pull-in coil comprised of multiple coils.