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.

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.

Abstract: A starter for starting in-vehicle internal combustion engines comprise a motor, an electromagnetic switch and an electrically conductive connection member. The electromagnetic switch comprises first and second fixed contacts, a movable contact, an electromagnet moving back and forth to the movable contact to electrically connect and disconnect the first and second fixed contacts, and a cover covering the first and second contacts and movable contact. The predetermined direction is parallel to an armature provided in the motor. The electromagnet is provided with only a single coil generating a drive force for moving the movable contact. A connection member is arranged to be through the casing and the cover and electrically connects a brush of the armature in the motor and the second fixed contact in the switch. The connection member includes an end part arranged in the casing of the switch. This end part functionally provides the second fixed contact.

Abstract: In a starter motor equipped with a shock absorbing device, a disk spring is placed between a bottom part of a cylindrical casing and one side of a disk stack structure composed of rotatable disks and fixed disks which are alternately stacked. Caulking parts formed at an opening end of the cylindrical casing are bent toward the inner diameter side of the cylindrical casing in order to push the disk spring toward the bottom part side of the cylindrical casing through the disk stack structure. The disk spring accumulates reaction force (or elastic force) by the caulking. The reaction force accumulated in the disk spring pushes the disk stack structure to the axial direction of the cylindrical casing. The structure of the shock absorbing device can supply a uniform load to the disk spring, and provides a stable shock absorbing capability.

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.

Abstract: The starter has a system of pushing the pinion gear in the direction of the anti-motor side by using the attracting power of the electromagnetic switch via the shift lever. The switch coil of the electromagnetic switch is constituted of one coil that is electrically separated from the motor circuit. The mass of pinion gear is set to 100 g or less, the switch extrusion power stored in the drive spring is set to 70 N (Newton) or less, and the operation current of the electromagnetic switch is set to 12 amperes or less. With this starter, since the switch coil and the motor circuit can be electrically separated, the terminal for connection for connecting the conventional attracting coil and conventional “M terminal bolt” can be abolished. Further, by setting the operation current of the electromagnetic switch 10 to 12 amperes or less, it is possible to control the operation current directly by the ECU.

Abstract: The starter has a system of pushing the pinion gear in the direction of the anti-motor side by using the attracting power of the electromagnetic switch via the shift lever. The switch coil of the electromagnetic switch is constituted of one coil that is electrically separated from the motor circuit. The mass of pinion gear is set to 100 g or less, the switch extrusion power stored in the drive spring is set to 70 N (Newton) or less, and the operation current of the electromagnetic switch is set to 12 amperes or less. With this starter, since the switch coil and the motor circuit can be electrically separated, the terminal for connection for connecting the conventional attracting coil and conventional “M terminal bolt” can be abolished. Further, by setting the operation current of the electromagnetic switch 10 to 12 amperes or less, it is possible to control the operation current directly by the ECU.

Abstract: The starter has a system of pushing the pinion gear in the direction of the anti-motor side by using the attracting power of the electromagnetic switch via the shift lever. The switch coil of the electromagnetic switch is constituted of one coil that is electrically separated from the motor circuit. The mass of pinion gear is set to 100 g or less, the switch extrusion power stored in the drive spring is set to 70N (Newton) or less, and the operation current of the electromagnetic switch is set to 12 amperes or less. With this starter, since the switch coil and the motor circuit can be electrically separated, the terminal for connection for connecting the conventional attracting coil and conventional “M terminal bolt” can be abolished. Further, by setting the operation current of the electromagnetic switch 10 to 12 amperes or less, it is possible to control the operation current directly by the ECU.

Abstract: A starter which may employed in starting an engine is provided. The starter includes an electromagnetic actuator and a pinion carrier. The pinion carrier includes a pinion and a holder. The holder retains a shift lever and transmits movement of the shift lever, as achieved by a magnetic attraction produced by the electromagnetic actuator, to the pinion, thereby shifting the pinion into engagement with a ring gear joined to, for example, an engine. The holder is made of material smaller in specific gravity than the pinion. Specifically, the holder is lower in mass or weight than the pinion, thereby permitting the magnetic attraction required to shift the pinion carrier through the shift lever to be decreased. This permits the electromagnetic actuator to be decreased in size.

Abstract: In a starter, a grommet attached to a yoke of a motor supports a motor terminal plate made of metal. The motor terminal plate is inserted in a penetration hole formed in the grommet. A pig-tail of a positive electrode brush is connected to one end of the M terminal plate projecting toward the inside of the yoke through the penetration hole. The other end of the M terminal plate projecting toward the outside of the yoke through the penetration hole is inserted into the inside of the resin cover through an insert groove formed in the resin cover of the electromagnetic switch. The M terminal plate is positioned in the grommet in the insert direction thereof to limit the movement of the M terminal plate toward the electromagnetic switch side and the motor side. This configuration provides a stable position of the M contact against the resin cover.

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.

Abstract: A starter includes a motor and an electromagnetic switch disposed close to and radially outward of the motor. The switch includes a contacts cover, a terminal bolt, and a conductive metal member. The contacts cover is cup-shaped. The terminal bolt is secured in the contacts cover so as to extend in the axial direction of the motor through an end wall of the contacts cover. The metal member has a first and a second end portion. The first end portion is inserted in the contacts cover through a side wall of the contacts cover. The second end portion is located outside the contacts cover and electrically connected to the motor. The switch further includes a movable contact, a first fixed contact that is electrically connected to a power source via the terminal bolt, and a second fixed contact made up of the first end portion of the metal member.

Abstract: A starter includes a drive shaft having an outer periphery formed with shaft splines through which a drive power is transmitted from a starter motor, an overrunning clutch, having an inner periphery formed with barrel splines engageable with the shaft splines, which is axially moveable with respect to the drive shaft and plays a role as one-way clutch, and a pinion gear integrally disposed on the overrunning clutch to be movable into or out of meshing engagement with a ring gear of an internal combustion engine. A radial clearance between a tooth top of each shaft spline and a tooth bottom of each barrel spline is set to be less than a backlash between each shaft spline and each barrel spline.

Abstract: A starter includes a motor and an electromagnetic switch disposed close to and radially outward of the motor. The switch includes a contacts cover, a terminal bolt, and a conductive metal member. The contacts cover is cup-shaped. The terminal bolt is secured in the contacts cover so as to extend in the axial direction of the motor through an end wall of the contacts cover. The metal member has a first and a second end portion. The first end portion is inserted in the contacts cover through a side wall of the contacts cover. The second end portion is located outside the contacts cover and electrically connected to the motor. The switch further includes a movable contact, a first fixed contact that is electrically connected to a power source via the terminal bolt, and a second fixed contact made up of the first end portion of the metal member.

Abstract: A starter includes a magnetic switch, a motor, and a terminal. The terminal fixed to both the magnetic switch and the motor and has two end portions in the longitudinal direction of the terminal. An end portion of the terminal confronts a movable contact within the magnetic switch. The other end portion of the terminal is connected to an electric circuitry of the motor therewithin.

Abstract: A starter for cranking an internal combustion engine includes an electric motor, an output shaft, a pinion gear coupled to the output shaft. The starter motor further includes one-way clutch for transmitting the rotational torque of the electric motor to the output shaft while interrupting transmission of the rotational torque from the pinion gear driven by the engine to the electric motor. A clutch-inner of the one-way clutch is integrally formed with the output shaft. When the output shaft is driven by the engine via the pinion gear, a swinging rotation may be caused due to a small inclination of the output shaft relative to a real center axis of the starter. To suppress the swinging rotation, a washer is connected to a front end of the one-way clutch, and the washer is adapted to contact a rear end of the sliding bearing supporting the output shaft when the output shaft is rotated by the engine.

Abstract: An electromagnetic switch has a shaft and a movable contact member slidably supported by the shaft. The shaft is moved with a plunger when an electromagnet is formed of an electromagnetic coil receiving an electric current and attracts the plunger. The movable contact member is moved with the plunger and connects fixed contact members with each other to turn on the switch. The shaft has a shaft body and a projection projected from the shaft body. The movable contact member has a hole. The projection is inserted into the hole to pass through the hole, and the movable contact member is disposed on the shaft body. Then, the movable contact member is rotated so as to engage the projection with the movable contact member. Therefore, the projection prevents the movable contact member from coming out of the shaft.

Abstract: In a starter motor equipped with a shock absorbing device, a disk spring is placed between a bottom part of a cylindrical casing and one side of a disk stack structure composed of rotatable disks and fixed disks which are alternately stacked. Caulking parts formed at an opening end of the cylindrical casing are bent toward the inner diameter side of the cylindrical casing in order to push the disk spring toward the bottom part side of the cylindrical casing through the disk stack structure. The disk spring accumulates reaction force (or elastic force) by the caulking. The reaction force accumulated in the disk spring pushes the disk stack structure to the axial direction of the cylindrical casing. The structure of the shock absorbing device can supply a uniform load to the disk spring, and provides a stable shock absorbing capability.

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.

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.