Abstract: The electric rotating machine includes a casing having first and second frames joined to each other at their opening ends in an axial direction, the first frame being formed with a fitting hole having an opened cross-sectional shape which opens to the opening end of the first frame. The electric rotating machine further includes a drain member made of rubber and fitted into the fitting hole. The drain member includes a fitting section having a neck portion through which a drain hole penetrates, and inner and outer collar portions facing with each other across from the neck portion. The drain member is installed on the first frame in such a state that the inner and outer collar portions abut against inner and outer wall surfaces of the first frame, respectively, by inserting the neck portion into the fitting hole from a side of the opening end of the first frame.

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 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: The clutch outer 24 is formed in the planet carrier 24 that outputs the orbital motion of the planetary gear 23, and the outer regulating part 33 is formed in the central part of the planet carrier 24. In the outer regulating part 33, he round hole 33a is formed in the central part of the direction of the diameter. The anti-motor side of the armature shaft 2 is inserted through the round hole 33a. The end part of the armature shaft 2 is inserted into the inside of the concave section 26b that passes through the round hole 33a provided on the outer regulating part 33. The armature shaft bearing 34 that is press fit in the inner circumference of the concave section 26b supports the armature shaft 2 relatively rotatable. Consequently, the deflection of the armature shaft 2 can be controlled, and the deflection of the clutch outer 24 can be controlled in the range of the smooth torque transfer of the one-way clutch 7.

Abstract: A starter includes a motor, an output shaft driven by the motor, a pinion gear provided on the output shaft, and a shifter. The output shaft has first helical splines that are formed on an outer periphery of the output shaft. The pinion gear has second helical splines that are formed on an inner periphery of the pinion gear to engage with the first helical splines. The shifter shifts the pinion gear along the output shaft through the engagement between the first and second helical splines, thereby bringing the pinion gear into mesh with a ring gear of an engine. Further, in the starter, X<Y, where X is the clearance between a bottom of the first helical splines and a top of the second helical splines, and Y is the backlash between a flank of the first helical splines and a flank of the second helical splines.

Abstract: An electric rotating machine has a stator generating a magnetic flux and a rotor with a columnar armature core and an armature coil wound on the core. The flux passes through the rotor. The rotor is rotatable around its center axis. The core has slots aligned along its circumferential direction. Each slot extends along an axial direction of the core. The coil has upper layer coil parts and lower layer coil parts alternately connected with one another. Each pair of upper and lower layer coil parts is received in one slot so as to place the lower layer coil part nearer to the center axis of the core than the upper layer coil part. A sectional area of the upper layer coil part received in each slot is larger than a sectional area of the lower layer coil part received in the slot.

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 inser 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: 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: An electromagnetic switch is provided, which includes a solenoid, a housing member and a sealing member. The solenoid includes an electromagnetic coil which produces an electromagnetic force upon supply of current thereto and a case accommodating the solenoid. The housing member accommodates a pair of contacts of the switch, and is caulked and secured to the case through the sealing member. The sealing member has elasticity and prevents wobbling motions of the electromagnetic coil by the elasticity.

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: According to the present invention, there is provided a rotating electric machine which includes a field, an armature having an armature shaft and a commutator provided on the armature shaft, a brush to slide on the commutator during rotation of the armature, a brush holder holding the brush, and an end frame covering an end of the armature shaft, wherein the brush holder is directly fixed to the end frame. With such an arrangement, heat generated by the brush and transferred to the brush holder can be directly transferred from the brush holder to the end frame, thereby being effectively dissipated. Moreover, without any additional member intervening between the brush holder and the end frame, the parts count of the rotating electric machine is reduced, thus increasing the assembly accuracy and decreasing the manufacturing cost of the rotating electric machine.

Abstract: A magnet switch for a starter of the present invention includes a plunger and a switch frame. The plunger has a stepped part at the outer peripheral surface thereof. The switch frame has a projection at an end face thereof, the end face being opposed to the outer peripheral surface of the plunger. Engagement of the stepped part of the plunger with the projection of the switch frame can lock forward movement of the plunger, so that no impact force is imposed on the movable contact and the insulator. Thus, deformation of the movable contact and breakage of the insulator can be prevented, and the axial length of the magnet switch can be reduced to reduce the size of the magnetic switch.

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: The electric rotating machine includes a casing having first and second frames joined to each other at their opening ends in an axial direction, the first frame being formed with a fitting hole having an opened cross-sectional shape which opens to the opening end of the first frame. The electric rotating machine further includes a drain member made of rubber and fitted into the fitting hole. The drain member includes a fitting section having a neck portion through which a drain hole penetrates, and inner and outer collar portions facing with each other across from the neck portion. The drain member is installed on the first frame in such a state that the inner and outer collar portions abut against inner and outer wall surfaces of the first frame, respectively, by inserting the neck portion into the fitting hole from a side of the opening end of the first frame.

Abstract: A starter includs 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: In an electromagnetic switch of a starter, a bobbin has two terminal holders on a flange. Each of the terminal holders defines a slot on its end surface and a terminal is press-fitted in the slot in an axial direction of the bobbin. An end of an excitation coil wound around the bobbin is pulled out the bobbin and connected to the terminal. A molded cover provides a through hole and is mounted on the terminal so that the terminal passes through the through hole. A sealing member is press-fitted on the terminal to air-tightly seal the through hole. A rod cover fitted on a rod supporting a movable contact has slits on its cylindrical part in the axial direction. The slits are closed before a distal end of the cylindrical part.

Abstract: In an electromagnetic switch of a starter, a bobbin has two terminal holders on a flange. Each of the terminal holders defines a slot on its end surface and a terminal is press-fitted in the slot in an axial direction of the bobbin. An end of an excitation coil wound around the bobbin is pulled out the bobbin and connected to the terminal. A molded cover provides a through hole and is mounted on the terminal so that the terminal passes through the through hole. A sealing member is press-fitted on the terminal to air-tightly seal the through hole. A rod cover fitted on a rod supporting a movable contact has slits on its cylindrical part in the axial direction. The slits are closed before a distal end of the cylindrical part.

Abstract: In an electromagnetic switch of a starter, a bobbin has two terminal holders on a flange. Each of the terminal holders defines a slot on its end surface and a terminal is press-fitted in the slot in an axial direction of the bobbin. An end of an excitation coil wound around the bobbin is pulled out the bobbin and connected to the terminal. A molded cover provides a through hole and is mounted on the terminal so that the terminal passes through the through hole. A sealing member is press-fitted on the terminal to air-tightly seal the through hole. A rod cover fitted on a rod supporting a movable contact has slits on its cylindrical part in the axial direction. The slits are closed before a distal end of the cylindrical part.

Abstract: In a magnetic switch for a starter motor, a magnetic core member providing a magnetic flux path is composed of separate components: a first core, a cylindrical yoke and a second core, all contained in a cup-shaped frame in close contact to one another. The first core is forcibly inserted into the cup-shaped frame, and the cylindrical yoke formed by rounding a flat plate into a C-shaped body having a small opening is also forcibly inserted in the cup-shaped frame by squeezing the small opening. The separate components are firmly pressed to each other by an axial force generated by caulking an open end of the cup-shaped frame. A switch cover is connected to the magnetic core member not to loosen the axial force connecting the components. Thus, magnetic resistance increase in the magnetic flux path formed by separate components is effectively suppressed.