Abstract: A rotary electric machine includes a plurality of permanent magnet main poles disposed on an inner periphery of a yoke and a plurality of auxiliary poles respectively disposed between neighboring two of the main poles via magnet fixing members and a plurality of magnet fixing members. The magnet-fixing member is comprised of a U-bent elastic metal plate having a pair of circumferentially opposite walls that provides a pole space. The opposite walls are respectively bent inward at edges thereof in circumferentially opposite directions to be opposed to each other. The bent edges have and elastic projections and are separated at the axial ends to form an elastic retaining member. The auxiliary pole is inserted into the auxiliary pole space by opening the elastic retaining member.

Abstract: An optical box for positioning and fixing respective optical components is provided and functions as a housing thereof. A support stand for positioning and mounting the respective optical components, respectively, is formed separately from the optical box, and is loaded in the optical box.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a yoke includes a step of cutting a steel plate into a rectangular sheet having a plurality of first dovetail convexities at one end thereof and a plurality of second dovetail convexities at the other end, a step of rolling the rectangular sheet into a cylinder to fit the first dove tails and the second dove tails to each other and a step of punching border portions of the first dove tails and the second dove tails. The second dovetail convexities are formed to be the same in shape as the first dovetail convexities so that they can fit to the first dovetail convexities. A smooth-faced yoke can be manufacture without using an expensive welder.

Abstract: In a current supply circuit for starters, an inductance coil is connected in series or a capacitor is connected in parallel with a starter motor to slow down the rise of a current supplied to the starter motor. The current, which flows in a magnet switch upon occurrence of bouncing of the magnet switch, is lowered. Thus even if the time of occurrence of bouncing delays due to increased inductance of a pull-in coil, the magnet switch turns on and off a small current by bouncing and hence generation of noise arising from bouncing can be suppressed. Generation of arc in the magnet switch due to bouncing can be suppressed, and the reliability of the magnet switch can be increased.

Abstract: In a two-layer brush for a commutator, the plane form projected on a commutator surface is nearly similar to the plane form of the segment. A molding die used in brush fabrication has a lower punch which slides obliquely up and down along a sliding groove provided in the lower die, and an upper punch which can slide obliquely up and down in relation to the lower punch. The pressure applying face of the upper punch is formed nearly level, while the pressure receiving face 9a of the lower punch is inclined by a predetermined angle relative to the pressure applying face of the upper punch. It is, therefore, possible to form a first brush material to a predetermined shape, and to apply a uniformly pressure to the second brush powder, to thereby form a second brush material having nearly fixed thickness.

Abstract: The present invention provides an engine starting method from an idling stop condition wherein a preliminary step pushes a pinion to abut with a ring gear when a vehicle operating condition is in an idling stop condition, a starting step rotates the pinion into mesh with the ring gear by a motor upon receiving an engine start signal and thereafter an engine is started, and a restoring step is carried out after engine startup where the pinion is restored to an original position thereof. Also provided, when the engine is stopped, a pinion is meshed with a ring gear. Upon engine start-up, a pinion actuator disengages the pinion from the ring gear and a cutout portion engages an engaging piece to maintain the pinion disengaged. When the engine stops, a releasing actuator disengages the cutout portion and the engaging piece and the pinion is reset.

Abstract: A brush of a rotary electric machine includes a brush element and a pigtail. The brush element includes a high-conduction member extending in the longitudinal direction and a low-conduction member bonded to a side of the high-conduction member. The low-conduction member is a thin layer extending in the longitudinal direction from the contact surface to the middle of the length of the brush element. The wire end is embedded in the high conduction member on the side of the low-conduction member remote from the contact surface.

Abstract: A starter for engines uses a leaf spring as a shift lever for advancing a pinion gear for engagement with a ring gear. The shift lever may be constructed with a plurality of layered leaf springs having respective front ends spaced apart one another to contact a one-way clutch at different positions. The shift lever may include a lever holder which has a low heat conductive member to minimize fatigue of the leaf spring. The leaf spring is initially loaded with a spring force.

Abstract: A planetary gear speed reduction mechanism has a sun gear, an internal gear and a plurality of planetary gears disposed between both gears. Each tooth of the sun gear has a tapered portion formed at a front end thereof such that the tapered portion tapers off in the axial direction. The tapered portion has a pair of symmetrical inclined surfaces whose width is tapered off in the circumferential direction from a tooth surface of each tooth and a tapered surface whose peripheral surface is tapered off in the radial direction from an end of a tooth crest surface. In the process of inserting the sun gear into a space among the planetary gears, the sun gear is inserted thereinto under the guide of the inclined surface by slightly rotating the sun gear.

Abstract: An upper coil bar and lower coil bar are disposed in slots of an armature core. The upper coil bars have upper coil-end sections which extend radially from the outer periphery of the armature core and together form a commutator surface with which a brush member is in contact. The upper coil-end sections and coil-end sections of the lower coil bars are retained by a fixing cap fixed between a shaft of the rotary electric machine and the upper coil-end sections, and also by a spacer disposed between the upper coil-end sections and the lower coil-end sections so that the commutator surface can be maintained smooth even under conditions of thermal expansion or high-speed operation.

Abstract: An electric rotating machine is constructed by an armature core including slots, upper coil trunks and lower coil trunks housed within the slots of the armature core, lower coil arms electrically connected at one end parts of the lower coil trunks, respectively disposed generally perpendicularly to the shaft, and upper coil arms electrically connected at one end parts to the upper coil trunks, respectively disposed generally perpendicularly to the shaft, and connected at the other end parts to the other end parts of the lower coil arms respectively. An insulating film for the upper coil trunk is made of an inorganic material having a higher heat resistance than an insulating film for the lower coil trunk and the insulating film for the upper coil trunk is thicker than the insulating film for the lower coil trunk. The slot has a circumferentially widened portion for housing the upper coil trunk and its insulating film.

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.

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.

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.

Abstract: An upper coil bar and lower coil bar are disposed in slots of an armature core. The upper coil bars have upper coil-end sections which extend radially from the outer periphery of the armature core and together from a commutator surface with which a brush member is in contact. The upper coil-end sections and coil-end sections of the lower coil bars are retained by a fixing cap fixed between a shaft of the rotary electric machine and the upper coil-end sections, and also by a spacer disposed between the upper coil-end sections and the lower coil-end sections so that the commutator surface can be maintained smooth even under conditions of thermal expansion or high-speed operation.

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.