Abstract: A starter cutoff control apparatus and method for a starter/generator used on an engine includes a circuit for detecting starter/generator armature current during an engine start operation, comparing the armature current to an armature current setpoint to produce an error signal; using the error signal to produce a field weakening control signal; and a circuit for producing a starter cutoff signal as a function of the field weakening control signal.

Abstract: A multi-function apparatus and a method for performing the functions of a starter, alternator and engine stabilization system for an engine of a motor vehicle. The apparatus comprises a rotor, a stator and a switching/detection system associated with the stator. The stator comprises three independent stator sectors which each comprise a plurality of independent stator coils. The rotor comprises a plurality of rotor poles about its periphery. The rotor is secured to the flex plate of the engine and the stator sectors are secured to the bell housing of the vehicle's power train. The stator coils each protrude through opening formed in the bell housing such that the rotor poles are closely adjacent the stator coils without contacting the stator coils as the rotor rotates.

Abstract: A starter assembly for starting an engine is provided incorporating a mechanical diode in the drive train between the starter motor and the engine, including two coaxial plates with facing surfaces that are linked by pivoting members. The pivoting members are recessed into a facing surface of the first plate. They pivot outward under spring force from the facing surface of the first plate to engage slots in the facing surface of the second plate. This allows the first plate to drive the second plate, but also allows the second plate to overrun the first plate.

Abstract: A parallel hybrid electric vehicle includes an engine and a motor/generator as a rotary driving source. A differential device has a first shaft connected to the engine, a second shaft connected to the motor/generator, and a third shaft connected to a transmission device. The first and the second shafts can be coupled by a direct clutch. At the time of start of the vehicle with the engine in an idling condition, the motor/generator is controlled to enter a reverse rotation power generating condition, and the engine speed is maintained near an idling speed. After the start of the vehicle, when the motor/generator is in a forward rotation condition, the motor/generator is controlled to operate as a motor to maintain the engine speed at a target speed, and when the engine speed and the motor/generator speed coincide with each other, the direct clutch is made to enter a coupled condition thereby to prevent the occurrence of coupling shock, and also to reduce a driving time of the motor/generator.

Abstract: A turbogenerator/motor control system having a plurality of proportional integral control loops including a fuel command control loop and a current command control loop. The exhaust gas temperature of the gas turbine of the turbogenerator/motor is maintained at a constant value with stability is achieved by varying the sampling times of the different proportional integral controls within the control loops.

Abstract: A power conversion system allows for redundant starting and generating functions and eliminates equipment normally found in a conventional system so that size and weight are reduced.

Abstract: A hybrid drive system including an engine and an electric motor at least one of which is operated as drive power source to drive a motor vehicle in a selected one of different operation modes. The system is adapted to prevent concurrent operations to change the operation mode and the speed ratio of a power transmitting device or the ratio of torque distribution to front and rear drive wheels, or concurrent operations to change the operation mode and switch the power transmitting device from a non-drive state to a drive state, for avoiding a shock due to a torque variation which would arise from the concurrent operations. The system is alternatively adapted to cut a power transfer from the drive power source to the power transmitting device, or hold the output of the drive power source substantially constant, when the power transmitting device is switched from the non-drive state to the drive state.

Abstract: A T-S converter is composed of a first rotor which has a first control coil, a second rotor and a stator which has a second control coil. The second rotor has a first magnetic field member (such as permanent magnets) which supplies the first control coil with magnetic field and a second magnetic field member (such as permanent magnets) which supplies the second control coil with magnetic field. The first and second control coils are energized to drive the second rotor to rotate at a set speed with a set torque according to vehicle running condition. The first and the second control coil are also energized to generate battery charging current when the vehicle speed is decreased and the second rotor is driven by the vehicle wheels.

Abstract: In a starter having a planetary gear reduction mechanism and a shock absorbing device, a first friction plate of the shock absorbing device is engaged with an internal gear of the reduction mechanism to restrict the internal gear from rotating. A space is provided radially between the internal gear and a housing to allow rotation of the internal gear upon application of an impact shock. A cylindrical member which is harder than the housing is disposed between the space relatively movably against the housing and the internal gear so that the internal gear is restricted from directly contacting the housing.

Abstract: In a starter, a planetary gear reduction mechanism has pins supporting planetary gears and directly fitted into an outer member of a one-way clutch. The outer member rotates with the revolution of the planetary gear. An internal gear engaged with the planetary gears is connected with a rotary disk of a shock absorbing device disposed on the outer periphery of the one-way clutch through a connecting member and an elastic member. The connecting member has engaging projections engaged with the elastic member within the connecting recess of the internal gear. The engagement projections are housed within the connecting recess with some clearance provided in the radial direction. The internal gear is thus held radially movably with respect to the rotary disk via the connecting member.

Abstract: A torque converter disposed between a motor/generator and an internal combustion engine during the engine starting procedure and between the motor/generator and a multi-speed transmission as well as between the engine and a multi-speed transmission during vehicle travel. A pair of selectively engageable clutches and a one-way device are incorporated to accomplish the engine start power path, the normal torque converter power path and a converter bypass power path.

Abstract: The electric source control device of an internal combustion engine drive vehicle according to the present invention is characterized in that it consists of a primary battery (1) and a secondary battery (2) which are mounted on the internal combustion engine drive vehicle, which are provided with a common terminal (3) of (+) polarity and two independent terminals (4, 5) of (-) polarity and which supply an engine starter and loads with electricity, and a control circuit in which when an engine switch (9) is not connected with the starting point the terminal (4) of (-) polarity of the primary battery (1) is disconnected from that (5) of the secondary battery (2) to make only one of both the batteries and in which when the engine switch (9) is connected with the starting point both the batteries (1, 2) supply the engine starter (6) and the loads in parallel with electricity, either of the terminals (4, 5) of (-) polarity of both the batteries (1, 2) being connected with the terminals of (+) polarity of the engin

Abstract: An integrated APU is provided having a combined starter/generator device mounted within the gearbox housing so as to reduce the number of reduction gears, bearings and other redundant components sufficiently to eliminate the need for a separate lubrication oil scavenger pump as well. Further integration and savings can be achieved by de-coupling the fuel pump and lubrication pump from the gearbox and driving those pumps instead by an electric motor.

Abstract: A batteryless starting and ignition system for a conventional automotive internal combustion engine includes a battery replacement circuit which simulates the effect of an operational automotive lead-acid battery in the engine electrical circuit while the engine is running. A jumper cable connector is wired across the replacement circuit to facilitate jump starting of the engine. The system is particularly useful to replace automotive batteries in irrigation systems in which automotive engines are adapted to drive irrigation pumps continuously for periods up to six months.

Abstract: The apparatus for controlling an output voltage of a generator of an internal combustion engine having a starter device, includes a charge control signaling device, an excitation coil for the generator and a voltage regulator controlling an excitation current in the excitation coil and an excitation current limiting device for limiting the excitation current during a predetermined starting phase (.DELTA.t1 ) connected to the voltage regulator. The excitation current limiting device detects whether the engine is in a starting phase. If the engine is in a starting phase, the excitation current limiting device reduces the excitation current so that a voltage is produce at generator terminal D+ which permits no load current and simultaneously guarantees that the charge control signalling device is shut off.

Abstract: A guide hole 16b is formed in the insulation cap 16 of a starter motor electromagnetic switch, and a coil terminal 30 inserted through the guide hole has one or more projections 30b formed at a location corresponding to the guide hole so that the projections are wedged against an inner surface of the hole, thus preventing any resonant vibrations of the terminal and the attendant severing of its attached lead wire 1a.

Abstract: A combined starter motor and alternator for a vehicular engine system can be positioned for direct coupling to an engine power shaft between the engine and transmisson. A pair of axially offset magnetically permeable disks are bolted to the power shaft. These disks form an annular channel therebetween. A plurality of rare earth permanent magnets are mounted on the inside face of one of the disks in the channel. Positioned within the channel is a stationary, ironless stator assembly having stranded conductive wire windings embedded in an insulation matrix. These windings alternatively pass from the perimeter of the disk towards the interior of the disk as each winding forms a single pass around a longitudinal axis of the power shaft. In a starter mode of operation, a polarity sensor, such as a Hall-effect switch mounted adjacent each stator phase winding, is used to control the driver switches of a conventional H-type arrangement for providing drive current to a starter motor stator coil.

Abstract: A coaxial starter comprising an electric motor which produces torque; a speed reduction planet gear mechanism which transmits the rotation of the armature shaft of the motor so that the rotational speed of the output portion of the mechanism is lower than that of the shaft; an overrunning clutch which transmits the output torque of the mechanism when the clutch is engaged; an output rotary shaft whose rear portion constitutes the inner member of the clutch; a pinion provided on the outside circumferential surface of the output rotary shaft so that the pinion is engaged with the ring gear of an engine as the torque of the output rotary shaft is received by the pinion; an electromagnetic switch provided around the pinion to move the pinion forward and energize the motor; and a spring provided between an actuator, which is moved forward when the switch is energized, and the pinion to push said pinion forward.

Abstract: A variable speed, constant frequency electrical generating system has a variable speed, engine driven generator. The system operates in either a generate or an engine start mode. A bidirectional filter connected between the rectifier-converter and the AC bus traps or blocks switching harmonics from the rectifier-converter. Shunt trap circuits are connected either phase-to-phase or phase-to-neutral.

Abstract: In an auxiliary device driving motor, at least one of spring pressure to brushes and material of the brushes in contact with a commutator of said d.c. motor, an armature winding and a field winding is changed to obtain output characteristic in which current at non-load revolution is reduced and the engine is started within a high output region of the output characteristic while the auxiliary rotating machine is driven within a low power region.

Abstract: A starter dynamo comprises a d.c. motor having a hollow armature rotary shaft, a rotary output shaft passing through the hollow armature rotary shaft and connected to the armature rotary shaft through a one-way clutch, a transmission mechanism provided at one end of the rotary output shaft to keep connection of the rotary output shaft to a crank shaft of an engine for revolution, and a generator provided with a flywheel magnet disposed at the other end of the rotary output shaft.

Abstract: A vacuum pump directly driven by a starting motor of an engine which can operate with a constant number of rotations even while the engine is running. The starting motor is shut off when the engine has reached a predetermined speed and then restarted to drive the pump in response to the vacuum in the vacuum tank or pressure accumulating portion of the master bag.

Abstract: A starter motor housing comprising a tubular housing formed by an annular wall having a thickened wall portion adjacent the stator winding of the starter motor. The stator cores abut against and are secured to the inner periphery of the thickened wall portion to increase the flux path and, thus, the effective flux energy produced by the stator windings. However, the thickened wall portion is disposed intermediate radially reduced wall end portions to reduce the weight and size of the motor housing. Preferably, the tubular housing is an iron casting.

Abstract: An electrical receptacle is connected to the alternator of an automotive vehicle to permit connection thereto of a power tool. A switching circuit senses the presence of an electric current through the tool to actuate relays in the switching circuit to cause the alternator to operate in a high voltage mode wherein the alternator provides power at a voltage level suitable for operating the tool at such times that the engine of the vehicle is operating. A unidirectional current path is provided between the battery of the vehicle and the receptacle to enable operation of the switching circuit at such times that the engine is not operating while isolating the battery from electrical power generated by the alternator in the high voltage mode of operation thereof.

Abstract: To provide for improved starting and rapid supply of power from a generator coupled to an internal combustion engine, typically an automotive-type engine, a connection is provided between the starter network and the field of the generator coupled to the internal combustion engine to supply power from the on-board battery network of the vehicle to the field winding of the generator upon starting so that the field will be externally excited during starting, the generator thereby being provided immediately with field current and not relying on remanent magnetism for supply of power therefrom.