Denso Corporation

Kazuaki Murase

Youichi Hasegawa

Sadayoshi Kajino

Tomoya Imanishi

Kei Shibayama

A rotational torque of an electric motor of a starter is transmitted to an output shaft having a pinion gear engaging with a ring gear of an internal combustion engine via a one-way clutch. A tube forming a clutch-inner and the output shaft are spline-coupled to allow the output shaft to reciprocally move in the axial direction while transmitting the rotational torque of the tube to the output shaft. The output shaft is slidably supported by a supporting portion formed at a front end of the tube. To establish air communication between an inside space of the tube and an outside space, an air passage is formed either in the supporting portion or on the output shaft. Pressure changes in the inner space due to reciprocal movement of the output shaft are suppressed by air communication through the air passage, and lubricant in the tube is well retained therein.

Starter for cranking internal combustion engine

The starter for an engine of a vehicle includes a motor generating torque for starting the engine, an output shaft configured to move in an axial direction thereof by being pressed at a pressure-receiving portion thereof, and applied with the torque to rotate, and a lever switch configured to press the pressure-receiving portion of the output shaft at a pressure-applying portion thereof in accordance with an external command so that a pinion rotatably fixed to the output shaft engages with a gear of the engine to thereby start the engine. A protection member rotatable with respect to the pressure-receiving portion is provided between the pressure-receiving portion and the pressure-applying portion. The pressure-applying portion facing the pressure-receiving portion across from the protection member is formed with a groove to be filled by lubricant.

Starter for vehicle engine

A starter for cranking an internal combustion engine includes an electric motor, an output shaft, and a one-way clutch for transmitting a rotational torque of the electric motor to the output shaft. The one-way clutch is composed of a clutch-outer driven by the electric motor, a clutch-inner spline-coupled to the output shaft, and rollers disposed between the clutch-outer and the clutch-inner. A portion of the clutch-inner is utilized as an inner ring of a ball bearing rotatably supporting the clutch-inner. A ball-groove rotatably supporting the bearing balls and retaining lubricant therein is formed on the outer circumference of the clutch-inner. In this manner, an original inner ring of the ball bearing can be eliminated without adversely affecting the lubricating function.

Starter with one-way clutch for cranking internal combustion engine

A starter includes a motor, an output shaft, a first spline connection member disposed between the motor and the output shaft, a pinion to be engaged with a ring gear of an engine, a second spline connection member disposed between the output shaft and the pinion, a pinion spring to apply its spring force to the pinion toward the ring gear, a lever, an electromagnetic switch to drive the output shaft toward the ring gear when the electromagnetic switch is excited and to operate the motor when the lever moves to a prescribed position, a drive spring to apply its spring force to the pinion when the electromagnetic switch drives the output shaft toward the ring gear. The first and second spline connection members rotate the pinion relative to the output shaft an angle more than a half of a pitch of the pinion when the helical connection member is driven by the electromagnetic switch toward the ring gear.

Growing community of inventors

Kounan, Japan

Kazuaki Murase