Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

Mitsubishi Denki K.k.

Shuzoo Isozumi

Akira Morishita

Keiichi Konishi

Toshinori Tanaka

Tetsuo Yagi

Kazuhiro Odawara

Shigeru Shiroyama

Kazuhiro Odahara

Takao Tanaka

Kazuyoshi Hara

In a starter, the pinion, which is rotated by torque of an electric motor, is slid axially by the plunger of an electromagnetic switch and is pushed against the engine ring gear by a conically coiled compression coil, which allows employment of a small electromagnetic switch. Further, in an electromagnetic switch in which the plunger confronted coaxially with the stationary iron core slidably supporting a rod with a movable contact is moved towards the stationary iron core by electromagnetic force, a conically coiled spring is interposed between the plunger and the stationary iron core in such a manner that the spring is substantially coaxial with the plunger and the iron core, so that the playing of the rod is prevented.

Starter

A coaxial starter comprises an electric motor housed in a cylindrical yoke, a clutch mechanism for transmitting rotational force of the electric motor to an output shaft disposed on the same axis as an armature shaft of the electric motor, and a front bracket for supporting the output shaft. The yoke of the electric motor is formed of a metal sheet integrally with the front bracket through drawing.

Coaxial starter

A coaxial engine starter comprises an electric motor having an armature winding of a single turn and a hollow armature rotary shaft for generating a rotational force for starting an engine. The starter also comprises an over-running clutch mechanism disposed within the hollow armature rotary shaft for preventing the occurrence of an excessive-speed of the armature and having a pinion having a gear teeth number equal to or less than seven for engaging with a ring gear of an engine upon starting of the electric motor. A solenoid switch is also disposed behind the electric motor for moving a pinion shaft forward and supplying an electric power to the electric motor.

Coaxial engine starter

An engine starter comprising an electric motor having a hollow armature rotary shaft, a solenoid switch for energizing the electric motor and having a push rod extending into the into the hollow armatur rotary shaft, an output rotary shaft having a pinion disposed on a front end thereof, the output rotary shaft being axially slidable relative to the armature rotary shaft to move the pinion into and out of engagement with an engine ring gear. A clutch outer member of an over-running clutch unit is mounted on the output rotary shaft and is connected to the electric motor for being rotated thereby, and a clutch inner member driven by the clutch outer member through a plurality of rollers is provided with helical splines on its inner circumferential surface. In order to transmit a rotational force from the clutch inner member to the output rotary shaft through splines, a ring member having teeth on its outer circumference and in engagement with the helical splines of the clutch inner member, and a stopper for limiting axial movement of the ring member on the output rotary shaft beyond the stopper are disposed. The pinion may be integral with the output rotary shaft, and the output rotary shaft may be axially slidably and relatively rotatably supported within the hollow armature shaft through a bearing. The output rotary shaft may have a large-diameter portion having formed on its outer circumference outer helical splines which are in mesh with inner helical splines in the clutch inner member of the over-running clutch. Alternatively, the pinion may be snuggly fitted and secured to a small-diameter end portion of the output rotary shaft.

Conical spring in a starter motor

An engine starter comprising an electric motor having a hollow armature rotary shaft, a solenoid switch for energizing the electric motor and having a push rod extending into the hollow armature rotary shaft, an output rotary shaft having a pinion disposed on a front end thereof, the output rotary shaft being axially slidable relative to the armature rotary shaft to move the pinion into and out of engagement with an engine ring gear. A clutch outer member of an over-running clutch unit is mounted on the output rotary shaft and is connected to the electric motor for being rotated thereby, and a clutch inner member driven by the clutch outer member through a plurality of rollers is provided with helical splines on its inner circumferential surface. In order to transmit a rotational force from the clutch inner member to the output rotary shaft through splines, a ring member having teeth on its outer circumference and in engagement with the helical splines of the clutch inner member, and a stopper for limitting axial movement of the ring member on the output rotary shaft beyond the stopper are disposed. The pinion may be integral with the output rotary shaft, and the output rotary shaft may be axially slidably and relatively rotatably supported within the hollow armature shaft through a bearing. The output rotary shaft may have a large-diameter portion having formed on its outer circumference outer helical splines which are in mesh with inner helical splines in the clutch inner member of the over-running clutch. Alternatively, the pinion may be snuggly fitted and secured to a small-diameter end portion of the output rotary shaft.

An inertia drive engine starter comprising an electric motor having an armature shaft provided with an axial, bottomed central bore in the front end, a slide output shaft provided with a pinion at the front end thereof and a stopper at the rear end thereof received in the bottomed central bore of the armature shaft, and an overrunning clutch for transmitting the torque of the armature shaft to the slide output shaft. Internal helical splines formed in the inner surface of the inner race of the overrunning clutch and external helical splines formed in the outer surface of the slide output shaft are engaged to transmit the torque of the armature shaft to the slide output shaft and to thrust the slide output shaft to the front when the electric motor is actuated. The axial movement of the slide output shaft is limited to a predetermined fully advanced position by the engagement of the stopper provided at the rear end of the slide output shaft with the inner race of the overrunning clutch, which is restrained from axial movement.

Inertia drive engine starter

A starter having an electric motor which has a yoke constituting the magnetic circuit of the motor and the outside portion of the starter, and a bowl-shaped rear cover made of a resin and secured to the rear end of the yoke by longitudinal bolts, wherein each of said bolts comprises a slender portion which extends in parallel with the axis of the starter through a support plate borne at the rear end of the yoke and extending inward in the radial direction of said yoke and has a front part engaged with the front cover of the starter and a rear threaded part projecting out through the insertion hole of the rear cover, and a spacer provided on the slender portion and located in contact with the plate and the inside surface of the end wall of the rear cover at both the ends of the the spacer; and nuts are engaged with the rear threaded parts of the slender portions of the bolts to attach the rear cover to the rear end to the yoke.

Starter including an electric motor

Engine starter

A coaxial engine starter comprising an electric motor including a brush assembly, an output shaft with a pinion and slidable relative to the motor and a solenoid switch having a movable iron core for closing and opening switch contacts. A cylindrical member rearwardly extends from the rear end of the brush assembly of the motor to surround a contact operating space in which the switch contacts move and has a rear edge located close to a front end of the movable iron core to define a small clearance therebetween. A shield member is also disposed behind the movable contact and has an outer edge located close to the rear edge of the tubular member and defines a radially small clearance therebetween. Thus, the cylindrical member and the shield member substantially surround the contact operating space and they are in a telescopically movable relationship relative to each other.

A coaxial starter in which a motor armature rotary shaft, an axially slidable output rotary shaft having a pinion at its front end and a solenoid switch disposed behind the motor are arranged on a common aixs. A portion of an iron core of the solenoid switch is extended such that the iron core portion journals the armature rotary shaft and separates a space containing a brush and a commutator of the motor from an interior space of the solenoid switch, and that the iron core portion has mounted thereon, through an insulating material, a power source side stationary contact and a brush side stationary contact. Also disclosed is a core and contact terminal assembly for a solenoid switch, comprising a casing containing therein a coil with a bobbin, a plunger slidably inserted into a bush mounted within the bobbin and a disc-shaped core disposed at an axial end portion of the casing. A movable contact on the plunger is engageable with two stationary contacts, and portions of the disc-shaped core is removed so that main body portions of the two stationary contacts are disposed therein, and the main body portions of the stationary contacts together with some portion of the core are secured by embedding them into resin material.

Coaxial starter with a core and contact terminal assembly

A starter motor which is improved in waterproof performance. The starter motor comprises an output rotary shaft, a stationary frame, a ball bearing secured to the frame, and a clutch pinion moving member mounted in a coaxial relationship to the rotary shaft between an outer periphery of the rotary shaft and the ball bearing for sliding movement over a predetermined distance in an axial direction thereof. The clutch pinion moving member has a pinion at a front end thereof, and an oil seal is mounted at a location on the frame forwardly of the ball bearing and extending toward the clutch pinion moving member to seal a location between the frame and the clutch pinion moving member. The oil seal has a radial section of an L-shape having an axial side and a radial side extending from a front end of the axial side. It may have a plurality of axially extending drain slots or drain holes formed in a circumferentially spaced relationship on an inner periphery of the axial side thereof. Various other forms of starter motors are also disclosed.

Starter motor pinion shaft oil seal

An engine starter comprising an electric motor having a hollow armature rotary shaft, a solenoid switch for energizing the electric motor and having a push rod extending into the hollow armatur rotary shaft, an output rotary shaft having a pinion disposed on a front end thereof, the output rotary shaft being axially slidable relative to the armature rotary shaft to move the pinion into and out of engagement with an engine ring gear. A clutch outer member of an over-running clutch unit is mounted on the output rotary shaft and is connected to the electric motor for being rotated thereby, and a clutch inner member driven by the clutch outer member through a plurality of rollers is provided with helical splines on its inner circumferential surface. In order to transmit a rotational force from the clutch inner member to the output rotary shaft through splines, a ring member having teeth on its outer circumference and in engagement with the helical splines of the clutch inner member, and a stopper for limiting axial movement of the ring member on the output rotary shaft beyond the stopper are disposed. The pinion may be integral with the output rotary shaft, and the output rotary shaft may be axially slidably and relatively rotatably supported within the hollow armature shaft through a bearing. The output rotary shaft may have a large-diameter portion having formed on its outer circumference outer helical splines which are in mesh with inner helical splines in the clutch inner member of the over-running clutch. Alternatively, the pinion may be snuggly fitted and secured to a small-diameter end portion of the output rotary shaft.

The coaxial engine starter of the present invention comprises an electric motor having a rotary armature shaft and a yoke, a solenoid switch disposed behind the electric motor, an output rotary shaft disposed in front of the electric motor in an axially aligned relationship, and a planetary speed reduction gear disposed in front of and in axial alignment with the electric motor. The planetary speed reduction gear comprises a sun gear disposed on the motor armature shaft, a plurality of planetary gears disposed around the sun gear and an inner gear disposed around the planetary gears. The output rotary shaft has mounted thereon a pinion gear for engaging with an engine ring gear to be driven. The coaxial engine starter further comprises a front bracket assembly including a housing made of a resin material, the housing rotatably supporting the output rotary shaft and having integrally formed therein the inner gear of the planetary speed reduction gear, and a metallic mounting flange disposed around the housing for mounting the coaxial engine starter to the engine, the mounting flange being in direct electrical contact with the motor yoke.

A starter motor having a pinion engageable with a ring gear of an engine to start the engine by the motor. The pinion of the starter motor is the over-hang type which is over-hanging relative to a front housing, and the number of teeth of the pinion is seven.

Growing community of inventors

Himeji, Japan

Shuzoo Isozumi