Starter drive assembly

Abstract

A pinion gear assembly for a starter motor which may be assembled utilizing a simple and convenient assembly process. The pinion gear assembly includes a pinion gear, a cup, a rubber washer, and a spline follower. The closed end of the cup has an opening which passes the body and teeth of the pinion gear, but does not pass intertooth fillets at one end of the pinion gear, thus keeping the pinion gear retained in the cup. The rubber washer is retained between the pinion gear and the spline follower, and acts to absorb shock and allow some movement to align teeth of the pinion gear with teeth of a mating ring gear or flywheel. In assembly, the spline follower is held in alignment with the pinion gear, and the material of the cup is pressed radially inward over the rear surface of the spline follower, forming retaining step portions for retaining the spline follower in the proper alignment. Notches may be provided adjacent the portions which are pressed radially inward to allow this deformation without shearing or tearing the material of the cup, so as not to disturb a corrosion protecting coating on the cup. The cup may be further provided with indentations forming protrusions which cooperate with grooves in the outer periphery of the spline follower, to restrain the spline follower from rotation with respect to the cup and pinion gear.