Starter

Details Starter Starter

2000-03-24

2001-07-31

Nguyen, Tran (Department: 2834)

Electrical generator or motor structure

Dynamoelectric

Rotary

C074S00700R

Reexamination Certificate

active

06268670

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
2. Description of the Prior Art
As shown in
FIG. 8
, a starter (a coaxial type starter) is known, in which an solenoid switch
200
, an overrunning clutch
300
with a pinion
30
P adapted to engage with a ring gear
500
, a plunger (a movable iron-core) and the like are coaxially arranged relative to an output shaft
100
.
This type of starter operates as shown below.
That is, when current flows to an exciting coil of the solenoid switch
200
, the plunger is attracted to a core of the solenoid switch. After a little when the plunger is attracted and starts to move, a movable contact contacts a stationary contact and electric power is supplied to a DC motor and the output shaft
100
is turned via a shaft (a motor shaft), a reduction mechanism and the like. Then, the overrunning clutch
300
, which is spline-connected to the output shaft
100
, moves toward the ring gear
500
, and the pinion
30
P meshes with the ring gear
500
and an engine is started.
In a starter as shown in
FIG. 8
, a pinion return coil spring
510
is arranged coaxially relative to the output shaft. This pinion return coil spring
510
is compressed when the pinion
30
P is moved in the direction to mesh with the ring gear
500
and gives the depressing force to the end of the pinion
30
P to return the pinion
30
P to the original position when power is no longer applied to the exciting coil. Namely, the pinion return coil spring
510
is held in the axial direction between a washer
520
provided in front of the pinion
30
P and a rear end surface
530
e
of a stopper
530
mounted to protect the pinion
30
P from moving in the forward direction of the starter by a stop ring
540
.
In a starter disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 9-195902, the pinion return coil spring
510
is held in the axial direction between the pinion
30
P and a collar
550
mounted to prevent the pinion
30
P from moving in the forward direction of the starter by the stop ring
540
.
The pinion return coil spring
510
uses generally a spring that is made of such a material as a piano wire, etc. and has the section in almost circular shape.
In the conventional starter shown in
FIG. 8
, the pinion return coil spring
510
is simply held in the axial direction between the washer
520
and the stopper
530
. In a conventional starter shown in
FIG. 9
, the pinion return coil spring
510
is also simply held in the axial direction between the top surface of the pinion
30
P and the collar
550
. In this structure, the pinion return coil spring became eccentric in the radial direction, interfered with the output shaft
100
, was shaved and damaged in some cases.
Further, in
FIG. 8
, when an engine is started and the ring gear
500
drives the pinion
30
P, that is, in the overrun state, relative rotation is produced between the pinion
30
P and the output shaft
100
. However, if sliding between the washer
520
and the pinion
30
P is not effected and three of them including the pinion return coil spring
510
rotate together, the other end of the pinion return coil spring
510
and the stopper
530
also rotate together with relative rotation. When the winding direction (the clockwise or counterclockwise winding) of the pinion return coil spring
510
is the same direction as that of the pinion
30
P, the pinion return coil spring
510
might be rolled in the inner peripheral side and could be broken in the worst case. Further, in
FIG. 9
, when the direction of winding of the pinion return coil spring
510
A is the same direction as that of rotation of the pinion
30
P, sliding between the pinion
30
P and the pinion return coil spring
510
is not effected and they rotate together, the same problem as seen in
FIG. 8
will be produced.
In
FIG. 8
, when the winding direction of the pinion return coil spring
510
and the rotating direction of the pinion
30
P differ, the pinion return coil spring
510
is expanded to the outer portion by centrifugal force or the washer
520
is caught by the end of the pinion return coil spring
510
and tries to unwind the spring (in
FIG. 9
, the top surface of the pinion
30
P is caught by the end of the pinion return coil spring
510
) and therefore, the pinion return coil spring
510
might be broken by centrifugal force applied to it in the worst case.
Further, in
FIG. 8
, when the portion between the washer
520
and the pinion
30
P is rusted, the movement of the pinion return coil spring
510
becomes further worse and the probability of the breakage of the pinion return coil spring
510
becomes very high. In
FIG. 9
, the same also applies if the portion between the pinion return coil spring
510
and the pinion
30
P is rusted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide a starter that can prevent damage or breakage of a pinion return coil spring.
In a starter according to the present invention, a pinion return coil spring is held between a first stopper that is arranged coaxially relative to an output shaft and slides in the axial direction so as to contact the top end of a pinion and a second stopper arranged coaxially relative to the output shaft at a fixed position of the top end of the output shaft, wherein each stopper is provided with a region for restricting the inner diameter side of the pinion return coil spring and controlling the movement of the pinion.
Each stopper is also provided at its periphery with a region for restricting the outer diameter of the closely wound portion of the pinion return coil spring at its both ends.
Also, one end of the pinion return coil spring that is held by the second stopper is arranged to situate on the forward side of the starter beyond the position of the stop ring.
Furthermore, the pinion return coil spring is used, the direction of winding of which is the same as that of rotation of the pinion, and the cross section of the spring material of which is formed in the long shape in the outer diameter direction thereof.
The first stopper is made of sintered material impregnated with lubricating oil.
The pinion return coil spring is made of rust resisting material.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4945777 (1990-08-01), Isozumi
patent: 5099703 (1992-03-01), Isozumi
patent: 5154089 (1992-10-01), Konishi
patent: 5154090 (1992-10-01), Konishi
patent: 5684334 (1997-11-01), Zenmei et al.
patent: 5818118 (1998-10-01), Kimura et al.
patent: 5839318 (1998-11-01), Kimura et al.
patent: 5901604 (1999-05-01), Sato et al.
patent: 9-195902 (1997-07-01), None
patent: 11-117839 (1999-04-01), None

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