Starter for internal combustion engine

Details Starter for internal combustion engine Starter for internal combustion engine

2001-11-30

2004-11-16

Bucci, David A. (Department: 3682)

Machine element or mechanism

Engine starters

Automatic

C074S006000, C074S00700R

Reexamination Certificate

active

06817258

ABSTRACT:

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The present application is based on and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application 2000-370684 filed Dec. 5, 2000, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a starter for an internal combustion engine and particularly, a starter for a large-sized diesel engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
A starter for a large-sized diesel engine employs a starter motor, a pinion gear to be engaged with a ring gear of a diesel engine and a planetary gear speed reduction mechanism disposed between the starter motor and the pinion gear. The speed reduction mechanism is necessary to provide a compact starter motor. In such a starter, the motor shaft of the starter motor and a pinion drive shaft are not coaxially connected. Usually, the motor shaft is supported by a motor housing, and the pinion drive shaft is supported by a front housing that has a flange which is fixed to a portion of the engine by a fastening bolt. Since the motor shaft and the pinion drive shaft are not coaxially disposed, the motor housing overhangs the flange. Therefore, it is impossible to mount such a starter on the engine by a common socket wrench. It was necessary to use a special tool to mount on or demount from such a starter on the engine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, a main object of the invention is to provide a compact starter for an internal combustion engine that can be mounted on an engine easily with a common tool such as a socket wrench.
According to a main feature of the invention, starter for an internal combustion engine includes a planetary gear speed reduction mechanism, a pinion to be engaged with a ring gear of the engine and a pinion drive shaft connected to the speed reduction mechanism, a motor having a motor housing, a front housing for supporting the pinion drive shaft at an end, a center casing for supporting the pinion drive shaft at the other end. The front housing has a flange to be fixed to a portion of the engine. The motor housing has a first outside diameter, and the flange has a plurality of fastening holes disposed at a circumference having a second diameter. The center housing is disposed between the motor housing and the front housing to align a motor shaft, the planetary gear speed reduction mechanism and the pinion drive shaft. A difference between the first outside diameter and the second diameter is larger than a maximum outside diameter of the fastening bolt so that the fastening bolt can be inserted into the fastening hole along the outer periphery of the motor housing.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4184378 (1980-01-01), Mazzorana
patent: 4325265 (1982-04-01), Wakatsuki et al.
patent: 5167162 (1992-12-01), Nagashima et al.
patent: 5821662 (1998-10-01), Kajino et al.
patent: 5844336 (1998-12-01), Ohya et al.
patent: 5847471 (1998-12-01), Morishita et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Starter for internal combustion engine does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Starter for internal combustion engine, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Starter for internal combustion engine will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3344163