JPH0735770B2 - Starter - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an improvement in a starter for starting an engine and improving meshing between a pinion and a ring gear on the engine side.

[Prior art]

The conventional one is provided with a drive spring for surely opening and closing the main contact of the magnet switch. (For example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 46-35938, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 43-265.
No. 7, gazette of Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-43119) [Problems to be solved by the invention] In the above-mentioned conventional one, since only the drive spring is mounted, the lever against the suction speed of the plunger of the magnet switch , Because of the inertial weight of the one-way clutch, the drive spring bends and the pinion moves with a delay relative to the movement of the plunger.Before the pinion contacts the ring gear, the main contact of the magnet switch is turned on to start the starter motor. Since there is a case where the pinion comes into contact with the ring gear after being rotated sufficiently to rotate the pinion, there is a problem that the engagement between the pinion and the ring gear is deteriorated.

[Means for solving problems]

A pinion that meshes with a ring gear of an engine, a lever that transfers the pinion, a starter motor that rotates the pinion, an exciter that moves the lever, and energizes the starter motor to close a main contact to close the starter motor. A magnet switch for energizing the drive, a drive spring that bends and closes the main contact of the magnet switch when the pinion and the ring gear at least contact each other, and the drive spring of the drive spring until just before the ring gear and the pinion contact each other. A starter having means for preventing bending.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a straight spline 2a is formed on the outer periphery of the shaft 2 that transmits the rotation of the armature 1a of the starter motor 1. The straight spline 2a on the side opposite to the starter motor 1 is formed by a curved surface. And to this straight spline 2a, a spline tube 3 having a straight spline 3a formed at the inner peripheral end is directly spline-coupled. A clutch outer 4 which is integral with the spline tube 3 is arranged on the outer periphery of the shaft 2. A pinion 7 integrally formed with the clutch inner 6 via a roller 5 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 2 via a bearing 8 on the inner circumference of the clutch outer 4. The clutch outer 4, the roller 5, and the clutch inner 6 form a one-way clutch 30. Further, 9 is a ring gear that meshes with the pinion 7 to start the engine. And spline tube 3
The cylindrical retainer 10 that slides around the outer periphery of the
a is formed. A disk-shaped stopper 12 is mounted on the outer periphery of the spline tube 3 on the side of the starter motor 1 so that the axial movement of the retainer 10 is regulated by the snap ring 11 and the axial movement of the retainer 10 is regulated. Further, a drive spring 13 is mounted between the step portion 10a of the retainer 10 and the end surface of the clutch outer 4 on the starter motor 1 side.

An L-shaped collar 14 made of iron is arranged in the hole 3b formed in the spline tube 3 on the pinion 7 side of the direct spline 3a of the spline tube 3 as shown in FIG. The collar 14 has a width in the circumferential direction slightly smaller than the groove between the straight spline 2a of the shaft 2 and the axial portion 14a, the radial portion 14b, and the protrusion protruding toward the spline tube 3 side of the axial portion 14a. It is composed of a portion 14c and a bent portion 14d between the axial portion 14a and the radial portion 14b. Further, two collars 14 are arranged on the outer circumference of the shaft 2 at opposite positions, and an annular spring 15 mounted between the radial portions 14b and the protrusions 14c of the two collars 14 causes an axial portion of the collar 14 to move. 14a is in contact with the shaft 2 side. And color 1
Drive spring 13 by 4 and annular spring 15
It constitutes the deflection prevention means. Further, when the collar 14 is in contact with the shaft 2, the radial portion 14 of the collar 14 is
b is a length protruding from the hole 3b of the spline tube 3 to the outer peripheral surface of the spline tube 3. Further, the spline tube 3 is formed with a concave portion 3c for accommodating the protrusion 14c of the collar 14 and the annular spring 15. The length of the end surface of the retainer 10 against which the drive spring 13 abuts and the end surface of the retainer 10 on the stopper 12 side are substantially the same as the distance between the end surface of the stopper 12 and the starter motor 1 side of the hole 3b of the spline tube 3. is there.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3, when the pinion 7 contacts the ring gear 9, the end surface of the radial portion 14b of the collar 14 becomes substantially flush with the outer peripheral surface of the spline tube 3,
A step 2b is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 2. Further, between the step 2b and the straight spline 2a of the shaft 2, a curved surface portion 2c is formed.
There is.

The lever 16 is attached to the housing 17 so as to be rotatable around a fulcrum 16a, and one end of the lever 16 has a retainer.
The outer periphery of 10 is engaged, and the other end is engaged with one end of the plunger 19 of the magnet switch 18. Again plunger
A suction coil 20 having one end connected to the field coil 27 and a holding coil 21 having one end grounded are wound around the outer circumference of 19. In addition, the movable contact 22
Is attached, and the movable contact can be moved by moving the plunger 19.
Two fixed contacts 23, 24 that come into contact with 22 are provided.
The movable contact 22 and the fixed contacts 23 and 24 form a main contact. The fixed contact 23 has one end which is the suction coil 20.
Is connected to the other end of the starter switch 25 connected to the connection point of the holding coil 21 and the connection point of the battery 26. The plunger 19, the suction coil 20, the holding coil 21, and the main contact point constitute the magnet switch 18. Further, the fixed contact 24 is connected to the starter motor 1 via the field coil 27.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. When the starter switch 25 is closed and the suction coil 20 is energized by the battery 26, the movable contact 22 mounted on the end of the plunger 19 moves to the fixed contacts 23, 24 side by the exciting magnetic flux. At the same time, the lever 16 engaged with one end of the plunger 19 is pulled toward the magnet switch 18. Then, the lever 16 rotates about the fulcrum 16a. Then, by rotating the lever 16, the pinion 7 is moved to the ring gear 9 side via the retainer 10, the radial portion 14b of the collar 14, the spline tube 3, and the one-way clutch 30. At this time, due to the inertial weight of the lever 16 and the one-way clutch 30, the drive spring 13 tries to bend via the retainer 10 against the suction speed of the plunger 19, but the retainer 10 causes the radial portion 14b of the collar 14 to move.
Drive spring as it abuts against and is blocked from moving.
13 does not bend.

Then, at a position immediately before the pinion 7 contacts the ring gear 9, as shown in FIG. 3, the axial portion 14a of the collar 14 is
It is housed in the step 2b of the shaft 2 by the annular spring 15. Then, the end surface of the radial portion 14b of the collar 14 becomes substantially flush with the outer peripheral surface of the spline tube 3, so that the retainer 10 is free to move in the axial direction. Then, when the pinion 7 at least comes into contact with the ring gear 9, the drive spring 13 is deflected to bring the movable contact 22 of the magnet switch 18 into contact with the fixed contacts 23 and 24. As a result, a current flows from the battery 26 to the starter motor 1 via the field coil 27. Then, the armature 1a of the starter motor 1 rotates, and the rotation is transmitted to the pinion 7 via the shaft 2 and the one-way clutch 30. Ring gear 9
The pinion 7 meshes with and starts the engine. That is, when the pinion 7 and the ring gear 9 come into contact with each other without being meshed with each other, the drive spring 13 is bent by the attraction force of the attraction coil 20 of the magnet switch 18, so that the plunger 19 further moves and the movable contact 22 is fixed. Contact the contacts 23, 24. As a result, the pinion 7 can be meshed with the ring gear 9 by rotating the pinion 7 by energizing the starter motor 1. After starting the engine, by opening the starter switch 25, the lever 16 is returned to its original position by a return spring (not shown) provided in the magnet switch 18. At this time, the drive spring 13 pushes the retainer 10 back toward the starter motor 1 to bring the retainer 10 into contact with the end surface of the stopper 12. The pinion 7 is also separated from the ring gear 9 and returned to the starter motor 1 side. At this time, along with the movement of the spline tube 3, the hole of the spline tube 3
The end face of 3b moves the radial portion 14b of the collar 14. The bent portion 14d of the collar 14 is formed by the step 2 of the shaft 2.
Along the curved surface portion 2c of b, the straight spline 2a provided on the outer periphery of the shaft 2 is guided by the curved surface on the ring gear 9 side, inserted into the groove between the straight spline 2a, and returned to its original position. Then, the engine start is completed.

Therefore, in the above-mentioned operation, the pinion 7 moves the ring gear 9
The retainer 10 contacts the radial portion 14b of the collar 14 and prevents the drive spring 13 from bending until just before contacting the ring gear 9. Therefore, before the pinion 7 contacts the ring gear 9, the main contact of the magnet switch 18 is contacted. , And the pinion 7 does not come into contact with the ring gear 9 after the starter motor 1 is rotated to rotate the pinion 7 sufficiently. When the pinion 7 comes into contact with the ring gear 9 at least, the main contact of the magnet switch 18 comes into contact with the pinion 7. Since 7 rotates, the meshing between the pinion 7 and the ring gear 9 can be improved.

In the first embodiment described above, when the end face of the axial direction portion 14a of the collar 14 and the end face 2d of the step 2b of the shaft 2 on the ring gear 9 side are brought into contact with each other, the pinion 7 is advanced toward the ring gear 9 side. It may be a stopper.

Further, the shaft 2 and the spline tube 3 are directly spline-coupled, but even when the shaft 2 and the spline tube 3 are helically spline-coupled, the first
Similar effects can be obtained by applying the embodiment.

Further, in the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 9,
On the outer circumference of the spline tube 3 that is spline-coupled to the outer circumference of the shaft 2 that transmits the rotation of the starter motor 1.
One end 16d of the lever 16 is engaged. The other end 16e of the lever 16 is engaged with one end of a plunger 19 of the magnet switch 18. And the drive spring 13
One end is fitted into the cutout portion 16b provided in the lever 16 shown in FIG. 8, and the other end is fixed to the plunger 19 of the magnet switch 18, and the drive spring 13 causes the bent portion of the lever 16 to be bent.
16c is pressed and held by the curved portion 17a of the housing 17. A contact portion between the curved portion 16c of the lever 16 and the curved portion 17a of the housing 17 serves as a fulcrum 16a of the lever 16. Further lever 16
Two protrusions 16f are formed on the opposite side of the fulcrum 16a and protruding in the vertical direction. And the support 3 shown in FIG.
1 is a lever protruding from the flat surface portion 31d toward the ring gear 9 side.
It has two protrusions 31a having an end face 31b that abuts the two protrusions 16f of 16. The support 31 is fixed to the housing 17. And the two protrusions of the support 31 and the lever 16
The bending prevention means of the drive spring 13 is constituted by 16f.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment with the above structure will be described.
The starter switch 25 is closed and a current flows through the suction coil 20 to move the plunger 19 to the fixed contacts 23, 24 side. At the same time, the lever 16 connected to one end of the plunger 19 is pulled toward the magnet switch 18 side. Then the lever 16 will be the fulcrum
Rotate around. And by turning the lever 16,
The pinion 7 is moved to the ring gear 9 side via the one-way clutch 30.

Until the pinion 7 comes into contact with the ring gear 9, the protrusion 16f of the lever 16 has the end face 31 of the protrusion 31a of the support 31.
It is in contact with b. However, after that, as shown in FIG. 9, since the protrusion 16f is slightly spaced from the fulcrum 16a,
By rotating the lever 16 around the fulcrum 16a, the lever 16
The protrusion 16f is disengaged from the end surface 31b of the protrusion 31a of the support 31. Then, the drive spring 13 bends to bring the movable contact 22 of the magnet switch 18 into contact with the fixed contacts 23 and 24. As a result, a current flows from the battery 26 to the starter motor 1 via the field coil 27. Then, the armature 1a of the starter motor 1 rotates, and the rotation is transmitted to the pinion 7 via the shaft 2 and the one-way clutch 30. Further, the pinion 7 meshes with the ring gear 9 to start the engine. After starting the engine, open the starter switch 25
The lever 16 is returned to its original position by a return spring (not shown) provided at 18, and the pinion 7 is also separated from the ring gear 9 and returned to the starter motor 1 side. At this time, due to the spring force of the drive spring 13 fitted to one end of the cutout portion 16b of the lever 16, the protrusion 16f of the lever 16 is
Are pulled up along the lower end surface 31c of the projection 31a of the support 31 and come into contact with the end surface 31b of the projection 31a. Then, it returns to the original position, and the start of the engine is completed.

Further, in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the second embodiment is changed as follows, and the support pin 33 for supporting the fulcrum 16a of the lever 16 is replaced by a U-shaped holding member shown in FIG. It is inserted into holes 32c provided in both side surface portions 32a and 32b of 32. The distance between the side surface portions 32a and 32b of the holding member 32 is larger than the distance between the two protruding portions 31a of the support 31. Also, the holding member 3
The drive spring 13 is arranged between the starter motor 1 side end faces of the two side surface portions 32a and 32b of the second body 2 and the flat surface portion 31d of the support 31. The holding member 32 is pressed and held to the housing 17 side and the lever 16 is supported.

With the above configuration, the protrusion 16f of the lever 16 is disengaged from the end face 31b of the protrusion 31a of the support 31 just before the pinion 7 contacts the ring gear 9. Then, when the pinion 7 at least comes into contact with the ring gear 9, the drive spring 13 bends to close the magnet switch 18. Therefore, the same effect as that of the above-described first embodiment can be obtained.

In the second and third embodiments, the protrusion 31 of the support 31 is
Although the end face 31b of a is a plane, FIG. 12 (a),
As shown in (b) and (c), by making the end surface 31b of the projection 31a into an arc shape, when the projection 16f of the lever 16 returns to the end surface 31b of the projection 31a, it is easy to follow the arc shape. You can go back.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, in the present invention, the ring gear and the pinion have at least the means for preventing the deflection of the drive spring for opening and closing the main contact of the magnet switch until just before the ring gear and the pinion come into contact with each other. When contacted, the magnet switch closes, the starter motor starts to rotate, and the pinion meshes with the ring gear.Before the pinion contacts the ring gear, the main contact of the magnet switch closes and the pinion rotates to mesh with the ring gear. Is reliably prevented, and the pinion and the ring gear can be meshed well, which is an excellent effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial structural view showing a first embodiment of the starter of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partial sectional front view of the above embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a partial structural view showing an operating state of the above embodiment, and FIG. Is a perspective view showing the collar and the annular spring of the above embodiment, FIG. 5 is a partial structural view showing the second embodiment of the starter of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the support of the second embodiment, and FIG. Is a transverse cross-sectional view of the main part taken along the line AA in FIG. 5, FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the lever of the second embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the main part showing the operating state of the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of an essential part showing a third embodiment of the starter of the present invention, FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a holder of the third embodiment, and FIG. 12 is a support in the second and third embodiments. It is a front view which shows the protrusion end surface of a body. 1 ... Starter motor, 7 ... Pinion, 9 ... Ring gear, 13 ...
Drive spring, 16 ... Lever, 18 ... Magnet switch, 22, 23, 24 ... Movable contact that constitutes the main contact, fixed contact, fixed contact, 14, 15 ... Collar that constitutes means for preventing the deflection of the drive spring , Annular springs, 16
f, 31 ... Lever projections and supports that constitute means for preventing the deflection of the drive spring.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pinion meshing with a ring gear of an engine, a lever for transferring the pinion, a starter motor for rotating the pinion, a lever for moving the lever, and energizing the starter motor by closing a main contact to close the main contact. A magnet switch for energizing the starter motor, a drive spring that bends to close the main contact of the magnet switch when the pinion and the ring gear at least contact each other, and the drive until just before the ring gear and the pinion contact each other. Starter with means to prevent spring deflection.