EP0828275B1 - Starter contactor having an electronic circuit integrated to the contactor, and vehicle starter having such a contactor - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a starter switch motor vehicle internal combustion engine.

According to a known design, a starter switch has a cylindrical annular reinforcement in which is arranged a coil which actuates an axially movable core which acts on a control rod which crosses in its center a fixed core disc-shaped arranged at an axial end before the armature. The rod controls the movements of a movable contact which is likely to cooperate with two fixed contact terminals belonging to the starter motor supply circuit and which are arranged in the bottom of a cover in the general shape of a pot cylindrical whose lateral skirt delimits a housing in which is arranged the movable contact.

In order to control the contactor, it is known to equip it with an electronic circuit for controlling the contactor comprising a support, produced for example in the form of a card circuit board, and components carried by the support.

According to a known design, the electronic circuit of control is placed inside a perfectly waterproof case which is then attached to the outside of the starter, on the support of this last, on the contactor or on the cylinder head of the electric motor starter. The electronic control box can also be attached to the vehicle body in the compartment engine.

It is then necessary to provide wires or cables which connect the housing on the one hand with the starter switch and, on the other hand, with the other parts of the vehicle necessary for the engine start control such as the ignition key, the anti-theft system, an electronic calculation unit for controlling injection and ignition, etc.

The arrangement of the electronic control circuit in a independent box therefore leads to the realization of a component extra, which is cumbersome, which requires the use of additional electrical connections and which requires operations assembly on the vehicle.

Patent application EP-A-155983 describes a switch electromagnetic battery with electronic control which comprises an electronic control card placed in a box protection placed outside said electromagnetic switch.

It is also known from EP-A-751545, not published in the priority date of this request, to carry out a motor vehicle starter switch of the type comprising an annular armature cylindrical in which a coil is arranged which actuates an axially movable core which acts on a control rod which crosses in its center a fixed core in the form of disc arranged at a front axial end of the frame, of the type in which the rod controls the movements of a mobile contact which is likely to cooperate with two fixed contact terminals belonging to the starter motor supply circuit and which are arranged in the bottom of a hood whose lateral skirt delimits a housing in which is arranged the movable contact, and of the type comprising an electronic circuit for controlling the contactor whose support, in particular a disc-shaped printed circuit board is drilled in the center to allow the passage of the body of the control rod, is arranged axially inside the cover, between the fixed core and the movable contact, and door components. In this mode of realization, during the assembly of the cover of the contactor, the circuit electronics is not protected against shock and stress thermal handling. Similarly, during this assembly, the pins from the electronic card are not maintained which could lead to their deterioration. Also, during contactor operation, parasitic arcing occurs forming at the level of the power contacts for supplying the starter can damage the electronic card.

The object of the invention is to overcome these drawbacks and offers a contactor of the type mentioned above, characterized in that that the electronic control circuit is arranged inside a protection and connection box arranged axially at inside the cover, between the fixed core and the movable contact.

• le boítier comporte une paroi latérale cylindrique et une paroi transversale avant qui délimitent une chambre de forme générale annulaire cylindrique, à l'intérieur de laquelle est agencé le circuit électronique de commande, dont la face transversale arrière ouverte est adjacente à la face transversale avant du noyau fixe;
• l'extrémité axiale arrière de la paroi latérale du boítier se prolonge radialement par une collerette qui prend appui axialement contre la face transversale avant du noyau fixe;
• la collerette du boítier est interposée axialement entre des surfaces annulaires en vis à vis de la face transversale avant du noyau fixe et du capot;
• la paroi latérale du boítier comporte des moyens pour le positionnement axial et/ou angulaire du support du circuit électronique de commande à l'intérieur du boítier;
• la paroi transversale avant du boítier comporte au moins un orifice pour le passage d'un élément de raccordement électrique;
• l'élément de raccordement électrique est une broche de raccordement qui s'étend axialement depuis la face avant du support du circuit électronique de commande;
• l'élément de raccordement électrique est un fil qui s'étend axialement depuis les enroulements de la bobine, à travers un trou du support du circuit électronique de commande;
• chaque orifice de la paroi transversale avant du boítier est formé dans une pièce en matériau isolant électriquement;
• chaque orifice est réalisé dans une pièce en matériau isolant rapportée dans un trou de la paroi transversale avant du boítier;
• la paroi transversale avant du boítier est réalisée en matériau isolant et comporte au moins un trou pour le passage d'un élément de raccordement électrique;
• l'un au moins des éléments de raccordement électrique qui traverse la paroi transversale avant du boítier traverse axialement le fond du capot;
• ladite pièce en matériau isolant comporte un prolongement qui s'étend axialement en direction du capot et qui est reçu dans un logement de forme complémentaire du fond du capot, et ledit élément de raccordement électrique traverse axialement le prolongement et le logement;
• le boítier comporte un manchon central de guidage en coulissement de la tige de commande;
• en position de repos, le contact mobile prend appui axialement contre la face externe de la paroi transversale avant du boítier.

According to other characteristics of the invention:

• the housing has a cylindrical side wall and a front transverse wall which delimit a chamber of generally cylindrical annular shape, inside which is arranged the electronic control circuit, the open rear transverse face of which is adjacent to the front transverse face of the fixed core;
• the rear axial end of the side wall of the housing is extended radially by a flange which bears axially against the front transverse face of the fixed core;
• the collar of the housing is interposed axially between annular surfaces facing the front transverse face of the fixed core and the cover;
• the side wall of the housing comprises means for the axial and / or angular positioning of the support of the electronic control circuit inside the housing;
• the front transverse wall of the housing has at least one orifice for the passage of an electrical connection element;
• the electrical connection element is a connection pin which extends axially from the front face of the support of the electronic control circuit;
• the electrical connection element is a wire which extends axially from the windings of the coil, through a hole in the support of the electronic control circuit;
• each orifice of the front transverse wall of the housing is formed in a piece of electrically insulating material;
• each orifice is made in a piece of insulating material attached to a hole in the front transverse wall of the housing;
• the front transverse wall of the housing is made of insulating material and has at least one hole for the passage of an electrical connection element;
• at least one of the electrical connection elements which passes through the front transverse wall of the housing axially passes through the bottom of the cover;
• said piece of insulating material comprises an extension which extends axially in the direction of the cover and which is received in a housing of complementary shape from the bottom of the cover, and said electrical connection element passes axially through the extension and the housing;
• the housing includes a central sleeve for sliding guide of the control rod;
• in the rest position, the movable contact bears axially against the external face of the front transverse wall of the housing.

The invention also provides a vehicle starter. automobile characterized in that it is equipped with a contactor in accordance with the teachings of the invention.

• La figure 1 est une vue en section axiale, selon la ligne 11 de la figure 2, d'un contacteur de démarreur réalisé conformément aux enseignements de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en section axiale du contacteur illustré à la figure 1, selon un plan décalé de 90° par rapport au plan de section de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue selon la flèche F3 du boítier du circuit électronique de commande du contacteur représenté aux figures 1 et 2 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en section selon la ligne 4-4 de la figure 3 ;
• la figure 5 est une vue de détail en section selon la ligne 5-5 de la figure 3 ;
• la figure 6 est une vue en section selon la ligne 6-6 de la figure 4 ; et
• la figure 7 est une vue de détail illustrant une broche de raccordement électrique du circuit électronique de commande au capot du contacteur.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is an axial sectional view, along line 11 of Figure 2, of a starter switch made in accordance with the teachings of the invention;
• Figure 2 is an axial sectional view of the contactor illustrated in Figure 1, along a plane offset by 90 ° relative to the section plane of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a view along arrow F3 of the housing of the electronic circuit for controlling the contactor shown in Figures 1 and 2;
• Figure 4 is a sectional view along line 4-4 of Figure 3;
• Figure 5 is a detail view in section along line 5-5 of Figure 3;
• Figure 6 is a sectional view along line 6-6 of Figure 4; and
• FIG. 7 is a detail view illustrating a pin for the electrical connection of the electronic control circuit to the cover of the contactor.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a contactor electromagnetic 10 which is intended to equip a starter (not shown) of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle.

The contactor 10 comprises a movable core 12 which is connected at one end of a pivoting lever (not shown), the other end end is connected to the starter launcher trainer.

The electromagnetic contactor 10 has an armature outer 14, also called tank or housing which is of general shape cylindrical annular with axis X-X and inside which is in particular arranged an annular coil 16.

The movable core is slidably mounted in a skirt tubular 18 which is fixed on the central portion 20 of a fixed core 22 generally disc-shaped, the main part of which is flat and annular 24, which extends in a plane perpendicular to the axis X-X, is fixed in a housing 26 formed at the front axial end 28 of the frame 14.

The central part 20 has a central bore 30 for the sliding guide, along the X-X axis, of a control rod 31 on which the moving core acts.

The contactor 10 comprises a cover 32, produced by molding of insulating material, for example of thermoplastic material.

The cover 32 has a general shape of a cylindrical pot of axis X-X consisting of a perpendicular end radial base 34 to the X-X axis and by a cylindrical side skirt 36.

The main part of the skirt 36 defines a housing cylindrical internal 38 and its free end annular edge 43 is in indirect axial support, as will be explained later, against the front transverse face opposite 25 of the shaped part disc 24 of the fixed core 22.

The watertight mounting of the cover 32 on the frame 14 is produced by inward radial crimping of an end portion thinned axial 44 of the armature 14.

According to a known design, the contactor 10 comprises two fixed terminals of conductive material 46 and 48 which are embedded by overmolding in the bottom 34 of the cover 32 and which comprise each a contact head 50, 52 which both extend in a plane perpendicular to the X-X axis inside the housing 38.

According to a known arrangement, the control rod 31 carries, at its free front end, a movable contact 54 in the form of a plate rectangular which is pierced in its center 56 for the passage of a larger diameter portion 58 of the control rod 31.

In the rest position illustrated in Figure 1, the core 12, the rod 31 and the movable contact 54 are resiliently recalled, to the left, considering figure 1, by a return spring 13 arranged between the movable core 12 and the radial end face 15 of the frame 14.

In the active position, that is to say when the coil 16 is powered, the core 12 and the rod 31 drive, from left to right considering figure 1, the movable contact 54 so that it establish, by its front face 60, a contact between the heads 50 and 52 terminals 46 and 48.

In the embodiment in accordance with the teachings of the invention illustrated in the figures, the movable contact 54 is supported, at rest, by its rear face 62 against the front face opposite 64 a front transverse wall 66, of radial orientation, belonging to a housing 68 for protection and connection of a circuit control electronics 70.

In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the housing 68 is a sheet metal part produced by forming, in particular by cutting and stamping, which has the general shape of a cylindrical pot the transverse bottom 66 of which extends axially towards the rear by a cylindrical side wall 72 whose free end axial edge rear 74 extends radially outwards by a flange 76.

The internal radial edge of the front transverse bottom 66 is extends axially inwards, i.e. backwards contactor, by a sleeve 80 in which is received and guided in sliding an external radial shoulder 82 of the control rod 31 which delimits the main body of the latter with respect to its larger diameter front end portion 58.

The front transverse 64 and cylindrical lateral 72 walls define between them a chamber 84 of generally annular shape with the interior of which is placed the electronic circuit 70.

The housing 68 is fixed on the main part in the form of disc 24 of the fixed core 22 by means of its collar 76 which is for example welded to the front transverse face 25 of the core fixed 22.

Welding fixing can be completed, or replaced by mechanical fixing, in particular by crimping or elastic interlocking.

In the case of a housing 68 made entirely of sheet metal conductive, fixing the housing 68 on the fixed metal core 22 allows to electrically connect the box to the earth of the core fixed, without requiring any special electrical connection.

When assembling the cover 32 on the frame 14, by the crimping operation of the thinned portion 44, the flange 76 is more pinched between a portion of annular surface facing the transverse front end face 25 of the core 22 and the end rear annular 43 of the skirt 36 of the cover 32.

According to a design known from document EP-A-751545, the electronic control circuit 70 is constituted for essentially by a printed circuit board 86 in the general form of disc which is pierced in its center 87 for the passage of the rod of control 31 and which bears on its two front transverse faces 88 and rear 90 various electronic components 92.

In accordance with the teachings of the invention, the circuit control electronics 70 is arranged and fixed inside the protection and connection box 68, in chamber 84 of this latest.

To this end, and as can be seen in more detail in FIGS. 4 and 6, the cylindrical side wall 72 of the housing 68 comprises, on its internal concave face 73, lugs 94, which are produced here in the form of punctures in the side wall 72, which are all located in the same radial orientation plane P to delimit a plane against which the support 86 is axially supported forwards so to determine a precise axial position of the electronic circuit of command 70 in its case 68.

The side wall 72 may also include means, not shown in the figures, to angularly position the support disc-shaped 86 inside the housing 68.

The axial fixing of the support 86, and therefore of the circuit control electronics 70, inside the housing 68 is ensured by a welding operation during which a annular weld bead 96.

The continuous or discontinuous cord 96 gives the assembly excellent resistance to vibrations and high natural frequency.

Conductive tracks which are provided on both sides opposite 88 and 90 of the printed circuit board 86, in particular at vicinity of the periphery of the latter, so as to connect electrically the housing 68 to these tracks via the pins 94 and the weld bead 96.

To improve the weldability of the cover 68 and its resistance to corrosion, it is possible to coat the stamped metal sheet which constitutes it with a coating suitable for this purpose, in particular on the internal face of the cover, and therefore also on the transverse face rear end 77 of the flange 76.

We will now describe the different means of connection and electrical connection between the electronic circuit of control 70 and the coil 16 or the cover 32, as well as between the coil 16 and the cover 32 crossing the support 86.

The electrical connection of the electronic circuit of control 70 at cover 32, in particular with a view to connecting this circuit to general circuit for energizing the contactor via of the vehicle ignition key, is provided by a terminal or connection pin 100 including an exemplary embodiment is illustrated in Figure 7.

It is a cut flat tab which is welded on the card 86, together with the electronic components 92, by via its end 102 which is intended to be mounted in a hole of complementary shape on the printed circuit board 86 to allow fixing by welding.

The opposite end 106 of the pin 100 is tapered and reduced dimensions to be able to extend through a hole 104 formed in the front transverse wall 66 of the cover 68 so that its free end section which extends axially towards the front at the outside of the cover 68 can be welded to the outside of the contactor.

The body 108 of the pin 100 has cutouts side 110 which give it a longitudinal elasticity so that the tongue can withstand expansions and movements relative between the cover 32 and the printed circuit board 86 without apply harmful mechanical stresses to the latter operation and reliability of the electronic control circuit 70.

For crossing without short-circuit of cover 68, through the hole 104, the latter is equipped with a chimney 112 produced in electrically insulating material, which is reported, according to a known technique and for example by molding or by socket, in hole 104, and which extends axially towards the exterior, beyond the front face 64 of the front transverse wall 66 of the housing 68.

The central recess 114 of the chimney 112 receives and guides the spindle 100 and it thus contributes to the angular indexing of the support 86 compared to the housing 68.

The chamfered free end 116 located at the axial end before the chimney 112 is provided to facilitate its introduction in a housing of complementary shape formed in the bottom 34 of the housing 32, an exemplary embodiment of which will be described later.

The electrical connection of the coil windings 16 to the cover 32 is provided by means of at least one wire conductor 118 which extends axially from the coil 16 through the main part 24 of the fixed core 22 then through a hole 120 formed opposite in the printed circuit board 86.

The wire 118 then passes through the front transverse wall 66 of the housing 68 passing through a hole 104 in the latter which, as in the case of the other hole 104 for the passage of pin 100, is equipped with an insulating chimney 112 whose general design is identical to that of the chimney 112 described above, only its internal recess 114 being of smaller dimensions for the passage of the wire 118 with an insertion chamfer 122.

As you can see at the bottom of Figure 2, the chamfered front axial end 116 of the insulating chimney 112 is received axially in a housing of complementary shape 124 formed in the bottom 34 of the cover 32, this housing opening axially outward to allow passage of wire 118 in view of its connection by welding to a terminal 126 of the cover 32.

The housing arrangement 124 which receives the chimneys 112 used to guide and index the cover 32 during assembly thereof around the housing 68.

The protruding ends of the pin 100 and / or the wire 118 are protected and maintained by the insulating chimneys 112, this which avoids damaging them during the fitting of the cover. In this indeed, the axial length of the chimneys 112 is dimensioned such that so that they start to center in the housings 124 of the cover 32 before the projecting ends electrical connection elements 100, 118 do not reach the through holes 128 formed in the bottom 34 of the cover 32.

We will now describe an electrical connection mode from the coil 16 to the electronic control circuit 70, this electrical connection being provided indirectly by welding outside the protective and connection box 68.

For this purpose, a flat tongue forming a pin connection 130 is mounted and welded beforehand on the card printed circuit 86, like pin 100, and it extends axially forward to pass through a hole 132 formed in the wall transverse front 66 of the housing 68.

The hole 132 is equipped with a piece of insulating material 134 forming a wire guide which is fixed in the hole 132 and which has a first channel opening 135 for the passage of the tongue 130 of which the free end section 136 which projects axially out of the box 68 through the channel 134 is folded radially at 90 ° to bear against the front face 138 of the body of the wire guide 134 which extends outside the housing 68 along the front face 64 of the front transverse wall 66.

The coil 16 is connected by via an electric wire 140 which extends axially through a hole 142 in the printed circuit board 86 then through a second channel 144 formed in the wire guide 134.

The free end section 146 of the wire 140 which extends in outside of the housing 68 is folded 90 °, radially inward, to bear against the folded-down portion 136 of the tongue 130 on which it can be welded, outside the housing 68.

Channels 135 and 144 are dimensioned so that as small as possible to prevent weld seams from penetrate inside the housing 68.

Parallel side cheeks 148 of the wire guide 134 avoid that weld seams extend towards the part metallic 66 of the housing 68.

The fact of welding after a 90 ° bend, without direct mechanical connection with the housing 68, provides a sufficient elasticity to the assembly to avoid transmitting mechanical stresses harmful to the electronic circuit of command 70, despite the small amplitude movements which can appear between card 86 and coil 16 of contactor 10 due to thermal expansion or vibration.

As a variant, the parts made of insulating material 112, 134 can be realized as a single element thanks to arms connecting them together, this unique set then being attached to the front transverse wall 66 of the housing 68 by snap-fastening, crimping, hot riveting or ultrasonic.

The metal bottom 66 of the housing 68 can be itself produced in the form of a molded plastic plate comprising the chimneys and the wire guide produced integrally by plastic molding.

According to another variant, the housing 68 can itself be made entirely of plastic by molding. So he is necessary to coat it with a metallic layer which extends from the flange 76 to plane P to allow welding of the card 86 on the housing as well as the electrical ground connection of the card 70 relative to the fixed core 22.

The electrical contact between the housing 68 and the fixed core 22 is ensured by the pressure resulting from the crimping of the portion thinned 44 of the tank 14 around the rear axial end of the skirt 36 of cover 32. This contact pressure can be increased by interposing for example an elastic washer between the end rear axial 43 of the cover and the collar 76 of the housing 68, or between the fixed core 22 and the housing 68.

Thanks to the teachings of the invention, the mounting and the assembly of the electronic control circuit 70 in the contactor are particularly easy.

Circuit 70 is protected against shocks and stresses thermal handling before assembly in the contactor, by the protection and connection box 68.

The electronic circuit is protected against noise from electric arcs forming at the contacts of power for starter supply.

Claims (16)

1. A motor vehicle starter contactor(10), of the type comprising an annular cylindrical armature (14), in which there is disposed a winding (18) that actuates, in axial movement, a moving core (12) which acts on a control rod (31) that extends through the centre (20, 30) of a fixed core (22) in the form of a disc (24) disposed at a front axial end (28) of the armature (14), of the type in which the rod (31) controls the displacements of a moving contact (54) which is arranged to cooperate with two fixed contact terminals (50, 52) in the power circuit for the motor of the starter, which are disposed in the base (34) of a cover piece (32), the skirt (36) of which defines a housing (38) in which the moving contact (54) is situated, and of the type which includes an electronic circuit (70) for controlling the contactor (10), wherein the support member (86) of the said circuit, which is, in particular, a printed circuit board, is in the form of a disc having a central through hole to permit passage through it of the body of the control rod (31), is arranged axially inside the cover piece (32) between the fixed core (22) and the moving contact (54), and carries components (92), the said electronic control circuit (70) being disposed inside an axially-extending internal protective connection housing (68) of the cover piece (32) and between the fixed core (22) and the moving contact (54).
2. A contactor according to the preceding Claim, characterised in that the housing (68) has a cylindrical side wall (72) and a transverse front wall (66), which delimit a generally cylindrical chamber (84) inside which the electronic control circuit (70) is arranged, the open transverse rear face of the chamber being adjacent to the transverse front face (25) of the fixed core (22, 24).
3. A contactor according to the preceding Claim, characterised in that the rear axial end (74) of the side wall (72) of the housing (68) is extended by a radial collar portion (76) which bears axially against the transverse front face (25) of the fixed core (22, 24).
4. A contactor according to the preceding Claim, characterised in that the collar portion (76) of the housing (68) is interposed axially between mutuallyfacing annular surfaces of the fixed core (22, 24) and cover piece (32, 43).
5. A contactor according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the side wall (72) of the housing (68) includes means (94) for the axial and/or angular positioning, within the housing (68), of the electronic control circuit (70).
6. A contactor according to any one of Claims 2 to 5, characterised in that the transverse front wall (66) of the housing (68) has at least one aperture (114, 135, 144) for passage therethrough of an electrical connecting element (100, 118, 130, 140).
7. A contactor according to the preceding Claim, characterised in that the electrical connecting element is a connecting tag (100, 130) which extends axially from the front face (88) of the support member (86) of the electronic control circuit (70).
8. A contactor according to Claim 6, characterised in that the electrical connecting element is a wire (118, 140) extending axially from the coils (16) of the winding, through a hole (120, 142) in the support member (86) of the electronic control circuit (70).
9. A contactor according to any one of Claims 6 to 8, characterised in that each aperture (114, 135, 144) in the transverse front wall of the housing is formed in a component (112, 134) made of electrically insulating material.
10. A contactor according to the preceding Claim, characterised in that each aperture is formed in a component (112, 134) made of insulating material and fitted in a hole (104, 132) in the front transverse wall (66) of the housing (68).
11. A contactor according to Claim 9, characterised in that the front transverse wall of the housing is made of insulating material and has at least one hole for passage through it of an electrical connecting element.
12. A contactor according to any one of Claims 5 to 11, characterised in that at least one (100, 118) of the electrical connecting elements that extend through the transverse front wall (66) of the housing (68) extends axially through the base (34) of the cover piece (32).
13. A contactor according to Claim 12 taken in combination with any one of Claims 9 to 11, characterised in that the said member (112) of insulating material includes an extension projecting axially towards the cover piece (32) and received in a complementary cavity (124) in the base (34) of the cover piece (32), and in that the said electrical connecting element (100, 118) extends axially through the said extension (112) and the said cavity (124, 128).
14. A contactor according to any one of Claims 2 to 13, characterised in that the housing (68) includes a central sleeve (80) for guiding the control rod (31, 82) in sliding movement.
15. A contactor according to any one of Claims 2 to 14, characterised in that, in the rest position, the moving contact (54) bears axially against the outer face (64) of the front transverse wall (66) of the housing (68).
16. A motor vehicle starter, characterised in that it includes a contactor (10) according to any one of the preceding Claims.

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