FR2532690A1 - Starter economiser - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns systems included in the power supply of electric starters in order to increase the service life of the latter. The device comprises a resistor SH connected across the terminals of a relay RA controlled by an electronic system ME which, according to requirements, controls the sending of full power to the starter DE or reduces it significantly when it is not necessary for the purpose of protecting the starter, the engine starter ring and the battery BA. The invention applies in particular to motor vehicles.

Description

 The present invention relates to thermal engine starting systems, constituted by an electric motor provided with a pinion launcher.

 Generally, the rotation of a heat engine is ensured by an electric starter equipped with an electromechanical system yes, on the one hand, engages a pinion on a crown not integral with the engine crankshaft and on the other hand, establishes the high current contact supplying the starter. It frequently happens, following certain conditions of use, that the starter pinion is driven by a high speed of rotation before its perfect engagement in the teeth of the crown of the engine. This has the effect of milling the teeth of the latter when the pinion comes into contact with the crown, This system then becomes very anti-mechanical and causes serious damage.

It also happens that in the event of frequent restarts6
With an engine, such as distribution operations and an urban environment, the life of a starter is very limited.

Premature wear of brooms and other organs being caused
especially at the high intensity crossing its internal circuit
The device according to the invention makes it possible to avoid these
and significantly extend longevity
of the starter, the engine crown and the accumulator battery, considerably reducing the power required to rotate the starter so as to allow correct engagement of the starter pinion on the engine crown and in order to reduce wear starter parts including brushes.

The actual start is made in several times of a fraction of a second, programmed by an electronic system
Power reduction during the corresponding time
is obtained by an appropriate resistance placed in series in
the high current supply circuit of the starter.

 Full power is possibly obtained by an electromechanical relay which short-circuits the shunt resistor.

 The working and rest positions of the relay are obtained by the pulses coming from the Electronic control system.

The duration of the various pulses leaving the electronic module are a function of certain parameters, in particular the instantaneous load of the on-board electrical network.

 In all cases, the maximum current usually passing through the starter will never be reached with this device.

 The attached block diagram represents the connection of the various elements.

The device mainly consists of 3 elements: the SH shunt, the RA auxiliary relay and the ZEo electronic module
With the ignition key on, when the circuit is closed by CD either manually or by an automatic device, the solenoid of the DE starter operates instantly at full power and the starter pinion engages fully on the crown since the voltage drop is much less thanks to the presence of the resistor SH in a special alloy of appropriate value which is placed in series in the high current supply circuit between the BA battery and the DE starter.

 This high intensity circuit is closed by the advance of the solenoid and the starter rotor is driven but at very low speed since the RA relay being at rest (secondary circuit open) the current must pass through the shunt. This low rotation is sufficient to pass the first compression and start the engine, the ignition being better during this rotation since the voltage drop is much less.

 The relay RB has a delayed operation, its working position (closed secondary circuit) is obtained by the pulse from the electronic module, At this second time, the circuit in RA being closed, the current no longer passes through SH and full power is then possibly obtained if the engine has not started on the first stroke, (oas an engine that is not ground or cold) but this direct supply no longer sends to the coals this very high intensity usually absorbed at the start by a starter since the latter is already in rotation when the second stroke occurs. This in tersity is generally halved, which considerably extends the life of the starter. the rotation time at full power is very reduced with this system.

The wear of a starter being due to prolonged rotation and especially to the very high electrical power passing through the brushes and the armature collector from the start.

 The device makes it possible to considerably reduce the electric arc at the high current contacts of the starter solenoid relay, which reduces the wear of this relay and the risks of bad contacts.

 The electronic module is controlled automatically from the start of the CD pulse.

The device which is the subject of the invention can be used on all internal combustion N engines using an electric starter, in particular motor vehicles.
This system is very easily installed on a vehicle as an initial or replacement. No intervention is necessary on the starter, the contactor block comprising the auxiliary relay and the shunt is simply placed in series at any point on the positive high current target connecting the battery to the starter0 The electronic module is electrically connected: to earth , At the output of the ignition key, at the output of the starter control and at the auxiliary relay.

Claims (3)

R E V E N D I C A T I O N S  1. Large current electrical supply system of a starter, characterized in that a power reduction device is placed between the battery 3A and the starter DEo  2. Device according to claim 1, carrotérisé by the use of a shunt resistor SH at the terminals of which is placed an electromechanical auxiliary relay RA.  3. Auxiliary relay according to claim 2, characterized by its operation provided by an electronic system ME.