FR3037736A1 - STARTER ASSEMBLY - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a starter assembly, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising: - a cylinder head (3), - a hood (5), one of the hood (5) or the cylinder head (3), comprising a skirt device disposed overlapping the other, the hood (5) or the yoke (3), the assembly also comprising - a peripheral drainage device (15) between the yoke (3) and the hood (5) at the of the peripheral skirt, to allow the flow of liquid in a peripheral direction.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of starters and in particular starters for a motor vehicle. Starters include an electric motor. The electric motor comprises a yoke in which coils or magnets forming poles are arranged. The rear portion of the cylinder head is closed by a cap covering the end of the cylinder head and comprising the rear bearing supporting the starter drive shaft. The cover is fixed to the cylinder head by fastening means such as longitudinal tie rods located outside the cylinder head and now the hood against the cylinder head. However, the number of 10 tie rods is generally limited, for example two, to limit the size and the costs so that the tightening of the tie rods tends to deform the cover which is then punctually no longer in contact with the cylinder head so that the seal between the cylinder head and the hood can no longer be ensured. Liquid including water, especially saline, can then enter the cylinder head by capillarity between the cylinder head and the hood where there is no contact 15 between the cover and the cylinder head. However, such penetration of the liquid in the cylinder head can cause oxidation of the brushes and the brush holder of the electric motor. It is therefore necessary to avoid such penetration of liquid from the outside to avoid the presence of corrosion in the brushes and ensure the proper operation of the starter in the long term, especially more than 10 years. One of the means of the state of the art is to use an O-ring placed between the cylinder head and the hood. However, such a seal generates additional costs and does not necessarily ensure a good seal because, due to the deformation of the cover by the tie rods, the compression of the seal is not homogeneous which leads to leave openings even in the presence of the seal. Thus, the present invention is aimed at better protecting the starter motor from the corrosion of the brushes and / or the brush holder. For this purpose, the present invention relates to a starter assembly, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising: - a cylinder head, - a hood, one of the hood or the cylinder head, comprising a peripheral skirt arranged in overlap of the other, the hood or breech, the assembly also comprising: - a peripheral drainage device between the yoke and the hood at the peripheral skirt, to allow the flow of liquid in a peripheral direction.

The drainage device makes it possible to avoid the exchange of liquid between the outside and the inside of the assembly formed by the cylinder head and the hood by cutting the longitudinal capillarity at the interface between the cylinder head and the hood. According to another aspect of the present invention, the peripheral skirt is formed on the hood. According to an alternative aspect of the present invention, the peripheral skirt is formed on the yoke.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the peripheral drainage device is a peripheral groove. According to an additional aspect of the present invention, the assembly also comprises at least one discharge opening in fluid communication with the drainage device. This makes it possible to define an inclination of the starter when it is mounted in the motor vehicle, in particular when the discharge opening is oriented towards the plane defined by the lower part of the vehicle. According to a further aspect of the present invention, the opening is formed in the cylinder head to allow the draining of liquid drained by the drainage device as well as the evacuation of liquid present in the cylinder head. According to another aspect of the present invention, the opening is formed in the hood 30 to allow drainage of liquid drained by the drainage device. According to an additional aspect of the present invention, the opening is opening in the wall facing the drainage device, for discharging liquid drained by the drainage device. According to a further aspect of the present invention, the opening is open into the drainage device, for discharging liquid drained by the drainage device. According to another aspect of the present invention, the drainage device extends over the entire periphery of the cylinder head or hood. According to an additional aspect of the present invention, the drainage device extends around the perimeter of the cylinder head or hood, opening at each of its ends in the opening. According to a further aspect of the present invention, the profile of the drainage device comprises an angle of at least 90 ° with respect to the overlap surface between the cylinder head and the hood to prevent the introduction of a liquid by capillary action. inside the breech. According to another aspect of the present invention, the cover is fixed on the cylinder head by longitudinal tie rods, in particular two longitudinal tie rods, for example arranged outside the cylinder head. According to an additional aspect of the present invention, the yoke has a shape arranged to form the drainage device.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, the hood has a shape arranged to form the drainage device. According to an additional aspect of the present invention, the hood is disposed at the rear of the starter, in particular on the side comprising the brushes.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the drainage device has a U-shaped section. According to a further aspect of the present invention, the width of the groove is at least 0.5 mm. According to an additional aspect of the present invention, the drainage device comprises a set of peripheral baffles for preventing the introduction of a liquid by capillarity in the cylinder head.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, the discharge opening is oriented towards the plane defined by the lower part of the vehicle.

3037736 4 The hood can be attached to the cylinder head, including tie rods. The assembly may include a peripheral reinforcement to prevent the bearing from deforming when the hood is attached to the cylinder head. Such a reinforcement makes it possible to further strengthen the bearing against any deformation, mainly when the peripheral groove is formed on only a portion of the perimeter of the peripheral skirt. The cover may include the reinforcement. This allows the reinforcement and hood to form a single piece to simplify assembly. The peripheral reinforcement may be formed by an excess thickness of the cover at least partially at the level of the skirt.

The peripheral reinforcement may be arranged so that there is a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis along which the yoke which cuts both the reinforcement and the drainage device extends. This makes it possible to prevent deformation of the cover at the level of the drainage device, preventing its degradation.

The cylinder head may have at least one orifice to allow the moisture inside the cylinder head to be drained. The present invention also relates to a starter as described above.

The present invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a starter as described above. Other features and advantages of the invention will appear in the description which will now be made, with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of indication but not limitation, at least one possible embodiment. In these drawings: - Figure 1 shows a diagram of a portion of a starter according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the starter of Figure 1; FIG. 3 represents a view in longitudinal section of the starter hood of FIGS. 1 and 2; - Figures 4a, 4b and 4c show examples of a profile of a groove forming a drainage device; Figure 5 shows a schematic of a hood including an exhaust opening; - Figure 6 shows a sectional view of a cover comprising a peripheral groove and an opening mounted on the cylinder head; - Figures 7 and 8 show a diagram of a cover comprising an exhaust opening according to another embodiment; - Figures 9, 10a show a sectional and partial view of a cover comprising a depression to allow the evacuation of the drainage device; - Figure 10b partially shows a perspective view of a portion of the hood of Figures 9 and 10a; - Figure 11 shows a diagram of a cylinder head comprising a depression on its outer face; - Figures 12 and 13 show a sectional view of a cover comprising a peripheral groove and a cylinder head comprising a notch hole located vis-à-vis the peripheral groove; FIG. 14 represents a diagram of a yoke comprising a notched hole; FIGS. 15a, 15b and 15c show three configurations of peripheral baffles arranged between the yoke and the cover; - Figure 16 shows a sectional view of a portion of a starter according to one embodiment.

The term "lower portion" of the starter or starter part corresponds to the portion facing the ground when the starter is mounted on a vehicle and the vehicle is placed in running condition on a horizontal plane. The following achievements are examples. Although the description refers to one or more embodiments, this does not necessarily mean that each reference relates to the same embodiment, or that the features apply only to one embodiment. Simple features of different embodiments may also be combined to provide other embodiments. Figures 1 and 2 show an assembly 1 according to a first embodiment 5 comprising a portion of the electric motor of a starter comprising a yoke 3 and a cover 5, which is a rear cover 5 in the example. The yoke 3 has a tubular shape which extends along a longitudinal axis L and encloses in particular the coils 7 and the brushes 8 of the electric motor of the starter. When mounted in the vehicle, the longitudinal axis L is substantially horizontal. The rear cover 5 comprises a bearing 6. According to one embodiment, the rear cover 5 also comprises, in the example shown, a peripheral skirt 9 which overlaps the rear end of the cylinder head 3. Thus, in this embodiment, the peripheral skirt 9 is formed on the cover 3. The peripheral skirt 9 also comprises two radial oversizes 11 in which are formed longitudinal holes 13 configured to receive fixing rods (not shown), also called tie rods , to allow the fixing of the rear cover 5 on the cylinder head 3. The tie rods connect for example the front cover (not shown) and the rear cover 5 so as to maintain said covers in contact with the cylinder head 3. However, the tightening of the tie rods tends to deform the rear cover 5 which has a tendency to compress the bolt 3 at the tie rods and to move away from the bolt 3 in the zones located at 90 ° of the tie rods so that liquids can be introduced between the yoke 3 and the rear cover 5 at said zones. In order to prevent the introduction of liquid into the interior space delimited by the yoke 3 and the rear cover 5, a drainage device is disposed at the interface between the yoke 3 and the rear cover 5. This drainage device allows to prevent displacement along the longitudinal axis L of the liquid by capillarity by guiding the liquid in a direction tangential to the periphery of the peripheral skirt 9 of the rear cover 5. According to the first embodiment, this device drainage is performed by a peripheral groove 15 formed in the rear cover 5 as shown in Figure 3. The peripheral groove 15 may be formed around the periphery of the peripheral skirt 9 or only a portion of this periphery. Thus, the liquids introduced by capillarity between the yoke 3 and the rear cover 5 are drained along the peripheral groove 15 by gravitation to the lower part of the peripheral groove 15. The section of the groove 3037736 7 device 15 may have different shapes such as for example a U-shape at right angles as shown in Figure 4a, U-shaped rounded as shown in Figure 4b or trapezoidal as shown in Figure 4c. Other shapes may also be used, however, the angle between the inner wall 17 of the peripheral groove 15 and the surface 19 of the rear cover 5 opposite the yoke 3 preferably forms an angle of at least 90 ° in order to cut the longitudinal capillarity. The depth of the peripheral groove 15 is for example between 0.5 and 4 mm and its width is for example between 0.5 and 4 mm.

Since the liquids are gravitationally drained towards the lower part of the peripheral groove 15, it is also necessary to provide a means for evacuating the liquids accumulated by the peripheral groove 15. The various evacuation means will now be presented in detail: 1) Hole formed in the rear cover 5 and opening into the peripheral groove 15 The first solution shown in Figures 5 and 6 relates to the production of a hole 21 in the rear cover 5 which opens into the peripheral groove 15. This hole 21 is realized in the lower part of the rear cover 5 when the starter is assembled and mounted on the vehicle and the vehicle is in driving position on a horizontal plane. In this first solution, the hole 21 is through. In the example shown, the peripheral groove 15 extends over the entire periphery of the cover 5. This hole 21 may be of different shapes, for example round or oblong. The surface of its section is for example between 1 and 20 mm 2 for a cover diameter between 50 and 90 mm.

Alternatively, the hole 21 may extend to the edge of the rear cover 5 and form a notched hole 23 as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In this variant, the peripheral groove 15 is formed on only a portion of the 5. Thus, the liquids introduced between the yoke 3 and the rear cover 5 are drained by the peripheral groove 15 to the hole 21 or 23 and flow by gravity outwards which avoids the introduction and the accumulation of liquid in the interior space defined by the yoke 3 and the rear cover 5. Moreover, it should be noted that the yoke 3 generally comprises an orifice 25, as shown in FIG. allow to evacuate the moisture present inside the cylinder head 3. 2) Depression 27 on the rear cover 5 5 A second solution is to make a depression 27 to the outside of the rear cover 5 forming a spout as shown in the figs 9, 10a and 10b. As for the hole 21 or 23, the depression 27 is also made in the lower part of the rear cover 5 when the starter is assembled and mounted on the vehicle and the vehicle is in the driving position on a horizontal plane. The depression 27 creates a gap between the cylinder head 3 and the back cover 5 so that the liquids accumulated in the peripheral groove 15 flow outward by gravity through the depression 27. The depression 27 may have a rounded shape or in point and its height is for example between 0.5 and 5 MM. 3) Depression 29 carried out on the cylinder head 3 A third solution consists in producing a depression 29 towards the inside of the cylinder head 3 as shown in FIG. 11. The depression 29 is made at the interface with the rear hood 5 and in the lower part of the cylinder head 3 when the starter is assembled and mounted on the vehicle and the vehicle is in the driving position on a horizontal plane. This depression 29 at the yoke 3 creates a space between the rear cover 5 and the cylinder head 3 so that the liquids accumulated on the lower part of the peripheral groove 15 can be discharged to the outside via the depression 29. The depression 29 may have a rounded or pointed shape and its height is for example between 0.5 and 5 mm. 4) Hole 31 in the yoke 3 near the overlap portion with the back cover 5 A fourth solution is to make a hole 31, especially a notch hole, in the yoke 3 at or near the overlap portion with the rear cover 5 as shown in Figure 12. This hole 31 is formed in the lower part of the yoke 3 when the starter is assembled and mounted on the vehicle and the vehicle is 3037736 9 in the driving position on a horizontal plane. Thus, the liquids accumulated in the lower part of the peripheral groove 15 eventually outflank out of the peripheral groove 15 and come to discharge outwards through the hole 31 formed in the cylinder head 3. The hole 31 may have different shapes and forms. extend to the end of the yoke 3 to form a notch hole as shown in Figure 12. The diameter of the hole 31 is for example between 4 and 8 mm. This hole 31 can replace the orifice 25 of Figure 6 and also allow the evacuation of moisture accumulated in the cylinder head 3. In addition, it should be noted that the various solutions to allow the evacuation of 10 drained liquids by the peripheral groove 15 can be combined. Thus, a notched hole 23 formed on the rear cover 5 can be combined with a notched hole 31 formed in the yoke 3 as shown in FIG. 13. In the example shown, the notched holes 31, 23 are angularly aligned. by being in vis-à-vis. Thus the two holes 31 and 23 can be simultaneously made in the lower part of the cylinder head 3 when the starter is assembled and mounted on the vehicle and the vehicle is in driving position on a horizontal plane. In the example shown in Figure 13, the peripheral groove 15 is formed on only a portion of the periphery of the cover 5. In a variant not shown, the notch holes 31, 23 may be angularly offset. For example, the notch hole 31 formed in the yoke 3 may be entirely opposite a solid portion of the surface of the cover 5. The notched hole 23 provided on the rear cover 5 may be integrally vis-à-vis a solid portion of the surface of the cylinder head 3. This allows a tolerance during assembly.

According to a second embodiment, the drainage device is made by a peripheral groove 33 formed in the cylinder head 3 as shown in FIG. 14. This peripheral groove 33 can extend around the entire periphery of the cylinder head 3 or only on The characteristics (section, dimensions, etc.) of this peripheral groove 33 are similar to the characteristics of the peripheral groove 15 formed in the rear cover 5 described above. This peripheral groove 33 is an alternative to the peripheral groove 15 but these two peripheral grooves 15 and 33 can also be combined.

Thus, the liquids introduced by capillarity between the yoke 3 and the rear cover 5 are drained along the circumferential groove 33 by gravitation to the lower part of the peripheral groove 33. As in the previous embodiment since the liquids are drained by gravitation downwardly from the peripheral groove 33, it is also necessary to provide a means of evacuation of the liquids drained by the peripheral groove 33. The various evacuation means will now be presented in detail: ) Hole 35 in the yoke 3 opening into the peripheral groove 33 A first solution relates to the production of a hole 35, in particular a slot with a notch as shown in FIG. 14, in the yoke 3 opening into the peripheral groove 33. the example shown in Figure 14, the peripheral groove 33 is formed on only a portion of the periphery of the cylinder head 3. This hole 35 is realized in the lower part of the cylinder head 3 when the starter is assembled and mounted on the vehicle and the vehicle is in the driving position on a horizontal plane. Thus, the liquids drained towards the lower part of the peripheral groove 33 fall by gravity onto the lower edge of the rear cover 5 and then discharge outwards via the hole 35 formed in the cylinder head 3. The hole 35 can extend into the yoke 3 beyond the overlapping portion with the rear cover 5 to allow the evacuation of moisture accumulated in the cylinder head 3. The hole 35 may have different shapes. The surface of the section of the hole 35 is for example between 10 and 80 mm 2. 2) Hole in the cover facing the peripheral groove 33 The second solution corresponds to a hole in the rear cover 5 opposite the peripheral groove 33. Such a hole corresponds to the holes 21 or 23 of FIGS. 5 and 7 and is realized in the lower part of the rear cover 5 when the starter is assembled and mounted on the vehicle and the vehicle is in the driving position on a horizontal plane.

Thus, the liquids introduced between the yoke 3 and the rear cowl 5 are drained by the peripheral groove 33 to the lower part of the peripheral groove 33 and flow by gravity outwards through the hollow hole. in the back cover. 3037736 11 3) Depression on the rear cover 5 A third solution consists in producing a depression towards the outside of the rear cover 5 forming a spout. This depression corresponds to the depression 27 shown in Figures 9, 10a and 10b. The depression creates a gap between the yoke 3 and the back cover 5 so that the liquids drained by the peripheral groove 33 flow outward by gravity through the depression. 10 4) Depression on the cylinder head 3 A fourth solution is to achieve a depression towards the inside of the cylinder head 3. Such a depression is similar to the depression 29. This depression at the cylinder head 3 creates a space between the hood 5 and the cylinder head 3 so that the drained liquid 15 to the lower part of the peripheral groove 33 can flow out via the depression. According to a third embodiment, the drainage device is produced by a set of peripheral baffles 35. The set of baffles 35 comprises at least two baffles 35, one of which is formed in the cylinder head 3 and the other is provided 5. FIG. 15a shows a radial sectional view of an example of a set of two right-angle baffles C1 and C2 respectively located on the rear cover 5 and on the cylinder head 3. The position of the C1 and C2 baffles can be reversed as shown in FIG. 15b. In addition, the baffles C1 and C2 may have various shapes however the angle a between the face of the chicane C1, C2 closest to the end of the peripheral skirt 9 of the rear cover 5 and the direction of overlap between the skirt device 9 of the rear cover 5 and the cylinder head 3 is less than or equal to 90 °. Figure 15c shows an example of an alternative form to the right angle shapes of Figures 15a and 15b. The baffles C1 and C2 can be made all around the yoke 3 and the rear cover 5 or only part of the periphery of the yoke 3 and the rear cover 5. The role of the set of baffles 35 is same as the role of the peripheral groove 15, 33, that is to say to prevent the introduction of liquid 3037736 12 by capillarity at the interface between the cylinder head 3 and the rear cover 5 by draining the liquid down the along the peripheral baffles C1, C2. The liquid evacuation solutions drained by the set of baffles are the same as the solutions described in the preceding embodiments: hole in the lower part of the rear cover 5 opening at the level of the set of baffles 35, hole in the lower part of the yoke 3 extending from the set of baffles 35 and beyond the part of the yoke 3 that covers the peripheral skirt 9 of the rear cover 5, external depression in the lower part of the rear cover 5 at least partially below the set of baffles 35 and internal depression in the lower part of the yoke 3 at the level of the baffle assembly 35. The characteristics of the different evacuation devices are otherwise similar to the evacuation devices. described for the previous embodiments. Alternatively, for all the embodiments of the description above, the peripheral skirt 9 may be formed on the yoke 3. In this case, the peripheral skirt 9 overlaps a peripheral portion of the hood. Rear 5. The drainage device and the evacuation means are then made according to one of the embodiments described above.

FIG. 16 shows an embodiment in which the peripheral skirt 9 is formed on the yoke 3. In the embodiment shown, the peripheral skirt 9 overlaps a peripheral portion of the cover 5. A peripheral groove is formed on the periphery of the cover 5 and a notch hole 31 is formed in the yoke 3 at or near the overlapping portion with the rear cover 5. This hole 31 is formed in the lower part of the yoke 3 when the starter is assembled and mounted on the vehicle and the vehicle is in a driving position on a horizontal plane. Thus, the liquids accumulated in the lower part of the peripheral groove 15 end up overflowing out of the peripheral groove 15 and come to discharge outwards through the hole 31 formed in the cylinder head 3.

The embodiments are not limited to the back cover but may also be applied to the front cover of the bolt.

Thus, the use of a peripheral drainage device at the interface between the cylinder head 3 and the rear cowl 5 makes it possible to prevent the introduction of liquids, in particular saline liquids, by capillarity between the cylinder head 3 and the rear cover 5 which could come to damage some parts including the brushes and brushes of the starter and thus reduce the life of the starter.

Claims (1)

REVENDICATIONS1. Starter assembly, particularly for a motor vehicle, comprising: - a cylinder head (3), - a hood (5), one of the hood (5) or the cylinder head (3), comprising a peripheral skirt (9) arranged covering the other, the cover (5) or the yoke (3), characterized in that the assembly also comprises2. 3. 4. 5. 6. - a peripheral drainage device (15, 33, 35) between the yoke (3) and the cover (5) at the peripheral skirt (9), to allow the flow of liquid in a peripheral direction. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the peripheral drainage device is a peripheral groove (15, 33). The assembly of claim 1 or 2 further comprising at least one discharge opening (21,23,27,29,31,35) in fluid communication with the peripheral drainage device (15,33,35). An assembly according to claim 3 wherein the discharge aperture (29,31,35) is formed in the yoke (3) to allow drainage of drained liquid by the peripheral drainage device (15,33,35) and that the evacuation of liquid present in the cylinder head (3). An assembly according to claim 3 wherein the discharge opening (21, 23, 27) is formed in the hood (5) to allow drainage of liquid drained by the peripheral drainage device (15, 33, 35). Assembly according to one of Claims 3 to 5, in which the discharge opening (21, 23, 27, 29) opens out into the wall facing the peripheral drainage device (15, 33, 35). ), for draining liquid drained by the peripheral drainage device (15, 33, 35). 7. The assembly according to one of claims 3 to 5 wherein the discharge opening (21, 23, 27, 29) is open into the peripheral drainage device (15, 35), for the evacuation of liquid drained by the peripheral drainage device (15, 35). 8. Assembly according to one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the peripheral drainage device (15, 33, 35) extends around the entire periphery of the yoke (3) or the cover (5). 9. Assembly according to one of claims 3 to 5 or according to claim 7, wherein the peripheral drainage device (15, 35) extends around the perimeter of the yoke (3) 10 or the cover (5) in opening at each of its ends in the discharge opening (21, 23, 27, 29). 10. An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the profile of the drainage device comprises an angle (a) of at least 90 ° with respect to the overlap surface between the yoke (3) and the hood ( 5) to prevent the introduction of a liquid by capillarity inside the cylinder head (3). 11. An assembly according to one of the preceding claims wherein the cover (5) is fixed on the yoke (3) by longitudinal tie rods, including two longitudinal tie rods, for example 20 disposed outside the yoke (3). 12. Assembly according to one of the preceding claims wherein the yoke (3) has a shape arranged to form the peripheral drainage device (33, 35). 13. An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the cover (5) has a shape arranged to form the peripheral drainage device (15, 35). 14. Starter comprising an assembly according to one of the preceding claims. 15. A motor vehicle comprising a starter according to claim 14.