JPH0585751B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a starter for starting an internal combustion engine.

[Conventional technology]

In the conventional type, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 186168/1983, the pinion is moved toward the ring gear via the drive lever by the movement of the plunger of the magnetic switch.

Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-211560, the rotation of the shaft of a starter motor is transmitted to a clutch outer connected by a helical spline, and a pinion is engaged with a ring gear by inertia force.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in the former conventional method described above, as the plunger approaches the excitation coil, the attractive force increases and the moving speed of the plunger increases, so the moving speed of the pinion increases as the pinion approaches the ring gear via the drive lever. When the pinion and ring gear engage,
In addition to generating a large impact force, there are problems such as damage to the pinion and ring gear and noise during meshing.Also, since a drive lever and magnetic switch are required to move the pinion, the size of the starter is large. Therefore, there is a problem in that it is necessary to secure a space for mounting the internal combustion engine.

In addition, in the latter case, since the pinion is moved to the ring gear by inertia force, the pinion moves when the rotation of the shaft of the starter motor exceeds a certain rotation speed. There is a problem in that the number of pinions increases, and a large impact force is generated when the pinion and ring gear mesh, resulting in damage to the pinion and ring gear.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to ensure the meshing between the pinion and the ring gear.

[Means for solving problems]

A starter motor, a pinion that transmits the rotation of the starter motor to a ring gear of an internal combustion engine, a small motor that moves this pinion toward the ring gear, and after energizing the small motor for a predetermined time, energizing the starter motor. and a control section for starting the starter.

[Effect]

Since the pinion is moved by a small motor, it is possible to bring the pinion close to the ring gear at a nearly constant speed.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the armature 2 of the starter motor 1 is arranged on the inner periphery of the yoke 3. In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. and armachia 2
A shaft 4 provided at the center of the shaft has a bearing 5 at one end.
It is rotatably held in the housing 6 via. Furthermore, a helical spline 4a is formed on the outer periphery of the shaft 4. Further, the helical spline 4a and the spline tube 7 are connected by a helical spline. Further, a plurality of grooves 7a are formed on the outer periphery of the spline tube 7 in parallel to the circumferential direction. A clutch outer 8 having a wedge chamber formed on the inner periphery is integrally formed at one end of the spline tube 7. In addition, a roller 9 is provided in the wedge chamber of the clutch outer 8.
is inserted. Furthermore, a clutch inner 11 integrally formed with a pinion 10 is disposed on the inner periphery of the roller 9. The clutch outer 8, roller 9, and clutch inner 10 constitute a one-way clutch. Reference numeral 12 is a stop collar that restricts the movement of the pinion 10, and this stop collar 12 is rotatable with respect to the shaft 4. A return spring 13 is installed between the stopper collar 12 and the pinion 10. Further, 14 is a ring gear of the internal combustion engine. 15 is a small motor, and the shaft 15a of this small motor 15 is
The gear 16 attached to the spline tube 7
The groove 7a is engaged with the groove 7a. In addition, the small motor 15
is arranged in the space within the housing 6, and
As shown in FIG. 2, it partially protrudes outside the housing 6 and can be attached and detached from the outside. 17 is a control section for controlling the starter motor 1, and uses a microcopy unit (MPU). Further, reference numeral 18 denotes a starter relay, which is arranged outside the housing 6 to improve heat dissipation since it passes a large current. Further, the relay 18 can be either a semiconductor element or a contact type relay.

As shown in FIG. 3, the battery power supply 19
The starter relay 18 is connected to one end of the starter relay 18, and is divided into two parts from the other end of the starter relay 18, one of which is connected to the small motor 15, and the other is connected to the delay circuit 21.
It is connected to the starter motor 1 via a relay 20.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, when the starter relay 18 is turned on, the control section 17 is activated to generate the vehicle alternator in step S1 to prevent the pinion 10 from jumping into the ring gear 14 again. Based on the voltage signal, it is determined whether the internal combustion engine is stopped. Then, if the engine has not stopped, WAIT in step S2
After waiting for a predetermined time, the process returns to step S1. Further, when the engine is stopped, in step S3, current is applied to the small motor 15 from the battery 19 to drive the small motor 15. Then, the rotation of the small motor 15 is controlled by the gear 16.
The rotation of the gear 16 is also transmitted to the groove 7a formed on the outer periphery of the spline tube 7 to move the spline tube 7 in the axial direction. By this movement of the spline tube 7, the pinion 10 is moved toward the ring gear 14 via the clutch outer 8, roller 9, and clutch in 11. Further, the pinion 10 can be moved slowly by the small motor 15. Then, the pinion 10 is brought into contact with the ring gear 14. In addition, in the delay circuit 21 in step S4, a few seconds after the small motor 15 is energized, the relay 20 for energizing the starter motor 1 is turned on.
Turn on. At this time, since the starter motor 1 is energized several seconds after the small motor 15 is energized in the delay circuit 21, the pinion 10 is brought into contact with the ring gear 14 within a few seconds. Then, in step 5, the starter motor 1 is energized to rotate the armature 2. This rotation of the armature 2 is transmitted to the pinion 10 via the shaft 4, spline tube 7, and one-way clutch. Further, the pinion 10 is constantly pressed against the ring gear 14 side by the rotation of the small motor 15, and when the pinion 10 and the ring gear 14 do not mesh with each other, the pinion 10 and the ring gear 14 mesh with each other due to the rotation of the pinion 10. Then, the rotation of the pinion 10 is transmitted to the ring gear 14 to start the engine. Also,
In step S6, the engine rotation speed is detected by the internal combustion engine ignition distributor, and until the engine rotation speed reaches the set rotation speed of 700 [rpm], the starter motor 1 is energized in step S7. The energization time is counted. When the count becomes larger than 30 [sec], the process moves to step S8, returns, and returns to step S1. Furthermore, when the engine speed reaches 700 [rpm] or more in step S6, it is assumed that the engine has started, and in step S9,
Turn off the starter relay 18 and start the small motor 1.
5 and the starter motor 1 are cut off. Then, the small motor 15 stops rotating, the pinion 10 is returned to its original position by the return spring 13, and the starting of the engine is completed.

Therefore, since the pinion 10 is moved in the axial direction by the small motor 15, the pinion 10 is moved in the axial direction by the small motor 15.
0 movement speed can be performed slowly and at a substantially constant speed, and it is possible to suppress the impact when the pinion 10 and the ring gear 14 mesh with each other. Further, the small motor 15 is housed in the space within the housing 6, and can be housed without increasing the size of the starter. Furthermore, since the rotation from the starter motor 1 is applied to the pinion 10 in the vicinity where the pinion 10 contacts the ring gear 14, the rotation of the pinion 10a is small due to only the helical spline action, and the pinion 10 and the ring gear 14 are reliably engaged. Can be matched. Then, for a long time, the starter motor 1
Since the flow of a large current is limited by counting, damage to the starter motor 1 can also be prevented.

In the operation of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5, when the starter relay 18 is turned on, the control section 17 is activated, and in step S1, the internal combustion engine ( engine) is stopped. and,
If the engine is not stopped, step
After entering WAIT in S2 and waiting for a predetermined time, the process returns to step S1. Further, when the engine is stopped, in step 3, the small motor 15
A current is passed through the battery 19 to drive the small motor 15. At the same time, in step S4, the constant current relay is turned on to flow a small amount of current to the starter motor 1, thereby causing the armature 2 to rotate slightly and the pinion 10 to rotate slightly as well. Further, the pinion 10 is moved in the axial direction by a small motor 15. Furthermore, after the pinion 10 contacts the ring gear 14, the pinion 1
Since the gear 0 rotates slightly, it is sure to completely mesh with the ring gear 14. Then, in step 5,
After confirming the engagement between the pinion 10 and the ring gear 14 using the first position sensor disposed in the housing 6, the constant current relay is turned off in step S6. Further, in step S7, the starter motor 1 is directly energized from the power source to drive the starter motor 1. And starter motor 1
The rotation of the pinion 10 is transmitted to the ring gear 14 to start the engine. Also, pinion 1
0 is constantly pressed against the ring gear 14 side by the rotation of the small motor 15. In addition, in step S8, the engine rotation speed is detected by the camshaft, crankshaft, etc. of the internal combustion engine, and the engine rotation speed is determined to be the set rotation speed of 700 [rp
m.], the energization time after the starter motor 1 is energized is counted in step S9. And the count is 30 [sec]
If it becomes larger than the
Move to S10, return, and step
Return to S1. Further, when the engine speed reaches 700 [rpm] or more in step S8, it is assumed that the engine has started, and in step S11, the relay 20 is turned OFF and the starter motor 1 is turned off.
Cut off the power to. Thereafter, in step S12, the rotation of the small motor 15 is reversed, and this rotation returns the pinion 10 to the starter motor 1 side via the spline tube 7. Then, in step S13, the second position sensor is used to confirm that the pinion 10 returns to its original position, and when it returns, the starter relay 18 is opened in step S14, and the pinion 10 is connected to the small motor 15. Cut off electricity. Then, starting of the engine is completed.

Therefore, the second embodiment has the same effect as the first embodiment, and at the same time when the small motor 15 is turned on, the constant current relay turns on the starter motor 1.
Since the pinion 10 is slightly rotated, the starter motor 1 is rotated after the pinion 10 is surely engaged with the ring gear 14, so the engagement between the pinion 10 and the ring gear 14 is ensured, and the impact at the time of engagement can be reduced. Furthermore, when the pinion 10 is returned from the ring gear 14, the small motor 15 is reversely returned, so it is possible to eliminate the return spring for returning the pinion 10.

In the second embodiment described above, when returning the pinion 10, one small motor 15 is used to rotate forward and reverse, but as shown in FIG. pinion 10
Two types are used, one for moving it to the ring gear 14 side and one for moving it to the starter motor 1 side.

The small motor 15 keeps the pinion 10 pressed when the pinion 10 meshes with the ring gear 14, so the gear 16 becomes fixed while being energized. However, since the energization time of the small motor 15 is short, No damage will occur. However, if an overload clutch is provided between the gear 16 and the small motor 15 so that the clutch slips when a torque exceeding a certain level is generated, there is no need to worry about damage to the small motor 15.

Further, the rotation speed of the ring gear 14 is detected by a crankshaft, etc., and the rotation speed of the starter motor 1 is determined using the characteristics of the motor, a rotation sensor, etc., and the rotation speed of the ring gear 14 and the pinion 10 (starter When the rotation speed of the ring gear 14 increases (at the time of overrun) by comparing the rotation speed of the motor 1), the small motor 15 is forcibly rotated in the reverse direction to separate the pinion 10 from the ring gear 14. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the pinion 10 from overrunning, and it is also possible to eliminate the one-way clutch. Furthermore, by eliminating the one-way clutch, the axial length can be shortened, and the size of the starter can be reduced.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, in the present invention, since the pinion is moved toward the ring gear by a small motor, the pinion can be moved at a substantially constant speed, so that the meshing between the pinion and the ring gear is improved. It has the excellent effect of suppressing the impact when the engine is running, ensuring the meshing between the pinion and ring gear, and not increasing the size of the starter.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a partially sectional front view showing essential parts of an embodiment of the starter of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of the starter shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an electric circuit diagram of the starter shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. The diagram shows the first control of the starter shown in Figure 1.
FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a second embodiment of the control of the starter of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a side view showing another embodiment of the starter of the present invention. 1... Starter motor, 10... Pinion, 1
4...Ring gear, 15...Small motor, 17...
...control section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A starter motor, a pinion that transmits the rotation of the starter motor to the ring gear of the internal combustion engine,
A starter comprising: a small motor that moves the pinion toward the ring gear; and a control unit that starts energizing the starter motor after energizing the small motor for a predetermined period of time.