JPH062636A - Engine starter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a backward reverse current from flowing into both pull and hold coils with each other at the interruption of a starter relay. CONSTITUTION:A pull coil 30p and a hold coil 30h in a solenoid operating device 28 for shifting a pinion to an intermeshing position with a ring gear of an engine are connected to a battery 71 in parallel via a starter relay 70, and a normally closed type auxiliary switch 62 being opened by a core 32 immediately after this movable core 32 of the solenoid operating device 28 has closed a main switch 44 of a starter motor 4, is installed in a current-energizing circuit of the pull coil 30p.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an engine starter, and more particularly, to a movable core for moving a pinion from a retracted position to an advanced position for engaging with a ring gear of an engine by moving from a rest position to an operation limit position. Return spring means for elastically moving the movable core toward the rest position, a pull coil and a hold coil connected in parallel to the battery via a starter relay for moving and holding the movable core to the operation limit position when energized, and a pinion. The present invention relates to an improvement provided with a starter motor for rotationally driving a motor and a main switch which is provided in an energizing circuit between the battery and is closed in conjunction with arrival of a movable core at an operation limit position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 9 shows an electric circuit diagram of a conventional engine starting device. In the figure, the starter switch 7 is manually
When 3 is closed, the relay contact 72 of the starter relay 70 is closed, and a current flows through the pull coil 30p and the hold coil 30h surrounding the movable core 32 as shown by the solid line arrow,
The movable core 32 has an electromagnetic force generated by both coils.
Moves from the rest position to the operation limit position, advances the pinion (not shown), and closes the main switch 44. Then, the starting motor 4 is energized through the main switch 44, and its operation drives the pinion to rotate.

Thus, the pull coil 30p is the main switch 4
4 is connected to the circuit between the starting motor 4 and the main switch 44, when the main switch 44 is closed, the current flows to the starting motor 4 side having a small resistance, and the power supply to the pull coil 30p is substantially stopped. In this way, the electromagnetic holding force on the movable core 32 at the operation limit position can be suppressed to the necessary minimum, and the drive torque of the starting motor 4 can be increased as much as possible.

[0004]

As is apparent from the above, the pull coil 30p assists the hold coil 30h to increase the electromagnetic force to a required value at the initial stage of operation of the movable core 32 having a weak electromagnetic force. It is not necessary at the operation limit position of the movable core 32 where the electromagnetic force due to 30h is maximized. Therefore, the number of turns of the pull coil 30p may be originally smaller than that of the hold coil 30h.

However, in the circuit as shown in FIG. 9, when the starter relay 70 is cut off after the engine is started, currents flowing in opposite directions to each other through the main switch 44 in the coils 30p and 30h as indicated by broken line arrows. For,
The number of turns of the pull coil 30p must be increased to the number of turns of the hold coil 30h so as to cancel the electromagnetic force of both coils 30p and 30h due to this backflow.

Increasing the number of turns of the pull coil in this manner causes an increase in the diameter and weight of the entire coil, which makes it difficult to reduce the size and weight of the entire device.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when the starter relay is cut off, reverse current flow to both coils is prevented, and the number of turns of the pull coil is smaller than that of the hold coil. It is an object of the present invention to provide the engine starting device which enables the number of turns and eliminates the above inconvenience.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a power supply circuit for a pull coil, which is provided with an auxiliary switch which is opened in association with the movement of the movable core to the operation limit position. It is a feature of.

In addition to the above features, the present invention further comprises a first spring for urging the movable core toward the rest position over the entire operating range of the rest position or the operation limit position, and the movable core at a predetermined intermediate operation position or. A second feature is that the return spring means is composed of a second spring that urges to the rest position side only in the limited operation range of the operation limit position.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, a casing 1 of the engine starting device has a front wall 1a, an intermediate wall 1b and a rear wall 1c in order from the right side in the figure, and a pinion chamber 2 is provided between the front wall 1a and the intermediate wall 1b. A gear chamber 3 is defined between the intermediate wall 1b and the rear wall 1c. The front end of the stator 5 of the starting motor 4 is joined to the rear wall 1c, and the front end of the rotor shaft 6 of the starting motor 4 is rotatably supported via the roller bearing 7. Also, the pinion chamber 2 is provided on the front wall 1a and the intermediate wall 1b.
Both front and rear ends of the pinion drive shaft 8 passing through the shaft are rotatably supported by plain bearings 9 and 14.

The rotor shaft 6 and the pinion drive shaft 8 are
The gear chambers 3 are arranged eccentric to each other by a predetermined distance, and are connected to each other in the gear chamber 3 via a speed reducer 10. The speed reducer 10 includes a small-diameter external gear 11 formed on the rotor shaft 6.
And a large-diameter internal gear 12 that is connected to the pinion drive shaft 8 and meshes with the external gear 11.

In the pinion chamber 2, the pinion drive shaft 8
Between the pinion 13 and the pinion 13, an overrunning clutch 17 capable of transmitting torque only in one direction from the former to the latter is provided. This overrunning clutch 17
A clutch case 19 integrated with an advance sleeve 40 slidably fitted to the outer periphery of the pinion drive shaft 8 via a helical spline 18, and the clutch case 1
A plurality of clutch rollers 2 arranged along the inner peripheral surface of
0 and the rear end of the pinion 13 is inserted into the clutch case 19 so as to sandwich the clutch roller 20.

The helical spline 18 uses the clutch case 19 for a part of the rotational torque of the pinion drive shaft 8.
The thrust can be converted to the forward (right in the figure) against.

The clutch case 19 and the pinion 13 are connected by a cover plate 21 and a caulking ring 22 so that they can rotate relative to each other but cannot move relative to each other in the axial direction. Therefore, the pinion 13 has the clutch case 19
Together with the retracted position A and the advanced position B on the pinion drive shaft 8.
You can slide between.

The retracted position A of the pinion 13 is restricted by the rear surface of the advance sleeve 40 contacting an annular shoulder 24 formed on the pinion drive shaft 8 adjacent to the rear end of the helical spline 18, and the retracted position A is advanced. B is regulated by the front end of the pinion 13 coming into contact with an annular pinion stopper 26 fixed to the pinion drive shaft 8 by a locking ring 25.

The pinion 13 has a gear portion 13a on the outer periphery of the front end portion.
In the forward drive position B, the gear portion 13a faces the window 15 in the front portion of the casing 1 and meshes with the ring gear 27 of the engine, and in the reverse drive position A, the gear portion 13a is disengaged from the ring gear 27.

An electromagnetic actuator 28 for moving the pinion 13 back and forth is arranged on one side of the starting motor 4. The housing 29 of the electromagnetic actuator 28 is fixed to the rear end of the lateral bulging portion 1d of the casing 1 that is continuous with the front wall 1a.
In the housing 29, a solenoid 30 and a fixed core 31 connected to the rear end thereof are housed and supported, and a movable core 32 facing the fixed core 31 is arranged in the hollow portion of the solenoid 30. The solenoid 30 is composed of a pull coil 30p and a hold coil 30h that are concentrically overlapped with each other. The number of turns of the pull coil 30p is the hold coil 3p.
It is set less than that of 0h.

The movable core 32 is integrally provided with an operating rod 32a protruding into the bulging portion 1d, and the operating rod 32a is connected to the advance sleeve 40 via a lever 33.

That is, one end of the lever 33 is connected to the operating rod 3
The connecting hole 37 at the front end of 2a is engaged, and the other end is engaged with an annular groove 38 on the outer circumference of the advance sleeve 40 via a roller 39. The intermediate portion of the lever 33 is the operating rod 3
A slider 34, which is supported by the casing 1 so as to be movable back and forth within a range of a small stroke, is swingably supported via a pivot shaft 35 between the 2a and the advance sleeve 40.
The slider 34 is biased forward (rightward in the figure) by a damper spring 36. Therefore, when a large rearward impact force is applied to the lever 33, the slider 34 retracts while compressing the damper spring 36, so that the impact force can be alleviated.

A return spring means 43 for urging the operating rod 32a forward is connected to the operating rod 32a, and its elastic force acts on the clutch case 19 via the lever 33 as a retracting force.

As shown in FIG. 2 to FIG.
The step 43 includes the first and second rods that surround the operating rod 32a.
Il spring 43₁, 43₂Equipped with a first coil spring
43 ₁Is the first retainer locked to the operating rod 32a.
The second coil coil is contracted between 51 and the housing 29.
43₂Slides on the outer circumference of the tubular portion 51a of the first retainer 51.
A second retainer 52 and a housing 29 that are movably fitted to each other.
Between the two. The first retainer 51 has a tubular portion 51a.
A plurality of stopper pieces 51b protruding outward in the radial direction at the rear end
And the second retainer 52 is also radially outward at the rear end.
It has a plurality of protruding stopper pieces 52a. And after
The movable stopper 32 occupies the rest position of the stopper piece 52a.
When the pinion 13 is in the retracted position A,
From the former stopper piece 51b to the operating direction of the movable core 32
Formed on the lateral bulging portion 1d at a position separated by a predetermined distance L.
It is designed to be supported by the shoulder portion 53. And movable
When the core 32 advances from the rest position by the distance L in the operating direction,
The stopper piece 51b contacts the second retainer 52 and
The corners 51 and 52 are connected.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a main switch 44 for operating the starting motor 4 is attached to the rear end of the electromagnetic actuator 28. The main switch 44 includes a switch case 45 fixed to the rear end of the electromagnetic actuator 28, a pair of fixed contacts 46 and 46 fixedly mounted on the switch case 45, and both fixed contacts 46 and 46 in the switch case 45. 46 and a movable contact 47 facing each other.
8 urges the fixed contacts 46, 46 away from the fixed contacts 46, 46.

As clearly shown in FIG. 5, the movable contact 47 is
The insulating member 5 is attached to the operating rod 49 that slidably penetrates through the central portion of the fixed core 31 and has the front end facing the movable core 32.
It is slidably fitted via 4. Then, in order to urge this movable contact 47 in the contact direction with the stopper 61 locked to the operating rod 49, the holding spring 50 causes the collar portion 4 of the operating rod 49.
It is contracted between 9a and the insulating member 54.

The opening spring 48 is contracted between the stopper 61 and the switch case 45.

An auxiliary switch 62 is attached to the switch case 45 between the fixed contacts 46, 46. The auxiliary switch 62 has a pair of fixed contacts 64, 64 fixed to the switch case 45 with a through hole 63 coaxial with the operating rod 49 interposed therebetween and a cover 66 connected to the switch case 45. The movable contact 65 facing the contacts 64, 64, and the movable contact 65 both fixed contacts 6
A normally-closed type is composed of a closing spring 67 that urges the springs 4 and 64. Thus, the auxiliary switch 62 is adapted to be opened by the operating rod 49 after the operating rod 49 closes the main switch 44, and in order to do so, the movable contact 65 and the operating rod 49 are arranged. The distance S ₂ between the main switch 4 and
4 is set to be slightly larger than the distance S ₁ between the fixed contact 46 and the movable contact 47.

As shown in the electric circuit diagram of FIG. 7, the starter relay 70 comprises a relay coil 71 and a relay contact 72 which is closed when the coil 71 is excited. The relay coil 71 is manually operated by a starter switch 73.
Is connected to the battery 74 via. One ends of the pull coil 30p and the hold coil 30h of the electromagnetic actuator 28 are connected in parallel to the battery 74 via the relay contact 72, and the other end of the hold coil 30h is grounded as it is.

On the other hand, the starting motor 4 has the main switch 44.
Is connected to the battery 74 via the auxiliary switch 62, and is also connected to the other end of the pull coil 30p via the auxiliary switch 62.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Now, when the starter switch 73 is closed to start the engine, the relay coil 71 is excited and the relay contact 72 is closed. Therefore, the pull coil 30p and the hold coil 30h are energized through this relay contact 72, and both coils 30p are energized. , 30h causes the movable core 32 to be pulled toward the fixed core 31 side against the elastic force of the return spring means 43, and the operating rod 32a of the movable core 32 moves the lever 33 around the pivot shaft 35. When the clutch case 19 is swung counterclockwise at 1 and the clutch case 19 is moved forward, the pinion 13 is moved to the forward drive position B and the gear portion 13a is moved to the ring gear 2 of the engine.
Mesh with 7.

During this time, the pull coil 30 is attached to the starting motor 4.
Since a small current flows through p, the rotor shaft 6 of the motor 4 starts to rotate at an extremely low speed.

Just before the pinion 13 reaches the forward position B, the movable core 32 pushes the operating rod 49 to close the main switch 44, and then opens the auxiliary switch 62. At this time, the main switch 44 is opened. spacing S ₁ between the actuating rod 49 and the leading edge member 54 for supporting the movable contact 47 of the S ₂
Since the relative sliding is caused by the difference of, the auxiliary switch 62 can be opened without being interfered with by the closed state of the main switch 44.

When the main switch 44 is closed,
A large current flows through the starting motor 4 to rotate the rotor shaft 6 at high speed, and the rotation torque is transmitted to the pinion 13 via the reduction gear 10 and the pinion drive shaft 8, advance sleeve 40 and overrunning clutch 17. Since the pinion 13 drives the ring gear 27 to crank the engine, it can be started.

On the other hand, when the auxiliary switch 62 is opened, the energization of the pull coil 30p is cut off, so that the energization amount to the starting motor 4 is increased and the rotational torque can be increased. Moreover, the movable core 32 is the fixed core 3
In the state of being attracted to 1, the sufficient electromagnetic force can be obtained only by the hold coil 30h, and the pinion 13 can be continuously held at the forward movement position B.

When the pinion 13 is driven from the side of the ring gear 27 that rotates at a high speed with the start of the engine, the overrunning clutch 17 becomes free so that the reverse load is prevented from being transmitted to the pinion drive shaft 8. To be done.

After starting, by turning off the starter switch 73 to open the relay contact 72 of the starter relay 70,
The hold coil 30h is opened, and the other pull coil 3
Since 0p has already been opened by the auxiliary switch 62 as described above, the demagnetized state of both coils 30p and 30h is immediately obtained, and the return action of the return spring means 43 causes the movable core 32 and the clutch case 19 to return to their original positions. After returning, the pinion 13 retracts and the ring gear 27
The starting motor 4 is stopped when the main switch 44 opens the circuit. During this time, the auxiliary switch 62 returns to the closed state.

By the way, opening the pull coil 30p immediately after the main switch 44 is closed prevents the reverse current from flowing through the coils 30p and 30h when the relay contact 72 is opened after the engine is started. To help you.
Therefore, since the problem of the generation of electromagnetic force due to the reverse current is eliminated, the number of turns of the pull coil 30p is set to the hold coil 30h
It is possible to return to the original number of windings, which is smaller than that.

FIG. 8 shows the operating characteristics of the return spring means 43. As is apparent from the figure, while the movable core 32 moves from the rest position O to the predetermined intermediate operating position X _1, the first
Since only the coil spring 43 ₁ is compressed, both coils 43 1
The initial electromagnetic force of ₁ and 43 ₂ is relatively small, and it is possible to further reduce the number of turns of one or both coils 43 ₁ and 43 ₂ . Then, when the movable core 32 exceeds the intermediate operating position X ₁ , the above-mentioned first and second
The second coil spring 43 is formed by connecting the retainers 51 and 52.
_{2 is} also compressed, and the sum of the repulsive forces of the coil springs 43 ₁ and 43 ₂ becomes the return force for the movable core 32. Therefore,
If X ₁ is set in correspondence with the stroke until just before the pinion 13 meshes with the ring gear 27, the initial resistance of the pinion 13 by the returning means 43 can be made as small as possible, while the X ₁ with the ring gear 27 of the pinion 13 When the starter switch 73 is turned off and the pinion 13 is retracted in order to reactivate the pinion 13 due to an engagement error, a strong restoring force is obtained by both coil springs 43 ₁ and 43 ₂ , so that the rotational inertia of the pinion drive shaft 8 is increased at this time. To helical spline 18 to advance sleeve 4
Even if the forward thrust acts on 0, the pinion 13 can be reliably retracted against it. When the movable core 32 returns to the rest position O, the first coil spring 4
Only the load of 3 ₁ contributes to the holding of the movable core 32 in the rest position, and the load of the second coil spring 43 ₂ is supported by the casing 1. Therefore, the load burden on the lever 33 is also reduced and its durability is improved. Can bring improvement.

In the embodiments of the present invention, various design changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the opening timing of the auxiliary switch 62 can be matched with the closing timing of the main switch 44, or can be slightly advanced.

[0040]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the pull coil energizing circuit is provided with the auxiliary switch that opens in association with the arrival of the movable core at the operation limit position. When cut off, reverse current can be prevented from flowing in both coils by the auxiliary switch. Therefore, the pull coil can have its own number of turns to reduce the size and weight of the entire coil, which in turn reduces the size and weight of the device. Can be planned.

According to the second feature of the present invention, in addition to the above features, the first spring for urging the movable core toward the rest position over the entire operating range of the rest position or the operation limit position, and the movable core. Since the return spring means is composed of the second spring that biases the coil toward the rest position side only in the limited operation range of the predetermined intermediate operation position or the operation limit position, the initial electromagnetic force of the two coils relative to the movable core is relatively small. Even if it is small, the number of turns of one or both coils can be reduced to further reduce the size of the entire coil.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view of an engine starting device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the return spring means portion of FIG.

3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG.

4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a switch unit in FIG.

6 is an explanatory view of the operation of the pinion portion of FIG.

FIG. 7 is an electric circuit diagram of the engine starting device of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a characteristic diagram of the return spring means of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an electric circuit diagram of a conventional engine starting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

4 Starter Motor 13 Pinion 30p Pull Coil 30h Hold Coil 32 Movable Core 43 Return Spring Means 43 ₁ , 43 ₂ First and Second Coil Springs 44 Main Switch 62 Auxiliary Switch 70 Starter Relay 74 Battery A Backward Position B Forward Position

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A movable core (32) for moving a pinion (13) from a retracted position (A) to an advanced position (B) for engaging with a ring gear (27) of an engine by moving from a rest position to an operation limit position. A return spring means (43) for elastically moving the movable core (32) toward the rest position, and a starter relay (70) for moving and holding the movable core (32) in the operation limit position when energized. Battery (7
4) a pull coil (30p) and a hold coil (30h) connected in parallel, and a starter motor (4) for rotationally driving the pinion (13) and a battery (74). In the engine starter equipped with a main switch (44) which is closed in conjunction with reaching of the operation limit position of (32), a movable core (32) is provided in an energizing circuit of a pull coil (30p).
Auxiliary switch (6
2) The engine starting device characterized by being provided. 2. A one of claim 1, a first spring for urging the rest position side over the entire operating range of the rest position or operating limit position of the movable core (32) (43 _1), the movable core ( The return spring means (43) is composed of a second spring (43 ₂ ) for urging 32) to the rest position side only in a limited operation range of a predetermined intermediate operation position or operation limit position. , Engine starter.