WO2018210908A1

WO2018210908A1 - Combustion engine starter equipped with a current limiter

Info

Publication number: WO2018210908A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/062665
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean Sébastien Metral
Original assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
Priority date: 2017-05-16
Filing date: 2018-05-16
Publication date: 2018-11-22
Also published as: FR3066663A1

Abstract

The invention relates primarily to a starter (10) for a motor vehicle combustion engine comprising: -an electric motor (M), -a contactor (EC) for controlling the supply of power to said electric motor (M), said contactor (EC) including a first terminal (B1) and a second terminal (B2) and a contact plate (P) able to move between an open position and a closed position in which the contact plate (P) electrically links the first terminal (B1) and the second terminal (B2) to one another, characterized in that: -the second terminal (B2) of the contactor (EC) is electrically linked to the electric motor (M), and -a first relay (Rel1) includes a contact that is normally open so as to short-circuit the resistor (R) and the contact plate (P) in the closed position when said first relay (Rel1) is activated so as to change to a closed state.

Description

THERMAL ENGINE STARTER WITH ONE

CURRENT LIMITER

The invention relates to a motor starter with a current limiter. In general, the invention finds a particularly advantageous application in the field of motor vehicle thermal motor starters.

A starter 10 diagrammatically shown in FIG. 1a comprises, in a manner known per se, an electric motor M mounted between a battery supply terminal B + of the battery Batt and ground. An EC contactor controls the supply of the electric motor M. For this purpose, the contactor EC comprises a first terminal B1 connected to the terminal B + via a current limiter LC and a second terminal B2 connected to the electric motor M, as well as a Contact plate P. The contact plate P is movable between an open position in which the contact plate P is remote from the terminals B1 and B2 and a closed position in which the contact plate P electrically connects the terminals B1 to one another. and B2 for electrically connecting the motor M to the terminal B + of the battery Batt.

The contactor EC also comprises at least one coil W, generally two, namely a call coil and a holding coil, for pushing and holding the contact plate P in the closed position. In the figure, only one coil has been shown to facilitate understanding. The supply W coils is controlled by a switch 11 can be in a motor of a car. The contactor EC also has an actuator function for moving a lever (not shown) acting on a launcher equipped with a pinion to move it from a rest position to a position engaged between the teeth of a starter ring. a heat engine.

The current limiter LC aims to limit the peak current observable at the start of the electric motor M. For this purpose, the current limiter LC has a resistor R and a relay ReM short circuit resistance R controlled by a motor controller Wedge via a switch 12.

Thus, during an operation phase of the starter, the closing of the switch 11 controls the excitation of the coils W of the contactor EC, which causes a displacement of the contact plate P in the closed position. During the current call of the motor M, the relay reM is open so that the resistor R makes it possible to limit the current peak of the starter 10. Once the current peak has passed, the computer Wedge commands the closing of the relay ReM in order to short-circuit the resistance R to increase the current flowing in the electric motor M.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1a, the current limiter LC is electrically connected between the contactor EC and the terminal B + of the battery Batt. In another known embodiment shown in FIG. 1b, the current limiter LC is electrically connected between the contactor EC and the electric motor M.

In both cases, in steady state, the current is established in the circuit via four terminals, namely the two terminals B1, B2 of the contactor and the two terminals B3, B4 of the relay ReM, which generates significant Joule losses.

In addition, the integration of the current limiter LC in the starter 10 can cause congestion problems.

The invention aims to effectively remedy the disadvantages of existing architectures by providing a starter for a motor vehicle engine comprising:

an electric motor,

a contactor for controlling the supply of said electric motor, said contactor comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, as well as a movable contact plate between an open position and a closed position in which the contact plate electrically connects with each other; the first terminal and the second terminal,

characterized in that

a resistor is electrically connected between the first terminal and a positive terminal of a battery, the second terminal of the contactor is electrically connected to the electric motor, and

a first relay includes a contact for short-circuiting the resistor and the contact plate in the closed position when said first relay is in a closed state.

The invention thus makes it possible, thanks to the modified positioning of the relay, to limit to two (instead of four) the number of terminals through which the current flows to power the electric motor in steady state. Indeed, the contact plate being short-circuited by the relay, the current passes only through the terminals of the relay, which limits joules losses. In addition, since the resistor is dissociated from the relay, the invention allows a more flexible integration of the current limiter to limit its bulk.

In other words, the contact of the first relay is connected in parallel with the resistor and contact plate assembly in the closed position. According to one embodiment, the contact is a normally open contact and in that said first relay is activated to go from its open state to its closed state. This allows that in the case of a contact closure problem of the first relay, the current can always go through the resistor and the closure plate.

In one embodiment, the first relay is external to the contactor. This limits the size of the contactor.

According to one embodiment, the first relay comprises a first terminal electrically connected between the second terminal of the contactor and the electric motor and a second terminal electrically connected between the resistor and the positive terminal of the battery.

According to one embodiment, the first relay is able to be controlled by a motor computer.

In one embodiment, the first relay is controlled by a timer to keep it in the open position for a duration corresponding to a duration of a current peak during the startup of the electric motor.

According to an example of this embodiment, the control of the delay of the first relay is connected to the same control terminal of the actuator coil or the holding and calling coils of the actuator. That for interest that in case of malfunction of the closing of the contact plate P (for example due to freezing of a liquid on a contact terminal of the contactor in the contact chamber of the contactor), the starter can all of even power its electric motor (even without the current limiter function).

According to another example of this embodiment, the control of the delay of the first relay is connected to the second terminal of the contactor. This allows the timer to be activated only when the contact plate is in the closed position. In one embodiment, the timer is constituted by an electronic device.

According to one embodiment, the switch is able to activate a lever to advance a pinion from a rest position to an engaged position, and in that a second relay comprising a contact, said pre-engagement, is able to allow or prevent the power supply of the electric motor by its contact. According to an example of the preceding embodiment, the contact of the first relay is a normally closed contact and in that said first relay is activated before activation of the pre-engagement relay so that the first relay goes from its closed state to its first state. open state. This allows that in case of malfunction of the first relay that the starter can have all its power.

According to another example of this embodiment, the first relay is a normally open contact and the pre-engagement relay is a normally closed contact. This allows that in case of fault of the pre-engagement relay, the starter can operate. In another example, the first and second relays are normally open relays. According to one embodiment, the pre-engagement relay is able to allow the power supply of the electric motor by its contact after the contact plate is passed to the closed position.

In one embodiment, the contact of the pre-engagement relay is electrically connected between the positive terminal of the battery and the node between the resistor and the first relay.

In one embodiment, the pre-engagement relay is external to the contactor.

In one embodiment, said starter is configured so that the first relay is opened last when the starter stops. This makes it possible to limit the creation of electric arcs capable of using the terminals of the contactor.

According to one embodiment, said starter is configured so that the contactor and the first relay are alternately opened last when the starter is stopped.

In one embodiment, the timing of the first relay is connected to the control of the second pre-engagement relay.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows and on examining the figures which accompany it. These figures are given for illustrative but not limiting of the invention.

FIG. 1, already described, is a schematic representation illustrating a known implementation of a current limiter in a starter;

Figure 1b, already described, is a schematic representation illustrating another known implementation of a current limiter in a starter;

Figure 2 is a schematic representation illustrating a first embodiment of a current limiter according to the invention; Figures 3 and 3bis are each a schematic representation illustrating a second embodiment of a current limiter according to the invention according to two examples; FIG. 4 is a schematic representation illustrating an embodiment of a current limiter according to the invention associated with a starter relay of the starter;

Figure 4a shows another example of the previous embodiment.

Figure 5 is a schematic representation illustrating a variant of the embodiment of Figure 4 with a timer.

Figure 5a and Figure 5ter are each a schematic representation each illustrating a variant of the embodiment of Figure 4 with another example of a timer.

Identical, similar or similar elements retain the same reference from one figure to another. Moreover, in the figures, the elements surrounded by a dashed circle correspond to elements external to the contactor. FIG. 2 shows a starter 10 comprising an electric motor M mounted between a battery supply terminal B + of the battery Batt and ground.

An EC contactor controls the supply of the electric motor M. For this purpose, the contactor EC comprises a first terminal B1 connected to the terminal B + via a resistor R and a second terminal B2 electrically connected to the electric motor M, as well as a plate The contact plate P is movable between an open position in which the plate P is remote from the terminals B1 and B2 and a closed position in which the contact plate P electrically interconnects the terminals B1 and B2 to connect electrically the motor M at the B + terminal of the battery Batt. The contactor EC also comprises at least one coil W, generally two, namely a call coil and a holding coil, for pushing and holding the contact plate P in the closed position. In the figure, only one coil has been shown to facilitate understanding. The supply of the coils W is controlled by the switch 11. The contactor EC also has an actuator function for moving a lever (not shown) acting on a launcher equipped with a pinion to move it from a rest position to a position engaged between the teeth of a starter ring. a heat engine. An LC current limiter is intended to limit the observable current peak at the start of the electric motor M. For this purpose, the current limiter LC comprises the resistor R and a relay ReM short circuit of the resistor R controlled by the engine control unit. Wedge via switch 12. The ReM relay is external to the EC contactor. In addition, the relay ReM has a normally open contact to short-circuit the resistor R and the contact pad P in the closed position when it is activated to go into a closed state.

For this purpose, the relay ReM comprises a terminal B3 electrically connected between the terminal B2 of the contactor EC and the electric motor M and a terminal B4 electrically connected between the resistor R and the positive terminal B + of the battery Batt. In other words, the relay ReM is electrically connected in parallel with the contactor assembly EC-resistance R.

During an operating phase of the starter 10, the closing of the switch 11 controls the excitation of the coils W of the contactor EC, which causes a displacement of the contact plate P in the closed position. During the current call of the motor M, the relay reM is open so that the resistor R limits the current peak of the starter 10. Once the current peak has passed, the computer Wedge controls, via the switch 12, closing the relay ReM so as to short-circuit the resistor R to increase the current flowing in the electric motor M.

The invention thus makes it possible to limit to two the number of terminals through which the current flows to supply the electric motor M under steady state conditions. Indeed, the contact pad P being short-circuited by the relay ReM, the current passes only through terminals B3 and B4 relay ReM, which limits the joules losses. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the elements are identical except that the relay ReM is controlled by a delay Temp to maintain it in the open position for a duration corresponding to the duration of the peak of current before its closing. The time delay Temp may be constituted by an electronic device. FIG. 3 represents an exemplary delay by an electronic device t. The electronic timing device t is controlled by the switch 11 of the engine computer. Thus, the control of the delay device of the first relay is connected to the same control terminal of the coil W of the contactor or of the contact holding and contacting coils. This is of interest in case of malfunction of the closure of the contact plate P, the starter can still power its electric motor (even without the current limiter function).

According to another example of this embodiment shown in FIG. 3bis, in this example, the delay device t has its control input connected to the terminal B2. This allows the time delay to be activated only when the contact plate is in the closed position.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, a second relay Rel2, referred to as pre-engagement, comprises a contact able to allow or prevent the power supply of the electric motor M. Preferably, the contact of the pre-engagement relay Rel2 is connected. electrically between the positive terminal B + of the battery Batt and the node between the resistor R and the relay contact ReM. In other words, the pre-engagement relay comprises a terminal Bi p connected to the positive terminal of the battery and a terminal B2p connected to both the resistor and the terminal B4 of the contact of the first relay. The Rel2 pre-engagement relay is controlled by the calculator Wedge via the switch 13. This pre-engagement relay may be external to the contactor EC.

During an operation phase of the starter 10, the closing of the switch 11 controls the excitation of the coils W of the contactor EC, which causes a displacement of the contact pad P in the closed position and thus also a displacement of the pinion from the rest position to the engaged position. During this movement, the switch 13 being open, relay Rel2 prevents power supply of motor M. Once the pinion is in the engaged position, the computer Cale controls, via the switch 13, the closure relay Rel2, which generates power to the electric motor M.

During the current call of the motor M, the relay reM is open so that the resistor R limits the current peak of the starter 10. Once the current peak has passed, the computer Wedge controls, via the switch 12, closing the relay ReM so as to short-circuit the resistor R to increase the current flowing in the electric motor M.

According to the control example of this embodiment, it controls the closing of the second relay said pre-commitment and the first relay before controlling the supply W coils of the contactor. This allows a pre-rotation mode of the pinion to rotate the pinion before it moves to the crown. This is particularly advantageous when the crown is still rotating very quickly when the engine is stopping.

According to an example of this embodiment shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4a, the first relay is controlled by a delay of a delay device. In this case, the delay device of this first relay is controlled by the switch 12. In other words, the control of the timer device t of the first relay is connected to the control of the second relay. According to another example not shown, the control of the timer can also be electrically connected to the node of the second terminal B2 of the contactor, the terminal B3 of the first relay and the electric motor as shown in Figure 3a. According to yet another example not shown, the control of the timer can also be electrically connected to the power supply terminal of the coil W or the call coils and maintenance EC contactor.

The advantage of this delay is to overcome a connection between the computer and the first relay. In the embodiment the starter further comprises a timing device controlling the pre-engagement relay. Fig. 5 shows an example of this embodiment. The device time delay t2 of the first relay as well as the delay device t1 of the second relay each have the control electrically connected to the supply terminal of the coil or coils W of the contactor. The switch 11 therefore controls both the coils W of the contactor as well as the delay devices of the first relay and the second relay said pre-commitment.

This embodiment makes it possible to have only one command by the engine computer and therefore only one electrical connection wire connected from the starter to the engine computer. The timer device T1 of the first relay comprises a delay of a shorter duration than the delay of the timer device T2 of the second relay;

According to another example, shown in FIG. 5a, the first timer t1 controls both the second so-called pre-commitment relay and the control of the second timer controlling the first relay. This example is particularly advantageous if a single element can comprise the two delay devices and two outputs so as to have only one electrical connection to the supply terminal of the coils W of the contactor. According to another example, shown in FIG. 5ter, the second timer device t2 is controlled by the second so-called pre-engagement relay. In other words, the control input of the second control device is eclectically connected to the resistor and a terminal B2p of the pre-encapsulation relay. According to another example not shown, the second delay device t2 is controlled by closing the contact of the contactor. In other words, the control of the second delay device t2 is electrically connected node of the second terminal B2 of the contactor, the terminal B3 of the first relay and the electric motor as shown in Figure 3a. In one example, the relay ReM and the associated resistor R are internal to the contactor EC. The invention thus provides great flexibility in the implementation of LC current limiting elements that can independently be integrated or not inside the EC contactor. The starter 10 can be configured so that the relay ReM is last opened, that is to say after the contactor EC, during a stop of the starter 10. This limits the creation of arcs likely to use the contactor terminals. Alternatively, the contactor EC and the first relay ReM are alternately opened last when stopping the starter 10, that is to say that from one activation to the other of the starter 10, we change the last of these two elements to open when stopping.

According to the various examples of the embodiments, the first relay ReM or the second relay Rel2 can be integrated in the contactor, in particular in the bonnet part or attached to the contactor. According to the various examples of the embodiments, the switches 11, 12 13 may also be relays controlled by the computer.

Of course, the foregoing description has been given by way of example only and does not limit the scope of the invention which would not be overcome by replacing the different elements by any other equivalent.

In addition, the various features, variations, and / or embodiments of the present invention may be associated with each other in various combinations, to the extent that they are not incompatible or exclusive of each other.

Claims

1. Starter (10) for a motor vehicle engine comprising:

an electric motor (M),

a contactor (EC) for controlling the supply of said electric motor (M), said contactor (EC) comprising a first terminal (B1) and a second terminal (B2), and a movable contact plate (P) between an open position and a closed position in which the contact plate (P) electrically interconnects the first terminal (B1) and the second terminal (B2),

characterized in that

a resistor (R) is electrically connected between the first terminal (B1) and a positive terminal (B +) of a battery (Batt),

the second terminal (B2) of the contactor (EC) is electrically connected to the electric motor (M), and

a first relay (ReM) has a contact for short-circuiting the resistor (R) and the contact plate (P) in the closed position when said first relay (ReM) is in a closed state.

2. Starter according to claim 1, characterized in that the first relay (ReM) is external to the contactor (EC).

3. Starter according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first relay (ReM) comprises a first terminal (B3) electrically connected between the second terminal (B2) of the contactor (EC) and the electric motor (M) and a second terminal (B4) electrically connected between the resistor (R) and the positive terminal (B +) of the battery (Batt).

4. Starter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first relay (ReM) is adapted to be controlled by a motor calculator (Wedge).

5. Starter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first relay (ReM) is controlled by a timer (Temp) to keep it in the open position during a duration corresponding to a duration of a peak current when the electric motor (M) is put into operation.

6. Starter according to claim 5, characterized in that the timer (Temp) is constituted by an electronic device or by a mechanical device.

7. Starter according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the switch (EC) is adapted to activate a lever to advance a pinion from a rest position to an engaged position, and in that a second relay (Rel2), said pre-commitment, is adapted to allow or prevent the power supply of the electric motor (M).

8. Starter according to claim 7, characterized in that the pre-engagement relay (Rel2) is adapted to allow the power supply of the electric motor (M) after the contact plate (P) is moved to the closed position.

9. Starter according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the pre-engagement relay (Rel2) is electrically connected between the positive terminal (B +) of the battery (Batt) and the node between the resistor (R) and the first relay (ReM).

10. Starter according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the pre-engagement relay (Rel2) is external to the contactor (EC).

1 1. Starter according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it is configured so that the first relay (ReM) is last opened during a stop of the starter (10).

12. Starter according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it is configured so that the contactor (EC) and the first relay (ReM) are alternately open last when stopping the starter (10). ).