STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES IN MOTOR VEHICLES

• US 20090020091A1
• Filed: 05/08/2006
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kuettmer, Birgit, Grellscheid, Steffi, Botzenhard, Thomas, Hartmann, Sven, Tsakiris, Apostolos, Gerschwitz, Walter, Schmidt, Karl-Otto, Heyers, Klaus
• Application Number:
  US11/913,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20090020091A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/179.300
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/0095 Synchronisation of the cylinders during engine shutdown
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/2027 Control of the current by pulse width modulation or duty cycle control
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0814 comprising means for controlling automatic idle-start-stop
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0855 during engine shutdown or after engine stop before start command, e.g. pre-engagement of pinion
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/087 Details of the switching means in starting circuits, e.g. relays or electronic switches
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 15/067 the starter comprising an electro-magnetically actuated lever
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 51/065 Relays having a pair of normally open contacts rigidly fixed to a magnetic core movable along the axis of a solenoid, e.g. relays for starting automobiles details H01H50/20

Abstract

The invention relates to a starter device (10) for internal combustion engines (15) in motor vehicles with a controller (19), a starter relay (12), a starter pinion (13) and a starter motor (11), whereby on each start/stop process in the stop phase (first step) the starter relay engages the starter pinion in the toothed ring (14) of the engine and in the start phase (second step) the engine is turned over by the starter motor. According to the invention, the starter pinion (13) may be engaged as quietly as possible for a subsequent starting process on switching off the engine (10) and held in position until starting, whereby, in the first step of the starting process, the armature (28) of the starter relay (12) is withdrawn with reduced force to a position with open switch contact (18) and held there until the start of the second step, whereupon the armature (28) closes the switch contact (18) of the starter motor with full force.

Claims

1. A starting device (10) for motor vehicles with a control unit (19) and a starter relay (12) for engaging a starter pinion (13) in a toothed ring (14) of an internal combustion engine (15), and with a starter motor (11) that drives the starter pinion, the starter relay including a relay winding (16) and a switch contact (18) that switches the main current of the starter motor, in which—

in a start-stop procedure—

the starter pinion engages in the toothed ring during the stop phase in a first step (Sa1) and, during the start phase, in a second step (Sa2), the internal combustion engine is turned over by the starter motor,

wherein,

in the first step (Sa1), during preliminary engagement of the starter pinion (13), the armature (28) of the starter relay (12) is moved forward with reduced force to a position (S2)—

with the switch contact (18) still open—

and it is held there until the start of the second step (Sa2), at which point the switch contact (18) closes with full force.

2. The starting device as recited in claim 1,

wherein,

in the first step (Sa1), the control unit (19) reduces the current (Ir) in the relay winding (16) via a switch element (Tr1) from an initial value to a half-current, preferably in a stepped manner, and, in the second step (Sa2), it increases the current (Ir) to a value required for the necessary contact force of the switch contact (18).

3. The starting device as recited in claim 2,

wherein

the magnetic force (Pm) generated by the holding current in the first displacement section (Sa1) of the armature (28) is greater than the force of the preloaded armature return spring (35), but it is less than the force applied by a further return spring (36, 38), which is preferably preloaded and acts in the final displacement section (Sa2).

4. The starting device as recited in claim 3,

wherein

the preload force of the further return spring (36, 38) need not be overcome until an increased amount of current is supplied to the starter relay (12) for the final displacement section (Sa2) of the armature (28).

5. A starter relay for a starting device as recited in claim 1,

wherein

the magnetic circuit of the starter relay (12) is designed—

in a spring-loaded displacement region (A) of the armature (28), before the switch contact (18) is closed—

for a displacement (Δ

S) of the armature (28) that is nearly proportional to the magnetic potential (Δ

H).

6. The starter relay as recited in claim 5,

wherein

the armature (28) extends concentrically over magnetic core (26) of the starter relay (12) in its last displacement section (Sa2), with a small radial air gap between them.

7. The starter relay as recited in claim 6,

wherein

the armature (28) is provided—

on its end face facing the magnetic core (26)—

with an axially projecting collar (41), which extends over the front end of the magnetic core (26) in the rear displacement section (Sa2) of the armature (28).

8. Starter relay for a starting device as recited in claim 3,

wherein,

at the end of the first step, the armature (28) of the starter relay (12) bears against the further return spring (38).

9. The starter relay as recited in claim 8,

wherein

a contact return spring (36) of the starter relay (12) serves as the further return spring, which is actuated by the armature (28) via a switch rod (30).

10. The starter relay as recited in claim 8,

wherein

the switch contact (18) is moved forward—

in the first displacement section (Sa1) of the armature (28)—

until slightly before closing, and it is held there during the stop phase by the preloaded, further return spring (36).

11. The starter relay as recited in claim 10,

wherein

a contact pressure spring (36) of the starter relay (12) serves as the further return spring.

12. The starter relay as recited in claim 11,

wherein,

in the first step (Sa1), the switch rod (30) on which the switch contact (18) is mounted is capable of being moved forward until it bears against the contact pressure spring (36).