Starter unit for a motor vehicle engine

• US 5,469,753 A
• Filed: 12/22/1993
• Issued: 11/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Florentin, Thierry, Vadin-Michaud, Gilles
• Primary Examiner(s): Herrmann, Allan D.
• Application Number:
  US08/172,425
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 74/7 R, 74/7 A, 74/7 C, 290/48, 384/273
• US Class Current: 74/7.00A
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 15/067 the starter comprising an electro-magnetically actuated lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/132 Separate power mesher

Abstract

A starter unit for an internal combustion engine, especially a motor vehicle engine, comprises an electric motor and an electromagnetic actuator, having parallel axes and being secured on a starter frame or chassis which has at least one starter nose. The starter nose defines a hood which envelops the end of the output member of the electromagnetic actuator and the free end of the shaft of the motor. The motor shaft carries a Bendix gear or pinion. The unit also includes an actuating lever for controlling axial displacements of the Bendix gear. The actuating lever pivots about an axis which is substantially at right angles to the axes of the motor and actuator. The actuating lever has a pivot shaft comprising two ends and mounted pivotally in a two-part bearing which comprises a first bearing part connected to the starter nose, together with a complementary second bearing part which is formed, in facing relationship with the first bearing part, in a component which is connected to the casing of the motor and/or to the casing of the electromagnetic actuator.

Claims

1. For an internal combustion engine, a starter unit comprising:

a starter frame;

an electric motor defining a first axis and carried by the starter frame;

an electromagnetic actuator defining a second axis parallel to said first axis and carried by the starter frame, said motor having a shaft rotatable on said first axis and having a free end, the actuator having an output member on said second axis and having a free end, and a casing including at least one starter nose enveloping said free ends of the motor shaft and actuator output member; and

a pinion carried on the motor shaft, the starter unit further including;

an actuating lever having a first end and a second end, said first end of the actuating lever being coupled to the output member of said actuator, said second end of the actuating lever being coupled with a pinion; and

a pivot mounting the actuating lever in the starter frame and defining a pivot axis for the actuating lever substantially perpendicular to said first and second axes, whereby the actuating lever controls axial displacements of the pinion, wherein the actuating lever includes a pivot shaft defining two ends thereof, said pivot comprising said pivot shaft and a two-part bearing cooperating with the latter, the two-part bearing comprising a first bearing part connected to the starter nose and a second bearing part complementary to the first bearing part, the starter trait further including a member connected to one casing of the motor and the actuator, with said second bearing part being formed in said member, wherein the starter nose has an inner face, said first bearing part comprising a cylindrical half bearing projecting integrally from said inner face, and further having two said first half bearings, the starter nose having an integral plate element projecting from its inner face in a plane substantially at right angles to a plane containing said first and second axes and having an end defining the two first half bearings.

2. A starter unit according to claim 1, wherein said pivot shaft lies in a plane which extends substantially between the motor and actuator casings.

3. A starter unit according to claim 1, wherein said pivot shaft is molded integrally with the actuating lever.

4. For an internal combustion engine, a starter unit comprising:

a starter frame;

an electric motor defining a first axis and carried by the starter frame;

a electromagnetic actuator for defining a second axis parallel to said first axis and carried by the starter frame, said motor having a shaft rotatable on said first axis and having a free end, the actuator having an output member on said second axis and having a free end, and a casing including at least one starter nose enveloping said free ends of the motor shaft and actuator output member; and

a pinion carrier on the motor shaft, the starter unit further including;

an actuating lever having it first end and a second end, said first end of the actuating lever being coupled to the output member of said actuator, said second end of the actuating lever being coupled with a pinion; and

a pivot mounting the actuating lever in the starter frame and defining a pivot axis for the actuating lever substantially perpendicular to said first and second axes, whereby the actuating lever controls axial displacements of the pinion, wherein the actuating lever includes a pivot shaft defining two ends thereof, said pivot comprising said pivot shaft and a two-part bearing cooperating with the latter, the two-part bearing comprising a first bearing part connected to the starter nose and a second bearing part complementary to the first bearing part, the starter unit further including a member connected to one casing of the motor and the actuator, with said second bearing part being formed in said member, wherein each of the casings of the motor and the actuator has a respective front portion, the starter nose having an inner face, said front portions of the casings being directed towards said inner face, with each said front portion having a respective mounting portion, said mounting portions being in facing relationship with each other, said member that has the second bearing part being a mounting wedge arranged between the two mounting portions and defining an end thereof, with said second bearing part comprising a cylindrical second half bearing formed in said end of the mounting wedge.

5. A starter unit according to claim 4, wherein said mounting wedge comprises a front portion in the form of a second plate element, and a rear mounting portion, said front portion extending axially from said rear portion towards the starter nose and lying in a plane substantially at fight angles to the plane containing said first and second axes, said front portion defining an end thereof, there being two said second half bearings formed in said end of the front portion of the mounting wedge.

6. A starter unit according to claim 5, having two said first half bearings, the starer nose having an integral plate element projecting from its said inner face in a plane substantially at fight angles to a plane containing said first and second axes and having an end defining the two first half bearings, said first and second plate elements being coplanar.

7. A starer unit according to claim 5, wherein said rear portion of the mounting wedge defines a first concave engagement surface and a second concave engagement surface opposed to said first engagement surface, the motor casing and actuator casing having respective cylindrical portions cooperating with said first and second engagement surfaces respectively.

8. A starter unit according to claim 7, wherein one of said concave engagement surfaces defines an indexing finger extending radially therefrom, with the cooperating cylindrical casing portion defining a complementary aperture receiving said finger.

9. A starter unit according to claim 4, wherein the mounting edge is molded in one piece from plastic material.