Magnet switch for starter

• US 5,525,947 A
• Filed: 02/22/1995
• Issued: 06/11/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Niimi, Masami, Hayashi, Nobuyuki, Shiga, Tsutomu, Ohmi, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): DONOVAN, LINCOLN D
• Application Number:
  US08/392,269
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 335/126, 335/131, 335/132
• US Class Current: 335/126
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/00 Starting of engines by means of electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0851 characterised by means for controlling the engagement or disengagement between engine and starter, e.g. meshing of pinion and engine gear
• 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: F02N 2300/102 Control of the starter motor speed; Control of the engine speed during cranking
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/543 Auxiliary switch inserting resistor during closure of contactor
• 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

A magnet switch for starter which controls electric power supply to a motor in two steps is disclosed. The magnet switch has a fixed contact connected to a battery, an exication coil and a plunger. On the plunger, a first movable contact, a second movable contact and an elastic resistor member are coupled. When the plunger is attracted by the coil, the secont movable contact first contacts the fixed contact so that the motor rotates at a low speed with electric power from the battery supplied through the elastic resistor member. When the plunger is further attracted, the first movable contact contacts the fixed contact so that the motor rotates at a higher speed with the electric power without passing through the eleastic resistor member.

Claims

1. A magnet switch for starter comprising:

a fixed contact electrically connected to a battery;

a first movable contact and a second movable contact for supplying electric power of said battery to a starter motor when electrically connected to said fixed contact; and

an elastic resistor member having an electric resistance and applying a contact force to said second movable contact,

wherein said fixed contact, said second movable contact and said elastic resistor member are arranged to form a first conductive circuit to conduct a battery voltage to said starter motor, and said fixed contact and said first movable contact are arranged to form a second conductive circuit to conduct said battery voltage to said starter motor bypassing said elastic resistor member.

10. A magnet switch for starter according to claim 1,

wherein said starter motor includes permanent magnets as a magnetic pole device, and wherein when no electric power of said battery is applied to said starter motor, an end of said elastic resistor member opposite to said starter motor is connected to a conductive member electrically connected to a grounding side of said battery.

12. A magnet switch for starter according to claim 10,

wherein a speed reduction mechanism is interposed between an armature shaft of said starter motor and an output shaft to speed-reducingly transfer rotation of said armature shaft to said output shaft in response to power supply to said starter motor.

2. A magnet switch for starter comprising:

an attraction coil for generating an attraction force when conducted;

a first movable contact for supplying electric power to a starter motor;

an elastic resistor member that acts as a resistor and is connected to said first movable contact;

a second movable contact set above said elastic resistor contact;

a fixed contact disposed to oppose said first movable contact and said second movable contact and electrically connected to a battery; and

a plunger shaft supporting said first movable contact and said second movable contact to move said first movable contact and said second movable contact toward said fixed contact due to attraction force of said attraction coil,

wherein said second movable contact directly contacts said fixed contact due to movement of said plunge by attraction force of said attraction coil and a contact force is applied to said second movable contact due to elastic force of said elastic resistor member so that said starter motor is conducted first via said second movable contact, said elastic resistor member and said first movable contact, and

wherein said first movable contact directly contacts said fixed member so that said motor is conducted secondly via said first movable contact and said fixed contact.

3. A magnet switch for starter according to claim 2,

wherein said fixed contact has a first direct contact portion to which said first movable contact directly contacts and a second direct contact portion to which said second movable contact directly contacts, and

wherein a distance between said second movable contact and said second direct contact portion is made shorter than a distance between said first movable contact and said first direct contact portion.

4. A magnet switch for starter according to claim 2,

wherein said elastic resistor member is formed of metal material and has a first approximately linear portion connected to said first movable contact, a spiral portion connected to one end of said first approximately linear portion and a second approximately linear portion connected to said spiral portion and extending to a position that opposes said fixed contact, and

wherein said second movable contact is set in said second approximately linear portion.

9. A magnet switch for starter according to claim 3,

wherein said elastic resistor member is formed of metal material and has a first approximately linear portion connected to said first movable contact, a spiral portion connected to one end of said first approximately linear portion and a second approximately linear portion connected to said spiral portion and extending to a position that opposes said fixed contact, and

wherein said second movable contact is set in said second approximately linear portion.

11. A magnet switch for starter according to claim 2,

wherein said starter motor includes permanent magnets as a magnetic pole device, and wherein when no electric power of said battery is applied to said starter motor, an end of said elastic resistor member opposite to said starter motor is connected to a conductive member electrically connected to a grounding side of said battery.

13. A magnet switch for starter according to claim 11,

wherein a speed reduction mechanism is interposed between an armature shaft of said starter motor and an output shaft to speed-reducingly transfer rotation of said armature shaft to said output shaft in response to power supply to said starter motor.

14. A magnet switch for starter according to claim 2,

further comprising a plunger movably disposed within said attraction coil to move said plunger shaft.

5. A magnet switch for starter comprising:

an attraction coil for generating an attraction force when conducted;

a fixed contact electrically connected to a battery;

a first and second movable contacts disposed to oppose said fixed contact;

a plunger shaft supporting said first movable contact and said second movable contact thereon to move said first movable contact and said second movable contact toward said fixed contact by said attraction force of said attraction coil;

a conductive member interposed movably between said second movable contact and said fixed contact; and

an elastic resistor member of which one end directly contacts said conductive member and the other end direct contacts said fixed contact,

wherein said second movable contact directly contacts said conductive member due to movement of said plunger and a contact force is applied to said conductive member due to elastic force of said elastic resistor member so that a battery current is conducted to a starter motor first via said second movable contact, said conductive member and said fixed contact, and

wherein said first movable contact directly contacts said fixed member so that said battery current is conducted to said starter motor secondly.

6. A magnet switch for starter according to claim 5,

wherein a distance between said conductive member and said second movable contact is made shorter than a distance between said fixed contact and said first movable contact.

7. A magnet switch for starter according to claim 5,

wherein said starter motor includes therein permanent magnets, and

wherein when said starter motor is not in operation, the end of said elastic resistor member that opposes said starter motor is connected to conductive member that is electrically connected to grounding side of said battery.

8. A magnet switch for starter according to claim 7,

wherein a speed reduction mechanism is interposed between an armature shaft of said starter motor and an output shaft to speed-reducingly transfer rotation of said armature shaft to said output shaft in response to power supply to said starter motor.