Starting apparatus for vehicles using a subsidiary storage device

• US 5,563,454 A
• Filed: 06/15/1994
• Issued: 10/08/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Araki, Takeshi, Nagao, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elms, Richard T.
• Application Number:
  US08/260,749
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.6, 307/109, 307/110, 307/10.3, 123/179.1, 123/179.25, 123/179.3, 123/179.28, 320/1, 320/2, 320/6, 320/15, 320/61-64, 290/27, 290/28, 290/36 R, 290/47, 290/48, 290/38 R, 290/50, 361/160, 361/189, 361/154, 361/194
• US Class Current: 307/10.6
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0866 comprising several power sources, e.g. battery and capacitor or two batteries
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2011/0885 Capacitors, e.g. for additional power supply
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2011/0888 DC/DC converters

Abstract

A starting apparatus which is capable of preventing damages to the starter unit even if a starting current passed to the starter unit fails to be interrupted due to switch troubles, etc. is provided. A main storage device is charged by a power generating device and feeds electricity to electric loads in a vehicle and a subsidiary storage device. A starting switch passes the charging current from the main storage device to the subsidiary storage device during non-starting time, by which the subsidiary storage device specially designed to drive the starter unit stores the power which is smaller than that which may cause damages such as burning to the starter unit even if the current is discharged continuously to the starter unit, but larger than that required for each starting under normal conditions. The starting switch discharges the power stored in the subsidiary storage unit to a coil of a magnet switch of the starter unit to close the magnet switch, whereby the starting power is fed from the main storage unit to the starter motor of the starter unit.

Claims

1. A starting apparatus for vehicles having an electric power generating device, said starting apparatus comprising:

a starter unit, including a starter motor capable of starting an engine and a magnet switch, for supplying and stopping an electric current supply to said starter motor;

a subsidiary storage device connected to drive said starter unit and having a storage capacity smaller than a value which may cause damage to said starter unit when a current is continuously discharged therefrom to said starter unit but larger than that required for each starting of said engine;

a main storage device which feeds electricity to said subsidiary storage device during engine non-starting time; and

starting means for discharging electric power stored in said subsidiary storage device to said starter unit at engine starting time to feed an electric current to at least said magnet switch, and for passing the current stored in said main storage device for charging said subsidiary storage device during engine non-starting time;

wherein said subsidiary storage device includes

first means for allowing only the current from said starting means,

charging means connected in series with said first means for being charged by said current,

holding means connected in parallel with said charging means for holding a charging voltage from said charging means to a specified value, and

second means connected in series with said holding means for allowing only a discharging current from said charging means.

2. A starting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein said starter unit comprises:

an exciting coil which produces a magnetic field by the current passed thereto from said subsidiary storage device;

a moving contact attracted by the magnetic field; and

a fixed contact which contacts by the attraction of said moving contact.

3. A starting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein a resistor for deciding a charging time constant at charging is provided between said generating device and said starting means, and said subsidiary storage device includes an electric double-layer condenser.

4. A starting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein a DC-DC converter is connected to said first means.

5. A starting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein said subsidiary storage device is integrated with said magnet switch and said starter motor.

6. A starting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein said starting means includes:

relay drive type switching means for opening and closing to pass and cut off an electric current; and

switching means for feeding and interrupting electric current from said main storage device and which is provided between said relay drive type switching means and said main storage device.

7. A starting apparatus for vehicles having an electric power generating device, said starting apparatus comprising:

a starter unit, including a starter motor capable of starting an engine and a magnet switch, for supplying and stopping an electric current supply to said starter motor;

a subsidiary storage device connected to drive said starter unit and having a storage capacity smaller than a value which may cause damage to said starter unit when a current is continuously discharged therefrom to said starter unit but larger than that required for each starting of said engine;

a main storage device which feeds electricity to said subsidiary storage device during engine non-starting time; and

starting means for discharging electric power stored in said subsidiary storage device to said starter unit at engine starting time to feed an electric current to said magnet switch, and for passing the current stored in said main storage device for charging said subsidiary storage device during engine non-starting time;

wherein said starter unit includes;

an exciting coil which produces a magnetic field by the current passed thereto from said subsidiary storage device;

a moving contact attracted by the magnetic field; and

a fixed contact which contacts by the attraction of said moving contact, and

wherein said magnet switch includes reversing means for preventing a current from flowing from said fixed contact to said exciting coil.

8. A starting apparatus for vehicles, said starting apparatus comprising:

a selection switch selectively actuated to first and second positions for starting and non-starting a vehicle engine, respectively;

a storage battery connected to said selection switch;

a starter unit including a starter motor and a magnet switch for energizing said starter motor during closure thereof; and

a capacitor connected to said selection switch to be charged by said storage battery when said selection switch is in said second position, and which energizes only an exciting coil of said magnet switch and discharges to close said magnet switch when said selection switch is in said first position, capacitance of said capacitor being so determined that said magnet switch is opened irrespective of said selection switch in said first position when discharge of said capacitor continues for a predetermined time by which said starter motor is prevented from excessive heat generation due to continued energization.

9. A starting apparatus for vehicles having an electric power generating device, said starting apparatus comprising:

a main storage device;

a starter motor capable of starting a vehicular engine;

a magnet switch, having a magnetic coil, for supplying electric current from said main storage device to said starter motor responsive to a closure of said magnet switch;

a subsidiary storage device for supplying electric current to the magnetic coil of said magnet switch and which has a storage capacity for storing electric power needed to keep said magnet switch actuated for a predetermined period of time which is shorter than a time for said main storage device to continuously energize said starter motor until the latter may become damaged and longer than that required for each starting of said engine; and

starting means for discharging electric power stored in said subsidiary storage device to said magnetic coil of said magnet switch to close the magnet switch, thereby starting said engine by supplying electric current from said main storage device to said starter motor during engine starting time, and for passing the current stored in said main storage device for charging said subsidiary storage device during engine non-starting time.

10. A starting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 9, wherein said subsidiary storage device comprises:

first means for allowing only the current from said starting means;

charging means connected in series with said first means for being charged by said current;

holding means connected in parallel with said charging means for holding a charging voltage from said charging means to a specified value; and

second means connected in series with said holding means for allowing only a discharging current from said charging means.

11. A starting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 10, wherein a DC-DC converter is connected to said first means.

12. A starting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 9, wherein said magnet switch comprises:

an exciting coil which produces a magnetic field when energized;

a moving contact attracted by said magnetic field;

a fixed contact which comes into contact with said moving contact when the latter is attracted; and

reverse flow prevention means disposed between said exciting coil and said moving contact for preventing a reverse current from flowing from said fixed contact to said exciting coil.

13. A starting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 9, wherein a resistor for setting a charging time constant at charging is provided between said generating device and said starting means, and said subsidiary storage device includes an electric double-layer condenser.

14. A starting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 9, wherein said starting means includes:

relay drive type switching means for opening and closing to pass and cut off an electric current; and

switching means for feeding and interrupting electric current from said main storage device and which is provided between said relay drive type switching means and said main storage device.

15. A starting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 9, wherein said subsidiary storage device is integrated with said magnet switch and said starter motor.

16. A starting apparatus for a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a main storage device;

a subsidiary storage device;

starter motor;

a magnet switch having a first contact connected to said main storage device, a second contact connected to said starter motor, and a magnetic coil for selectively establishing and breaking an electrical connection between said first and second contacts; and

a starting switch, connected to said subsidiary storage device and said magnetic coil of said magnet switch, for selectively applying electrical energy from said subsidiary storage device to said coil of said magnet switch, thereby closing said first and second contacts to establish an electrical connection between said main storage device and said starter motor responsive to application of said electrical energy from said subsidiary storage device to said starting switch.

17. The circuit of claim 16, wherein said subsidiary storage device supplies electrical energy to said magnetic coil for a time period sufficient for said main storage device to actuate said starter motor but insufficient for said main storage device to damage said starter motor.

18. An electrical circuit comprising:

a main storage device;

a subsidiary storage device;

a load;

a first switch having a first contact connected to said main storage device, a second contact connected to said load, and a coil for selectively establishing and breaking an electrical connection between said first and second contacts; and

a second switch, connected to said subsidiary storage device and said coil of said first switch, for selectively applying electrical energy from said subsidiary storage device to said coil of said first switch, thereby closing said first and second contacts to establish an electrical connection between said main storage device and said load responsive to application of said electrical energy from said subsidiary storage device to said second switch,

wherein said second switch is further for establishing an electrical connection between said main storage device and said subsidiary storage device when not establishing said electrical connection between said main storage device and said load.

19. The circuit of claim 18, wherein said main storage device charges said subsidiary storage device, when said second switch establishes said electrical connection therebetween, at a rate which renders said subsidiary storage device incapable of causing said coil to establish said electrical connection between said first and second contacts for a predetermined time period.

20. A method of powering an electrical load, said method comprising the steps of:

charging a subsidiary storage device using a main storage device; and

applying, when not performing said charging step, electrical energy from said subsidiary storage device to a coil of a magnetic switch to cause said magnetic switch to establish an electrical connection between said main storage device and said load, thereby powering said electrical load.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of selectively moving a switch between first and second positions to perform said charging and applying steps.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of performing said applying step for a predetermined amount of time which is sufficient to actuate said electrical load but insufficient to cause damage to said electrical load.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said charging step comprises a step of charging said subsidiary storage device at a rate insufficient to cause said magnetic switch to establish said electrical connection between said main storage device and said electrical load for a predetermined time period.