Magnet switch for starters

• US 5,656,981 A
• Filed: 05/24/1996
• Issued: 08/12/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Niimi, Masami, Hayashi, Nobuyuki, Shiga, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): DONOVAN, LINCOLN D
• Application Number:
  US08/653,269
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 335/126, 335/131
• US Class Current: 335/126
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/087 Details of the switching means in starting circuits, e.g. relays or electronic switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/62 Heating or cooling of contacts
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/42 Impedances connected with contacts

Abstract

In a starter, when a magnet switch is operated for starter operation, an auxiliary movable contact connected to a main movable contact by a holding member comes into contact with an auxiliary stationary contact to supply an electric current from a battery through resistors, auxiliary stationary contact and auxiliary movable contact to apply a low voltage to a motor for low speed rotation. Subsequently, as a plunger of the magnet switch moves further, the main movable contact comes into electrical contact with a main stationary contact, so that the resistors are short-circuited and the electric current from the battery flows to the motor without flowing through the resistors to drive the motor for high speed rotation.

Claims

1. A magnet switch for a starter for supplying an electric current from a battery to a starter motor, the magnet switch comprising:

a main stationary contact connectable to the battery;

a heat generating member electrically connected to the main stationary contact for generating heat when the current is supplied thereto; and

an auxiliary stationary contact electrically connected to the main stationary contact through the heat generating member,

wherein the main stationary contact and the auxiliary stationary contact are adapted to be brought into a conducting state to control current supply to the starter motor.

2. A magnet switch according to claim 1, wherein:

the heat generating member includes an electric resistor for limiting the electric current to be supplied to the starter motor, and

the heat generating member is first used to limit the electric current supplied from the battery to the starter motor and then short-circuited to supply the electric current from the battery to the starter motor without passing through the heat generating member.

3. A magnet switch according to claim 2, further comprising:

a main movable contact movable to contact with the main stationary contact;

an auxiliary movable contact movable to contact with the auxiliary stationary contact; and

a plunger for moving the main and the auxiliary movable contacts toward the main and the auxiliary stationary contacts respectively,

wherein the plunger first causes the auxiliary movable contact to contact the stationary movable contact so that the electric current is supplied from the battery to the starter motor through the heat generating member, and then causes the main movable contact to contact the main stationary contact so that the heat generating member is short-circuited and the electric current is supplied from the battery to the starter motor without passing through the heat generating member.

4. A magnet switch according to claim 3, wherein:

the auxiliary movable contact is electrically connected to the main movable contact; and

one of the auxiliary movable contact and the main movable contact is connected electrically to the starter motor.

5. A magnet switch according to claim 4, further comprising:

an elastic conductive holding member for connecting the auxiliary movable contact and the main movable contact mechanically and electrically.

6. A magnet switch according to claim 5, wherein:

the holding member has a curved portion formed between one end thereof connected to the main movable contact and another end thereof connected to the auxiliary movable contact.

7. A magnet switch according to claim 2, further comprising:

a contact holding member made of a bimetal and disposed between the heat generating member and the auxiliary stationary contact for holding the auxiliary stationary contact.

8. A magnet switch according to claim 7, wherein:

the heat generating member includes a pair of heat generating elements each having one end connected to the main stationary contact and another end fixed to the contact holding member.

9. A magnet switch according to claim 7 further comprising:

a plunger having a movable contact for contact with the auxiliary stationary contact; and

a short-circuiting contact adapted to contact the main stationary contact for short-circuiting the heat generating member when the contact holding member is elastically deformed by a movement of the plunger.

10. A magnet switch according to claim 7, wherein:

the contact holding member is adapted to deform elastically upon movement of the plunger and move the auxiliary movable contact away from the auxiliary fixed contact.

11. A magnet switch according to claim 9, wherein:

the short-circuiting member and the auxiliary stationary contact are formed integrally.

12. A magnet switch according to claim 1, wherein:

the heat generating member is formed of a thermistor having a positive temperature coefficient of resistance.

13. A magnet switch according to claim 8 further comprising:

a plunger having a movable contact for contact with the auxiliary stationary contact; and

a short-circuiting contact adapted to contact the main stationary contact for short-circuiting the heat generating member when the contact holding member is elastically deformed by a movement of the plunger.

14. A magnet switch according to claim 8, wherein:

the contact holding member is adapted to deform elastically upon movement of the plunger and move the auxiliary movable contact away from the auxiliary fixed contact.

15. A magnet switch according to claim 13, wherein:

the short-circuiting member and the auxiliary stationary contact are formed integrally.