Starting and charging apparatus

• US 5,818,115 A
• Filed: 07/16/1996
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagao, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ENAD, ELVIN GENARGUE
• Application Number:
  US08/680,613
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 290/38 R, 290/7, 123/179.1, 123/185.14, 123/185.1, 180/65.1, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 320/15, 320/2
• US Class Current: 290/31
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/04 the motors being associated with current generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0866 comprising several power sources, e.g. battery and capacitor or two batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 23/52 Motors acting also as generators, e.g. starting motors used as generators for ignition or lighting

Abstract

A starter dynamo having a pinion engageable with a ring gear and an armature for rotating the pinion is supplied at engine starting with an electric storage power from an electric double layered capacitor used exclusively for the starter dynamo. With this storage power, the armature rotates and, with this armature rotation, the pinion rotates. An engine ring gear is driven through the pinion to start the engine. After the engine starting, the ring gear rotation is transmitted to the armature through the pinion and the starter dynamo charges the electric double-layered capacitor. Thus, an electric storage power required for the next engine starting is charged in a short period of time.

Claims

1. A starting and generating apparatus comprising:

a battery electrically connected to a vehicular electric load;

a vehicular generator driven by an engine for charging the battery;

a starter dynamo having a pinion engageable with a ring gear of the engine and an armature for rotating the pinion, the armature being constructed to rotate the pinion for an engine starting and to be rotated after engine starting by a rotation of the ring gear transmitted through the pinion for generating an electric power; and

electric storage means for supplying an electric power to the starter dynamo to drive the engine and for being charged by the starter dynamo after the engine starting.

2. A starting and generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the electric storage means is charged by the starter dynamo after the engine is driven and ignited within a time interval that is 5 times a time interval that the starter dynamo requires for the engine starting.

3. A starting and generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

switch means for electrically connecting the starter dynamo and the electric storage means to each other; and

control means for controlling turning on and off of the switch means, the control means turning on the switch means at a time of operation of the starter dynamo to supply an electric storage power of the electric storage means to the starter dynamo and supplying after the engine starting a generated power of the starter dynamo to the electric storage means to charge the electric storage means.

4. A starting and generating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

the control means turns off the switch means when a charge amount of the electric storage means reaches a predetermined amount.

5. A starting and generating apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

clutch means provided between the starter dynamo and the engine; and

the control means disengaging the starter dynamo and the engine by the clutch means as well as turning off the switch means.

6. A starting and generating apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

clutch means provided between the starter dynamo and the engine; and

the control means detecting a rotational speed of the engine and disengaging the starter dynamo and the engine by the clutch means when the detected rotational speed reaches a predetermined speed.

7. A starting and generating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

battery connecting switch means for connecting electrically the starter dynamo and the battery to each other.

8. A starting and generating apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

switch means for electrically connecting the starter dynamo and the electric storage means to each other; and

control means for controlling turning on and off of the switch means, the control means turning on the switch means and the battery connecting switch means at a time of operation of the starter dynamo to supply storage powers of the electric storage means and the battery to the starter dynamo when a charged amount of the electric storage means is below a predetermined amount and supplying after the engine starting a generated power of the starter dynamo to the electric storage means to charge the electric storage means.

9. A starting and generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the electric storage means is charged up to a voltage higher than a rated voltage of the battery.

10. A starting and generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the electric storage means is disposed closely to and around an outer circumference of a yoke of the starter dynamo.

11. A starting and generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the electric storage means includes an electric double-layered capacitor.

12. A starting and generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the electric storage means is disposed integrally with the starter dynamo.

13. A starting and generating apparatus comprising:

a starter dynamo having a pinion engageable with a ring gear of an engine and an armature for rotating the pinion, the armature being constructed to rotate the pinion for an engine starting and to be rotated after engine starting by a rotation of the ring gear transmitted through the pinion for generating an electric power; and

electric storage means for supplying an electric power to the starter dynamo to drive the engine and for being charged by the starter dynamo after the engine starting, the electric storage means being disposed integrally with the starter dynamo.