Starter motor assembly with soft start solenoid
First Claim
1. A solenoid for a vehicle starter, the solenoid comprising:
- a solenoid case;
a plunger stop coupled to the solenoid case, the plunger stop including a plunger engagement surface;
a pull-in coil positioned within the solenoid case and removed from the plunger engagement surface in an axial direction such that the pull-in coil does not encircle the engagement surface;
a hold-in coil positioned within the solenoid case axially adjacent to the pull-in coil, the hold-in coil encircling the plunger engagement surface and centered in the axial direction at the plunger engagement surface; and
a plunger positioned within the pull-in coil and configured to move in the axial direction when the pull-in coil is energizedwherein the hold-in coil and the pull-in coil arranged within the solenoid case such that no ferromagnetic material coupled to the solenoid case is positioned between the hold-in coil and the pull-in coil and no ferromagnetic material that is separate from the plunger or the plunger engagement surface is positioned radially inward from the hold-in coil and the pull-in coil.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A solenoid for a vehicle starter comprises a pull-in coil and a hold-in coil positioned axially adjacent to the pull-in coil. A plunger is positioned within the pull-in coil and configured to move in an axial direction when the pull-in coil is energized. The plunger is separated from a plunger stop in the axial direction by an air gap when the pull-in coil and the hold-in coil are not energized. When the pull-in coil and hold-in coil are energized, a shoulder of the plunger moves in an axial direction toward the plunger stop. The pull-in coil is positioned in the solenoid such that it is removed from the plunger stop in the axial direction. In contrast, the hold-in coil encircles the plunger stop.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A solenoid for a vehicle starter, the solenoid comprising:
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a solenoid case; a plunger stop coupled to the solenoid case, the plunger stop including a plunger engagement surface; a pull-in coil positioned within the solenoid case and removed from the plunger engagement surface in an axial direction such that the pull-in coil does not encircle the engagement surface; a hold-in coil positioned within the solenoid case axially adjacent to the pull-in coil, the hold-in coil encircling the plunger engagement surface and centered in the axial direction at the plunger engagement surface; and a plunger positioned within the pull-in coil and configured to move in the axial direction when the pull-in coil is energized wherein the hold-in coil and the pull-in coil arranged within the solenoid case such that no ferromagnetic material coupled to the solenoid case is positioned between the hold-in coil and the pull-in coil and no ferromagnetic material that is separate from the plunger or the plunger engagement surface is positioned radially inward from the hold-in coil and the pull-in coil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A solenoid for a vehicle starter, the solenoid comprising:
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a solenoid case comprised of a metallic material; a plunger configured to move in an axial direction between a first position and a second position; a plunger stop including a plunger engagement surface configured to engage the plunger when the plunger is in the second position, the plunger stop comprised of a metallic material; an air gap between the plunger and the plunger engagement surface when the plunger is in the first position; a pull-in coil removed from the plunger engagement surface by a distance in the axial direction, the pull-in coil encircling the plunger but not encircling the plunger engagement surface; and a hold-in coil encircling the plunger engagement surface and axially centered relative to the plunger engagement surface, wherein no component substantially comprised of a material with a low magnetic reluctance is positioned either (i) between the pull-in coil and the hold-in coil and coupled to the solenoid case or (ii) radially inward from the pull-in coil and the hold-in coil and separate from the plunger or the plunger engagement surface. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A vehicle starter comprising:
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an electric motor; a motor circuit configured to deliver electrical power to the electric motor, the motor circuit including a first current path and a second current path to the electric motor; and a solenoid comprising; a spool including an axial passage, the spool substantially comprised of a material with a relatively high magnetic reluctance such that no portions of the spool are substantially comprised of a material with a relatively low magnetic reluctance; a plunger positioned within the spool and configured to move in an axial direction between a first position and a second position; a plunger stop surface configured to engage the plunger when the plunger is in the second position; a pull-in coil wound on the spool, the pull-in coil positioned in the first current path, the pull-in coil encircling the plunger but removed from the plunger stop surface in the axial direction, the pull-in coil configured to move the plunger in the axial direction toward the second position when the pull-in coil is energized; a contact configured to short the first current path and close the second current path when the plunger is moved to the second position; and a hold-in coil wound on the spool axially adjacent to the pull-in coil, the hold-in coil encircling the plunger stop surface and axially adjacent to the pull-in coil, the hold-in coil configured to retain the plunger at the plunger stop position after the first current path is shorted. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification