Starter machine system and method

• US 9,121,380 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2012
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PHINIA TECHNOLOGIES INC.
• Original Assignee: Remy Technologies LLC (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fulton, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANG D
• Application Number:
  US13/442,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20120256523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 310/75.R, 310112-114, 295/96
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/02 the motors having longitudinally-shiftable rotors
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0844 with means for restarting the engine directly after an engine stop request, e.g. caused by change of driver mind
• 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 15/00 Other power-operated starting apparatus; Component parts, details, or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart from groups F02N5/00 - F02N13/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 15/023 of the overrunning type
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 15/046 of the planetary type
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 15/066 the starter being of the coaxial type
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2011/0896 Inverters for electric machines, e.g. starter-generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/022 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/041 Starter speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/047 Information about pinion position
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/048 Information about pinion speed, both translational or rotational speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49009 Dynamoelectric machine

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a starter machine including a housing. A motor can be positioned within the housing and coupled to a gear train, which can be coupled to a shaft. A switched reluctance solenoid assembly can be positioned within the housing and capable of being coupled to inverters that communicate with an electronic control unit. The switched reluctance solenoid assembly includes at least two switched reluctance stator assemblies and a rotor that is coupled to the shaft. The rotor can also include an integral pinion and is movably positioned within the switched reluctance stator assemblies. The rotor is capable of linear and rotational movement.

Claims

1. A starter machine comprising:

a housing;

a motor being at least partially disposed within the housing, the motor being operatively coupled to a shaft; and

a switched reluctance solenoid assembly being at least partially disposed within the housing, the switched reluctance solenoid assembly further comprising

at least two switched reluctance stator assemblies, and

a rotor being movably positioned within the switched reluctance stator assemblies, the rotor being operatively coupled to the shaft and a pinion.

2. The starter machine of claim 1 and further comprising a gear train being coupled to the shaft and the motor.

3. The starter machine of claim 2, wherein the gear train comprises a planetary gear assembly and a clutch.

4. The starter machine of claim 1, wherein the switched reluctance solenoid assembly is capable of being coupled to at least one inverter.

5. The starter machine of claim 1, wherein each of the switched reluctance stator assemblies are capable of being coupled to separate inverters.

6. The starter machine of claim 5, wherein the separate inverters are in communication with an electronic control unit.

7. The starter machine of claim 1, wherein the switched reluctance solenoid assembly is configured and arranged so that the rotor is capable of linear and rotational movement.

8. The starter machine of claim 1, wherein the switched reluctance stator assemblies each comprise a plurality of salient poles and a plurality of pole windings disposed around at least a portion of the plurality of salient poles.

9. The starter machine of claim 1, wherein the rotor comprises a plurality of salient poles.

10. The starter machine of claim 1, wherein the rotor comprises a plurality of splines and the shaft comprises another plurality of splines that are configured and arranged to engage the plurality of splines on the rotor.

11. A starter machine comprising:

a housing;

a motor being at least partially disposed within the housing, the motor being operatively coupled to a gear train comprising a planetary gear assembly and a clutch;

a shaft being operatively coupled to the gear train; and

a switched reluctance solenoid assembly being at least partially disposed within the housing, the switched reluctance solenoid assembly capable of being electrically coupled to at least two inverters that are in communication with an electronic control unit, the switched reluctance solenoid assembly further comprising

at least two switched reluctance stator assemblies that each comprise a plurality of salient poles, and

a rotor being operatively coupled to the shaft and comprising an integral pinion, the rotor being movably positioned within the switched reluctance stator assemblies, and wherein the rotor is capable of linear and rotational movement.

12. The starter machine of claim 11, wherein the electronic control unit is capable of being in communication with a plurality of sensors.

13. The starter machine of claim 12, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one of a ring gear speed sensor, a pinion speed sensor, and pinion position sensor.

14. The starter machine of claim 11, wherein the switched reluctance solenoid assembly is configured and arranged to linearly move the rotor to engage the pinion with a ring gear of an engine.

15. The starter machine of claim 11, wherein the rotor comprises another plurality of salient poles.

16. The starter machine of claim 15, wherein the rotor comprises a lesser number of salient poles than do the switched reluctance stator assemblies.

17. The starter machine of claim 11, wherein each of the inverters comprises at least one solid-state switch that is in communication with the electronic control unit.

18. The starter machine of claim 11, wherein the switched reluctance stator assemblies each comprise pole windings that are capable of being electrically coupled to the at least two inverters.

19. A method of assembling a starting machine, the method comprising:

positioning a motor at least partially within a housing;

coupling the motor to a gear train comprising a planetary gear assembly and a clutch;

coupling a shaft to the gear train; and

assembling a switched reluctance solenoid assembly by

positioning at least two switched reluctance stator assemblies within the housing, the switched reluctance stator assemblies each comprising a plurality of salient poles and capable of being electrically coupled to at least two inverters that are in communication with an electronic control unit,

operatively coupling a rotor to the shaft, the rotor comprising an integral pinion, and

positioning the rotor with the switched reluctance stator assemblies so that the rotor is capable of linear and rotational movement.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the switched reluctance solenoid assembly is configured and arranged to linearly move the rotor to engage the integral pinion with a ring gear of an engine.