STARTER SOLENOID WITH RECTANGULAR COIL WINDING

• US 20120068477A1
• Filed: 09/21/2010
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PHINIA TECHNOLOGIES INC.
• Original Assignee: Remy International Incorporated (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bradfield, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,477,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/38.R
• 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 15/067 the starter comprising an electro-magnetically actuated lever
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2011/0892 Two coils being used in the starting circuit, e.g. in two windings in the starting relay or two field windings in the starter
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 47/04 for holding armature in attracted position, e.g. when initial energising circuit is interrupted; for maintaining armature in attracted position, e.g. with reduced energising current with switching regulator H01H47/325
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/12 Ventilating; Cooling; Heating for operating electrothermal relays H01H61/013
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/44 Magnetic coils or windings
• 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

Abstract

A solenoid for a vehicle starter includes a pull-in coil made of a length of rectangular wire and a hold-in coil adjacent to the pull-in coil. A plunger is configured to move in an axial direction when the pull-in coil made of rectangular wire is energized. The pull-in coil and the hold-in coil are positioned on a spool with the plunger slideably positioned within a central passage of the spool. The plunger is configured to engage a plunger stop when the pull-in coil is energized. In at least one embodiment, the hold-in coil is separated from the plunger stop in the axial direction and the hold-in coil encircles the plunger stop.

Claims

1. A solenoid for a vehicle starter, the solenoid comprising:

a first coil comprised of a length of rectangular wire;

a second coil adjacent to the first coil; and

a plunger configured to move in an axial direction when the first coil is energized.

2. The solenoid of claim 1 wherein the second coil is comprised of a length of round wire.

3. The solenoid of claim 1 wherein the second coil is comprised of a length of rectangular wire.

4. The solenoid of claim 1 wherein the rectangular wire is square wire with radiused corners.

5. The solenoid of claim 3 wherein the first coil is a pull-in coil and the second coil is a hold-in coil, and wherein the pull-in coil comprises a plurality of adjacent windings and sides of the rectangular wire of the pull-in coil are in contact on the adjacent windings.

6. The solenoid of claim 5 wherein the length of rectangular wire is wound on a spool such that the pull-in coil has a stacking factor of at least 90%.

7. The solenoid of claim 6 wherein the stacking factor is at least 92%.

8. The solenoid of claim 1 further comprising a spool with an internal passage, wherein the first coil and the second coil are wound on the spool and the plunger is configured to move in the axial direction within the internal passage of the spool.

9. The solenoid of claim 8 wherein the first coil is adjacent to the second coil in the axial direction.

10. The solenoid of claim 9 further comprising a plunger stop, wherein the first coil is separated from the plunger stop in the axial direction, and wherein the second coil encircles the plunger stop.

11. A vehicle starter comprising:

an electric motor configured to drive a pinion; and

a solenoid comprising;

a plunger;

a coil comprised of a length of rectangular wire, coil configured to move the plunger in an axial direction to a plunger stop position when the coil is energized; and

a contact configured to close a current path to the electric motor when the plunger is in the plunger stop position.

12. The vehicle starter of claim 11 wherein the coil is a first coil, the solenoid further comprising a second coil adjacent to the first coil in the axial direction.

13. The vehicle starter of claim 12 wherein the first coil and the second coil are positioned on a single spool with an internal passage, the plunger positioned within the internal passage of the spool.

14. The vehicle starter of claim 11 wherein the coil is a pull-in coil and wherein the solenoid further comprises a hold-in coil configured to retain the plunger in the plunger stop position when the hold-in coil is energized.

15. The vehicle starter of claim 14 further comprising 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, wherein the pull-in coil is positioned in the first current path, and wherein the first current path is shorted when the plunger is in the plunger stop position.

16. The vehicle starter of claim 15 further comprising an ignition switch configured to connect the pull-in coil and the hold-in coil to a source of electrical power such that the pull-in coil and the hold-in coil are energized when the ignition switch is closed and before the plunger is moved to the plunger stop position.

17. The vehicle starter of claim 16 wherein the hold-in coil is configured to remain energized when the plunger is moved to the plunger stop position and the ignition switch remains closed.

18. The vehicle starter of claim 14 wherein the rectangular wire of the pull-in coil is square wire, wherein the pull-in coil comprises a plurality of adjacent windings such that sides of the rectangular wire are in contact on the adjacent windings.

19. The vehicle starter of claim 18 wherein the rectangular wire is wound on a spool with a stacking factor of at least 90%, and wherein the hold-in coil is comprised of a length of round wire.

20. A solenoid for a vehicle starter, the solenoid comprising:

a spool including a first end flange, a second end flange, a middle flange, and an internal passage, wherein a first coil bay is provided between the first end flange and the middle flange, and wherein a second coil bay is provided between the middle flange and the second end flange;

a first coil comprised of plurality of windings of square wire wound around the spool on the first coil bay;

a second coil adjacent to the first coil in an axial direction, the second coil comprised of a plurality of windings of wire wound around the spool on the second coil bay; and

a plunger configured to move in the axial direction when the first coil and the second coil are energized.