Permanently engaged starter assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11448177-B2
Application number	US-202117388239-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2021
Priority date	Sep 1, 2020
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

A permanently engaged starter system for use in a vehicle, with the vehicle including a crankshaft and an engine block, includes a dual-mass flywheel and a permanently engaged starter assembly. The dual-mass flywheel extends along an axis and has an inner diameter portion disposed about and adjacent the axis and an outer diameter portion disposed about the axis such that the inner diameter portion is disposed between the outer diameter portion and the axis. The permanently engaged starter assembly includes a one-way clutch and a ring gear. The one-way clutch extends along the axis and includes an inner member disposed about the axis and an outer member disposed about the inner member. The ring gear is rotatably coupled to the one-way clutch and is adapted to be rotatably coupled to the outer diameter portion of the dual-mass flywheel through the one-way clutch.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A permanently engaged starter system for use in a vehicle including a crankshaft and an engine block, said permanently engaged starter system comprising:
a dual-mass flywheel extending along an axis and having an inner diameter portion disposed about and adjacent said axis and an outer diameter portion disposed about said axis such that said inner diameter portion is disposed between said outer diameter portion and said axis; and
a permanently engaged starter assembly comprising,
a one-way clutch extending along said axis and comprising an inner member disposed about said axis and an outer member disposed about said inner member, and
a ring gear rotatably coupled to said one-way clutch;
wherein said ring gear is adapted to be rotatably coupled to said outer diameter portion of said dual-mass flywheel through said one-way clutch.

2. The permanently engaged starter system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said permanently engaged starter assembly further includes a starter motor comprising a pinion gear rotatably coupled to said ring gear for providing rotational torque to the crankshaft through said one-way clutch and said dual-mass flywheel.

3. The permanently engaged starter system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said permanently engaged starter assembly further comprises a ring gear support element disposed about said axis and coupled to said ring gear for axially retaining said ring gear with respect to said axis and for radially retaining said ring gear with respect to said axis, and wherein said ring gear is rotatably coupled to said outer diameter portion of said dual-mass flywheel through said one-way clutch.

4. The permanently engaged starter system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said ring gear support element is further defined as at least two separate ring gear support elements, wherein said at least two separate ring gear support elements are circumferentially spaced from one another about said axis.

5. The permanently engaged starter system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said permanently engaged starter assembly further comprises a starter support plate adapted to be rigidly coupled to the engine block such that said starter support plate is stationary with respect to said axis, wherein said ring gear, through said ring gear support element, is coupled to said starter support plate such that said ring gear is axially retained with respect to said axis.

6. The permanently engaged starter system as set forth in claim 5 , wherein said permanently engaged starter assembly further comprises a bushing coupled to said ring gear support element for supporting said ring gear support element during rotation about said axis, and further comprising a bushing support element coupled to said starter support plate and to said bushing for supporting said bushing.

7. The permanently engaged starter system as set forth in claim 6 , wherein said bushing support element is riveted or welded to said starter support plate.

8. The permanently engaged starter system as set forth in claim 6 , wherein said permanently engaged starter assembly further comprises a washer disposed between said ring gear support element and said starter support plate.

9. The permanently engaged starter system as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said ring gear support element is riveted or welded to said ring gear.

10. The permanently engaged starter system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said one-way clutch includes ratchet locking elements for selectively rotatably coupling said ring gear to said dual-mass flywheel.

11. The permanently engaged starter system as set forth in claim 10 , wherein said ratchet locking elements are further defined as pawls, wherein said one-way clutch further includes a pawl support element coupled to said pawl and coupled to said dual-mass flywheel.

12. The permanently engaged starter system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said one-way clutch is further defined as at least two separate one-way clutch portions circumferentially spaced from one another about said axis.

13. The permanently engaged starter system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said one-way clutch includes a first side plate and a second side plate axially spaced from said first side plate, and wherein said first and second side plates are coupled to said outer diameter portion of said dual-mass flywheel by a rivet or welding.

14. The permanently engaged starter system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said one-way clutch has an inner clutch diameter, and wherein said one-way clutch and said ring gear of said permanently engaged starter assembly are radially disposed outside of said inner diameter with respect to said axis.

15. The permanently engaged starter system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said outer member of said one-way clutch is further defined as an inner diameter of said ring gear.

16. The permanently engaged starter system as set forth in claim 15 , wherein said inner member of said one-way clutch comprises ratchet locking elements for selectively rotatably coupling said ring gear to said dual-mass flywheel.

17. The permanently engaged starter system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said dual-mass flywheel has an outer flywheel diameter, and wherein said one-way clutch and said ring gear of said permanently engaged starter assembly are radially disposed outside of said outer flywheel diameter with respect to said axis.

18. A permanently engaged starter assembly for use in a permanently engaged starter system for use in a vehicle, with the vehicle including a crankshaft and an engine block, and with the permanently engaged starter system including,
a dual-mass flywheel extending along an axis and having an inner diameter portion disposed about and adjacent the axis and an outer diameter portion disposed about the axis such that the inner diameter portion is disposed between the outer diameter portion and the axis, or
a torque converter including a flexplate having an inner flex diameter portion disposed about and adjacent the axis and an outer flex diameter portion disposed about the axis such that the inner flex diameter portion is disposed between the outer flex diameter portion and the axis,
said permanently engaged starter assembly comprising:
a one-way clutch comprising an inner member adapted to be disposed about the axis and an outer member disposed about said inner member; and
a ring gear rotatably coupled to said one-way clutch;
wherein said ring gear is adapted to be rotatably coupled to the outer diameter portion of the dual-mass flywheel through said one-way clutch or adapted to be rotatably coupled to the outer flex diameter portion of the flexplate through said one-way clutch.

19. The permanently engaged starter assembly as set forth in claim 18 , further comprising a starter motor comprising a pinion gear rotatably coupled to said ring gear for providing rotational torque to the crankshaft through said one-way clutch and the dual-mass flywheel or the flexplate of the torque converter.

20. A permanently engaged starter system for use in a vehicle including a crankshaft and an engine block, said permanently engaged starter system comprising:
a torque converter including a flexplate extending along an axis, with said flex plate having an inner flex diameter portion disposed about and adjacent said axis and an outer flex diameter portion disposed about said axis such that said inner flex diameter portion is disposed between said outer flex diameter portion and said axis; and
a permanently engaged s

Assignees

• Borgwarner Inc

Inventors

• Campton Calahan B
• Papania James R
• Campbell Michael W

Classifications

• F02N11/00

  Starting of engines by means of electric motors · CPC title

• F02N15/023 Primary

  of the overrunning type · CPC title

• F16D2041/0603

  Sprag details · CPC title

• F02N15/026 Primary

  of the centrifugal type · CPC title

• F16D43/16

  with clutching members having interengaging parts · CPC title