Starter motor with drive assembly fitted with a coupling system for coupling a pinion mounted freely on its rotor shaft, and associated method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9765744-B2
Application number	US-201113810633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2011
Priority date	Jul 27, 2010
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A starter comprises an electric motor which drives a rotor shaft, a drive shaft that can be rotationally coupled to the rotor shaft, and a pinion mounted on the drive shaft and movable in a translational movement between a rest position and an active position by a movement system. The starter comprises a coupling system that couples a rotary movement in one direction of rotation of the rotor shaft to the pinion. The coupling system moves from an uncoupled state into a coupled state and vice versa. In the coupled state, the rotor shaft is firmly attached to the pinion in the starting direction of rotation. In the uncoupled state, the pinion is disconnected from the rotor shaft in both directions of rotation. The starter further comprises a movement system for moving the pinion from the coupling system into the uncoupled state as it moves the pinion into active position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A starter ( 1 ) of a thermal motor, comprising:
an electric motor comprising:
a rotor shaft ( 5 ) comprising a longitudinal axis (X),
a rotor ( 3 ) fitted onto the rotor shaft ( 5 ),
a stator ( 7 ) disposed around the rotor ( 3 ),
the rotor ( 3 ) rotationally driving the rotor shaft ( 5 ) around the longitudinal axis (X) in a direction of rotation of start-up when the electric motor is on;

a drive shaft ( 15 ) configured to be drivingly coupled to the rotor shaft ( 5 ) through a gear reducer system ( 17 ) and rotatable around the longitudinal axis (X);
a pinion ( 13 ) rotatably fitted on the drive shaft ( 15 ) for rotation around the longitudinal axis (X) of the drive shaft ( 15 ), the pinion ( 13 ) being rotatable relative to the drive shaft ( 15 ) and axially moveable relative to the drive shaft ( 15 ) along the longitudinal axis (X) between a rest position and an active position;
a coupling system ( 30 ) for drivingly coupling the rotor shaft ( 5 ) to the pinion ( 13 ) so as to transmit torque therebetween, the coupling system ( 30 ) configured to pass from an uncoupled state to a coupled state and vice versa, wherein:
in the coupled state, the rotor shaft ( 5 ) is drivingly connected in the direction of rotation of start-up to the pinion ( 13 ), and
in the uncoupled state, the pinion ( 13 ) is drivingly disconnected in both directions of rotation of the rotor shaft ( 5 ); and

a displacement system axially shifting the pinion ( 13 ) and the coupling system ( 30 ) relative to the drive shaft ( 15 ) along the longitudinal axis (X) toward the active position of the pinion ( 13 ) when the electric motor is off.

2. The starter ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein:
the pinion ( 13 ) is rotatably mounted on the drive shaft ( 15 ),
the drive shaft ( 15 ) is drivingly connected to the rotor shaft ( 5 ), and
the coupling system ( 30 ) in the uncoupled state rotatably disconnects in both directions the pinion ( 13 ) from the drive shaft ( 15 ), and in the coupled state drivingly connects the pinion ( 13 ) to the drive shaft ( 15 ) in the direction of rotation of start-up.

3. The starter ( 1 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the coupling system ( 30 ) is configured to pass from the uncoupled state to the coupled state when the axial movement of the pinion ( 13 ) along the longitudinal axis (X) relative to the rotor shaft ( 5 ) is blocked and the electric motor is on.

4. A starter ( 1 ) of a thermal motor, comprising:
an electric motor comprising:
a rotor shaft ( 5 ) comprising a longitudinal axis (X),
a rotor ( 3 ) fitted onto the rotor shaft ( 5 ), and
a stator ( 7 ) disposed around the rotor ( 3 ),
the rotor ( 3 ) rotationally driving the rotor shaft ( 5 ) around the longitudinal axis (X) in a direction of rotation of start-up when the electric motor is on

a drive shaft ( 15 ) configured to be drivingly coupled to the rotor shaft ( 5 ) and rotatable around the longitudinal axis (X);
a pinion ( 13 ) rotatably fitted on the drive shaft ( 15 ) for rotation around the longitudinal axis (X) of the drive shaft ( 15 ), the pinion ( 13 ) being axially moveable relative to the drive shaft ( 15 ) along the longitudinal axis (X) between a rest position and an active position;
a coupling system ( 30 ) for drivingly coupling the rotor shaft ( 5 ) to the pinion ( 13 ) so as to transmit torque therebetween, the coupling system ( 30 ) configured to pass from an uncoupled state to a coupled state and vice versa, wherein:
in the coupled state, the rotor shaft ( 5 ) is drivingly connected in the direction of rotation of start-up to the pinion ( 13 ), and
in the uncoupled state, the pinion ( 13 ) is drivingly disconnected in both directions of rotation of the rotor shaft ( 5 ); and

a displacement system configured to axially shift the pinion ( 13 ) and the coupling system ( 30 ) relative to the drive shaft ( 15 ) along the longitudinal axis (X) toward the active position of the pinion ( 13 ) when the electric motor is off;
the pinion ( 13 ) rotatably mounted on the drive shaft ( 15 );
the drive shaft ( 15 ) drivingly connected to the rotor shaft ( 5 ); and
the coupling system ( 30 ) in the uncoupled state rotatably disconnecting in both directions the pinion ( 13 ) from the drive shaft ( 15 ), and in the coupled state non-rotatably connecting the pinion ( 13 ) to the drive shaft ( 15 ) in the direction of rotation of start-up;
the coupling system ( 30 ) configured to pass from the uncoupled state to the coupled state when the axial movement of the pinion ( 13 ) along the longitudinal axis (X) relative to the rotor shaft ( 5 ) is blocked and the electric motor is on
the coupling system ( 30 ) comprising:
a driver ( 32 , 32 a , 32 b ) axially moveable from an uncoupled position to a coupled position relative to the pinion ( 13 ) along the longitudinal axis (X) of the drive shaft ( 15 ) when the electric motor is on,
a shifting device to axially shift the driver ( 32 , 32 a , 32 b ) relative to the pinion ( 13 ) along the longitudinal axis (X), and
a clutch device ( 36 , 36 a ) configured to non-rotatably couple the drive shaft ( 15 ) to the pinion ( 13 ),
wherein the driver ( 32 , 32 a , 32 b ) acts on the clutch device ( 36 , 36 a ) so as to non-rotatably couple the drive shaft ( 15 ) to the pinion ( 13 ) when the axial movement of the pinion ( 13 ) along the longitudinal axis (X) relative to the drive shaft ( 15 ) is blocked.

5. The starter ( 1 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the displacement system includes an electromagnetic device.

6. The starter ( 1 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the shifting device to axially shift the driver ( 32 , 32 a , 32 b ) comprises:
a part of the drive shaft ( 15 ) having a thread spiral ( 34 ),
a tapping spiral ( 320 ) complementary to the thread spiral ( 34 ) on the driver ( 32 , 32 a , 32 b ), the cooperation of the tapping spiral ( 320 ) and the thread spiral ( 34 ) causing the driver ( 32 , 32 a , 32 b ) to be spirally displaced relative to the drive shaft ( 15 ) along the longitudinal axis (X) from an initial position to a final position.

7. The starter ( 1 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the clutch device is a friction clutch device ( 36 , 36 a ) comprising:
at least one first friction part ( 361 , 322 b ) non-rotatably connected to the driver ( 32 , 32 a , 32 b ), the at least one first friction part ( 361 , 322 b ) comprising at least one first friction surface ( 361 b , 321 b ),
at least one second friction part ( 382 , 38 b ) non-rotatably connected to the pinion ( 13 ), the at least one second friction part ( 382 , 38 b ) comprising at least one second friction surface ( 382 b , 381 b ) facing the first friction surface ( 361 b , 321 b ) of the first friction part ( 361 , 322 b ),
wherein at the state of coupling, the driver ( 32 , 32 a , 32 b ) is in coupled position and applies a force on the first friction part ( 361 , 322 b ) against the second friction part ( 382 , 38 b ) so that the drive shaft ( 15 ) transmits rotational movement to the pinion ( 13 ), and
wherein, in the uncoupled state, the driver ( 32 , 32 a , 32 b ) is in uncoupled position, allowing the at least one first friction surface ( 361 b , 321 b ) of the first friction part ( 361 , 322 b ) to rotate relative to the at least one second friction surface ( 382 b , 381 b ) of the second friction part ( 382 , 38 b ) in order to uncouple the torque from the drive shaft ( 15 ) to the pinion ( 13 ).

8. The starter ( 1 ) according to the claim 7 , wherein:
the first friction part ( 361 ) is an inner disk ( 361 ) non-rotatably connected with the driver ( 32 , 32 a ) and axially mo

Assignees

• Metral Jean-Sébastien
• Seillier Guillaume
• Villard Vincent
• Valeo Equip Electr Moteur

Inventors

• Metral Jean-Sébastien
• Seillier Guillaume
• Villard Vincent

Classifications

• F02N15/046

  of the planetary type · CPC title

• F02N15/025

  of the friction type · CPC title

• F02N11/0851 Primary

  characterised by means for controlling the engagement or disengagement between engine and starter, e.g. meshing of pinion and engine gear · CPC title

• F02N11/0855 Primary

  during engine shutdown or after engine stop before start command, e.g. pre-engagement of pinion · CPC title

• F02N11/0814

  comprising means for controlling automatic idle-start-stop · CPC title