Starter motor

摘要

A starter motor for an internal combustion engine has an electric motor, a shaft driven by the motor, and a pinion assembly arranged to engage a flywheel of the engine. The pinion assembly has a drive collar mounted to a helical spline of the shaft, an output gear and an elastic member disposed between the drive collar and the output gear. A connection shell prevents axial separation between the drive collar and the output gear. The elastic member prevents direct contact between the connection shell and at least one and possibly both of the drive collar and the output gear.

主权项

1. A starter motor for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
an electric motor; a rotatable output shaft driven by the motor, the output shaft having a male helical spline formed thereon; and a pinion assembly comprising: a drive collar mounted on and movable along the output shaft, the drive collar comprises a tubular engaging part extending along the axial direction of the output shaft and an annular plate extending radially outwardly from the engaging part, the engaging part defines a through hole having a female helical spline engaging the male helical spline of the output shaft; an output gear movable along the output shaft and driven by the drive collar; a position member connected to the output shaft, arranged on a side of the output gear remote from the drive collar to limit axial movement of the output gear along the output shaft; an elastic member sandwiched between the drive collar and the output gear; and a connection shell for restricting the output gear from moving away from the drive collar along the output shaft but allowing relative rotational movement about the shaft between the drive collar and the output gear, the connection shell comprising a sleeve part surrounding a radially outer wall of the elastic member and two clamping parts extending radially inwardly from respective ends of the sleeve part, wherein the elastic member comprises a substantially tubular surrounding part and an annular intermediate part radially protruding from the inner wall of the surrounding part, one axial end portion of the surrounding part away from the output gear being axially beyond the intermediate part, the annular plate being received in a first receiving groove formed by the intermediate part and said axial end portion of the surrounding part; and wherein the connection shell does not make direct contact with at least one of the drive collar and the output gear.