A starter device for an internal combustion engine includes a starter housing, an electric motor and an engagement pinion driven in rotation by the motor around the pinion rotation axis, the pinion being movable in a translational motion along its pinion rotation axis between a retracted position and an engaging position for engaging a gear connected to the internal combustion engine, the translational motion being caused by the rotation of the electric motor, the starter device further comprising a non-rotatable element which is blocked in rotation with respect to the starter housing, a rotatable element driven in rotation by the electric motor, a helical linkage between the non rotatable element and the rotatable element for causing the translational motion of the pinion. The non rotatable element is fixed in translation along the pinion rotation axis with respect to the starter housing, the rotatable element can translate with respect to the starter housing, and translation of the rotatable element causes translation of the pinion towards its engaging position. The non-rotatable element includes a retractable clutching member with a pin movable in translational movement, so that the helical linkage can be deactivated.

A starter device for an internal combustion engine includes a starter housing, an electric motor and an engagement pinion driven in rotation by the motor around the pinion rotation axis, the pinion being movable in a translational motion along its pinion rotation axis between a retracted position and an engaging position for engaging a gear connected to the internal combustion engine, the translational motion being caused by the rotation of the electric motor, the starter device further comprising a non-rotatable element which is blocked in rotation with respect to the starter housing, a rotatable element driven in rotation by the electric motor, a helical linkage between the non rotatable element and the rotatable element for causing the translational motion of the pinion. The non rotatable element is fixed in translation along the pinion rotation axis with respect to the starter housing, the rotatable element can translate with respect to the starter housing, and translation of the rotatable element causes translation of the pinion towards its engaging position. The non-rotatable element includes a retractable clutching member with a pin movable in translational movement, so that the helical linkage can be deactivated.

The invention relates mainly to a starter (11) for a motor vehicle combustion engine, comprising: an electric motor (15), a drive pinion (60), a pinion body (61) on which said drive pinion (60) is mounted, a drive shaft (12) able to transmit a torque derived from the electric motor (15) to the drive pinion (60) via the pinion body, the pinion body (61) being mounted with the ability to slide axially with respect to the said drive shaft (12), and in which, with there being a chamber (86) delimited notably by one end of the drive shaft (12) and one end of the pinion body (61) opposite the end of the drive shaft (12), the chamber (86) is vented via a through-opening (85) made in an annular wall of the drive shaft (12) or of the pinion body (61).

The invention relates mainly to a starter (11) for a motor vehicle combustion engine, comprising: an electric motor (15), a drive pinion (60), a pinion body (61) on which said drive pinion (60) is mounted, a drive shaft (12) able to transmit a torque derived from the electric motor (15) to the drive pinion (60) via the pinion body, the pinion body (61) being mounted with the ability to slide axially with respect to the said drive shaft (12), and in which, with there being a chamber (86) delimited notably by one end of the drive shaft (12) and one end of the pinion body (61) opposite the end of the drive shaft (12), the chamber (86) is vented via a through-opening (85) made in an annular wall of the drive shaft (12) or of the pinion body (61).

The invention relates to a method for cranking an internal combustion engine, including the steps of: (a) receiving a start signal; (b) determining an initial position of the rotor with respect to a stator phase winding; (c) applying a pulse-width-modulated signal to the stator winding corresponding to determined initial position of the rotor; (d) determining a threshold value of the stator current variation; (e) measuring current of the stator winding in response to applied pulse-width-modulated signal to determine current variation; (f) if current variation is more than the threshold value, determining updated rotor position, applying a pulse-width-modulated signal to the stator winding corresponding to the updated rotor position; and repeating steps (d)-(f); and (g) if current variation is less than the threshold value, applying a pulse-width-modulated signal to the stator winding corresponding to the last updated rotor position and repeating steps (d)-(g).

The invention relates to a method for cranking an internal combustion engine, including the steps of: (a) receiving a start signal; (b) determining an initial position of the rotor with respect to a stator phase winding; (c) applying a pulse-width-modulated signal to the stator winding corresponding to determined initial position of the rotor; (d) determining a threshold value of the stator current variation; (e) measuring current of the stator winding in response to applied pulse-width-modulated signal to determine current variation; (f) if current variation is more than the threshold value, determining updated rotor position, applying a pulse-width-modulated signal to the stator winding corresponding to the updated rotor position; and repeating steps (d)-(f); and (g) if current variation is less than the threshold value, applying a pulse-width-modulated signal to the stator winding corresponding to the last updated rotor position and repeating steps (d)-(g).

A motor used for a starter of an internal combustion engine includes a motor shaft; a slide bearing that rotatably supports the motor shaft; and a bearing support member that supports the slide bearing. The motor shaft includes a concave portion or a convex portion extending in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction, the concave portion and the convex portion each includes a first surface and a second surface which face each other and the slide bearing is configured to be divided into a plurality of sections in a circumferential direction or the axial direction of the motor, the slide bearing serves as a regulation member that regulates a deviation of the motor shaft in the axial direction by an engagement between the slide bearing with the concave portion or the convex portion.

A motor used for a starter of an internal combustion engine includes a motor shaft; a slide bearing that rotatably supports the motor shaft; and a bearing support member that supports the slide bearing. The motor shaft includes a concave portion or a convex portion extending in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction, the concave portion and the convex portion each includes a first surface and a second surface which face each other and the slide bearing is configured to be divided into a plurality of sections in a circumferential direction or the axial direction of the motor, the slide bearing serves as a regulation member that regulates a deviation of the motor shaft in the axial direction by an engagement between the slide bearing with the concave portion or the convex portion.

A brushed DC includes a housing, a motor shaft, a cap, a restricting member and a spacer. The housing has a cylindrical portion with an axial end surface. The motor shaft has a protruding portion protruding from the cylindrical portion of the housing and an annular groove formed in an outer circumferential surface of the protruding portion. The cap is mounted to the cylindrical portion of the housing with an opposing surface of the cap opposed to the axial end surface of the cylindrical portion. The restricting member is mounted in the groove of the motor shaft and fixed between the axial end surface and the opposing surface to restrict axial movement of the motor shaft. The spacer is interposed, in a state of having been plastically deformed in an axial direction of the motor shaft during the mounting of the cap, between the opposing surface and the restricting member.

A brushed DC includes a housing, a motor shaft, a cap, a restricting member and a spacer. The housing has a cylindrical portion with an axial end surface. The motor shaft has a protruding portion protruding from the cylindrical portion of the housing and an annular groove formed in an outer circumferential surface of the protruding portion. The cap is mounted to the cylindrical portion of the housing with an opposing surface of the cap opposed to the axial end surface of the cylindrical portion. The restricting member is mounted in the groove of the motor shaft and fixed between the axial end surface and the opposing surface to restrict axial movement of the motor shaft. The spacer is interposed, in a state of having been plastically deformed in an axial direction of the motor shaft during the mounting of the cap, between the opposing surface and the restricting member.