Patent ID: 6851405
Filing Date: 2005-02-08
Classification: F02N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An engine starter comprising: an electric motor; a main switch, connected between said electric motor and a power source, for supplying electric power to said electric motor; an output shaft; a first spline connection member disposed between the electric motor and the output shaft; a pinion disposed at an end of said output shaft to be engaged with or disengaged from a ring gear of an engine, said pinion having a prescribed pitch between adjacent teeth; a second spline connection member disposed between said output shaft and said pinion; a pinion spring disposed between said output shaft and said pinion to apply its spring force to said pinion toward the ring gear; a lever connected to said output shaft; an electromagnetic switch connected to said lever to drive said output shaft toward the ring gear when it is excited and to turn on said main switch when said lever moves to a prescribed position; a drive spring disposed between said output shaft and said electromagnetic switch to apply its spring force to said pinion when said electromagnetic switch drives said output shaft toward the ring gear; wherein: at least one of said first and second spline connection members comprises a spline connection member that rotates said pinion relative to said output shaft a prescribed angle that is equal to or more than a half of said prescribed pitch when said helical connection member is driven by said lever toward the ring gear; and said pinion spring has a spring constant that is smaller than a spring constant of said drive spring so that said pinion spring can be compressed to provide a stroke that allows said pinion to rotate the prescribed angle about said output shaft before said main switch is closed.