Patent ID: 8421565

Claim:
A solenoid for a vehicle starter, the solenoid comprising: at least one coil with a passage extending through the coil; a substantially solid plunger moveably positioned within the passage and configured to move in an axial direction between a first position where the plunger is removed from a plunger stop and a second position where the plunger engages the plunger stop, the plunger including a substantially cylindrical outer surface portion with a circumferential notch formed in the outer surface portion; a plate member positioned adjacent to an opposite end of the coil from the plunger stop, the plate member separated from the plunger by a radial distance, wherein the radial distance varies when the plunger moves from the first position to the second position as a result of the circumferential notch on the outer surface portion of the plunger moving in relation to the plate member; and a solenoid case with the at least one coil positioned within the solenoid case and the plate member connected to the solenoid case, wherein the solenoid case includes an outside wall and the plate member is integral with the outside wall of the solenoid case.