Patent ID: 7302869

Claim:
An electric starter motor comprising: an electric motor; an output shaft to which torque is imparted by said electric motor; an overrunning clutch comprising: a clutch outer coupled to said output shaft by a spline; a clutch inner disposed inside said clutch outer; a roller disposed between said clutch outer and said clutch inner, said roller transmitting torque from said clutch outer to said clutch inner; a washer mounted to an open end of said clutch outer, said washer restricting axial movement of said roller; and a clutch cover mounted so as to be fitted over said clutch outer, said clutch cover fixing said washer to an end surface of said open end of said clutch outer; a pinion disposed integrally on said clutch inner so as to be movable axially and rotatable on said output shaft; an intermediate shaft disposed parallel to said output shaft; an intermediate gear intermeshing with said pinion, said intermediate gear being disposed so as to be rotatably supported by said intermediate shaft and movable axially on said intermediate shaft; and a movement linking body engaging with a cylindrical pinion boss portion disposed on said pinion and a cylindrical intermediate gear boss portion disposed on said intermediate gear such that each is rotatable relatively, said movement linking body restricting relative axial movement of said pinion and said intermediate gear, said electric starter motor moving said intermediate gear axially forward together with said pinion by means of said movement linking body during starting of an engine to intermesh said intermediate gear with a ring gear and start an engine, and moving said intermediate gear axially rearward together with said pinion by means of said movement linking body after said engine has been started to release said intermeshing of said intermediate gear with said ring gear, wherein: said pinion comprises: a first pinion flange portion disposed so as to protrude radially at a front end of said cylindrical pinion boss portion disposed on said pinion; a second pinion flange portion disposed so as to protrude radially facing said first pinion flange portion from an opposite side of said pinion boss portion; and said movement linking body comprises: first and second engaging recess portions fitting together with said pinion boss portion and said intermediate gear boss portion; a first sliding surface coming into contact with said first pinion flange portion, said first sliding surface restricting rearward movement of said pinion; a second sliding surface coming into contact with said second pinion flange portion, said second sliding surface restricting forward movement of said pinion; and a third sliding surface coming into contact with said clutch cover, said third sliding surface restricting forward movement of said pinion.