Patent ID: 7067934

Claim:
A starter comprising: an electric motor producing a rotational force when supplied with a start-up current, the electric motor having a frame and a grommet mounted on the frame; a motor circuit for the passage therethrough of the start-up current from a battery to the electric motor; and an electromagnetic switch disposed in the motor circuit for selectively allowing and blocking flow of the start-up current through the motor circuit, wherein said motor circuit comprises: a motor lead wire passing through the grommet and having a first end portion disposed outside the frame and connected with the electromagnetic switch and a second end portion disposed inside the frame; a motor internal circuit disposed internally of the electric motor and forming a current flow path through which the start-up current supplied via the motor lead wire flows; and an intermediate member made of metal and electrically connected either between the motor lead wire and the motor internal circuit or to an intermediate portion of the motor internal circuit, the intermediate member having a fuse function that undergoes melting to thereby break the motor circuit when the motor circuit is subjected to a thermal load excessively larger than that in normal use.