Information
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Patent Grant
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6693503
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Patent Number
6,693,503
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Date Filed
Tuesday, January 8, 200222 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, February 17, 200420 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
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CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 335 255
- 335 273
- 335 274
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International Classifications
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Abstract
A relay (10), in particular for a starter for an internal combustion engine, is proposed. The relay (10) includes a relay coil (13) and a solenoid armature (22) which can be moved when full battery current flows to the relay coil (13). A contact member (37) can be actuated by the solenoid armature (22), whereby an operating lever (31) is situated on the contact member (37). It is provided that a coupling element (46) connects the operating lever (31) and the solenoid armature (22) with each other in a manner that allows them to slide with limits.
Description
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The invention relates to a relay, in particular for a starter of an internal combustion engine, according to the general class of the independent claim.
Relays for starters of internal combustion engines are made known in DE 411 72 42 C1, for instance. The known relay includes a relay coil with a solenoid armature that can be moved when full battery current flows to the relay coil. As a result of the movement of the solenoid armature in the coil, a plunger attached to the solenoid armature is pressed against an operating lever after completing free travel. A contact member connected with the operating lever is thereby pushed in a straight line until it stops against two mating contacts, and a switch of an electrical circuit of a starter motor is thereby closed.
This known relay has the disadvantage, among others, that the solenoid armature can be lost, which makes handling of the relay difficult when mounting it on the starter. A further disadvantage is that only one contact return spring releases the contact member from the mating contacts, and this is insufficient to open the electrical circuit of the starter motor when “contact welding” takes place under unfavorable conditions.
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
Using the relay according to the invention having the features of the independent claim, it is possible, on the one hand, to design the relay in such a manner that the solenoid armature cannot be lost and, on the other hand, that the kinetic energy of the solenoid armature can be utilized after the relay coil is switched off to open the switch of the electrical circuit of the starter motor. A coupling element is provided for this purpose that connects the operating lever and the solenoid armature with each other in a manner that allows them to slide with limits.
Advantageous further developments and improvements of the features indicated in the independent claim arise out of the provisions listed in the subclaims.
Using a contact member situated on an operating lever, it is possible for the contact member to come in contact with mating contacts of the relay when full battery current flows to the relay coil. In this manner it is possible, for instance, to close the starter motor electrical circuit and by the switching-on. So that the contact member opens the starter motor switch after the intended end of the starting procedure and, therefore, after full battery current stops flowing to the relay coil, the solenoid armature is acted upon by a reset force that acts against the engaging direction of the relay. The coupling element is arranged in such a way that the solenoid armature can slide with limits in the reset direction in front of the operating lever. It is thereby possible that the solenoid armature carries the operating lever along by way of the coupling element, thereby making it possible to open the starter motor switch, in particular under unfavorable conditions such as when contact welding occurs. The operating lever includes an exposed frontal area that serves as the stop for a plunger attached to a solenoid armature. It is therefore possible that, during the engaging procedure, the solenoid armature presses against the operating lever by way of the plunger and thereby presses the contact member against the mating contacts to close the starter motor switch. The coupling element partially surrounds both the operating lever and the plunger. This is an advantage in particular when the coupling element is connected with the operating lever by way of a snap-on connector, because the coupling element can then be pushed over the operating lever more easily. A simple and cost-effective variant of a connection between the coupling element of the operating lever and the plunger is given in that the coupling element surrounds the operating lever and the plunger in the shape of a sleeve. A sleeve-shaped coupling element is an advantage in particular when the coupling element is made of sheet metal shaped like a sleeve. This also makes it easy to push it over the operating lever and the plunger. The coupling element fits behind either a corresponding counter-projection on the plunger or a corresponding counter-projection on the solenoid armature by way of at least one projection. If the solenoid armature does not include a plunger, the only possibility is to provide a projection on the solenoid armature itself. If the solenoid armature includes a projection, however, it is an advantage to provide the projection on the plunger, because the coupling element is not designed too large. In a further variant, the coupling element is designed in such a way that the operating lever is guided in a passage through the solenoid armature. If the coupling element is developed in sections in such a way that it guides the operating lever in a passage through the solenoid armature, the collar that is created as a result or that is present can be used so that a spring element rests against it and a contact member presses into a position removed from the coupling element.
DRAWINGS
The invention is explained in greater detail below in two design examples using the associated drawings.
FIG. 1
shows a longitudinal cross-section of a first design example of a relay according to the invention,
FIG. 2
shows a longitudinal cross-section of a second design example of a relay according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DESIGN EXAMPLES
Identical or equally-acting components are indicated with the same reference numbers.
FIG. 1
shows a first design example of a relay
10
according to the invention, in particular for a starter of an internal combustion engine. The relay
10
includes a relay coil
13
on which a magnet core
16
is situated. The relay coil
13
is inserted in a housing
19
. A movable solenoid armature
22
with which a plunger
25
is firmly connected is allocated to the relay coil
13
. An operating lever
31
is guided on axis in a passage
28
of the magnet core
16
by way of a sleeve-shaped element
34
made of insulating material, which simultaneously serves as a receptacle for a contact member
37
. The contact member
37
can also slide on axis in the passage
28
with the operating lever
31
. If the contact member
37
reaches an end position, it makes contact with mating contacts
40
of the relay. As a result of the contact of the contact member
37
with the mating contacts
40
, an electrical circuit of a non-depicted starter motor is closed, so that full current can flow from a battery to the starter motor by way of the contact member
37
.
If full battery current flows to the relay coil
13
, the solenoid armature
22
is drawn through a magnetic field that surrounds the housing
19
, the magnet core
16
, and the solenoid armature
16
, into the relay coil
13
until it touches a frontal area of the magnet core
16
. This drawing-in movement determines an engaging direction. The plunger
25
is therefore moved in the direction of the operating lever
31
and finally comes in contact with an exposed frontal area
43
of the operating lever
31
, thereby exerting pushing power on the operating lever
31
and the contact member
37
connected with this. See FIG.
2
.
A coupling element
46
is provided in the relay
10
that connects the operating lever
31
and the solenoid armature
22
with each other in a manner that allows them to slide with limits. As indicated in
FIG. 1
, the coupling element
46
is arranged in such a way that the solenoid armature
22
can slide with limits in a reset direction that is opposed to the engaging direction, in front of the operating lever
31
. In the design examples according to FIG.
1
and
FIG. 2
, this is achieved in that, on the one hand, the coupling element
46
is not connected with the operating lever
31
in a manner that allows it to slide, and, on the other, that the coupling element
46
includes a projection
49
that fits behind a corresponding counter-projection
52
on the plunger
25
. The counter-projection
52
can slide freely between the projection
49
and the free frontal area
43
. In both examples, the operating lever
31
is connected with the coupling element
46
by way of a snap-on connector
55
. In both design examples, the coupling element
46
partially surrounds both the operating lever
31
and the plunger
25
and, due to the basically cylindrical form of the coupling element
46
, the coupling element
46
surrounds the operating lever
31
and the plunger
25
in the shape of a sleeve.
A spring element
58
is provided in both design examples that rests against an end section
61
of the coupling element
46
that is opposite to the solenoid armature
22
, and the contact member
37
presses into a position that is removed from the coupling element
46
. Before the contact member
37
connects the two mating contacts
40
electrically, this removed position is determined by a stop
64
firmly connected to the operating lever
31
. See also FIG.
1
. If the operating lever
31
is located in the closed position, however, the position that is removed from the coupling element
46
is determined by the mating contacts
40
. In
FIG. 1
, the spring element
58
thereby rests against an inner surface of the sleeve-shaped element
34
and, on the other side, against a frontal area of the end section
61
of the coupling element
46
. In contrast, the spring element
58
rests against a collar
67
of the coupling element
46
in the design example according to FIG.
2
.
So that the coupling element
46
can guide the operating lever
31
in the passage
28
of the magnet core
16
, the outer diameter of the end section
61
of the coupling element
46
is enlarged so that a suitable passage is produced between the end section
61
and the passage
28
. For the same purpose, the coupling element
46
is extended in the shape of a sleeve in the second design example in such a way that the spring element
58
is accommodated within a sleeve-shaped extension
70
on the one hand, and, on the other, the sleeve-shaped extension
70
has a suitable outer diameter so that a matching guidance of the coupling element
46
in the passage
28
is produced.
During a starting procedure, the solenoid armature
22
is drawn into the relay coil
13
and presses with its plunger
25
against the operating lever
31
. In turn, the coupling element
46
connected with the operating lever
31
presses the contact member
37
against the two mating contacts
40
by way of the spring element
58
and the sleeve-shaped element
34
. In unfavorable shifting states, welding can thereby take place between the contact member
37
and the mating contacts
40
. As a result of this welding, in unfavorable conditions with the known relay, full battery current flows to the starter motor for an unnecessarily long time even after a starter switch is opened and, therefore, the fading force between the plunger
25
and the operating lever
31
and the force of a contact return spring
71
, which can lead to overloading and, finally, to failure of the starter motor. If the starter switch with the relay
10
according to the invention is opened, however, battery current first stops flowing to the relay coil
13
, as with the known relay
10
. As a result, the solenoid armature
22
is pressed into its initial position by a reset force. The reset force can be created by a return spring
73
inside the solenoid armature
22
, for instance, as shown in the two design examples. The solenoid armature
22
, which is finally accelerated by the reset force, carries the operating lever
31
along with it by way of the coupling element
46
in the relay
10
according to the invention, and this carries the contact member
37
along with it by way of the stop
64
and it finally pulls it loose from the two mating contacts
40
. For this purpose, the plunger
25
includes a plunger collar
76
that carries the coupling element
46
along on its projection
46
when the solenoid armature
22
moves in the reset direction. A pulse is therefore transferred by way of the coupling element
46
and the snap-on connector
55
to the operating lever
31
and then by way of the stop
64
to the contact member
37
, and this contact member
37
is therefore abruptly pulled loose from the mating contacts
40
.
As an alternative to the two design examples, it is also possible that the coupling element
46
includes a projection
49
that is directed radially outward which fits behind a counter-projection
52
that is equivalent to the counter-projection
52
of the plunger
25
in a recess
79
of the solenoid armature
22
. In this case, the reset force is to be created, for instance, in that a spring element creates this reset force outside of the solenoid armature
22
.
The coupling element
46
according to
FIG. 1
represents an injection-molded part made of plastic. The coupling element
46
according to
FIG. 2
is a variant made of sheet metal that is manufactured by rolling a sheet-metal strip.
Claims
- 1. A relay (10), in particular for a starter for an internal combustion engine, having a relay coil (13) and a solenoid armature (22) which can be moved when current flows to the relay coil (13), and having a contact member (37) that can be actuated by the solenoid armature (22), whereby an operating lever (31) is situated on the contact member (37), characterized in that a coupling element (46) is provided that connects the operating lever (31) and the solenoid armature (22) with each other and is arranged so that by means of the coupling element (46) the operating lever (31) and the solenoid armature (22) are limitedly slidable in a reset direction relative to one another.
- 2. Relay according to claim 1, characterized in that the solenoid armature (22) is moved in an engaging direction of the relay (10) when current flows to the relay coil (13) in such a manner that the contact member (37) makes contact with mating contacts of the relay.
- 3. Relay according to claim 2, characterized in that the solenoid armature (22) is acted upon by a reset force that acts against the engaging direction of the relay (10) in the reset direction.
- 4. Relay according to claim 3, characterized in that the coupling element (46) is arranged in such a way that the solenoid armature (22) can slide with limits in the reset direction in front of the operating lever (31).
- 5. Relay according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating lever (31) has an exposed frontal area (43) that serves as a stop for a plunger (25) attached to the solenoid armature (22).
- 6. Relay according to claim 5, characterized in that the plunger (25) includes a plunger collar (76).
- 7. Relay according to claim 1, characterized in that the coupling element (46) and the operating lever (31) are held in place on an axis in relation to each other.
- 8. Relay according to claim 1, characterized in that the coupling element (46) guides the operating lever (31) in a passage (28) through the solenoid armature (22).
- 9. Relay according to claim 1, characterized in that a spring element (58) is provided that rests against an end section (61) of the coupling element (46) that is opposite to the solenoid armature (22), and the contact member (37) presses into a position removed from the coupling element (46).
- 10. A relay (10), in particular for a starter for an internal combustion engine, having a relay coil (13) and a solenoid armature (22) which can be moved when current flows to the relay coil (13), and having a contact member (37) that can be actuated by the solenoid armature (22), whereby an operating lever (31) is situated on the contact member (37), characterized in that a coupling element (46) is provided that connects the operating lever (31) and the solenoid armature (22) with each other in a manner that allows them to slide with limits, wherein the operating lever (31) has an exposed frontal area (43) that serves as a stop for a plunger (25) attached to the solenoid armature (22) and wherein the coupling element (46) partially surrounds both the operating lever (31) and the plunger (25).
- 11. A relay (10), in particular for a starter for an internal combustion engine, having a relay coil (13) and a solenoid armature (22) which can be moved when current flows to the relay coil (13), and having a contact member (37) that can be actuated by the solenoid armature (22), whereby an operating lever (31) is situated on the contact member (37), characterized in that a coupling element (46) is provided that connects the operating lever (31) and the solenoid armature (22) with each other in a manner that allows them to slide with limits, wherein the operating lever (31) has an exposed frontal area (43) that serves as a stop for a plunger (25) attached to the solenoid armature (22), and wherein the coupling element (46) surrounds the operating lever (31) and the plunger (25) in the shape of a sleeve.
- 12. A relay (10), in particular for a starter for an internal combustion engine, having a relay coil (13) and a solenoid armature (22) which can be moved when current flows to the relay coil (13), and having a contact member (37) that can be actuated by the solenoid armature (22), whereby an operating lever (31) is situated on the contact member (37), characterized in that a coupling element (46) is provided that connects the operating lever (31) and the solenoid armature (22) with each other in a manner that allows them to slide with limits, wherein the operating lever (31) is connected with the coupling element (46) by way of a snap-on connector.
- 13. A relay (10), in particular for a starter for an internal combustion engine, having a relay coil (13) and a solenoid armature (22) which can be moved when current flows to the relay coil (13), and having a contact member (37) that can be actuated by the solenoid armature (22), whereby an operating lever (31) is situated on the contact member (37), characterized in that a coupling element (46) is provided that connects the operating lever (31) and the solenoid armature (22) with each other in a manner that allows them to slide with limits, wherein the operating lever (31) has an exposed frontal area (43) that serves as a stop for a plunger (25) attached to the solenoid armature (22), wherein the coupling element (46) includes at least one projection (49) that fits behind a corresponding counter-projection (52) on the plunger (25) or solenoid armature (22).
- 14. A relay (10), in particular for a starter for an internal combustion engine, having a relay coil (13) and a solenoid armature (22) which can be moved when current flows to the relay coil (13), and having a contact member (37) that can be actuated by the solenoid armature (22), whereby an operating lever (31) is situated on the contact member (37), characterized in that a coupling element (46) is provided that connects the operating lever (31) and the solenoid armature (22) with each other in a manner that allows them to slide with limits, wherein a spring element (58) is provided that rests against an end section (61) of the coupling element (46) that is opposite to the solenoid armature (22), and the contact member (37) presses into a position removed from the coupling element (46), and wherein the spring element (58) rests against a collar (67) of the coupling element (46).
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
199 51 116 |
Oct 1999 |
DE |
|
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/DE00/03704 |
|
WO |
00 |
Publishing Document |
Publishing Date |
Country |
Kind |
WO01/31668 |
5/3/2001 |
WO |
A |
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4243964 |
Boegner |
Jan 1981 |
A |
5677656 |
Mauch et al. |
Oct 1997 |
A |
5986528 |
Meier et al. |
Nov 1999 |
A |
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
41 17 242 |
Jul 1992 |
DE |
2 289 795 |
Nov 1995 |
GB |