Starter

Abstract

The starter includes a housing housing a solenoid and fixed to an engine, a center case held between a motor thereof and the housing, a clutch housed in the center case, and a pinion shaft movable in its axial direction and spline-connected to an inner periphery of an inner tube of the clutch, which is rotatably supported by a bearing. The housing has a tubular wall section through which the pinion shaft extends and to which the center case is coupled in the axial direction. The tubular wall section is formed with a through hole. The center case has a bearing holding section holding the bearing and a cylindrical projecting section projecting in the axial direction towards the housing at a position radially outwardly of the bearing holding section inside the tubular wall section. The outer periphery of the projecting section faces the through hole.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view including a partial cross-sectional view of a starter according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the starter according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are a side view, a plan view, and a cross-sectional view of a drain member of the starter according to the first embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a starter according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A starter for starting an engine comprising: a motor generating a torque;a housing having a solenoid and fixed to said engine;a center case held between a yoke of said motor and said housing;a clutch housed in said center case and having a clutch outer and an inner tube, said inner tube being rotatably supported by said center case through a bearing, said torque of said motor being transmitted to said inner tube through said clutch outer;a pinion shaft spline-connected to an inner periphery of said inner tube at one end portion thereof, and supported by said housing at the other end portion thereof so as to be rotatable and movable in an axial direction thereof; anda pinion gear mounted to a tip of said other end portion of said pinion shaft, said pinion gear meshing with a ring gear of said engine when said pinion shaft is moved by an action of said solenoid in a direction opposite to said motor;said housing having a tubular wall section through which said pinion shaft extends and to which said center case is coupled in said axial direction,said tubular wall section being formed with a through hole penetrating a wall thereof and extending in a direction perpendicular to said axial direction,said center case having a bearing holding section holding said bearing and a cylindrical projecting section projecting in said axial direction towards said housing at a position radially outwardly of said bearing holding section inside said tubular wall section, an outer periphery of said cylindrical projecting section facing said through hole.

2. The starter according to claim 1, wherein said center case is made of steel.

3. The starter according to claim 1, wherein said center case is made of metal having a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of steel.

4. The starter according to claim 1, further comprising a drain member fitted into said through hole.

5. The starter according to claim 4, wherein said drain member has a drainage section situated outside said tubular wall section, said drainage section having a drainage hole extending in a direction perpendicular to said axial direction and opening to said through hole, and a terminating plate partially closing an end of said drainage hole, said terminating plate being provided with at least one wall to define at least one exit of said drainage hole between an outer periphery of said tubular wall section and said terminating plate.

6. The starter according to claim 5, wherein said terminating plate is circular, and has a diameter larger than a diameter of said through hole, said exit being situated radially inwardly of said terminating plate.