Permanently Engaged Starter Assembly With Outer Flywheel Ring Gear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional permanently engaged starter assemblies for vehicles are costly and occupy substantial space in the engine bay, with limited configurations and orientations due to their design.
Innovation Solution
A permanently engaged starter system that includes a dual-mass flywheel or torque converter with a one-way clutch and ring gear, where the ring gear is rotatably coupled to the outer diameter portion of the flywheel or flexplate, allowing for reduced packaging space and compatibility with multiple designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the ring gear is coupled to the inner diameter portion of the dual-mass flywheel, then the starter assembly can be compactly arranged, but the configuration is limited and requires retrofitting for different designs
Solution Approach 1:
The starter assembly is designed with universal adaptability to couple with the outer diameter portion of various dual-mass flywheel designs through the one-way clutch, eliminating the need for retrofitting while maintaining space efficiency. The coupling mechanism accommodates different flywheel configurations without requiring modification to the starter assembly itself.
2Volume of stationary object
If conventional starter assemblies are designed with fixed configurations, then manufacturing is simplified, but they occupy substantial space and have limited orientation options in the engine bay
Solution Approach 1:
The starter assembly incorporates dynamic coupling capabilities through the one-way clutch mechanism, allowing it to adapt to different orientations and configurations within the engine bay. This enables the assembly to be installed in multiple orientations without increasing axial packaging space, providing installation flexibility while maintaining a compact design.
3Ease of manufacture
If the ring gear is coupled to the inner diameter portion of the flywheel, then the starter assembly structure is simplified, but it cannot be used with multiple flywheel designs without retrofitting
Solution Approach 1:
The starter assembly maintains manufacturing simplicity while achieving universal compatibility with multiple flywheel designs by coupling to the outer diameter portion through the one-way clutch. This design allows the same starter assembly to be manufactured and installed across different vehicle platforms without requiring retrofitting or modification, reducing development costs and simplifying supply chain management.
Data Source
AI summary
A permanently engaged starter system for use in a vehicle, with the vehicle including a crankshaft and an engine block, includes a dual-mass flywheel and a permanently engaged starter assembly. The dual-mass flywheel extends along an axis and has an inner diameter portion disposed about and adjacent the axis and an outer diameter portion disposed about the axis such that the inner diameter portion is disposed between the outer diameter portion and the axis. The permanently engaged starter assembly includes a one-way clutch and a ring gear. The one-way clutch extends along the axis and includes an inner member disposed about the axis and an outer member disposed about the inner member. The ring gear is rotatably coupled to the one-way clutch and is adapted to be rotatably coupled to the outer diameter portion of the dual-mass flywheel through the one-way clutch.