US3415999A - Automatic starter for internal combustion engines - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 10, 1968 R. P. NOURY AUTOMATIC STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES F iled Dec.

3 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 10, 1968 R. P. NOURY AUTOMATIC STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

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AUTOMATIC STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Dec. '1, 1965 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 7% 0/2 PRISSl/flf SWITCH AC. or 0.6 GENERATOR m/v/r/b/v coil United States Patent 3,415,999 AUTOMATIC STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Roger P. Noury, 8927 Tolhurst St., Montreal, Quebec, Canada Filed Dec. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 510,849 25 Claims. (Cl. 29038) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An automatic starter for motors having an ignition coil energized by a DC-power supply and operated by a low frequency bi-stable trigger circuit comprising two time delay switches which via a power transistor and for a given period of time conduct current to a starter motor after which period and upon failure to start the motor, a third time delay switch deenergizes the first two time delay switches and arranged so that in case the motor is started a switch responsive to the motor is actuated and deenergizes the ignition coil and the third delay switch.

The present invention relates to an automatic starter for motors and particularly for internal combustion engines.

The automatic starter may be placed in operating condition by closing a simple switch or actuating a remote control device. The automatic starter may also be actuated by a temperature control switch at a certain temperature.

The automatic starter is adapted to turn the starter motor for short periods only until the motor runs. A start and stop process for the starter motor is preferred in order to save the battery. This process also forms a more positive way of starting the motor than to let the starter motor run until the battery is discharged.

Upon energizing the starter motor once or for a few times, the engine will normally run. A motor responsive switch will then stop the operation of the automatic starter.

The motor will run until it is manually stopped, that is, if it has been started by a sole switch or by a remote control device only. In case the motor has been started through an auxiliary, temperature-controlled switch, said switch will stop the motor when same has reached a predetermined high temperature. The cycle of operation is instituted between predetermined upper and lower temperatures. This operation cycle has the advantage of maintaining the motor above a certain temperature in order to facilitate its starting operation.

If the motor has not started to run after a predetermined number of starting attempts, a communicating circuit is actuated and stops the operation of the automatic starter.

An advantage of this device is to warm up the engine by turning on a switch which may be located inside a house or at least away from the engine. If the thermostat located in the neighborhood of the engine indicates that the latter is cold, the engine will start to run until it reaches a determined temperature.

This operation may take place in the morning, for instance some time before the operator expects to use his car.

When particularly cold weather is expected, a manual switch may be actuated the night before and the automatic starter will actuate the motor at various intervals during the night in order to maintain the motor in an easy-tostart condition.

When the motor starts to run, a motor responsive switch stops the actuation of the automatic starter. The motor responsive switch may be a connection located at the Patented Dec. 10, 1968 generator for indicating the actuation of the generator or an oil pressure switch.

In order to obtain the above-indicated results, it has been conceived to use low frequency oscillators in time delay switches. One of said delay switches is alternately actuated in order to energize a starter motor. A third delay switch containing a third oscillator having a longer period than the first two ones comes into operation after a number of cycles of the time delay switches have failed to start the motor.

The first two time delay switches operating alternatively may be considered as a bi-stable trigger circuit or a multivibrator.

The three oscillators may be a silicone unijunction transistor connected in series with a number of resistors and a capacitor. The silicone unijunction transistor provides a low frequency oscillation. The unijunction transistor is connected in parallel with a silicone controlled rectifier, one terminal of the unijunction transistor being connected to the gate of the said controlled rectifier. The combination of the said oscillator with the controlled rectifier constitutes a time delay switch. Two such time delay switches having diiierent operation periods may be connected to alternately actuate a relay in order to energize in a discontinuous manner a starter motor. The combination of the said two time delay switches constitutes a low frequency bi-stable trigger circuit.

A substantially similar oscillator such as the two previously mentioned ones but having a longer period of oscillation may be connected to a third controlled rectifier and a third relay to constitute a third time delay switch which will stop the actuation of the trigger circuit after a determined number of cycles will have taken place.

A different embodiment of the invention is formed by introducing in the arrangement of the automatic starter, a combination of power transistors which will eliminate the use of relays. In this case, power transistor will alternately be actuated by a controlled rectifier and blocked, at regular intervals, by a time delay switch.

The time delay switch which eventually stops the operation of the trigger circuit may essentially consist of the combination of a power transistor, a unijunction transistor and a controlled rectifier with appropriate resistors and capacitors.

It is obvious that various embodiments may include a choice of combinations of time delay switches comprising relays or power transistors.

It is also understood that a timing device may be incorporated in the circuit to start the operation of the automatic starter at a given time.

Various other modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an automatic starter comprising a bistable trigger circuit which includes one relay.

FIG. 2 represents the circuit for an automatic starter comprising a bi-stable trigger circuit which includes a relay for each of the time delay switches.

FIG. 3 represents a circuit for an automatic starter without the use of any relays.

FIG. 4 represents a circuit for an automatic starter comprising a bi-stable trigger circuit without relays, however, in which a relay is used in the time delay switch for stopping the bi-stable trigger circuit.

Before explaining the operations of the circuits shown in the figures, it may be useful to provide some general information about the elements shown in the drawings.

In FIG. 1, there are four relays A, B, C and D. Three of these relays are shown as being connected in parallel with a rectifier diode so that the diode prevents a feedback into the relays. The contacts which forms part of each relay have been shown throughout the circuits by the same letter as the one used for the corresponding relay with an index 1, 2 or 3. Furthermore, if the contact is normally opened, it has been indicated as NO. and if normally closed, the letters N.C. have been added. For instance, the relay A has two normally opened contacts A and A The relay B has two normally opened contacts B and B and a normally closed contact B Similarly, normally closed contact C is operated when relay C is energized and normally closed contact D operates when the relay D is itself energized. The transistors identified by U in the disclosure are of the silicone unijunction type which have a very high time constant. The transistors generally identified in the disclosure by SC are of the silicone controlled rectifier type which will permit the current to pass when a current is fed to its gate by a silicone unijunction transistor.

Now referring to FIG. 1, the toggle switch T.S. is closed to prepare the automatic starter to operate automatically. As it may be seen in the figure, switch SW1 is simultaneously closed.

When the temperature falls below a given degree, the thermostat TH switch closes. The relay A is then ener gized and institutes closing of contacts A and A When A closes, the ignition coil is energized. When A, closes, the operation of the time delays which may be generally identified by U U and U starts. The combination of U R R R and capacitor 14 forms a low frequency oscillator having the shortest time constant in the circuit. After a short period, this combination will energize the rectifier SC The current will then pass through the relay B for a given period. When the relay B is energized, its normally opened contacts B and B close, and the normally closed contact B opens. B in the closed position operates the starter motor.

The motor may start immediately, and if it does, a current will be drawn from the generator (A.C. or DC.) and energize the relay D. Normally closed contact D which belongs to the relay D, deenergizes U U U and the starter.

The motor runs until it reaches an upper determined temperature at which the time switch TH is opened.

At this time, the motor stops, the relay D is deenergized and its contact D closes. The relay D may also be referred to as a cranking cut-out relay because it is the relay that cuts out the automatic starter when the motor starts to run.

It the motor does not start to run on the first try, the relay B stops to be energized at the end of the period of the oscillator U at which time B, and B open and B closes. The starter also stops being energized.

After a given period which is longer than the period of U and measured accordingly, U becomes energized and the rectifier SC becomes conductive. The relay B will again be energized and accordingly, contacts B and B will close, contact B will open and the starter motor will be energized.

It should be pointed out here that the transistor U with the resistors R R R and the capacitor form an oscillator with a longer time constant than the combination comprising the transistor U These two oscillators in combination with their respective controlled rectifiers 5C and 8C alternately act on the relay B and constitute two time delay switches which function as a trigger circuit or multivibrator. This circuit will be actuated for a determined number of cycles.

If during one of the cycles, the motor starts, the procedure stated above will take place. If the motor has not started before the end of the given number of cycles, a third time delay switch is arranged to stop the operation of the flip-flop circuit. The third time delay switch comprises the unijunction transistor in combination with the resistors R Ra,,R and capacitor 16 with the controlled rectifier SC and the relay C. The third time delay switch operates in a similar manner as each of the first two delay switches mentioned hereinbefore. The third time delay switch has a period equivalent to a given number of said cycles. When the third delay switch generally identified by U has reached its delay period, the rectifier SC becomes conductive and enables the current to pass through the relay C. When the relay C is energized, its contact C opens. The relay A will then become deenergized and its contacts A and A will open.

At this time, only the relay C will remain energized until the toggle switch T.S. is manually opened which will completely stop the operation of the device.

The toggle switch T.S. is usually not opened immediately, but the amount of current passing through the relay C is very small and will not drain out the battery.

FIG. 2 shows a different embodiment from the one represented in FIG 1. Nevertheless, both embodiments operate on the same principles, that is, on the alternative operation of two time delay switches constituting a low frequency trigger circuit.

The switch SW is the switch which enables the operator to put the device in the automatic position (AUTO) by introducing the thermostat (TH) in the circuit or to test the device manually (MAN) without having to wait for the thermostat to operate.

When the switch SW is in the AUTO position, and the temperature falls below a determined degree, the switch TH closes and the following steps take place:

(a) Relay E is energized and contacts E E and E close.

(b) When E is closed, the time delay U starts to operate.

(c) When E (d) When E (e) The time to operate.

At this time, the motor may start to operate in the same way as explained with respect to FIG. 1, but if it does not start the process continues as follows:

The delay generally represented by U, has the shortest time constant and at the end of its period, the rectifier 8C becomes conductive and the current will then pass through it, to energize the relay F.

The switch F will move from its normal position (full lines to the dotted lines) so that the starter motor will stop being energized and the delay generally represented by U will start to be fed.

The switch F will move from its normal position (full lines to dotted lines) shown in FIG. 2.

At the end of the period of U the rectifier SC becomes conductive. The current then passes through the relay G and the normally closed contact G opens which deenergizes the relay F. At that time, the switches F and F operated by the relay F return to their normal position (full lines).

The cycle process of actuating U and U proceeds until the motor starts to run. If the motor has not started by the end of the period of the time delay, generally represented by U (which takes place at the end of a determined number of cycles U U the, rectifier 8C becomes conductive and the relay H becomes energized. At that time, the normally closed contact H opens and the normally opened contact H closes. The switch H moves from its normal position (shown in FIG. 2) to a contact on the right-hand side. The rectifier SC stops being fed. But a current will keep running through the relay H. The relay H dissipates a very small amount of current which will not affect the battery to a large extent.

It may be seen from FIG. 2 that the normally closed contact H and the normally opened contact H may be combined into a single pull double throw switch.

The switch SW is operated simultaneously with the switch SW When the switch SW is in contact position, the cranking cut-out relay 1 will be energized through the generator when the motor will start. This operation is similar to the one explained in FIG. 1.

is closed, the starter is energized. is closed, the ignition coil is energized. delay generally represented by U starts FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of an automatic starter with the use of two power transistors Q and Q without relays as in FIGS. 1 and 2. The current from transistor Q reaches the transistor Q goes through the emitter of Q and down the controlled rectifier SC When the gate of the control rectifier 8C receives a discharge from condenser 17, the transistor SC becomes conductive and a current will pass via Q to the collector and the starter motor which will be energized.

During that time, the oscillator comprising the transistor U becomes charged. At the end of the charging period, the controlled transistor 8C becomes conducting and by means of the capacitor 18 will block the conduction of the transistor SC,;. The starter motor will then stop. The starter motor in this embodiment is energized through the transistor Sc and the transistors U and SO, function to stop its operation in a discontinuous manner. This operation takes place until the motor runs or until the working period of U renders transistor S0 conductive and thus stops operation of Q Q and U If the motor has not started to run, a dilference of potential will remain across the transistor 8C but will not be sufficient to drain the battery.

If the motor starts to run, the oil pressure switch 19 will open the circuits and the motor will keep running until the thermostat switch T.H. opens to break the circuit. It should be noticed that an oil pressure switch 19 may be used instead of a connection from the generator to open the circuit.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 may be considered a combination of the embodiments of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. A power transistor Q;., is used in conjunction with relays K and L.

The switch TS is closed in a similar manner as in FIG. 1 which closes the switch SW to the generator. When the thermostat has reached a certain temperature, its contact closes. It is obvious that instead of this contact, any other equivalent device may be used.

The following operations take place:

(a) The ignition coil is energized and the oscillators comprising U and U start to operate. The power transistor Q, is alternatively conducting thereby instituting starting and stopping of the starter motor.

('b) The delay switch generally indicated by U also starts to operate and will reach its Working period, the transistor Q, will then stop to feed the starter motor.

If the motor starts to run, the cranking cut-out relay L is energized through the generator AC. or DC. The contact L opens to eliminate the use of the automatic system to leave only the ignition coil energized until the thermostat switch TH opens its contact to stop the motor for a period of time that is, until the temperature has fallen below a certain degree.

When the motor does not start before the end of a number of working cycles of the oscillators U and U the time delay represented by U will provoke the energization of the relay K so that its contacts K and K will disconnect the automatic system and the ignition coil.

The relay K will remain energized until the switch TS is opened but, again the weak current which is required, will not drain the battery. During the normal operation of the engine, the switch T.S. remains open.

The diodes 1 to 13 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 are used as safety devices to prevent a feedback of the current in an unwanted direction in the circuit.

I claim:

1. An automatic motor starter comprising:

(a) a direct current power supply,

(b) a current establishing switch,

(c) a low frequency bi-stable trigger circuit comprising two time-delay switches, each time-delay switch containing a low frequency oscillator, each oscillator oscillating alternatively,

(d) a third time-delay switch containing a third low frequency oscillator, the frequency of the said third oscillator actuated to stOp the operation of said trigger circuit after a determined number of cycles of the said trigger circuit,

(e) a starter motor connected to each of the delay switches of said trigger circuit and adapted to ibe enerized when one of said delay switches is conducting and deenergized when the other of said delay switches is conducting,

(f) motor responsive switch means to be actuated when the motor is running to deenergize the three delay switches.

2. An automatic starter as recited in claim 1, wherein the establishing switch is a thermostat switch for actuating the automatic starter when the temperature falls below a determined degree.

3. An automatic device as recited in claim 1, wherein each oscillator comprises a silicone unijunction transistor.

4. An automatic starter as recited in claim 1, wherein each delay switch comprises a silicone unijunction transistor connected to a silicone controlled rectifier to actuate a relay switch.

5. An automatic starter as recited in claim 1, wherein the motor responsive switch means is a cranking cutout relay.

6. An automatic starter as recited in claim 1, wherein the third delay switch deenergizes an ignition coil.

7. An automatic starter for a motor comprising:

(a) a direct current power supply,

(b) a current establishing switch for feeding the direct current to an ignition coil and to three time-delay switches,

(c) the first two delay switches operating alternatively as a low frequency bi-stable trigger circuit,

(d) one of said first two delay switches connected to a starter motor and adapted to operate the same when energized,

(e) the third delay switch operates at the end of a determined number of cycles of said trigger circuit to deenergize the ignition coil and the first two delay switches.

8. An automatic starter as recited in claim 7, including a motor responsive switch means to be actuated when the motor is running to deenergize the three delay switches.

9. An automatic starter as recited in claim 7, wherein said current establishing switch is a thermostat switch to actuate the automatic starter when the temperature falls below a determined degree.

10. An automatic starter as recited in claim 7, wherein each oscillator comprises a silicone unijunction transistor.

11. An automatic starter as recited in claim 7, wherein each delay switch comprises a silicone unijunction transistor connected to a silicone controlled rectifier to actuate a relay switch.

12. An automatic starter for an internal combustion engine comprising:

(a) a direct current power supply,

(b) a current establishing switch and a first relay connected in series, said first relay adapted to energize an ignition coil when the current passes through said first relay,

(c) a temperature controlled switch and three time delay switches connected in parallel with said temperature controlled switch and the first relay,

(d) the first two delay switches operating alternatively as a low frequency bi-stable trigger circuit,

(e) one of said delay switches connected to a starter motor and adapted to operate the same when energized,

(f) motor responsive switch means actuated when the motor is running to deenergize the first relay and the three time delay switches.

13. An automatic starter as recited in claim 12, wherein the establishing switch is a thermostat switch to actuate the automatic starter when the temperature falls below a determined degree.

14. An automatic starter as recited in claim 12, wherein each oscillator comprises a silicone unijunction transistor.

15. An automatic starter as recited in claim 12, wherein each delay switch comprises a silicone unijunctiontransistor connected to a silicone controlled rectifier to actuate a relay switch.

16. An automatic starter as recited in claim 15, wherein a relay actuated switch is alternatively actuated through a silicone controlled rectifier, to operate the starter motor.

17. An automatic starter as recited in claim 15, wherein the two relay actuated switches are alternatively actuated through a silicone controlled rectifier, to operate the starter motor.

18. An automatic starter for an internal combustion engine comprising:

(a) a direct current power supply,

(b) a current establishing switch and a first power transistor connected in series,

(c) an ignition coil connected to said first power transistor,

(d) a bi-stable trigger circuit comprising two time delay switches connected to the collector of the said first transistor,

(e) the said trigger circuit comprising essentially a unijunction transistor and two silicone controlled rectifiers one of which applies a current through a second power transistor to actuate a starter motor,

(f) a third time delay switch connected to the base of the first power transistor and operated at the end of a determined number of cycles of said trigger circuit, to deenergize said trigger circuit,

(g) a motor responsive switch means to be actuated when the motor is running to deenergize the three delay switches.

19. An automatic starter as recited in claim 18, wherein the motor responsive switch means is an oil pressure switch.

20. An automatic starter as recited in claim 18, wherein the motor responsive switch means is a cranking cut-out relay.

21. An automatic starter as recited in claim 18, wherein.

the current establishing switch is a thermostatic switch.

22. An automatic starter for an internal combustion engine comprising:

(a) a direct current power supply,

(b) a current establishing switch,

(c) an ignition coil to be energized by the said current,

((1) a low frequency bi-stable trigger circuit connected to the direct current,

(e) the said trigger circuit comprising two time delay switches,

(f) a power transistor for conducting the current from one of said two delay switches to a starter motor,

(g) a third time delay switch connected to the direct current power supply and operated at the end of a determined number of cycles of the said trigger circuit to deenergize the said cricuit,

(h) motors means responsive switch to be actuated when the motor is running to deenergize the ignition coil and the third delay switch.

23. An automatic starter as recited in claim 22, wherein the establishing switch is a thermostat switch to actuate the automatic starter when the temperature falls below a determined degree.

24. An automatic starter as recited in claim 22, wherein each of the three delay switches comprises a low frequency oscillator having a silicone unijunction transistor, a silicone controlled rectifier connected to the said unijunction transistor.

25. An automatic starter as recited in claim 24, including a relay switch connected in series with the silicone controlled rectifier of the third delay switch, the said relay switch deenergizing the ignition coil and the flip-flop circuit.

No references cited.

ORIS L. RADER, Primary Examiner. G. SIMMONS, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

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