System for coupling a toothed starter ring to a support connected to the output shaft of an internal combustion engine

Abstract

In a system for coupling a toothed starter ring to a support connected to the output shaft of an internal combustion engine, a complementary substantially cylindrical peripheral surface of the ring is fixed over at least a part of its extent to a substantially cylindrical peripheral surface of the support in such a manner that the ring can deform slightly in the radial direction toward the shaft to reduce the maximum stresses exerted on the ring during a starting operation.

1 - 12  (cancelled)  
     
     
         13 . An internal combustion engine flywheel comprising: 
 a support connected to an output shaft of an internal combustion engine and a starter toothed ring adapted to cooperate with a rotor of a starter motor of said internal combustion engine,    said support having a substantially cylindrical peripheral surface for fixing said ring to said support,    said ring being fixed to said substantially cylindrical peripheral surface of said support over a part of an extent of a substantially cylindrical inside peripheral surface complementary to said peripheral surface of said support,    wherein said complementary substantially cylindrical inside peripheral surface is one of a substantially cylindrical surface of said ring and of a substantially cylindrical inside peripheral surface of an intermediate annular metal member to which said ring is fixed, the remainder of the complementary substantially cylindrical inside peripheral surface being shaped in such a manner that it is radially separated from said substantially cylindrical peripheral surface of said support in order that said ring is deformable in the radial direction toward said shaft to reduce the maximum stresses exerted on said ring during a starting operation.    
     
     
         14 . The internal combustion engine flywheel claimed in  claim 13 , wherein: 
 said peripheral part of said support with said substantially cylindrical peripheral surface and a radial surface of contact between said ring and said support has a shape so as to form in radial section an inside angle that is substantially a right angle,    said inside peripheral part of said ring with said complementary substantially cylindrical inside peripheral surface and a complementary radial surface in contact over at least a part of its extent with said radial surface of said support has a complementary shape so as to form in radial section an outside angle that is substantially a right angle, and    said complementary peripheral surface of said ring is fixed over at least a part of its extent to said peripheral surface of said support in such a manner that said complementary radial surface of said ring is slidable along said radial surface of said support.