System for restarting internal combustion engine when engine restart request occurs
First Claim
1. A system for cranking, according to an occurrence of an engine restart request, a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine that has been automatically controlled for stop thereof in response to an engine automatic stop request to thereby restart the internal combustion engine, the crankshaft having a ring gear attached thereto, the system comprising:
- a starter provided with a motor working to, when energized, rotatably drive an output shaft with a pinion and an actuator working to, when energized, shift the pinion toward the ring gear to be engaged with the ring gear;
a power supply electrically connected to the motor and operative to output electrical power;
a first mechanical relay electrically connected between the power supply and the motor and working to turn on and off a supply of a current based on the electrical power to the motor for rotating the pinion; and
a switching element electrically connected across the first mechanical relay and working to turn on and off the supply of the current to the motor for rotating the pinion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a system for cranking a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, a starter is provided with a motor working to, when energized, rotatably drive an output shaft with a pinion and an actuator working to, when energized, shift the pinion toward the ring gear to be engaged with the ring gear. A power supply is electrically connected to the motor and operative to output electrical power. A first mechanical relay is electrically connected between the power supply and the motor, and works to turn on and off a supply of a current based on the electrical power to the motor for rotating the pinion. A switching element is electrically connected across the first mechanical relay, and works to turn on and off the supply of the current to the motor for rotating the pinion.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A system for cranking, according to an occurrence of an engine restart request, a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine that has been automatically controlled for stop thereof in response to an engine automatic stop request to thereby restart the internal combustion engine, the crankshaft having a ring gear attached thereto, the system comprising:
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a starter provided with a motor working to, when energized, rotatably drive an output shaft with a pinion and an actuator working to, when energized, shift the pinion toward the ring gear to be engaged with the ring gear; a power supply electrically connected to the motor and operative to output electrical power; a first mechanical relay electrically connected between the power supply and the motor and working to turn on and off a supply of a current based on the electrical power to the motor for rotating the pinion; and a switching element electrically connected across the first mechanical relay and working to turn on and off the supply of the current to the motor for rotating the pinion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for cranking a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine that has been stopped to thereby start the internal combustion engine, the crankshaft having a ring gear attached thereto, the system comprising:
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a starter provided with a motor working to, when energized, rotatably drive an output shaft with a pinion and an actuator working to, when energized, shift the pinion toward the ring gear to be engaged with the ring gear; a power supply electrically connected to the motor and operative to output electrical power; a first mechanical relay electrically connected between the power supply and the motor and working to turn on and off a supply of a current based on the electrical power to the motor for rotating the pinion; a switching element electrically connected across the first mechanical relay and working to turn on and off the supply of the current to the motor for rotating the pinion, the switching element having a duty cycle representing a ratio of its on duration to a sum of its on duration and off duration; and a motor-drive start unit configured to; when starting a drive of the motor, gradually increase the duty cycle of the switching element while causing the first mechanical relay to turn off the supply of the current to the motor to thereby increase a voltage based on the electrical power of the power supply, the voltage being applied to the motor through the switching element; after the increase in the voltage applied to the motor, cause the first mechanical relay to turn on the supply of the current to the motor; and after the first mechanical relay turning on the supply of the current to the motor, cause the switching element to turn off the supply of the current to the motor. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification