Starter control system for automotive vehicle

• US 6,653,807 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2001
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Osada, Masahiko, Saito, Mikio, Ohmi, Masanori, Hanai, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Nappi, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, PATRICK L
• Application Number:
  US09/940,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20020043947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 318/430, 318/431, 318/445
• US Class Current: 318/430
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0851 characterised by means for controlling the engagement or disengagement between engine and starter, e.g. meshing of pinion and engine gear
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2250/02 Battery voltage drop at start, e.g. drops causing ECU reset
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/102 Control of the starter motor speed; Control of the engine speed during cranking
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 50/543 Auxiliary switch inserting resistor during closure of contactor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 51/065 Relays having a pair of normally open contacts rigidly fixed to a magnetic core movable along the axis of a solenoid, e.g. relays for starting automobiles details H01H50/20

Abstract

A starter control system is comprised of a starter motor, a control circuit for controlling the starter motor to rotate at a preliminary rotation speed that is high enough to engage a pinion with an engine for a predetermined time and low enough to suppress a harsh noise caused when the pinion engages the engine and, thereafter, at a normal rotation speed that is high enough to start the engine, and a control circuit for changing the preliminary rotation speed according to an engine temperature. The starter control system is effective to reduce noises that are caused when the engine is started by an economy-run system.

Claims

1. A starter control system for starting an engine, comprising:

a starter having a starter motor and an engine engagement member connected between said starter motor and the engine for driving the engine only when said engine is started;

first means for storing data; and

second means for rotating said starter motor at a preliminary rotation speed that is lower than a normal operation speed for a preliminary period before rotating said starter motor at said normal operation speed, wherein said preliminary period is determined according to said data.

2. The starter control system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said data includes data of periods corresponding to various engine conditions; and

said second means changes said preliminary period according to an engine condition.

3. The starter control system as claimed in claim 2,

wherein said data includes data of rotation speed corresponding to various engine conditions;

and

said second means changes said preliminary rotation speed according to said engine condition.

4. The starter control system as claimed in claim 3,

wherein said second means comprises a circuit for changing current supplied to said starter motor.

5. The starter control system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said data includes data of periods corresponding to various engine temperatures;

and

said second means changes said preliminary period according to temperature of said engine.

6. A starter control system for starting an engine, comprising:

a starter having a starter motor and an engine engagement mechanism connected between said starter motor and the engine for driving the engine only when the engine is started;

first means for storing data of periods in which said engine is rotated at various engine conditions; and

second means for controlling said starter motor to rotate said engine at a preliminary rotation speed that is low enough to suppress a harsh noise when said engagement mechanism engages said engine for a preliminary period and rotate at a normal operation speed until said engine is started, said preliminary rotation speed being selected from said data according to an engine temperature.

7. The starter control system as claimed in claim 6,

wherein said second means comprises a circuit for controlling current supplied to said starter motor to rotate at said preliminary rotation speed for said preliminary period and at said normal operation speed thereafter.

8. The starter control system as claimed in claim 6, wherein

said second means comprises an engine temperature sensor.

9. A starter control system for starting an engine, comprising:

a starter having a magnet switch, a starter motor and a pinion;

a control circuit for controlling said starter motor to rotate at a preliminary rotation speed that is high enough to engage said pinion with said engine for a predetermined time and low enough to suppress a harsh noise caused when said pinion engages said engine and at a normal rotation speed that is high enough to start said engine until said engine is started; and

means, including a map storing data of period that correspond to engine condition, for changing said preliminary rotation speed according to an engine condition.

10. The starter control system as claimed in claim 9, wherein

said control circuit comprises a current switching relay, a resistor connected in parallel with said current switching relay and an ECU for controlling said current switching relay.

11. The starter control system as claimed in claim 10, wherein

said means comprises said ECU and an engine temperature sensor.

12. A starter control system for starting an engine, comprising:

a starter motor being operable only when said starter motor starts said engine;

a map storing data of periods that correspond to engine conditions; and

means for rotating said starter motor at a preliminary rotation speed that is lower than a normal operation speed for a preliminary period before rotating said starter motor at said normal operation speed, wherein said preliminary period is selected from said data according to an engine condition.

13. A starter control system for starting an engine, comprising:

a starter motor;

a map storing data of periods that correspond to engine conditions;

first means for operating said starter motor only when said starter motor starts said engine; and

second means for controlling said starter motor to rotate at a preliminary rotation speed for a preliminary period that is selected from said data according to an engine condition and thereafter rotate said starter motor at a normal operation speed that is higher than said preliminary rotation speed.