Engine starting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9297347-B2
Application number	US-201514627213-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2015
Priority date	Dec 3, 2009
Publication date	Mar 29, 2016
Grant date	Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

An engine starting apparatus is provided which can start an engine without inducing malfunctions of various electronic components. The engine starting apparatus comprises a pinion adapted to be brought into meshing engagement with a ring gear linked to an engine, a magnet switch supplied with current from a battery to move the pinion in the direction of the ring gear, a starter motor supplied with the current to rotate the pinion, a control unit for instructing the starter motor to start the engine, and a starter control unit for controlling, on the basis of the instruction, a first semiconductor switch subject to PWM control, wherein the starter motor and the magnet switch are stored in a first housing, the starter control unit is stored in a second housing, and the first housing is integral with the second housing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An engine starting apparatus comprising:
a pinion configured to be brought into meshing engagement with a ring gear linked to an engine;
a starter motor supplied with current from a battery to rotate the pinion;
a solenoid coil supplied with current from the battery to move the pinion in a direction of the ring gear;
a control module configured to control the starter motor; and
a first housing storing the starter motor and the solenoid coil, wherein
the control module comprises a first semiconductor switch configured to control current supply to the starter motor and a second semiconductor switch configured to control current supply to the solenoid coil,
the control module is stored in a second housing, and
the first housing and the second housing are connected to each other by way of a bus bar.

2. The engine starting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first housing comprises a terminal M connecting the starter motor and the controlling module,
the control module comprises a first terminal connected with the battery and a second terminal connected with the starter motor, and
the bus bar connects the terminal M and the second terminal.

3. The engine starting apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the first housing comprises a terminal B connecting the battery and the controlling module.

4. The engine starting apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the controlling module comprises a third terminal connected with the solenoid coil,
the first housing comprises a terminal S connecting the solenoid coil and the controlling module, and
the third terminal and the terminal S are connected.

5. The engine starting apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
each of a drain terminal of the first semiconductor switch and a drain terminal of the second semiconductor switch are connected with the first terminal.

6. The engine starting apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the control module comprises a capacitor connected between the first terminal and ground.

Assignees

• Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Kokubun Shuichi
• Omata Shigehiko
• Nakazato Shigenori
• Saito Masato

Classifications

• F02N2300/108

  Duty cycle control or pulse width modulation [PWM] · CPC title

• F02N11/0855

  during engine shutdown or after engine stop before start command, e.g. pre-engagement of pinion · CPC title

• F02N15/067

  the starter comprising an electro-magnetically actuated lever · CPC title

• F02N11/0851

  characterised by means for controlling the engagement or disengagement between engine and starter, e.g. meshing of pinion and engine gear · CPC title

• F02N2011/0874

  characterised by said switch being an electronic switch · CPC title