JP4232069B2 - How to start the engine at idle stop - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention belongs to the technical field of engine starters.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For the purpose of environmental protection, resource protection, and fuel saving, it is called eco-run that encourages an idle stop that temporarily stops the engine when a vehicle such as an automobile is temporarily stopped, such as waiting for a signal. Further, a technique is being developed in which an idle stop state is automatically set even when the driver does not operate, and the engine is automatically started when the driver performs a starting operation. In such an eco-run technology, the starter is required to be able to start the engine quickly without delay from the idle stop state in order to prevent traffic congestion and to have high durability because the engine is started frequently.
[0003]
The most easily conceivable method for satisfying the quick start of the engine is to keep the starter pinion engaged with the ring gear of the engine, which is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-26117. . However, if the pinion and the ring gear are always meshed with each other, the meshing of both gears causes noise during traveling, and the life of the pinion with a small diameter and a small number of teeth is shortened.
[0004]
Therefore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-30139 discloses that the solenoid coil of the starter is energized in the idling stop state and the pinion is engaged with the ring gear, and the already engaged pinion is rotated by the motor when the engine is started. Are listed. However, the publication only mentions that “the energization of the starter pinion meshing control solenoid is energized and the pinion meshes with the ring gear” in the idle stop state.
[0005]
Here, the inventors want to make a problem that the pinion often does not mesh with the ring gear just by energizing the solenoid without any contrivance. That is, when the starter solenoid is energized, the pinion is pushed out, but if the tooth positions of the pinion and the ring gear do not match each other, the pinion contacts the ring gear and the end surfaces of the teeth, and the pinion meshes with the ring gear. It does n’t come. Therefore, with information only disclosed in the publication, it is impossible to prepare for engine start by reliably engaging the pinion with the ring gear unless a person skilled in the art makes a special contrivance. In that case, the invention of the publication is likely to be incomplete, and it is difficult to think that the technology is disclosed at least to a level that can be implemented by those skilled in the art.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Accordingly, the present invention provides a method in which the impact at the time of pinion engagement is reduced, and the engine can be started quickly from the idling stop state while satisfying the durability of the starter and the quietness during running. Is a problem to be solved.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the inventors have invented the following means.
[0008]
(First means)
The first means of the present invention is the engine starting method at the time of idling stop according to claim 1.
[0009]
That is, the engine starting method at the time of idling stop of this means is an engine starting method in which a preliminary process, a starting process and a returning process are sequentially performed. The first preliminary process is a process in which the pinion is pushed out at least halfway by the pushing means so that the starter pinion is in contact with or engaged with the ring gear of the engine. Here, pushing out the pinion refers to moving the pinion in the axial direction toward the ring gear, and not only when pushing out the pinion when viewed from the motor side, but also pulling the pinion toward the motor side and moving toward the ring gear. Including the case to dodge. The second starting process is a process in which the pinion is rotationally driven by a starter motor and the rotating pinion is engaged with the ring gear, and then the engine is rotationally driven to start. The third return process is a process of returning the pinion to the original position away from the ring gear.
[0010]
In this means, first, when the idle stop state is set, a preliminary process is performed, and the pinion is pushed out at least partway toward the ring gear by the pushing means of the starter. Then, the starter pinion comes into contact with or meshes with the ring gear of the engine. That is, in many cases, the positions of the pinion teeth and the ring gear teeth do not match, so the pinion comes into contact with the end face of the ring gear and is pressed against the ring gear by the pushing means. On the other hand, if the positions of the pinion teeth and the ring gear teeth coincide with each other, the pinion is pushed out sufficiently deep as it is and meshes with the ring gear.
[0011]
Next, when the driver releases the brake, the idling stop state is canceled and the starting process is performed, and the pinion is rotationally driven by the motor of the starter. Then, when the pinion is in contact with the ring gear in the preliminary process described above, the pinion meshes with the ring gear while rotating by one pitch, and the pinion is further pushed in and meshes with the ring gear sufficiently deeply. It reaches the state. Here, when the pinion comes into mesh with the ring gear, the pinion is already pressed against the ring gear and meshes with the ring gear as soon as the pinion starts to rotate, so the impact at the time of meshing is suppressed to a very small level. . Conversely, if the pinion is already meshed with the ring gear in the preliminary process, the pinion rotates the ring gear as it is. Thus, after the pinion is engaged with the ring gear, the engine is rotationally driven (cranked) by the motor via the pinion and the ring gear, and the engine is started.
[0012]
Finally, when the engine is started, a return process is performed and the starter pinion is returned to its original position away from the engine ring gear. Therefore, the pinion is separated from the ring gear during the self-sustained operation of the engine, and the pinion does not mesh and generate noise or wear. In principle, the return process is a process that is performed after the engine is started. However, in rare cases, the engine may not start even after the start process, and in this case, the return process may be performed. . In this case, it is desirable that the starter system is designed so that the restart procedure can be promptly taken.
[0013]
Since the engine starting method during idling stop of this means operates as described above, the following three effects can be obtained.
[0014]
First, in the preliminary process, the pinion is in contact with the end face of the ring gear or already engaged with the ring gear. Therefore, even when the pinion starts rotating in the starting process, the impact at the time of meshing is very small, or if it is already meshed, the impact at the time of meshing does not occur at all. As a result, when starting the engine from the idling stop state, not only noise and vibration due to the meshing impact of the pinion are small, but there is an effect that the durability of the entire starter including the pinion is improved.
[0015]
Second, as described above, the pinion is brought into contact with the ring gear or already engaged in the preliminary process. Therefore, in the starting process, the state in which the pinion is in contact with the ring gear is instantaneously changed from the contacted state, and the pinion rotationally drives the engine via the ring gear. Alternatively, when the pinion is already meshed with the ring gear in the preliminary process, the engine is rotated as it is when the pinion starts rotating. As a result, there is an effect that the engine can be started quickly with almost no delay from the idling stop state in which the engine is once stopped.
[0016]
Thirdly, the pinion returns to the original position after the engine is started by the returning process and is separated from the ring gear, so that the pinion is separated from the ring gear during the self-sustained operation of the engine. Therefore, since the pinion does not rotate during the engine self-sustained operation, there is an effect that the durability of the starter including the pinion is improved. Not only that, the pinion does not generate meshing noise even when the vehicle is traveling, so that there is an effect of improving the quietness during traveling.
[0017]
Therefore, according to the engine starting method at the time of idling stop of this means, the impact at the time of pinion engagement is reduced, and the engine can be quickly operated from the idling stop state while satisfying the durability of the starter and the quietness at the time of running. There is an effect that can be started.
[0018]
(Second means)
The second means of the present invention is the engine starting method at the time of idling stop according to claim 2. That is, this means is a meshing process in which the pinion is engaged with the ring gear by energizing the starter motor for a very short time and rotating the pinion a little in the preliminary process in the first means described above. It is characterized by performing.
[0019]
In this means, even if the starter pinion is once in contact with the end face of the engine ring gear in the preliminary process, the pinion is turned into the ring gear by energizing the starter motor for a very short time in the meshing process. It can be kept in mesh. That is, when the motor is energized for a very short time and the pinion is rotated slightly, the pinion is already pressed against the ring gear, so that the pinion rotates to the angular position where it meshes with the ring gear, and the two mesh with each other. . At this time, it is not necessary for the pinion to rotate once, and it is sufficient to rotate the pinion by an angular position corresponding to one pitch of the pinion teeth. Alternatively, short-time energization of the motor may be repeated a plurality of times, and in this case, the rotation angle of the pinion once may be less than one pitch.
[0020]
Here, since the energization time to the motor is very short in the meshing process, the rotational angular velocity of the pinion is very slow compared to that in the starting process, and the pinion rotates gently to mesh with the ring gear. Therefore, there is almost no impact at the time of meshing, the durability of the starter is further improved, and the passenger is not perceived at all.
[0021]
As described above, when the meshing process is performed in the preliminary process, when the idle stop state is finished and the starting process is performed, the pinion is already in a sufficiently deep meshed state with the ring gear. Therefore, since no meshing impact is generated in the starting process, noise and impact at the time of starting the engine are reduced, and durability of the starter is improved. Not only that, but the pinion gear is already meshed with the ring gear, so that the engine is driven to rotate as soon as the starting process starts, and the engine starts even more quickly.
[0022]
Therefore, according to this means, in addition to the effect of the first means described above, there is an effect that the quietness at the time of starting and the durability of the starter are further improved, and in addition, the engine can be started more quickly.
[0023]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The embodiments of the engine starting method at the time of idling stop of the present invention will be described clearly and sufficiently in the following examples so that a person skilled in the art can understand which can be implemented.
[0024]
[Example 1]
(Configuration of Example 1)
The engine start method at the time of idling stop as Example 1 of the present invention is a method of restarting the engine from an idling stop state in which the engine is temporarily stopped when the automobile is temporarily stopped. That is, this embodiment is a method of starting the engine from the idle stop state by sequentially performing a preliminary process, a starting process, and a returning process, which will be described later, using the starter system having the configuration shown in FIG.
[0025]
Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the starter system used in this embodiment includes a starter 1 having a magnet switch 2, a relay 3 for opening and closing between the main contact 2 and the battery B, 3 and a controller 4 for controlling 3.
[0026]
The starter 1 includes a pinion 12 that is pivotally supported so as to be movable in the axial direction, a magnet switch 2 as an extruding means that pushes the pinion 12 toward the ring gear R of the engine E, and a motor 11 that rotationally drives the pinion 12. Have. Here, the magnet switch 2 has a solenoid coil 22 composed of a pull-in coil and a holding coil, a plunger 23 attracted by the solenoid coil 22, and a main contact 21 opened and closed by the plunger 23. One end of a drive lever 13 to which a drive spring (not shown) is attached is mechanically connected to one end of the plunger 23. Therefore, the magnet switch 2 pushes the pinion 12 toward the ring gear R via the drive lever 13 or retracts it from the ring gear R. When the magnet switch 2 attracts the plunger 23 and the pinion 12 is in contact with the end face of the ring gear R, the pinion 12 is pressed and urged toward the ring gear R by the urging force of the drive spring.
[0027]
The relay 3 is a normally-off type relay that opens and closes between the positive terminal of the battery B and the battery terminal of the main switch 21, and closes the relay contact 31 only while the relay coil 32 is energized by the controller 4. .
[0028]
The controller 4 is a control device with a built-in microcomputer, and controls the magnet switch 2 and the relay 3 of the starter 1 based on various signals such as an engine rotation signal and a brake pedal position signal.
[0029]
As described above, the engine starting method at the time of idling stop according to the present embodiment is a method of starting the engine from the idling stop state by sequentially performing the preliminary process, the starting process, and the returning process. Next, the main points of the preliminary process, start-up process, and return process will be described.
[0030]
First, the preliminary process is a process in which the pinion 12 is pushed out at least halfway by the magnet switch 2 as the pushing means so that the pinion 12 of the starter 1 is in contact with or engaged with the ring gear R of the engine E. is there.
[0031]
Next, the starting process is a process in which the pinion 12 is rotationally driven by the motor 11 of the starter 1 and the rotating pinion 12 is engaged with the ring gear R, and then the engine is rotationally driven to start.
[0032]
Finally, the return process is a process of returning the pinion 12 to the original position away from the ring gear R by returning the magnet switch 2. In this process, the energization of the motor 11 is interrupted.
[0033]
Each of the above processes will be described in more detail in the next section of the implementation procedure and further in the next section of action and effect.
[0034]
(Execution procedure of Example 1)
The engine starting method at the time of idling stop of the present embodiment is performed according to the procedure of the flowchart shown in FIG.
[0035]
That is, before the engine starting method at the time of idling stop according to the present embodiment is performed, it is confirmed by the determination steps S1 and S2 that the vehicle has stopped with the ignition switch of the key switch K kept on. Subsequently, in determination steps S3 and S4, it is confirmed that the engine E is automatically stopped after entering a command signal for automatically stopping the engine E, and an idle stop state is entered.
[0036]
Then, a preliminary process is immediately performed in processing steps S5 and S6, the magnet switch 2 is operated, and the pinion 12 is pressed against the ring gear R via the drive lever 13 with a drive spring. In this state, while waiting for a command signal for automatically starting the engine E that is generated when the driver lifts his foot from the brake pedal or the like, in the determination step S7, the standby state in which the preliminary process is completed is maintained.
[0037]
When a signal for automatically starting the engine E is detected in the determination step S7, a starting process is performed in processing steps S8 to S10. That is, since the magnet switch 2 is operating in the preliminary process described above and the main contact 21 is already closed, if the relay coil 32 is energized and the relay contact 31 is closed in process step S8, the process step S9. The motor 11 is energized. Then, the pinion 12 urged by the drive spring attached to the drive lever 13 rotates and engages with the ring gear R, and the motor 11 rotates the pinion 12 to start the engine. Here, as a method for making the engine start more reliable, the motor 11 is energized only for a predetermined time set to a length sufficient for the start, or the engine ignition pulse and the output of the rotation sensor are detected to start the engine. There is a method of judging.
[0038]
When the engine is started in the process step S10, a return process is finally performed. That is, energization to the solenoid coil 22 of the magnet switch 2 is stopped in the processing step S11. When the plunger 23 is returned by a return spring (not shown), the pinion 12 is also returned to the original position via the drive lever 13 and separated from the ring gear R. At the same time, energization of the relay coil 32 is cut off in the processing step S12, the relay contact 31 is returned to the original open position, and the engine start method at the time of a series of idle stops is completed.
[0039]
After this, the determination logic in FIG. 2 returns to the start again and waits for the next idle stop state.
[0040]
(Operational effect of Example 1)
Since the engine starting method at the time of idling stop of the present embodiment is configured as described above and is performed by the above procedure, the following operational effects are exhibited.
[0041]
First, in the idle stop state, a preliminary process (processing steps S5 and S6) is performed, and the pinion 12 is pushed out toward the ring gear R at least by the magnet switch 2 of the starter 1. Then, the pinion 12 of the starter 1 is brought into contact with or engaged with the ring gear of the engine E. That is, in many cases, the teeth of the pinion 12 and the teeth of the ring gear R do not match, so the pinion 12 abuts against the end surface of the ring gear R and is pressed against the ring gear R by the magnet switch 2 and the drive spring. It will be in a state of power. On the other hand, when the positions of the teeth of the pinion 12 and the teeth of the ring gear R match, the pinion 12 is pushed out sufficiently deep as it is and is engaged with the ring gear R.
[0042]
Next, when the driver releases the brake or the like, the idle stop state is released, the starting process (processing steps S8 to S10) is performed, and the pinion 12 is rotationally driven by the motor 11 of the starter 1. Then, when the pinion 12 is in contact with the ring gear R in the preliminary process described above, the pinion 12 meshes with the ring gear R while the pinion 12 is rotated by one pitch, and the pinion 12 is further pushed in and is sufficient. Deeply engaged with the ring gear. Here, when the pinion 12 comes into mesh with the ring gear R, the pinion 12 is already pressed against the ring gear R, and meshes with the ring gear R as soon as the pinion 12 starts to rotate. It is extremely small. On the contrary, when the pinion 12 is already meshed with the ring gear R in the preliminary process, the pinion 12 rotates the ring gear R as it is. As described above, after the pinion 12 is engaged with the ring gear R, the engine E is rotationally driven (cranked) by the motor 11 via the pinion 12 and the ring gear R, and the engine E is started.
[0043]
Finally, when the engine E is started, a return process (processing steps S11 and S12) is performed, and the pinion 12 of the starter 1 is returned to the original position away from the ring gear R of the engine E. Therefore, the pinion 12 is separated from the ring gear R during the self-sustained operation of the engine E, and the pinion 12 does not generate meshing noise or wear.
[0044]
Since the engine starting method during idling stop of this means operates as described above, the following three effects can be obtained.
[0045]
First, in the preliminary process, the pinion 12 is in a state where it abuts against the end face of the ring gear R or is already engaged with the ring gear R. Therefore, even if the pinion 12 starts rotating in the starting process, the impact at the time of meshing is very small, or if it is already meshed, the impact at the time of meshing is not generated at all. As a result, when starting the engine from the idling stop state, not only noise and vibration due to the meshing impact of the pinion 12 are reduced, but also the durability of the starter 1 including the pinion 12 is improved.
[0046]
Secondly, as described above, the pinion 12 is in contact with the ring gear R or already meshed in the preliminary process. Therefore, in the starting process, the pinion 12 is instantaneously shifted from the contacted state to the state in which the pinion 12 is engaged with the ring gear R, and the pinion 12 rotates the engine E via the ring gear R. Alternatively, when the pinion 12 is already meshed with the ring gear R in the preliminary process, the engine E is rotated as it is when the pinion 12 starts rotating. As a result, there is an effect that the engine E can be started quickly with almost no delay from the idle stop state in which the engine E is once stopped.
[0047]
Thirdly, the pinion 12 is returned to the original position after the engine is started and separated from the ring gear R by the returning process, so that the pinion 12 is separated from the ring gear R during the self-sustaining operation of the engine E. Therefore, the pinion 12 does not rotate during the self-sustained operation of the engine E, so that the durability of the starter 1 including the pinion 12 is improved. Not only that, the pinion 12 does not generate meshing noise even when the vehicle is traveling, so that there is an effect of improving the quietness during traveling.
[0048]
Therefore, according to the engine start method at the time of idling stop of the present embodiment, the impact at the time of meshing between the pinion 12 and the ring gear R is reduced, while satisfying the durability of the starter 1 and the quietness during traveling. The engine E can be quickly started from the idle stop state.
[0049]
(Modification 1 of Example 1)
As a variation 1 of the present embodiment, in the preliminary process, the motor 11 of the starter 1 is energized for a very short time and the pinion 12 is slightly rotated to keep the pinion 12 engaged with the ring gear R. It is possible to implement an engine start method at the time of idling stop that performs the matching process.
[0050]
In this modification, even if the pinion 12 of the starter 1 is once in contact with the end face of the ring gear R of the engine E in the preliminary process, the motor 11 of the starter 1 is energized for a very short time in the meshing process. Thus, the pinion 12 can be kept in mesh with the ring gear R. That is, when the motor 11 is energized for a very short time and the pinion 12 is rotated a little, the pinion 12 is already pressed against the ring gear R and is biased by the drive spring. It rotates to the angle position which meshes, and both 12 and R come to mesh with each other. At this time, it is not necessary for the pinion 12 to rotate once, and it is sufficient to rotate it by an angular position corresponding to one pitch of the teeth of the pinion 12. Alternatively, short-time energization to the motor 11 may be repeated a plurality of times, and in this case, the single rotation angle of the pinion 12 may be less than one pitch.
[0051]
Here, since the energization time to the motor 11 is very short in the meshing process, the rotational angular velocity of the pinion 12 is very slow compared to that in the starting process, and the pinion 12 rotates gently and meshes with the ring gear R. . Therefore, the impact at the time of meshing is almost eliminated, the durability of the starter 1 is further improved, and the passenger is not perceived at all.
[0052]
As described above, when the meshing process is performed in the preliminary process, the pinion 12 is already sufficiently meshed with the ring gear R when the idle stop state ends and the start process is performed. Therefore, since no meshing impact is generated in the starting process, noise and impact at the start of the engine are reduced, and the durability of the starter 1 is improved. In addition, since the pinion 12 is already engaged with the ring gear R, the engine E is driven to rotate as soon as the starting process is started, so that the engine starts more quickly.
[0053]
Therefore, according to this modification, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the quietness at the start and the durability of the starter 1 are further improved, and in addition, the engine can be started more quickly. is there.
[0054]
[Example 2]
(System configuration of Example 2)
As shown in FIG. 3, the starter system used in the engine start method at the time of idling stop as the second embodiment is a relay contact when the relay 3 is a normally closed (normally on) relay and the relay coil 32 is not energized. The point 31 is different from the starter system used in the first embodiment. Further, the starter system used in this embodiment has a slightly different configuration of the key switch K, and can directly energize the solenoid coil 22 of the magnet switch 2 from the battery B at the start position. With such a difference in configuration, the control logic of the controller 4 is also appropriately modified from the first embodiment. In other respects, the starter system used in the present embodiment is basically the same as that used in the first embodiment.
[0055]
Due to such a difference in configuration, the engine E can be started even if the controller 4 fails and the relay coil 32 of the relay 3 cannot be energized. That is, since the relay contact 31 is closed, the key switch K can be manually operated, and the magnet switch 2 can be directly operated from the battery B to start the engine E.
[0056]
(Starting method of Example 2)
The engine start method at the time of idling stop as Example 2 of the present invention has a preliminary process, a start process and a return process in order, and the meshing process is included in the initial stage of the preliminary process. The engine starting method at the time of idling stop according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0057]
The engine starting method at the time of idling stop of the present embodiment is the same as that of the embodiment 1 until it is determined in the determination steps S1 to S4 that the idling stop state has been entered. When the idle stop state is entered, a preliminary process is entered, and in step S5, the magnet switch 2 is operated, and the pinion 12 is pushed out at least halfway so that the pinion 12 is in contact with or engaged with the ring gear R. I'm left.
[0058]
At this time, since the relay contact 31 of the relay 3 is closed, when the main contact 21 of the magnet switch 2 is closed, the motor 11 of the starter 1 is energized for a very short time in processing step S51. That is, in the subsequent processing step S52, the relay coil 32 is energized after a predetermined time, and the motor 11 is energized and the pinion 12 is slightly rotated until the relay contact 31 is opened. Then, the pinion 12 meshes with the ring gear R, and is pushed deeper by the magnet switch 2 and the drive lever 13 to be firmly meshed with the ring gear R. That is, in the initial stage of the preliminary process, an engagement process is performed in which the motor 1 is energized for a very short time and the pinion 12 is slightly rotated to keep the pinion 12 engaged with the ring gear.
[0059]
After the relay 3 is opened and the energization of the motor 11 of the starter 1 is interrupted, a command signal for automatically starting the engine E from the idle stop state is waited for in a determination step S7. When this automatic start command signal is detected, energization to the relay coil 32 of the normally closed relay 3 is stopped in processing step S71, the relay contact 31 is closed, and the motor 11 of the starter 1 is energized. As a result, the engine E is started in the processing step S10, and in the subsequent processing step S11, the energization to the solenoid coil 22 of the magnet switch 2 is stopped, and the magnet switch 2 and the pinion 12 are returned to the original positions.
[0060]
That is, in processing steps S71 to S10, a starting process is performed in which the pinion 12 is rotationally driven by the motor 11 and the engine E is rotationally driven via the pinion 12 meshed with the ring gear R. Subsequently, in the processing step S11, as in the first embodiment, a return process for returning the pinion 12 to the original position away from the ring gear R is performed.
[0061]
(Effect of Example 2)
As described above in detail, according to the engine start method at the time of idling stop of the present embodiment, the same effect as that of the modified embodiment 1 of the above-described first embodiment can be obtained. That is, the impact at the time of meshing between the pinion 12 and the ring gear R is reduced, and the engine E can be quickly started from the idling stop state while satisfying the durability of the starter 1 and the quietness during traveling. There is an effect. Further, since the pinion 12 is already engaged with the ring gear R in the preliminary process, the quietness at the start and the durability of the starter 1 are further improved, and in addition, the engine can be started more quickly. .
[0062]
In addition, as described above, even if the controller 4 fails and the relay coil 32 of the relay 3 cannot be energized, the relay contact 31 is closed. The engine E can be started by operating the switch 2.
[0063]
In the present embodiment and the above-described first embodiment, a popular type of starter 1 that is mass-produced can be used in the starter system, and a starter having a new configuration is not required. There is also an effect that it can be used.
[0064]
[Example 3]
(Starter system of Example 3)
As shown in FIG. 5, the starter system used in the engine starting method at the time of idling stop as the third embodiment of the present invention is such that the magnet switch 2 of the first embodiment has a suction solenoid 2 ′ having no main contact 21. It is a replaced configuration. In other respects, the configuration is the same as that of the starter system of the first embodiment, and the control logic of the solenoid coil 22 and the relay 3 of the controller 4 is the same as that of the first embodiment.
[0065]
In the starter system having such a configuration, the starter 1 employs a suction solenoid 2 'having no main contact 21 instead of the magnet switch 2, so that the starter 1 can be manufactured at a lower cost. There is an effect of becoming.
[0066]
(Engine starting method of Example 3)
The engine starting method at the time of idling stop of this embodiment is almost the same as that of the first embodiment. And the implementation procedure is also performed according to the flowchart of FIG. 2 by replacing the magnet switch 2 with the suction solenoid 2 ′ in the processing steps S5 and S11.
[0067]
As a result, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained also by the engine starting method at the time of idling stop of the present embodiment. That is, the impact at the time of meshing between the pinion 12 and the ring gear R is reduced, and the engine E can be quickly started from the idling stop state while satisfying the durability of the starter 1 and the quietness during traveling. There is an effect.
[0068]
(Modification 1 of Example 3)
As a variation 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to implement an engine start method at an idle stop having a meshing process corresponding to the variation 1 of the first embodiment. Also by this modification, the same effect as that of Modification 1 of Example 1 can be obtained. That is, in addition to the effect of the present embodiment, since the pinion 12 is already meshed with the ring gear R in the preliminary process, the quietness at the start and the durability of the starter 1 are further improved, and in addition, the engine can be started. It has the effect of becoming even faster.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a starter system used in Embodiment 1;
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an implementation procedure of the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a starter system used in the second embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an implementation procedure of the second embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a starter system used in Embodiment 3;
[Explanation of symbols]
1: Starter
11: Motor 12: Pinion
13: Drive lever with drive spring
2: Magnet switch (as extrusion means)
2 ': Suction solenoid
21: Main contact 22: Solenoid coil 23: Plunger
3: Relay
31: Relay contact 32: Relay coil
4: Controller
B: Battery K: Key switch
E: Engine R: Ring gear

Claims (1)

A method of starting the engine again from an idle stop state where the engine is temporarily stopped when the vehicle is temporarily stopped.
Using a starter having a pinion pivotally supported so as to be movable in the axial direction, an extrusion means for pushing the pinion toward the ring gear of the engine, and a motor for rotationally driving the pinion,
The aft extruding at least part way to the pinion by pushing means, this angle corresponding to Wanpitchi teeth of the pinion time sufficient to rotate the pinion to rotate the pinion by supplying an electric current to the motor in this state A preliminary process for keeping the pinion engaged with the ring gear ;
The motor is driven to rotate the pinion, and the rotating pinion is engaged with the ring gear, and then the engine is driven to rotate and start.
A return process for returning the pinion to the original position away from the ring gear;
The engine starting method at the time of idle stop characterized by performing in order.

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