Patent ID: 9404462
Filing Date: 2016-08-02
CPC Classification: F02N,Y02T

Claim Text:
1. An engine starting system for an engine, the engine starting system comprising: a pinion which is moved in a straight line into engagement with a ring gear coupled to an engine, the pinion rotating the ring gear to start the engine; an electromagnetic solenoid which is equipped with a coil, when the coil is energized, the electromagnetic solenoid producing a magnetic attraction to move the pinion straight toward the ring gear; a first current increasing and decreasing unit that is a component of an electric circuit including the coil of the electromagnetic solenoid, the first current increasing and decreasing unit configured to selectively increase and decrease an amount of current used to energize the coil; and a controller configured to output a first current-reducing instruction to the first current increasing and decreasing unit to reduce the amount of current used to energize the coil, the controller outputting the first current-reducing instruction to reduce the amount of current used to energize the coil while the pinion is moved from a position out of contact with the ring gear to a position in which the pinion engages the ring gear, and then stops outputting the first current-reducing instruction to cause an increase in the amount of current used to energize the coil after the pinion has engaged the ring gear.