Patent ID: 9732720
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: B60W,F02N

Claim:
1. An engine starting apparatus comprising: an inertia-engagement-type starter including a direct-current (DC) motor that generates rotational force, a pinion, and an electromagnetic switch, the starter being configured to, after the electromagnetic switch is turned on, transfer the rotational force of the DC motor to a crankshaft of an engine via a gear mesh between the pinion and a ring gear of the engine; and a starter control unit configured to control driving of the starter, the starter control unit being configured to, upon command to start the engine, put the starter in a drive ON state to begin cranking of the engine and then put the starter in a drive OFF state at a predetermined timing, the drive ON state being a state of the starter such that the motor is energized and the rotational force of the motor is transferred to the crankshaft via the gear mesh between the pinion and the ring gear, and the drive OFF state being a state of the starter such that the rotational force of the motor is not transferred to the crankshaft via demesh of the pinion from the ring gear or via de-energization of the motor, wherein the starter control unit is configured to, only when acceleration is requested within a predetermined time period from the command to start the engine during the drive ON state of the starter, keep the starter in the drive ON state even after the time when the starter would be put in the drive OFF state without the acceleration request within the predetermined time period, and drive the starter to torque-assist the engine, thereby performing an assist mode in which both the engine and the starter serve as drive sources for driving a vehicle, and the predetermined time period is less than a time period from the command to start the engine to first ignition of the engine.