Patent ID: 6104157
Filing Date: 2000-08-15
Classification: F02D,F02N

Abstract:
An apparatus for controlling an electrical starter motor for cranking a cranking mechanism of an internal combustion engine in order to start the internal combustion engine, said apparatus comprisingcircuit means for making an electrical connection between a voltage source and the electrical starter motor, by which the electrical starter motor is coupled with a cranking gear of the internal combustion engine by means of a shiftable transmission when the circuit means is energized; andan electronic control means for controlling at least one of a voltage, a current and an on-time of the electrical starter motor in a stepwise manner in a two-stage control process, said two-stage control process including a first stage in which said starter motor is operated at a rotation speed that is reduced in comparison to full rotation speed of said starter motor, so that wear is reduced in comparison to that experienced during a single-stage control process in which said starter motor is operated at the full rotation speed prior to being coupled with the cranking gear;wherein the electronic control means is electrically connected between the voltage source and the electrical starter motor and is an integrated electronic relay (2); andwherein the electronic relay (2) includes a central processing unit and at least two electronic power switches (56,58) for switching the voltage of the starter motor and wherein said at least two electronic power switches are controllable in succession according to time parameters.