Patent ID: 6453863
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: F02D,F02N

Abstract:
A method for starting an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of:a) employing an electric motor to bring a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine to a predefined crank angle at a time that is at least one of (i) before starting the internal combustion engine and (ii) before stopping the internal combustion engine; b) responding to a start command by accelerating the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine from the predefined crank angle to at least a speed sufficient for starting the internal combustion engine; and c) taking at least some of the power required to start the engine from a short-term energy accumulator arranged in an intermediate circuit of an inverter of the electric motor; wherein the energy accumulator is charged from a battery for a next starting process upon receipt of a command for adjustment of the crankshaft to the predefined crank angle and a charging level of the energy accumulator required for reliable starting is chosen as a function of at least one of an engine characteristic and an outside temperature.