Patent ID: 8476777

Claim:
A starter mounted on a vehicle having an idle-stop apparatus that automatically controls stop and restart of an engine, the starter for starting the engine comprising: a motor that generates a rotational force by being energized; an output shaft that rotates by receiving the rotational force from the motor; a one-way clutch that is engaged with an outer circumference of the output shaft by a helical spline; a pinion gear provided such as to be movable in an axial direction along the outer circumference of the output shaft, integrally with the one-way clutch, the pinion gear being capable of meshing with a ring gear of the engine; an electromagnetic solenoid that generates force for pushing the pinion gear integrally with the one-way clutch outward in the axial direction towards a ring gear side of the engine; an electromagnetic switch that opens and closes a motor contact point provided on an energizing circuit of the motor; and controlling means for controlling an operation of the starter wherein the controlling means is configured to control the electromagnetic solenoid and the electromagnetic switch independently, such that the controlling means energizes the electromagnetic solenoid during inertial rotation of the ring gear until the ring gear stops rotating when the engine is automatically stopped, and stops energizing the electromagnetic solenoid after the engine stops rotating, wherein the electromagnetic switch is the only electromagnetic switch of the starter.