Patent ID: 7107960

Claim:
A starter assist device for an engine comprising: a first rotatable member for rotating a shaft of the engine in a starting direction; a second rotatable member arranged to rotate relative to the first rotatable member in a non-starting direction, and further arranged to rotate in conjunction with the first rotatable member in the starting direction; and an energy transfer assembly having a torque supply for rotating the second rotatable member in the non-starting direction, the energy transfer assembly further including an energy storage mechanism arranged to alternately store and release a quantity of energy used when rotating the second rotatable member in the non-starting direction, the energy storage mechanism arranged to release the quantity of energy to rotate the second rotatable member in the starting direction, thereby causing the first rotatable member to rotate the shaft of the engine in the starting direction; wherein the quantity of energy released through the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member is arranged to assist a starter in starting the engine by providing an additional starting torque to the shaft of the engine for at least a portion of a revolution.