Patent ID: 8513825

Claim:
An engine starting apparatus comprising: an electric motor which is supplied with electric power from a battery to produce torque for starting an engine; a first power supply path extending from the battery to the electric motor; a second power supply path extending from the battery to the electric motor in parallel to the first power supply path; a starter electromagnetic switch which has main contacts disposed in the first power supply path, when the main contacts are closed, electric current being supplied through the first power supply path to the electric motor at a full voltage of the battery; a resistor disposed in the second power supply path; a motor relay which has relay contacts disposed in series with the resistor in the second power supply path; and a controller which controls operations of the starter electromagnetic switch and the motor relay when it is required to start the engine through the electric motor, the controller delaying a time when the starter electromagnetic switch is to be excited to close the main contacts to supply the electric current to the electric motor at the full voltage until a given time lag has elapsed after the motor relay is excited to close the relay contacts to supply electric current to the electric motor through the resistor.