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US 6,453,863 B1Granted
Method and starter system for starting an internal combustion engine
AssigneesContinental ISAD Electronic Systems GmbH & Co. KG, Bayerische Moteren Werke Aktiehgesellschaft
InventorsThomas Pels, Franz Rosskopf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for starting an internal combustion engine and a starter system is disclosed. The crankshaft of an internal combustion engine is accelerated at least to the starting speed required for starting the internal combustion engine. The crankshaft is brought to a stipulated crank angle for the starting process by an electric machine before the actual starting process, and the starting process is started from this crank angle.
Claims20
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.
2 more elements
A starter system comprising:
- an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft;
- an electric motor having a rotor which is operatively connected to the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine, the electric motor being adapted to accelerate the crankshaft to at least a speed which is sufficient to start the internal combustion engine;
- means for identifying a crank angle of the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine;
- and
- a control device in communication with the identifying means and the electric motor for moving the crankshaft to a predefined crank angle for a later starting process;
- wherein at least some of the power required for starting is taken from an energy accumulator that is arranged in an intermediate circuit of an inverter, 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.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.