Starter having means for restricting pinion rotation

A starter for cranking an internal combustion engine, the starter comprising:

• an electric motor;
• an output shaft adapted to be rotated by the electric motor;
• a pinion having a pinion gear, the pinion being adapted to slidably move forward on the output shaft to bring the pinion gear into engagement with a ring gear of the engine;
• means for restricting rotation of the pinion before the pinion gear engages with the ring gear;
• and
• a helical spline formed on the output shaft, the helical spline giving a thrust force to move forward the pinion, rotation of which is restricted by the restricting means, when the output shaft is rotated by the electric motor;
• wherein
• the restricting means comprises:
• an annular member connected to the pinion, the annular member having a plurality of arc-shaped depressions formed on an outer periphery thereof;
• a rod member engaging with one of the depressions to restrict the pinion rotation;
• and
• means for reducing abrasive force between the rod member and the annular member, when the rod member engaging with one of the depressions is forcibly disengaged from the depression and engaged with other depressions by a rotational torque applied to the pinion from the output shaft, the abrasive force reducing means being disposed on either the annular member or the rod member.