The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 19, 2014
Filed:
Sep. 29, 2011
Yumi Kondo, Aichi-gun, JP;
Yuuya Yoshitomi, Aichi-gun, JP;
Toshihiro Kawai, Aichi-gun, JP;
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota-shi, JP;
Abstract
A starter includes a pinion gear that can be engaged with a ring gear coupled to a crank shaft of an engine, an actuator that moves the pinion gear to a position where the pinion gear is engaged with a ring gear, and a motor that rotates the pinion gear. An ECU stops the engine when a predetermined stop condition is satisfied, and cranks the engine with a motor when a predetermined start condition is satisfied after the engine is stopped. The motor and the actuator are supplied with electric power from a battery. The ECU includes a mode in which the motor is driven prior to driving of the actuator. The ECU restricts a stop of the engine if, of a decreased voltage of the battery after driving the motor and a decreased voltage of the battery after driving the actuator, the lower voltage falls below a threshold value.