A starter assembly including a starter and starting device. The starter includes: an electric motor including a motor shaft; an output shaft non-rotatably connected to the motor shaft; and a one-way clutch including a first race including an axially fixed pinion gear and a second race non-rotatably connected to the output shaft. The starting device includes a wrap spring clutch with first and second ends. For a start mode: the electric motor rotates the motor shaft and the pinion gear in a first circumferential direction; the pinion gear rotates the second end, with respect to the first end, in the first circumferential direction; and, the wrap spring clutch rotates a torque converter shell in the first circumferential direction. For a first phase of a release mode: the electric motor rotates the second race in a second circumferential direction; and the first race rotates in the second circumferential direction.

A starter assembly including a starter and starting device. The starter includes: an electric motor including a motor shaft; an output shaft non-rotatably connected to the motor shaft; and a one-way clutch including a first race including an axially fixed pinion gear and a second race non-rotatably connected to the output shaft. The starting device includes a wrap spring clutch with first and second ends. For a start mode: the electric motor rotates the motor shaft and the pinion gear in a first circumferential direction; the pinion gear rotates the second end, with respect to the first end, in the first circumferential direction; and, the wrap spring clutch rotates a torque converter shell in the first circumferential direction. For a first phase of a release mode: the electric motor rotates the second race in a second circumferential direction; and the first race rotates in the second circumferential direction.

An engine, an engine starter and its housing assembly are provided. The housing assembly includes a gear mounting portion for mounting a driving gear and a switch mounting portion for mounting a solenoid switch. The switch mounting portion comprises a connecting portion and a cover body. The connecting portion is connected with the gear mounting portion and comprises a through structure for mounting the solenoid switch, the cover body covers a top end of the through structure. A wall of the connecting portion corresponding to the gear mounting portion defines an opening for mounting a shifting fork, which is in communication with the through structure.

An engine, an engine starter and its housing assembly are provided. The housing assembly includes a gear mounting portion for mounting a driving gear and a switch mounting portion for mounting a solenoid switch. The switch mounting portion comprises a connecting portion and a cover body. The connecting portion is connected with the gear mounting portion and comprises a through structure for mounting the solenoid switch, the cover body covers a top end of the through structure. A wall of the connecting portion corresponding to the gear mounting portion defines an opening for mounting a shifting fork, which is in communication with the through structure.

A permanently engaged starter system for use in a vehicle includes a flex plate. The vehicle includes a crankshaft and an engine block. The flex plate extends along and is rotatable about an axis. The flex plate is adapted to be rotatably coupled to the crankshaft. The permanently engaged starter system also includes a one-way clutch including an outer and inner race. The permanently engaged starter system additionally includes a ring gear rotatably coupled to one of the inner race and the outer race of the one-way clutch. The permanently engaged starter system further includes a starter support plate, and a pilot support plate coupled to the ring gear. The pilot support plate is fixedly coupled to the starter support plate and is configured to axially and radially align and retain the ring gear and one of the inner race and the outer race with respect to the axis.

A permanently engaged starter system for use in a vehicle includes a duel-mass flywheel. The vehicle includes crankshaft, an engine block, and a transmission. The dual-mass flywheel includes an engine side primary, a transmission side primary mass, and a secondary mass. The permanently engaged starter system also includes a one-way clutch including an outer race disposed about the axis, and an inner race disposed about the axis and disposed between the outer race and the axis. The permanently engaged starter system additionally includes a ring gear rotatably coupled to one of the inner race and the outer race of the one-way clutch, with the other of the inner race and the outer race being rotatably coupled to the transmission side primary mass of the dual-mass flywheel. The one-way clutch is nested within the dual-mass flywheel with respect to the axis

A kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) is provided. The KERS (1) comprises a first speed-up gear arrangement (12) having an input (10) connectable to a vehicle powertrain. The KERS further comprises a hydraulic variator made up of first and second bent axis motors (20,22) fluidly connected to one another, wherein at least the first motor (20) is a variable displacement motor, and the first motor (20) is connected to an output of the first speed-up gear arrangement (12). A second speed-up gear arrangement (34) has an input connected to the second motor (22). At least one flywheel (52) is connected to an output of the second speed-up gear arrangement (34), where the at least one flywheel is located in a vacuum within at least one flywheel chamber (58).

A kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) is provided. The KERS (1) comprises a first speed-up gear arrangement (12) having an input (10) connectable to a vehicle powertrain. The KERS further comprises a hydraulic variator made up of first and second bent axis motors (20,22) fluidly connected to one another, wherein at least the first motor (20) is a variable displacement motor, and the first motor (20) is connected to an output of the first speed-up gear arrangement (12). A second speed-up gear arrangement (34) has an input connected to the second motor (22). At least one flywheel (52) is connected to an output of the second speed-up gear arrangement (34), where the at least one flywheel is located in a vacuum within at least one flywheel chamber (58).

A hybrid drive device includes an internal combustion engine, an electric machine and an impulse start module which comprises two clutches and a flywheel mass. A method for operating the hybrid device includes opening the first clutch of the impulse-start module and establishing a start-up requirement for the internal-combustion engine. The method also includes closing the first clutch with the second clutch in an open or closed position for a start of the internal-combustion engine.

A hybrid drive train for a hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine configured to drive the hybrid vehicle and an output shaft configured to provide torque to drive the hybrid vehicle, and a transmission which has a transmission input shaft. The hybrid drive train also includes a first electric machine by which the transmission input shaft can be driven, a second electric machine by which the output shaft can be driven to start the internal combustion engine, and an auxiliary unit configured to be driven by the second electric machine.