An internal combustion engine includes an engine block, a blower housing configured to direct cooling air to the engine block, an electric starting system, and a crankshaft configured to rotate about a crankshaft axis. The electric starting system includes an electric motor and an energy storage device located within the blower housing. The energy storage device is electrically coupled to the electric motor to power the electric motor, and is positioned above the crankshaft. When the starter motor is activated, the electric starting system rotates the crankshaft to rotate the engine for starting.

An electromagnetic switch device for starter includes a connector assembly which has a plurality of connectors formed by stamping a conductive material and which forms a motor electric circuit and an electric circuit for supplying power to an attraction coil and a holding coil, wherein the connector assembly includes: a connector (A) connecting one of a pair of sub fixed contacts and a battery terminal; a connector (B) connecting the other one of the pair of sub fixed contacts, and one end of the attraction coil and one end of the holding coil; a connector (C) connecting the other end of the attraction coil and a motor terminal; a connector (D) connecting one end of a sub coil and an S terminal; and a resin member integrally fixing at least one pair of the connector (A), the connector (B), the connector (C), and the connector (D).

A powertrain has an internal combustion engine provided with an accessory transmission that includes a first pulley connected to a crankshaft of the engine, a second pulley connected to a shaft of an electric machine, and a belt connecting the first and the second pulleys to each other to rotate in the same direction of rotation (R). The electric machine is operated to supply an active torque to the second pulley during start-up of the internal combustion engine by means of a starter motor.

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.

Systems and methods for operating a hybrid vehicle are described. In one example, the automatic engine stopping may be inhibited so that an engine may be restarted during change of mind conditions without generating a large driveline torque disturbance. The engine stopping may be inhibited based on a inhibit engine pull-down torque threshold.

A control unit is provided for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine with a shaft, which can be coupled to an electric machine or decoupled from the electric machine. The control unit is designed to couple the electric machine to the internal combustion engine during an engine stop of the internal combustion engine. The control unit causes the electric machine to guide the shaft of the internal combustion engine. The control unit determines that a speed of the guided shaft is equal to or less than a speed threshold value and, in response thereto, decouples the electric machine from the internal combustion engine, such that the internal combustion engine stops without being guided by the electric machine.

An electro-pneumatic starter for use with a natural gas powered, reciprocating internal combustion engine in oil and gas industrial applications, and a method of starting an internal combustion engine, are provided. A novel combination of an electric motor and a pneumatically actuated transmission are provided for the innovation as claimed, wherein power is translated from an output shaft and motor gear, through a transmission gear and transmission shaft, and to an output gear mated with a ring gear of a host engine, the transmission shaft being extendable by means of a pneumatically controlled piston. When the transmission shaft is extended it is in the engaged position, capable of providing torque to the ring gear of the host engine; when retracted, the same is disengaged from the host engine.

A method and system for operating a hybrid vehicle that includes an integrated starter/generator and a driveline disconnect clutch is described. In one example, the method determines whether or not to rotate an engine via an electric machine while propelling a vehicle via the electric machine according to vehicle efficiency.

When a vehicle is in a traveling state having a low necessity to quickly increase required traveling torque, high-rotational-speed engine starting unit that reduces an emission amount of particulate matter emitted during engine starting starts the engine. Since quick torque response is not required when the vehicle is in the traveling state having the low necessity to quickly increase the required traveling torque, the high-rotational-speed engine starting unit starts the engine, so that increase of the emission amount of particulate matter emitted during engine starting can be curbed.

An electric starter system (100) for a motorcycle with a mechanical kick-start device (200) and a transmission main shaft (340) which rotates in a starting and drive rotational direction (x) and the kick-start device (200) has a kick-start pinion configured for axial coupling to a kick-start clutch part (240) which is connected to the transmission main shaft (340) in a torque-transmitting manner. The electric starter system (100) comprises an electric starter motor (110) with a starter shaft pinion (112) that can be driven thereby, which makes it possible to carry out the installation or retrofitting thereof with fewer modifications of the original components, less expenditure of time, and/or easier, and/or faster. This is achieved because a torque of the electric starter motor (110) can be transmitted from the starter shaft pinion (112), preferably at the end face, to the kick-start clutch part (240), in particular via interposed starter gearing (120).