Abstract: In a current supply circuit for starters, an inductance coil is connected in series or a capacitor is connected in parallel with a starter motor to slow down the rise of a current supplied to the starter motor. The current, which flows in a magnet switch upon occurrence of bouncing of the magnet switch, is lowered. Thus even if the time of occurrence of bouncing delays due to increased inductance of a pull-in coil, the magnet switch turns on and off a small current by bouncing and hence generation of noise arising from bouncing can be suppressed. Generation of arc in the magnet switch due to bouncing can be suppressed, and the reliability of the magnet switch can be increased.

Abstract: A shock absorber for a starter is presented. The shock absorber includes a rotary disk, a stationary disk and a disk spring. The rotary disk is pressed by the disk spring against a stationary disk to generate frictional force when the rotary disk is rotated by an excessive shock thereby absorbing the shock. The rotary disk has a plurality of press-formed rectangular dimples at a surface opposite the stationary disk, and each side of each the rectangular dimple inclines to a direction of rolling of the raw material of the rotary disk.

Abstract: In a crystal unit suitable for use in a thermostat oven, a first and a second excitation electrode are disposed on a first and a second surface of a crystal blank. A first and a second connection are disposed on the second surface as connections formed by applying a fillet of a mixture of a low-melting glass and a metal filler, and melting the fillet by heating. A third connection is disposed on a peripheral edge of the crystal blank to extend over both surfaces. A lead of the first excitation electrode is directly connected to the third connection, while a lead of the second excitation electrode is connected to the first connection through a vapor-deposited metal thin film. The second and third connections are connected to each other through a vapor-deposited metal thin film. The first and second connections are secured to a pair of holding members by brazing.

Abstract: A shock absorber for a starter is presented. The shock absorber includes a rotary disk, a stationary disk and a disk spring. The rotary disk is pressed by the disk spring against a stationary disk to generate frictional force when the rotary disk is rotated by an excessive shock thereby absorbing the shock. The rotary disk has a plurality of press-formed rectangular dimples at a surface opposite the stationary disk, and each side of each the rectangular dimple inclines to a direction of rolling of the raw material of the rotary disk.

Abstract: A game-development control method divides a game scenario into an introductory part including at least one pre-event and a subsequent main part including at least one event correlated with the one pre-event. When each pre-event is generated in the introductory part, pre-event generation data generated based on the generation of each pre-event are recorded on a recording medium. When each event is generated, pre-event generation data correlated to each event are read among the pre-event generation data recorded in the recording medium, and the read pre-event generation data are reflected in the contents of each event.

Abstract: Simplifying a control system by integrating current control for an exciting coil and a main current control for a starter motor is accomplished by a current control unit for a starter motor and is constructed with a control device provided among a battery, a motor contact point and an exciting coil, and a starter ECU for driving the control device. The control device has a device capacity for allowing main current of the starter motor. The starter ECU changes a control specification for the control device before and after closing the motor contact point. That is, control-start timing of a coil current is determined by a battery voltage before closing the motor contact point. Thereafter, the coil current is restricted to a predetermined value to reduce a moving speed of a plunger. After closing the motor contact point, the main current is slowly raised.

Abstract: A system for cranking an internal combustion engine includes an electric starter and a current supply circuit having a key switch. By turning on the key switch, the starter is rotated to crank the engine. To avoid an inadvertent restart of the starter while the engine is running, a locking device that prohibits the inadvertent turning-on of the key switch is provided in the system. A starter relay may be included in the current supply circuit. The starter relay is kept open even if the key switch is turned on when the engine is running to prohibit the inadvertent restart of the starter.

Abstract: An electric power supply system for a starter comprises a capacitor. This capacitor is charged by a battery through a charging circuit including resistors that charges the capacitor by dividing a voltage of the battery by the resistors. This capacitor is discharged to the starter through a discharge circuit that applies to the starter a charged voltage of the capacitor in addition to the voltage of the battery. When the starter is driven, the connection of the capacitor is switched from the charging circuit to the discharging circuit by an ECU and switching relays.

Abstract: At Step Sb3, a duty factor, which was calculated at Step Sb2 on the basis of a data for a feed-back control, is compared with a limit value of the duty factor. If the duty factor is less than the limit value, a pulse for the PWM control is modulated to have the calculated duty factor at Step Sb4. If the duty factor is greater than the limit value, the pulse for the PWM control is modulated to have the duty factor of the limit value at Step Sb5. Accordingly, the duty factor provided for a current value instruction is not in excess of the limit value, so that the secondary battery is prevented from discharging overcurrent in excess of the limit current which can be discharged from the secondary battery. Accordingly, although the capacitance of the secondary battery is not large, the lifetime of the secondary battery is prevented from being shortened.

Abstract: An engine starter system includes a current switching device for controlling an armature current, a shorting relay for electrically shorting the current switching device, and an electronic control circuit. In a normal starting mode, the electronic control circuit gradually increases the armature current by varying a duty ratio of the current switching device. When the armature current becomes larger than an allowable current value of the current switching device, an armature is energized through the shorting relay. In an economy-running starting mode, the armature current is controlled through the current switching device until the engine is completely started.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a method for managing an apparatus for examination of foreign matters in through holes, which can readily judge the presence or absence of a change in the examination conditions in the apparatus for examining foreign matters in through holes, and efficiently conduct a management of the apparatus.

Abstract: In the case of an engine automatic stop and start system in which an engine is stopped while a vehicle is stopped and the engine is started when the vehicle is started, it is necessary to shorten an engine starting time when a driver desires to move the vehicle. Further, it is desirable to efficiently compensate the electric power consumed by the starter. The vehicle contains an existing low voltage power source and a high voltage power source with an excellent charging efficiency. When the engine switches from a running condition to a stopped condition while the vehicle is stopped, a change-over switch switches and applies the voltage of the high voltage power source to a starter motor. This causes the starter motor to rotate at high speeds, thereby starting the engine very quickly. Therefore, it is possible to reduce overall energy losses and improve vehicle fuel consumption.

Abstract: Provided herein are a method and an apparatus for examining foreign matters in through holes, which can quickly make determinations with low costs and high accuracy. An apparatus is equipped with a light source 12 provided on one side and a line sensor camera 14 (or an area sensor) provided on the other side with a work piece 10 having a plurality of through holes being placed between them. A parallel displacement system (XY table 16) is provided to translate the work piece and the line sensor camera relative to each other to allow the line sensor camera to detect light passing through the plurality of through holes in one lot, and an image processing device 24 is provided to receive detected signals provided by the line sensor camera to obtain a plurality of binary image data corresponding to the plurality of through holes in the work piece.

Abstract: A starter control system is comprised of a starter motor, a control circuit for controlling the starter motor to rotate at a preliminary rotation speed that is high enough to engage a pinion with an engine for a predetermined time and low enough to suppress a harsh noise caused when the pinion engages the engine and, thereafter, at a normal rotation speed that is high enough to start the engine, and a control circuit for changing the preliminary rotation speed according to an engine temperature. The starter control system is effective to reduce noises that are caused when the engine is started by an economy-run system.

Abstract: There are provided a method and apparatus for examining through holes, in which determinations as to whether the examined through hole are good or bad can be accurately made at low costs. A light source and a sensor camera having a plurality of imaging elements are disposed with a table on which a work piece having through holes is mounted being interposed between the light source and the sensor camera. Light passing through the through holes is imaged by the sensor camera, wherein the sensor camera is set such that a focal point of the sensor camera is shifted from the surface of the work piece to thereby apparently expand an area of the image of the passing light.

Abstract: In a current supply circuit for starters, an inductance coil is connected in series or a capacitor is connected in parallel with a starter motor to slow down the rise of a current supplied to the starter motor. The current, which flows in a magnet switch upon occurrence of bouncing of the magnet switch, is lowered. Thus even if the time of occurrence of bouncing delays due to increased inductance of a pull-in coil, the magnet switch turns on and off a small current by bouncing and hence generation of noise arising from bouncing can be suppressed. Generation of arc in the magnet switch due to bouncing can be suppressed, and the reliability of the magnet switch can be increased.

Abstract: An engine start-stop control system for an automotive vehicle includes a first step for supplying current to a solenoid of a magnet switch of a starter at 100% duty ratio until a first predetermined time passes, a second step for supplying current to the solenoid at a duty ratio that is less than 100% after the first predetermined period passes until a second predetermined period passes, and a third step for supplying current to the solenoid at 100% duty ratio after the second predetermined period passes until a third predetermined period passes. Therefore, a pinion of the starter reaches a ring gear of the engine in a short time and engages the ring gear with a moderate impacting shock, thereby preventing the pinion and the ring gear from being damaged.

Abstract: The present invention provides an engine starting method from an idling stop condition wherein a preliminary step pushes a pinion to abut with a ring gear when a vehicle operating condition is in an idling stop condition, a starting step rotates the pinion into mesh with the ring gear by a motor upon receiving an engine start signal and thereafter an engine is started, and a restoring step is carried out after engine startup where the pinion is restored to an original position thereof. Also provided, when the engine is stopped, a pinion is meshed with a ring gear. Upon engine start-up, a pinion actuator disengages the pinion from the ring gear and a cutout portion engages an engaging piece to maintain the pinion disengaged. When the engine stops, a releasing actuator disengages the cutout portion and the engaging piece and the pinion is reset.

Abstract: A starter for engines uses a leaf spring as a shift lever for advancing a pinion gear for engagement with a ring gear. The shift lever may be constructed with a plurality of layered leaf springs having respective front ends spaced apart one another to contact a one-way clutch at different positions. The shift lever may include a lever holder which has a low heat conductive member to minimize fatigue of the leaf spring. The leaf spring is initially loaded with a spring force.

Abstract: An image pickup system including an image pickup device (4) for taking an image from an object (1) containing a periodic pattern and outputting an image signal (5), a zoom lens (2) for forming an object image on the image pickup device, a moire amount detection circuit (10) for detecting an amount of moire from the image signal (5), and an imaging magnification control circuit including a differentiating circuit (18) provided for setting a magnification of the zoom lens (2) and finely adjusting the magnification of the zoom lens (2) to allow the amount of moire detected by the moire amount detection circuit (10) to become below the setting value, a positive/negative determination circuit (20), a system controller (22), and a ROM (24).