Starter having pinion-rotation-restricting member for use in automotive vehicle

摘要

A pinion gear (5) of a starter is engaged with a ring gear of an internal combustion engine by restricting rotation of the pinion gear while driving a motor (2) at a low speed. After the engagement is established, the motor is driven at a full speed by supplying a full current, thereby cranking up the engine. After the engine is cranked up, the engagement between the pinion gear (5) and the ring gear is released. In order to prevent the motor (2) from being driven at the full speed before the pinion gear fully engages with the ring gear, rigidity of a crank bar (7) for restricting the pinion rotation is made sufficiently high to generate a spring-load that exceeds a force for driving a plunger (14) that closes a switch (B) for supplying the full current.