Starter

1. A product comprising:

a solenoid assembly comprising: a shaft; a pinion-plunger operatively attached to the shaft and having a first end comprising a plurality of teeth; a plurality of iron cores surrounding at least a portion of the pinion-plunger and the shaft; at least one solenoid coil winding and at least one spool surrounding each of the plurality of iron cores; a stop adjacent a first end of the plurality of iron cores; a guide adjacent a second end of the plurality of iron cores opposite of the stop; a biasing member in operative communication with the first end the pinion-plunger; and

wherein the solenoid assembly is constructed and arranged so that when the solenoid assembly is activated the pinion-plunger is magnetically drawn toward the stop.

2. The product of claim 1 further comprising:

a clutch assembly operatively attached to the shaft;

a planetary gear set operatively attached to the clutch assembly; and

an electric motor operatively attached to the planetary gear set.

3. The product of claim 1 wherein the solenoid assembly, the clutch assembly, and the electric motor are coaxially aligned.

4. The product of claim 1 further comprising a nose housing, and wherein at least a portion of the stop, the solenoid coil windings, the spools, the iron cores, and the guide are a single assembly inside of a nose of the nose housing.

5. A starter assembly comprising:

a shaft;

a solenoid assembly surrounding the shaft, wherein the solenoid assembly comprises a pinion-plunger operatively attached to the shaft so that the pinion-plunger rotates with the shaft and moves axially along a portion of the shaft and wherein a first end of the pinion-plunger comprising a plurality of teeth, a plurality of iron cores surrounding at least a portion of the pinion-plunger and the shaft, at least one solenoid coil winding and at least one spool surrounding each of the plurality of iron cores, a stop adjacent a first end of the plurality of iron cores, a guide adjacent a second end of the plurality of iron cores, and a biasing member in operative communication with the first end of the pinion-plunger;

a clutch assembly operatively attached to the shaft, wherein the clutch assembly is coaxial with the shaft;

a planetary gear set operatively attached to the clutch assembly, wherein the planetary gear set is coaxial with the shaft;

an electric motor operatively attached to the planetary gear set, wherein the electric motor is coaxial with the shaft; and

wherein the solenoid assembly is constructed and arranged so that when the solenoid assembly is activated the pinion-plunger is magnetically drawn toward the stop.

6. The starter assembly of claim 5 , wherein the solenoid assembly is constructed and arranged so that when the pinion-plunger reaches a maximum travel position during activation it is prevented from directly touching the stop.

7. The starter assembly of claim 5 wherein when the solenoid assembly is activated, the biasing member compresses and wherein a compressed length of the biasing member acts as a stop and prevents the pinion-plunger from touching the stop.

8. The starter assembly of claim 5 further comprising a sleeve which surrounds a portion of the biasing member, and wherein when the solenoid assembly is activated the pinion-plunger is prevented from touching the stop by the sleeve.

9. The starter assembly of claim 5 further comprising a housing surrounding at least a portion of the starter, and wherein the housing is a nose housing so that a first end of the shaft is supported by the housing.

10. The starter assembly of claim 5 wherein an inner diameter of the pinion-plunger includes a first spline and the shaft includes a mating spline, and wherein the pinion-plunger rides on the shaft and is driven axially along the shaft through the first spline and the mating spline.

11. The starter assembly of claim 10 wherein the first spline and the mating spline are helical.

12. The starter assembly of claim 10 wherein the first spline and the mating spline are linear.

13. The starter assembly of claim 5 further comprising a sleeve, and wherein the sleeve surrounds at least a portion of the pinion-plunger.

14. The starter assembly of claim 5 further comprising a first switch in operative communication with the solenoid assembly and a second switch in operative communication with the electric motor;

a power source operably connected to the first switch and the second switch;

an electronic control unit in operative communication with the power source, the first switch, and the second switch, and wherein the electronic control unit regulates power from the power source to the solenoid assembly through the first switch and the electronic control unit regulates power from the power source to the electric motor through the second switch; and

wherein the electronic control unit is constructed and arranged to control the solenoid assembly independently from the electric motor.

15. The starter assembly of claim 14 , wherein the starter is constructed and arranged to allow for starting of an engine during at least one of a cold start condition, a-stop start condition, a change of mind start condition, or a soft start condition.

16. The starter assembly of claim 15 wherein the starter is constructed and arranged so that for a restart during the cold start condition, the electronic control unit sends power to the solenoid assembly so that the pinion-plunger is fully engaged with a ring gear of the engine before the electronic control unit sends a full power through the electric motor.

17. The starter assembly of claim 15 wherein the starter is constructed and arranged so that for a restart during the stop-start condition, the electronic control unit sends power to the electric motor to synchronize the speed of the pinion-plunger with a ring gear of the engine before the electronic control unit sends power to the solenoid assembly for engagement of the pinion-plunger and the ring gear.

18. The starter assembly of claim 15 wherein the starter is constructed and arranged so that for a restart during the change of mind start-stop condition, the electronic control unit sends power to the electric motor to synchronize the speed of the pinion-plunger with a ring gear of the engine before the electronic control unit sends power to the solenoid assembly for engagement of the pinion-plunger and the ring gear.

19. The starter assembly of claim 15 wherein the starter is constructed and arranged so that for a restart during the soft start condition, the electronic control unit sends power to the solenoid assembly so that the pinion-plunger is fully engaged with a ring gear of the engine before the electronic control unit sends a full power through the electric motor.