Abstract: A boost converter with a multiple input and with improved efficiency has two or more inputs. A DC voltage source can be connected to each input. A common output carries a DC voltage whose value is greater than or equal to that of the input voltages. The common output is in each case connected to each of the plurality of inputs via a positive lead branch and a negative lead branch. At least one inductor is arranged in the positive lead branch and/or the negative lead branch from each input, and at least one rectification element is arranged in the positive lead branch and/or the negative lead branch from each input. Furthermore, the inputs can be connected in series by means of two or more switching elements via the inductors, wherein at least two of the inductors can in each case be connected in parallel.

Abstract: An operator control apparatus for an electrical household appliance has an operator control panel on that side of the operator control apparatus that faces a user and defines an operator control area. A functional assembly is arranged on that face of the operator control panel that is averted from the user. The functional assembly has touch- and/or proximity-sensitive touch-operated switch. The at least one touch-operated switch of the functional assembly is positioned so as to correspond to operator control area of the operator control panel. A connecting apparatus is permanently connected to the operator control panel and releasably connected to the functional assembly, or in the alternative it is permanently connected to the functional assembly while it is releasably connected to the operator control panel. In this way, the functional assembly is releasably attached to the operator control panel but without play.

Abstract: A step-down converter having an improved efficiency has a common input, to which a DC voltage source for applying an input voltage can be connected, and two or more outputs, at each of which a DC voltage can be provided whose value is less than or equal to that of the input voltage. Each of the plurality of outputs is connected to the common input via a positive lead branch and a negative lead branch. At least one inductor is connected in the positive lead and/or the negative lead of each output. At least one switching element is connected in the positive lead and/or the negative lead of each output, such that the outputs of the step-down converter can be operated both in parallel with one another and in series with one another.

Abstract: A method of operating an inverter for converting direct voltage into alternating voltage. The inverter has direct-voltage terminals and alternating-voltage terminals and a plurality of power switching elements that are clocked at high-frequency connected between the d.c. and a.c. terminals. The high-frequency clocking of the power switching elements of the inverter is switched off around a zero transition of the alternating current or the alternating voltage for a period which depends on the direct voltage present at the direct-voltage terminals of the inverter and/or the output power of the inverter. No current is generated during time intervals with a poor efficiency.

Abstract: A capacitive touch switch for an operator control panel of an electrical domestic appliance includes a panel, a sensor area disposed in the panel, a printed circuit board disposed at a distance behind the panel, and a capacitive sensor element which is disposed between the panel and the printed circuit board, is in electrically conductive contact with the printed circuit board and is associated with the sensor area in the panel at a distance from the sensor area. The sensor area is formed by a plate of metal material, and a non-conductive insulating body is disposed between the plate and the capacitive sensor element.

Abstract: A method for operating an inverter for converting direct voltage into alternating voltage, having two direct-voltage terminals and two alternating-voltage terminals, between which a plurality of power switching elements clocked at high-frequency are connected. The high-frequency clocking of the power switching elements of the inverter is switched off around a zero transition of the alternating voltage for a period which depends on the direct voltage present at the direct-voltage terminals of the inverter and/or the output power of the inverter, so that no current is generated in time intervals with a poor efficiency at the alternating-voltage terminals of the inverter.

Abstract: An actuator for the power control of at least one connected load has a load detection device for detecting a magnitude of a load and/or a type of a load of the at least one as a measurement variable relating to the load of the at least one consumer. A communication interface receives at least one manipulated variable for the power control of the at least one consumer and transmits the measurement variable detected by the load detection device. Actuators of this type may be integrated into an energy management system, such as of a building automation system, for example.

Abstract: An operator control panel for a domestic appliance includes a panel body having an operator control face facing a user and a rear face facing away from the operator control face. A sensor element of an electrically conductive material forms a capacitive sensor area together with the panel body. A conversion electronics system converts capacitance values generated in the sensor area into digital signals. The conversion electronics system is electrically conductively connected to the sensor element and is disposed on the rear face of the panel body. The sensor element and the conversion electronics system are firmly connected to the panel body and are two components which are mechanically decoupled from a control electronics system of the domestic appliance.

Abstract: A laundry treatment appliance has a laundry treatment apparatus with a rotatably mounted laundry drum held in a housing such that it can move. The laundry treatment apparatus has an electric motor for driving the laundry drum, a control system for actuating the electric motor, a vibration sensor for detecting a vibratory movement of the laundry treatment apparatus, and a vibration-damping apparatus for damping a vibratory movement. The vibration-damping apparatus has at least one controllable vibration damper which can be actuated in dependence on the vibratory movement of the laundry treatment apparatus for changing the vibration-damping properties of the vibration damper. The control system, in the event of a malfunction in a power supply system, actuates the electric motor such that the electric motor generates electrical energy from a rotary movement of the laundry drum and makes it available to the control system.

Abstract: A DC/DC converter circuit configuration contains a rectifier configuration, an inductance and at least one circuit breaker for switching the inductance on its input side. When controlling the circuit configuration, an off time of the circuit breaker is variably changed on the basis of the output power of the circuit configuration and the circuit breaker is respectively switched on in the region of a minimum of a voltage curve across the circuit breaker in order to minimize the switching losses and achieve a high level of efficiency.

Abstract: An AC voltage controller has two transistors which can be positioned between two AC voltage terminals in series with a load. The two transistors are connected in series in such a way that their respective source terminals are connected to one another. The AC voltage controller also contains a signal generator for generating a switching signal for actuating the two transistors, a buffer which is connected downstream of the signal generator and which is set by the signal generator in order to actuate the two transistors. An actuation circuit or driver circuit is connected downstream of the buffer, for the purpose of actuating the two transistors in accordance with the set state of the buffer. A current-limiting circuit is provided for limiting or switching off the current through the two transistors in the case of an excessively large current through the load.

Abstract: An actuating device for a heating element valve has a drive motor with a motor shaft, an actuator, and a rotation-linear conversion drive. The conversion drive is coupled on the drive side to the motor shaft and on the output side to the actuator and converts a rotational movement of the motor shaft into a linear movement of the actuator. The rotation-linear conversion drive further has a cam disc on the output side which is provided on its outer circumferential periphery with a plurality of step segments each having a substantially constant distance from the axis of the cam disc. The step segments are connected via connecting segments with a variable axle spacing.

Abstract: A solar module includes a solar generator for converting incident radiation into electrical power and a solar inverter for feeding the power generated by the solar generator into a power supply system or a load. A variable bias load is connected in parallel with the solar generator and a control device, which drives the variable bias load, detects a presently available power of the solar generator as well as a present no-load loss of the solar inverter, compares the detected power of the solar generator and the detected no-load loss of the solar inverter and enables the power of the solar generator to be fed into the power supply system or the load by the solar inverter only when the detected power of the solar generator exceeds the detected no-load loss of the solar inverter. A method of controlling operation of a solar module is also provided.

Abstract: A diagnostic circuit is configured for connecting to a unit under test that has a load and a sinusoidal source. The diagnostic circuit includes a voltage sensing device that has an input for sensing a signal, a first terminal for connecting to the load, a second terminal for connecting to the sinusoidal source, and a relay connected between the first and second terminals for connecting the sinusoidal source to the load. Clamping diodes are provide for clamping a sinusoidal signal and include a first clamping diode connected between a D/C voltage source and the input and a second clamping diode connected between ground and the input. A resistor is connected between the D/C voltage source and the first terminal. The diagnostic circuit verifies the operational functionality of the load, related wiring and connections.

Abstract: A control circuit for an electronic household appliance has a control device for controlling the operation of a unit of the appliance. The control device is connected to a supply system via a supply line. A switching device for optionally connecting or disconnecting the control device to or from the supply system is arranged in the supply line. To reduce the energy consumption in stand-by mode of the electronic household appliance, the switching device has a switching contact, arranged in the supply line, with a bistable switching characteristic. A mechanical actuator switches the switching contact into the switching state connecting the control device to the supply system. The actuator is coupled to an operating element that can be operated by a user. An electrical tripping device switches the switching contact into the switching state disconnecting the control device from the supply system. The tripping device is activated by an off signal received from the control device.

Abstract: A touch-sensitive momentary-contact switch has an optical sensor, particularly an infrared sensor, and an evaluation circuit. The evaluation circuit is able to identify a malfunction in the optical sensor, so that the momentary-contact switch can be switched off, for example, for safety reasons. Therefore, it is possible to identify a malfunction in the optical sensor.

Abstract: A diagnostic circuit is configured for connecting to a unit under test that has a load and a sinusoidal source. The diagnostic circuit includes a voltage sensing device that has an input for sensing a signal, a first terminal for connecting to the load, a second terminal for connecting to the sinusoidal source, and a relay connected between the first and second terminals for connecting the sinusoidal source to the load. Clamping diodes are provide for clamping a sinusoidal signal and include a first clamping diode connected between a D/C voltage source and the input and a second clamping diode connected between ground and the input. A resistor is connected between the D/C voltage source and the first terminal. The diagnostic circuit verifies the operational functionality of the load, related wiring and connections.

Abstract: An inverter circuit contains a first and second DC sources for providing a DC voltage, a common step-up converter for boosting the DC voltage, an intermediate circuit capacitor connected between the outputs of the common step-up converter, and an inverter for converting the DC voltage provided by the capacitor into an AC voltage. The common step-up converter contains a series circuit having a first inductance and a first rectifier element and is connected between an output of the first DC source and one side of the intermediate circuit capacitor as well as a series circuit which includes a second inductance and a second rectifier element and is connected between an output of the second DC source and another side of the intermediate circuit capacitor. The common step-up converter further contains a common switching element which is connected between the first and second DC sources.

Abstract: An inverter circuit contains a first and second DC sources for providing a DC voltage, a common boost converter for boosting the DC voltage, an intermediate circuit capacitor connected between the outputs of the common boost converter, and an inverter for converting the DC voltage provided by the capacitor into an AC voltage. The common boost converter contains a series circuit having a first inductance and a first rectifier element and is connected between an output of the first DC source and one side of the intermediate circuit capacitor as well as a series circuit which includes a second inductance and a second rectifier element and is connected between an output of the second DC source and another side of the intermediate circuit capacitor. The common boost converter further contains a common switching element formed by at least two circuit-breakers which are connected between the first and second DC sources.

Abstract: An inductive touch key switch assembly and circuit are provided. The circuit optimizes signal strength and noise immunity by reducing the number of long paths through the circuit board and localizes the driver circuit to each key switch assembly sensor coil. The key switch assembly optimizes placement of the target to enable the user interfaces on domestic appliances and products having present values of front panel thickness.