Abstract: A drive gear engages a driven gear with non-intersecting axes of rotation making an angle of approximately 90° with respect to one another. A shaft has a first portion with a predetermined diameter, and a second portion has an enveloped worm gear with at least one roll-formed helical tooth formed thereon with an outer diameter greater than the diameter of the first portion of the shaft. The extra envelopment achieves an overall smaller package size for competitive advantage. When the shaft is rolled, the outside teeth exceed the shaft diameter by a predetermined amount allowing more teeth to be in contact with the driven gear. An outer bearing can be placed at the end of the shaft to allow the teeth to be of a larger diameter than the shaft. The pitch of the teeth can vary. Preferably, the bearing groove is roll formed simultaneously with the teeth of the worm gear since the centroid of the enveloped teeth must be located with the gear center line.

Abstract: An electronic circuit for the processing of an analog electrical signal is provided with a receiver for receiving the signal reflected by an object. The amplitude of the signal received is a function of the distance of the object from the receiver. A circuit is provided for the adaptation of the signal to a reference signal.

Abstract: The invention concerns an ultrasound parking aid system which emits warning signals when an echo signal lying within an audibility window exceeds a given threshold value. Hitherto, an audibility window or the sensitivity of the system was adapted to fixed data of the vehicle and/or the roadway. According to the invention, the sensitivity, audibility window or even the emission response is adapted as a function of varying dynamic data of the vehicle or roadway.

Abstract: An apparatus retains and aligns an electrical ignition switch of a motor vehicle with respect to a steering column housing. A switch housing supports the electrical switch and has at least one first aperture formed therein. The steering column housing slidably receives the switch housing therein, and the steering column housing has at least one second aperture formed therein. At least one locking member is engagable within the first aperture and is moveable between a first position retracted within the aperture and a second position extended outwardly with respect to the first aperture. The locking member engages within the second aperture when the switch housing is slidably engaged and fully seated within the steering column housing and holds the switch housing with respect to the steering column housing when engaged within the second aperture. A biasing member urges the locking member toward the second position.

Abstract: A switch apparatus having an integrated flasher relay for activation and deactivation of a hazard signaling system particularly for use in automotive vehicles. The actuator has an integral flasher relay that moves with the actuator through the activation and deactivation operations. The switch is also provided with a detent utilizing a roller for releasably locking the actuator in a predetermined position.

Abstract: In a drive mechanism for a windshield wiper, a switch disk for realizing a park position switch is supported so as to be independently rotatable relative to an output gear of a gear unit. The output gear and the switch disk are coupled with each other via a coupling device, with the coupling device acting as an engaging device carrying the switch disk along, in one direction of rotation only. In order to lower an axial dimension of the gear unit, the disk is rotatably supported on a sleeve, through which an output shaft extends so that the end of the shaft can support itself directly on a housing lid.

Abstract: The invention relates to a brush-holding device for electric motors comprising carbon brushes, a conductive stamped grid as a printed circuit board, a base to which the printed circuit board is attached and components for monitoring temperature or for radioshielding. The printed circuit board is a single part and has several levels, at least one of which is staggered axially and in alignment with the commutator. The brush-holding device has a small overall length and the electric bonding of the components can take place simply without any additional parts.

Abstract: A magnetic ring (1) is provided, comprising a magnetic disc (2) and an annular disc (10). The annular disc (10) is coated, by injection molding or die-casting, with a magnetizable material so that two spring tongues (20,21) protrude from the inner rim of the magnetic disc (2) which are able to exert a clamping effect on a shaft or rod (30).

Abstract: A ball nut has at least one internal bearing race with a first end and second end, and at least one recirculating crossover passage for connecting the first end with the second end of the bearing race to form a continuous recirculating path for a plurality of ball bearings. A method for producing a ball nut includes the steps of forming at least a portion of the ball nut body with a helix passage for receiving a plurality of ball bearings, forming a crossover passage in communication with the helix passage for returning the plurality of ball bearings to an opposite end of the helix passage, and assembling the ball nut body portions to position the helix passage and operable orientation with respect to the crossover passage to define at least one raceway having a single recirculating rotational path for receiving the plurality of ball bearings. The ball nut body can be formed by being drawn, coined, metal injection molded, roll formed, through rolled, stamped and/or overmolded.

Abstract: A combined transmission gear shift selector and vehicle operating device switch lever includes an actuator movably mounted on a transmission shift lever for movement between distinct positions, each defining a separate circuit for activating a vehicle operating device or circuit. The actuator is movably mounted between spaced first and second end portions of the transmission shift lever which are rigidly joined for unitary movement. A printed circuit board carrying conductive traces and a contactor carrying leaf contacts are movably arranged with respect to each other on the actuator and the lever for defining circuits upon at least one of rotation and/or coaxial translation of the actuator relative to the lever. A detent and detent follower are formed on the actuator and one of the first and second end portions for defining distinct rotary positions of the actuator relative to the lever, each distinct position defining a separate vehicle operating device state.

Abstract: A windshield wiper arrangement for vehicles, particularly for motor vehicles, is described which makes possible a non-screw type mounting and thus a mounting which is to be carried out in a simple and rapid manner. For this purpose, the windshield wiper arrangement has a support structure (3) which carries the one windshield wiper drive device (4). At the support structure (3), a first number of attachment members (14), (15) are provided which protrude in a first direction (17) from the support structure (3) and a second number of attachment members (16) which protrude in a second direction (19) from the support structure (3), wherein the second direction (19) extends at an angle between 45° and 135° with respect to the first direction (17), preferably at an angle of approximately 90°.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic transducer with a pot-shaped oscillating element, which is mounted in a transducer housing and which bears a piezoelectric disc on its bottom. The invention simplifies the electric contact-making between the connecting leads and the oscillating element or the piezoelectric disc and makes this process more suitable for automated manufacturing. The invention consists of contact springs which are not soldered or caulked with the above-mentioned elements, but only tact them resiliently. Improvements are achieved through an essentially cylinder-shaped connecting element, to which the contact springs are fastened by casting and which can also serve as a damping element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a steering angle sensor for motor vehicles. The object of the invention is to be able to provide the absolute value of the steering angle position of the steering wheel within a relatively short angle of rotation of the steering wheel. To this end, the invention proposes featuring two preferably concentric circular tracks (1, 2), wherein the first track (1) is used to determine the relative angular movement of the steering wheel and the second track (2) is used to provide the absolute value of the angle position. Advantageous further developments relate to two different coding options.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for providing an optical signal at the rear of a vehicle to warn the following traffic of an ongoing electronic control intervention in the vehicle behavior. Such an electronic control function can be for instance ABS, TCS or automatic yaw control. A preferred embodiment of the invention utilizes the center brake light of a vehicle to emit an intermittent optical signal during electronic control. In case of ABS, the two side brake lights shine continuously to indicate a brake pedal actuation while the center brake light flashes in an on/off- mode according to the electronic antilock control.

Abstract: A hydraulically powered fan system for the cooling system of a vehicle. Two hydraulic motors, powered by a hydraulic pump, drive a common fan which cools a radiator. When hydraulic flow in excess of that required to power a single motor is present, a second motor is placed in parallel with the single motor, thereby reducing system pressure, and reducing the power consumed by the pump.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a steer angle sensor for determining the steer angle in automotive vehicles. Sensors of the afore-mentioned type are required for controlling the driving stability. It is the object of the invention to arrange a code disk in a simple way opposite the housing of the sensor. This problem is solved, in the practice of the invention, in that the code disk is arranged directly on the housing. Advantageous developments refer to possible designs of the bearing.

Abstract: A lid for a gear box of a windscreen wiper is described, which includes a metallic base plate in a plastic envelope. The plastic envelope includes printed circuit conductors connected to contact lugs provided at the bottom side of the lid. The plastic layer extends substantially across the entire outer surface of the lid covering the edges of the lid in such a way that the bottom side of the plastic layer is flush with the bottom side of the base plate. In a preferred embodiment, the bottom side of the base plate is provided wit plastic material so that tension within the plastic material which occurs during cooling after injection molding does not result in warping or bending the base plate. The present invention results in a low weight, stable lid which is capable of providing support for the driven axis.

Abstract: A windshield wiper device is described for a vehicle windshield, having a wiper motor that has a reversible direction of rotation. The wiper motor is controlled by an electronic unit with control signals. The electronic unit uses an operating mode and a learning mode, with which a reversal position of a wiper arm and/or a driven shaft can be stored in memory in the learning mode and called up as often as desired in the operating mode. In this way, a wiper motor is made that can be adapted to different operating cases with different wiped areas in a simple and cost-effective manner, without mechanical changes needing to be performed.

Abstract: A wiper squeegee is mounted in the holding claws of a support frame. The capability of the wiper squeegee to shift in the longitudinal direction is limited by a fixed first stop on a first end of the support frame and a second stop which can move between a holding position and a release position on a second end of the support frame. An end piece on which the second stop is mounted is fastened on the second end of the support frame so that the end piece can rotate around a geometric axis which runs at least approximately parallel to the longitudinal direction of the wiper squeegee. This end piece can be locked, at least in the holding position.

Abstract: A windshield wiper blade for a vehicle windshield wiper device features a wiper blade rubber made of a resiliently deformable material which exhibits a backing to which two parallel wiper lips are connected by means of a flexible neck and an intensive-cleaning element attached to each of the mutually remote longitudinal sides of the wiper lips, wherein the intensive-cleaning element leading relative to the direction of motion of the wiper blade rubber and the wiping edge of the trailing wiper lip contacts the windshield. In order to improve the wiping quality of the wiper blade rubber, both wiper lips exhibit an essentially triangular cross-section of standard wiper blade rubbers and are connected to the backing in such a way that, when the wiper is operating, each can be supported on the bottom side of the backing with a shoulder lying at the rear in relation to the direction of motion.