Abstract: The invention relates to a heating device comprising at least one tube housing in which at least one PTC heating element is arranged, and heat exchangers which are secured on the tube housing. According to the invention, it is provided that the heat exchangers are secured on the tube housing by stamping.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for igniting a fuel-air mixture in an internal combustion engine. An electric transformer excites an oscillating circuit connected to a secondary winding of the transformer. A capacitor is formed by an ignition electrode together with the wall of a combustion chamber through which it extends. The excitation of the oscillating circuit is controlled by generating a corona discharge igniting the fuel-air mixture. Before each ignition time the voltage applied to a primary winding of the transformer is incrementally increased, and the intensity of the current flowing in the primary winding is measured repeatedly at the same primary voltage. The variation of the values of the related primary current is determined, and the incremental increase in the primary voltage is aborted at a value thereof at which the variation of the primary current intensity reaches or exceeds a predetermined limit.

Abstract: Some invention embodiments relate to a method for forming a fuse which electrically connects two metal surfaces (2) that are arranged on a printed circuit board (4) next to each other and spaced apart from each other. It is provided according to the invention that the two metal surfaces (2) are each partially covered with a protective coating (5), wherein a partial region forming a contact region (2a) remains uncovered, liquid soft solder material (1) which bridges the gap between the two metal surfaces (2) is applied onto the two uncovered partial regions (2a), and the protective coating (5) in a surrounding area of the solder material (1) is removed after the soft solder material (1) has solidified, in order to form receiving regions (2b) which are wetted by the solder material (1) when the latter fuses, with the result that the solder material (1) flows off from a printed circuit board region (3) between the two metal surfaces (2) and the electrical contact formed by the solder material (1) is interrupted.

Abstract: An overvoltage protector for an electrical consumer in a motor vehicle, includes an input for connection to the electrical system of a motor vehicle, an output for connection to the electrical consumer to be protected, and a ground terminal which is connected via a line to a branch point between the input and the output, wherein at least one component that blocks below a threshold voltage and conducts above the threshold voltage, and a switch connected in series with the component are located in the line, wherein the switch is controlled by a control circuit that closes the switch when a voltage spike occurs and subsequently reopens it.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a glow plug to a target value of the surface temperature while the engine is running. An effective voltage is generated by pulse width modulation of a vehicle electrical system voltage. This effective voltage is applied to the glow plug. The electric resistance of the glow plug is measured and compared to a resistance value expected for the target value of the surface temperature. The effective voltage is varied as a function of the deviation of the measured value of the electric resistance from the expected value of the electric resistance. A pressure sensor of the glow plug is used to measure the combustion chamber pressure. The resistance value expected for the target value of the surface temperature is determined as a function of the combustion chamber pressure.

Abstract: An electric heating system, in particular an auxiliary heating system in automobiles, in which the heating system has several heating rods (1), arranged side-by-side; the heating rods (1) are connected to each other by means of alike metal plates (4) that are slid onto the heating rods (1); the heating rods (1) have for this purpose a series of slotted holes (3) that extend in the longitudinal direction (10) of the metal plates (4); the slotted holes (3) have longitudinal edges, facing each other, that clamp the heating rods (1) between them; and at least one part of the slotted holes (3) in each metal plate (4) is longer by more than the manufacturing tolerance, than the width of the heating rods (1) measured in the longitudinal direction (10) of the metal plates (4).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for igniting a fuel/air mixture in a combustion chamber of a cyclically operating internal combustion engine using an ignition electrode constitutes a capacitance in cooperation with a wall of the combustion chamber that is at ground potential, wherein an electric oscillating circuit, which is connected to a secondary side of an electric DC/AC converter and the ignition electrode, is excited by way of a primary voltage applied to a primary side of the electric DC/AC converter, wherein the excitation of the oscillating circuit is controlled such that a corona discharge igniting the fuel/air mixture is created in the combustion chamber at the ignition electrode. According to the invention, the primary voltage is controlled to a specified setpoint value which is changed during the combustion duration of the corona discharge and is dependent upon the crankshaft angle and on at least one characteristic value of the fuel/air mixture.

Abstract: A linear sensor is described with a casing (5), with a pin (7) which contains a permanent magnet (1) and which is mounted in the casing (5) in a linearly displaceable manner against the force of a spring (6), and with a magnetic field sensor (3) attached to said casing (5) for detecting of a displacement of the permanent magnet (1). The invention provides that the pin (7) is controlled by a first cylindrical guide (8) and a second cylindrical guide (8).

Abstract: The invention relates to an HF ignition device for igniting a fuel in an internal combustion engine with a corona discharge, comprising an ignition electrode, an insulating body on which the ignition electrode is mounted, the insulating body having a continuous channel in which an inner conductor leading to the ignition electrode is disposed, and an outer conductor which encloses the insulating body and, in combination with a section of the inner conductor, forms a capacitor, wherein the channel is filled with an electrically conductive filling material which encloses at least one conductor piece that forms at least one section of the inner conductor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for supplying current to a glow plug in a running diesel engine after reaching the operating temperature thereof by a series of current pulses, wherein a piston of the engine carries out a work cycle comprising several strokes and the glow plug is supplied with current as a function of the strokes of the work cycle such that the electric current supplied in each work cycle is mainly supplied at a predetermined, steady stroke of the piston, wherein control time intervals that follow each other are defined, during which up to two switching processes can be triggered by a control device, by which the glow plug can be connected to a voltage source for creating a current pulse or can be disconnected from the voltage source for ending a current pulse. According to the invention, the control time intervals have a duration that can be varied by the control device as a function of the rotational speed of the engine.

Abstract: A tire module, for installation on an inner side of a pneumatic tire for vehicles, including a device for measuring and/or monitoring of the air pressure in the tire, a transmitter for transmitting radio signals, which contain information about the air pressure in the tire, a mechanical-electrical converter having a bendable piezoelectric element, which converts into electric energy alternating deformations of the piezoelectric element caused by the rolling tire, and a storage device for the electric energy, which is connected to the converter. The converter includes a circular, disc-shaped, piezoelectric element (piezo disc) on which an electrical voltage generated by the piezo effect is tapped at contact points, which are situated on opposite sides of the piezo disc.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a glow plug with the engine running, wherein an effective voltage is generated from a vehicle electrical system voltage by pulse width modulation, the effective voltage is applied to the glow plug and changed as a function of engine parameters, a target value of the effective voltage that is dependent on the engine parameters and to which the effective voltage is changed is specified, a maximum increment for a change of the actual value of the effective voltage in at least one direction is specified, and a change of the actual value in at least one direction to a target value that deviates from the actual value by more than the maximum increment is carried out in several steps. The invention further relates to a controller which carries out such a method during operation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a diesel fuel filter heater comprising at least one PTC element, in a motor vehicle. According to the invention, a glow plug control device is used to generate an effective voltage from a vehicle system voltage using pulse width modulation, which is then applied at the filter heater.

Abstract: The invention relates to a linear sensor, comprising a sleeve, a pin which comprises a permanent magnet and is linearly displaceably supported in the sleeve, and a magnetic field sensor which is fastened to the sleeve and used to detect a displacement of the permanent magnet, characterized in that the pin is guided by way of a substantially cylindrical guide and has a magnet or pin holder.

Abstract: A method for determining a heating characteristic of a glow plug, wherein pulse-width-modulated voltage pulses are applied to the glow plug and an electric variable is measured repeatedly during a voltage pulse with the heating characteristic of the glow plug determined by evaluating the difference of successive measurement results of this variable.

Abstract: What is described is a corona ignition device for igniting fuel in an internal combustion engine by generating a corona discharge, said corona ignition device comprising a housing, an insulator, which is held in the housing, a center electrode, which is held in the insulator, and at least one ignition tip at an and of the center electrode. The housing surrounds an interior, which has a cylindrical portion in which a cylindrical portion of the insulator sits. A widened interior portion adjoins at the end of the cylindrical interior portion remote from the ignition peak. The insulator has a thinner portion in the widened interior portion. The cylindrical portion of the insulator carries an electrically conductive coating, which ends before the thinner portion.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a glow plug connector for a sensor glow plug, comprising a housing made of plastic, a plurality of contact elements made of metal, which form contact surfaces bearing against a circumferential wall of the housing, wherein the contact elements protrude on the glow-plug side from a base of the housing. The contact surfaces are embodied as segments of a circle that protrude from a strip-shaped section of the contact elements. This disclosure also relates to a connector for a cylinder pressure sensor for measuring the pressure in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A device for monitoring tire pressure includes an antenna for transmitting pressure data, a printed circuit board with a circuit for measuring and transmitting pressure data that is connected to the antenna, a power source for supplying the circuit, and a housing surrounding the printed circuit board, According to the invention, the housing is produced by insert-molding the antenna.

Abstract: Glow plug, particularly for operation in a combustion engine, comprising at least one heating rod (1) and at least one body (2) and at least one annular gap (3) between the heating rod (1) and the body (2) and at least one chamber (4) primarily arranged between the heating rod (1) and the body (2).

Abstract: The invention relates to an electric heating device for a motor vehicle, said electric heating device comprising a ceramic heating resistor and a metal cooling body, which has two mutually opposed primary sides, wherein one of the two primary sides forms an inflow side, against which a fluid stream to be heated flows. In accordance with this disclosure, the heating resistor is arranged in a groove, which is located in one of the two primary sides of the cooling body.