Abstract: The invention relates to a piezoelectric actuator, in particular for actuating control valves or injection valves of internal combustion engines in motor vehicles, having a circular, cylindrical piezoelectric actuator body in the form of a multilayered laminate made up of stacked layers of piezoelectric material with intervening metallic or electrically conductive, alternating first and second electrode layers that function as electrodes, wherein these first and second electrode layers alternatingly contact a first and second electrically conductive common electrode connection.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electric drive unit having an electric motor, a gear, a gear housing, and a pole housing. A number of parts of the electric drive unit (1) and the production cost are both reduced by the integral embodiment of the gear housing (5) and pole housing (10) and by injection molding the short-circuit element (36) and magnet (32) into the pole housing (10). Such an electric drive unit (1) is used in windshield wiper motors or control motors in the automotive field.

Abstract: A pneumatic brake booster (10) having a moving piston (22) for urging an actuating rod (34) of a master cylinder (28) in response to actuation of a plunger (56). The plunger has a front end that passes through the piston (22) that forms a first feeler (62) that penetrates a reaction disc (44) located between the piston (22) and the actuating rod (34) to transmit to the plunger (56) a reaction force of the master cylinder (28) and a second feeler (68) that is pushed by the plunger (56) when the control rod (46) is actuated at a rate higher than a determined rate and immobilized by a one-way engagement device (70) in an axial position that varies with respect to the piston (22) and then is driven by the piston to push the second feeler (68) into the disc (44) so that the first feeler (52) applies a braking force more rapidly.

Abstract: A battery-operated electrical tool (10) is provided with a machine housing (11) that has a longish, substantially rod-shaped housing portion (12) containing an electric drive motor (13) and an end portion (15) on which a terminal connection surface (16) with push-in receptacle (17) for the detachable attachment of a battery packet (14) is provided, which said battery packet is provided with a connection part (18) that comprises a seating surface (19) matched to the connection surface (16) for seating on said connection surface, and comprising a push-in part (20) engaging in the push-in receptacle (17). The end portion (15) is inflected toward one side in relation to the housing portion (12) out of the direction of longitudinal extension. The terminal connection surface (16) of the end portion (15) extends within a plane (21) that is oriented skew in relation to a plane (22) extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (23) of the housing portion (12).

Abstract: A method and a device for controlling a drive unit, in particular, of an internal combustion engine in a vehicle, in which at least one performance quantity of the drive unit is detected and at least one actuator of the drive unit is controlled with controlled variables, depending on this performance quantity, according to predefinable or preselectable functionalities. In a controller, at least two processors process the possible functionalities, where these functionalities are defined by program code in at least one assigned program memory per processor. These possible functionalities of the processors, i.e., the program codes in the program memories assigned to the processors are identical.

Abstract: A sensor has a foundation wafer having a sensor chamber, at least one silicon-based micromechanical structure integrated with the sensor chamber of the foundation wafer, at least one covering that covers the foundation wafer in a region of the sensor chamber, the covering including a first layer which is a deposition layer and is permeable to an etching medium and reaction products, and a hermetically sealing second layer which is a sealing layer and located above the first layer, the deposition layer which is the first layer being permeable in a region of the sensor chamber to the etching medium and a reaction product, the deposition layer for being permeable having structures selected from the group consisting of etching openings, porous regions, and both.

Abstract: A device for measuring an angle and/or the torque acting on a rotatable body is proposed according to the invention, whereby the rotational angle is detected by means of magnetic or optical sensors. In particular, in a preferred exemplary embodiment, two devices (7, 8) are proposed, each of which comprises two optically readable code tracks. The two code tracks (1a, 1b or 2a, 2b) on one device (7 or 8) are similar in design and are offset in relation to each other, so that associated sensors (4) output a digital signal. The rotational angle is calculated based on the lag between the two digital signals. In a further embodiment it is provided that a torsion element (5) having a known torsional stiffness is situated between the two devices (7, 8). Torque transferred by the rotatable body (3) can also be calculated therefore from the angular difference of the two devices 7, 8. The device is used preferably in the steering axle of a motor vehicle.

Abstract: A fuel injector includes a magnetic coil, which cooperates with an armature which, together with a valve needle acted upon by a restoring spring, forms an axially movable valve part. A valve-closure member which forms a sealing seat together with a valve-seat member, is provided at the valve needle. Furthermore, the fuel injector includes an inner pole and an outer pole which form a magnetic circuit together with the magnetic coil, and a central fuel supply. A sleeve is situated in the central fuel supply of the fuel injector in such a way that a flow route of the fuel through the fuel injector is formed such with respect to length and diameter that the frequency of natural oscillations which are excited by the fuel flowing through the fuel injector, is adjusted to the closing intervals of the fuel injector.

Abstract: There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a MEMS device, and technique of fabricating or manufacturing a MEMS device, having mechanical structures encapsulated in a chamber prior to final packaging and a contact area disposed at least partially outside the chamber. The contact area is electrically isolated from nearby electrically conducting regions by way of dielectric isolation trench that is disposed around the contact area. The material that encapsulates the mechanical structures, when deposited, includes one or more of the following attributes: low tensile stress, good step coverage, maintains its integrity when subjected to subsequent processing, does not significantly and/or adversely impact the performance characteristics of the mechanical structures in the chamber (if coated with the material during deposition), and/or facilitates integration with high-performance integrated circuits.

Abstract: A method of keyless locking of a motor vehicle is described. A transponder exchanges a code with a transceiver. A control unit compares this code with the expected code and, if a match is found, activates a closing system of the vehicle in the sense of locking it. This control unit activates at least one display means. A locking command is generated on actuation of at least one operating element. In a first step, a search signal is delivered by the transceiver when the operating element is actuated in order to determine the position of the transponder on the basis of the response signal sent back by the transponder. In a second step, the display means is activated when the transponder is in the interior of the vehicle and/or on the side of the vehicle opposite the actuated operating element. In a third step, the closing system is activated in the sense of locking it if the operating element has been actuated again.

Abstract: A ball-joint connection for a braking system comprising a male element (2) and a female element (4). A first end (14) of the male element (2) includes pegs (30,30?) that are automatically radially extracted when the first end (14) is mounted in a female element (4) defined by a housing (16). The pegs (30,30?) collaborate with the interior surface (18) of the housing (16,66) to define a ball-joint connection between the male element (2) and the female element (4). The female element (4) being formed on one end of a piston (66) of for a master cylinder and the male element (2) forms the actuating rod of the master cylinder.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrohydraulic brake slip control device for motor vehicles, including one or more electromagnetically actuatable hydraulic valves contained in a valve block, having valve domes, which protrude at least partway beyond the valve block in the direction of a valve axis and each engage in a coil opening of an electric coil held by a coil holder, and having contact elements, which protrude away from the coils and through openings of a top plate, in order to electrically activate the coils. At least some of the coils are held against the coil holder in a plane perpendicular to the valve axes with an easily moving play, but also in a position-oriented fashion and, after their alignment produced by the engagement of the valve domes in the associated coil openings, can be rigidly fixed in the aligned position.

Abstract: A method and a device, respectively, for controlling a barricade of a parking space for a vehicle are proposed, the method being used to change a code as needed with which authorization for controlling the barricade of the parking space is attained and to recognize a plurality of codes as authorized for one barricade. A code is able to be changed using a password. The radio signals are preferably transmitted via Bluetooth. A dwell time of the vehicle in the parking space may also be logged. A code may be designed as a personal identification number or as an identification number of the vehicle or of the radio module. The barricade is designed as either a garage door or a barrier.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for determining the gear selection utilizing a selection lever in an automatic transmission having at least two units (10, 12) for detecting the selection lever position (14, 16, 18, 20, 22). Each unit (10, 12) generates a signal corresponding to the detected selection lever position (14, 16, 18, 20, 22). The system also has a device for evaluating the signals. Based on the signals, the gear selection can be determined while considering plausibility rules. The invention relates further to a method for determining the gear selection utilizing a selection lever in an automatic transmission.

Abstract: An inertia-drive starter is proposed, in the case of which a relay is not required to engage the pinion in the flywheel ring gear (47) of an internal combustion engine. With this starter, a pushing-forward of the driven shaft (33) to engage a pinion (45) in the flywheel ring gear (47) is brought about by means of a pole tube (9) located on the stator (5) of the starter motor (5, 7), which said pole tube executes a turning motion around the motor axis when the starter motor (5, 7) is energized. Means (55, 63, 77, 79) are provided that convert the turning motion of the pole tube (9) directly into an axial motion acting on the driven shaft (33).

Abstract: A master cylinder piston for use in a motor vehicle having a flap (22) that is biased towards a position to shut off a pressure-fluid passage (24) by a return spring (28) resting on a cage (30). A flange (38) on a cage (30)for the Spring (28) is located in an annular groove (44) provided in the housing (20) for the flap (22) when the cage (30) bears axially on an inner shoulder (64) of the housing (20).

Abstract: A gas sensor for determining a physical quantity of a gas component, e.g., in an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, including a sensor element which contains at least one electrochemical cell. The electrochemical cell includes a first electrode and a second electrode that are arranged at a distance on at least one solid electrolyte, the second electrode is arranged in a reference gas space. A third electrode which is in contact with a gas located in the gas space is provided. The gas component may be exchanged between the gas space and the reference gas space using a voltage applied between the second electrode and the third electrode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a connection between a shaft end of a gas exchange valve of an internal combustion engine and a sleeve-shaped actuating element of a valve actuator, which is guided in an axially movable manner within a pressure region, which is able to be pressurized with a pressure medium, of the valve actuator and at least partially surrounds the shaft end. The present invention provides for the connection to be situated outside of the pressure region and in the region of an opening, which is formed on the side of the valve actuator away from the combustion chamber, and is, for example, coaxial to the shaft end.

Abstract: A method and a device for detecting the clutch state in a motor vehicle, in particular during engine drag torque regulation, is described. A particularly simple and cost-effective method of detecting the clutch state is made possible by determining the engine speed and a wheel speed and by calculating a gear ratio therefrom. Threshold values for the overall gear ratio are stored in the system for at least each of the lower gears (e.g., the first through the third gear). The clutch state may be identified by comparing the calculated overall gear ratio with the threshold values of the particular gear.

Abstract: A contact arrangement for providing an electrical plug connection between an electrical device and an exchangeable storage battery for a current supply of the electrical device has a plug part having at least one contact tong with two oppositely located contact surfaces, a receiving part having at least two oppositely located contact fingers between which the contact tong of the plug part is insertable, the contact fingers at one end being clamped and elastically bendable for clamping at another free end being clamped between the contact fingers of the contact tong in an inserted condition, the contact fingers being bent relative to one another in a configuration from the group consisting at an angle and convexly and being pressed with a contact surface arranged at an apex of a bending against a neighboring contact surface of the contact tong, the apexes of the both contact fingers being offset relative to one another in an insertion direction of the contact tong and overlapping before the insertion of the co