Abstract: A power train in a motor vehicle has an automated clutch which is operated by a control unit by way of an actuator. The control unit receives signals from various parts of the engine, from the brake or brakes and from the transmission; such signals are processed and transmitted to the clutch by way of the actuator so that, when the vehicle is to carry out a crawling movement, the torque being transmitted by the then partly engaged clutch is properly related to the engine torque to ensure a predictable crawling movement of the vehicle regardless of eventual shifts of the operating point of the clutch and/or fluctuations of other parameters of the engine, transmission and/or clutch. The crawling movement can begin when the brake(s) is or are idle, the gas pedal is not depressed, and the engine is running; and crawling movement begins in response to shifting of the transmission into gear.

Abstract: In a fuel injection system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine with magnetic valve controlled direct injection fuel injectors of which each includes a housing having an injection nozzle with a nozzle needle biased into a closed position by a spring disposed in a spring chamber, and a magnetic valve controlled control piston having a valve structure at one end for controlling high pressure fuel admission to a fuel supply passage leading to the needle nozzle, the spring chamber is in communication with the fuel supply passage by a communication passage including a throttle structure permitting limited fuel flow to the spring chamber such that, upon failure of the injector resulting in a continuous pressurization of the fuel supply passage, the pressure in the spring chamber builds up to seat the nozzle needle thereby interrupting fuel ejection from the injector.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing NO.sub.x from the exhaust of internal combustion engines. The apparatus has a porous absorbent body saturated with a liquid alkaline electrolyte for absorption of NO.sub.x as nitrate and nitrite, in which body electrodes are distributed pairwise for electrochemical decomposition of the nitrate and nitrite to form nitrogen. The method uses the apparatus of the invention to decompose nitrates and nitrites into diatomic nitrogen.

Abstract: A car seat is provided with fold-down seatbacks and an associated safety-belt system. The shoulder belt of the safety-belt system in the upper corner of the seatback from the direction of the outside of the car, exits through a slot-like opening of a covering on the seatback in the direction of the belt user, and a seatback release is arranged at a distance from the safety-belt deflector. So that the seatback release does not have to be configured and built individually for car seats of the most varied kinds, a unit which is mountable on the contour of the seatback and accommodates the belt deflector and the seatback release, is prefabricated as an assembly unit.

Abstract: A steering system for a passenger motor vehicle has a lower steering spindle. A rubber-elastic damping block is provided as a damping device, and one or more guide members which project freely along the spindle axis is assigned to each respective spindle part. The guide members of the opposite spindle parts are axially slidably in opposite directions disposed in corresponding guide receiving devices of the damping block. The axial displaceability of the guide members is limited within the guide receiving devices by axial securing devices assigned to each spindle part.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine with a turbocharger including a turbine and a charge air compressor an exhaust gas recirculation line branches off the exhaust pipe downstream of the turbine and leads to a three way mixing valve which is also in communication with a fresh air supply line through which fresh air is supplied to the charge air compressor and then, under increased pressure to the engine, and from which a supply line extends to the fresh air supply line downstream of the charge air compressor, and means are disposed in the supply line for increasing the pressure of the gas in the supply line to the pressure of the fresh air downstream of the charge air compressor for admixing the gas mixture prepared by the mixing valve to the fresh air supplied to the engine.

Abstract: A folding roof arrangement for a motor vehicle is provided with a folding cover whose forward end is fastened to a transversely extending roof cap which can be locked by way of locking members on the motor vehicle body when the roof is closed. The folding roof arrangement is provided with lateral folding top frames with which the roof cap is displaceably connected. The locking members have closing members which are arranged on the roof cap and which are applied to tensioning elements arranged on the motor vehicle body. The locking members displace the roof cap in the x-direction toward the front relative to the folding top frames for end position locking.

Abstract: A connector assembly that is subjected to alternating loads by an axial flow of force between zero and various maximum values, with an outer assembly component designed as a hollow section and an inner assembly component located in the outer one and fitting by virtue of its shape. In order to detect failure of the assembly caused by a fatigue fracture produced by overloads at the end point in the assembly direction, even before it develops, in a simple fashion within the functional assembly, the assembly comprises a rear area with play that begins at the end of the connection that points in the assembly direction and a forward zero-play area of the inner assembly component that abuts the latter and is located inside the outer assembly component.

Abstract: In a fuel tank for motor vehicles including a tank vent with a venting valve, which automatically closes when the fuel in the tank reaches a predetermined level and when the vehicle is in an upside down position, the venting valve includes a vent closing member and a float structure engaging to the vent closing member and having a buoyancy, which is variable depending on the amount of fuel contained in the tank.

Abstract: Converter modules have a busbar system for a plurality of power semiconductor switches or, preferably, IGBT power semiconductor modules (IPMs). The power semiconductor switches are arranged in pairs, facing one another or facing away from one another, close together and parallel. In accordance with exemplary embodiments, alternating current is fed in one or two phases via bridge circuits composed of two or four power semiconductor switches.

Abstract: In a turbocharger and exhaust gas manifold arrangement on a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine comprising an exhaust gas manifold with an exhaust gas collection chamber having a discharge flange connected to a connecting flange of an exhaust gas turbocharger, the discharge flange and, accordingly, the turbocharger are arranged at a longitudinal end of the exhaust gas manifold adjacent the front end of the engine.

Abstract: In a reforming reactor suitable particularly for the water vapor reforming of methanol in mobile applications such as vehicles, a reaction space is filled with a catalyst pellet fill and has a movable reaction space wall which exerts a position-fixing pressure onto the catalyst pellet fill. According to the invention, a filling device is provided through which catalyst material can be filled from the outside into the reaction space through a passage opening formed in one of the reaction space walls.

Abstract: A vehicle seat having seat and backrest cushions includes a ventilation device for ventilating the cushions as well as a heating device for heating the cushions. A desirable sitting climate providing high comfort is produced by eliminating both a seat user's perspiration and overcooling. The desirable sitting climate is assured by a control unit which is connected on an input side with a temperature sensor arranged in a cushion and on an output side with the electric circuits of the ventilation unit and the heating unit. The control unit is adjusted such that, at cushion surface temperatures measured by the temperature sensor which are above an indicated value, it switches on the ventilation device or changes it to a higher power stage and/or switches off the heating device or changes it to a lower heating capacity.

Abstract: In a method for detecting and tracking objects by stereo image evaluation a part of structure class images is initially generated from a recorded stereo image pair. Differences in brightness of selected pixels in the environment are determined for each pixel as digital values, which are combined to form a digital value group, with identical groups defining their own structure classes. Structure classes which lack a brightness change along the epipolar line are discarded. Corresponding disparity values are then determined for the pixels in the other structure classes and are collected in a disparity histogram with a given frequency increment. The pixel group that belongs to a given grouping point area of the histogram is then interpreted as an object to be detected.

Abstract: In a process and apparatus for controlling the attitude of a spacecraft, drive signals for driving attitude control units of the spacecraft are generated based on control unit signals related to the three principle axes of a spacecraft oriented coordinate system, using the rule k=B.sup.I e+cu.sub.2. The drive matrix B.sup.I, a definite vector u.sub.2 and the constant c result from the application of a matrix decomposition according to the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) method to a nozzle matrix B. The latter matrix contains as elements, the momentum and force vectors which can be generated by the attitude control units, and the drive matrix B.sup.I is multiplied directly with the vector e derived from the axis-related control unit signals.

Abstract: A floor structure for a self-supporting motor vehicle body is provided which has a down and up open central tunnel and a power unit crossmember extending under the central tunnel. Two mutually opposite supporting profiles are secured in a force-transmitting manner on the power-unit crossmember. Each supporting profile has a dimensionally rigid supporting leg which extends along a lateral tunnel wall of the tunnel arrangement and is arranged parallel to said tunnel wall at a small distance therefrom. In relation to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle the supporting profiles extend at least over part of the length of the power-unit crossmember.

Abstract: A locking device protects a charge socket on a vehicle having a traction battery, for charging the traction battery. A charge plug, which is connected with a current source by way of a charge cable, is insertable into the charge socket. The charge can be locked by the locking device to prevent removal. The locking exercised by the locking device is effected by a swing lid which, in the closed position, is used for covering the charge socket. Alternatively, the locking device exercises a locking effect directly on the inserted charge plug whereby the locking device can simultaneously be used for locking the swing lid in its closed position.

Abstract: An impact absorbing outer body structure of a motor vehicle including an outer panel with a deformable impact region. For the protection of a person or object making impact on the outer-panel, the deformable impact region can be displaced outwardly toward said person or object. The outer panel is provided with at least one plastically deformable impact region which is weakened in relation to the rest of the outer panel, and a supporting shell is firmly connected to the outer panel on an inner side. The supporting shell has at least the stability of the rest of the outer panel, enclosing the impact region and forming, along with the outer panel, a closed cavity. In the event of an impact load, the plastically deformable impact region can be expanded rapidly outward by means of a high-pressure charge, such as a pyrotechnical propellant charge, to provide a deformation area to absorb the energy of the impact. The impact absorbing structure is particularly used in hoods and doors of motor vehicles.