Abstract: A motor vehicle includes a pre-safe system, which contains at least one vehicle periphery detection device and a suspension and shock absorber unit. The suspension and shock absorber unit is arranged between a chassis and a vehicle body and can be activated as a function of signals that are detected by the vehicle periphery detection device and evaluated in a data evaluation device. The data evaluation unit of the vehicle periphery detection device is connected to a control device of an active chassis control system, which activates the suspension and shock absorber unit, to perform a vehicle level adjustment that is predefined for the respective impact situation.

Abstract: A loose or missing fuel cap detection method for an evaporative emission control system of an automotive vehicle detects a loose or missing fuel cap based in part on whether fuel level changed. The method determines whether the fuel level changed, which is indicative of a refueling event. The method then determines if one or more leaks are present. If the fuel level changed and one or more leaks are present, the method determines that the fuel cap is loose or missing.

Abstract: The invention concerns a data bus system (30) including a communication unit (40) for bidirectional wireless communication with at least one unit (20) outside of the vehicle (10) and with vehicle units (50, 60, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 90, 110, 120, 130, 140) which are in data transmission communication with the communication unit (40) via at least one data bus (150, 152, 154), wherein data as to status of the vehicle units (50, 60, 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 90, 110, 120, 130, 140) is transmitted via the at least one data bus (150, 152, 154) to the communication unit (40) and transmittable via the communication unit (40) to at least one unit (20) outside the vehicle.

Abstract: In order to provide an occupant restraint system located in the rear passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, which system increases the safety of vehicle occupants and at the same time can be produced simply and therefore cost-effectively, an occupant restraint system located in the rear passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, having a side airbag module which comprises a gas bag and a gas generator and is arranged next to that side of a rear seat which faces the side body is proposed, a cover being provided in front of the side airbag module in the direction of travel, and the cover consisting of elastically deformable material and being an integral component of a side member of the rear seat or of an arm support arranged in the region of the side body.

Abstract: In a method for controlling the longitudinal movement of a vehicle (3), in particular by means of a longitudinal movement control system, wherein, for vehicle speeds above a threshold speed, the vehicle speed is adjusted to a higher selected set speed if no vehicle (8) traveling in front is detected, and if a vehicle (8) traveling in front is detected the distance from this vehicle (8) traveling in front is adjusted, below the threshold speed the longitudinal movement of the vehicle (3) is controlled only if a vehicle (8) traveling in front is detected. As a result, an inter-vehicle distance control system can be implemented over a relatively large speed range.

Abstract: A device for mounting at least one exhaust pipe of a motor vehicle to an engine carrier fixed to the vehicle, to which engine carrier an engine mounting is fitted, includes a mounting device that has an exhaust pipe attaching limb attached to the exhaust pipe, and preferably to an attaching device fitted to the exhaust pipe. The device is made easy to fit and inexpensive to manufacture by way of a ramp provided on the mounting device that, in the event of a frontal collision, moves along the engine carrier.

Abstract: A generator/motor system and a method for operating this generator/motor system with which the filter currents are reduced. The generator/motor system has, for this purpose, a rotational field machine (DM) and a pulse-controlled inverter and filter capacitors (C1, C2). The pulse-controlled inverter is formed by two identical pulse-controlled inverters (PWR1, PWR2) which each have half the rated power. During operation, depending on the necessary rotational speed switching over is performed between a star circuit in which only the first pulse-controlled inverter is operational, and a single phase circuit in which both pulse-controlled inverters are operational. In order to obtain a torque which is comparable to the prior art, even if only one of the two pulse-controlled inverters is used, the rotational field machine has approximately twice the number of stator turns.

Abstract: A vehicle rigid axle includes an axle beam with axle journals or wheel carriers arranged at the ends thereof, and at least two trailing arms rigidly fixed to the axle beam. Each half of the vehicle rigid axle—viewed from the middle of the axle—includes an axle beam section, a trailing arm section and a wheel head section arranged in tandem, the wheel head section including at least one axle journal or one wheel carrier. In each case the end faces of the axle tube sections are congruent with the adjoining end faces of the trailing arm sections and their end faces are congruent with the respectively adjoining end faces of the wheel head sections, at least in some areas. The adjoining sections are in each case welded together at their end faces. The vehicle rigid axle may increase the ride comfort and driving safety and may reduce the tire wear.

Abstract: A remote control system for a vehicle. The system has a fob with a microphone for receiving audible commands and a radio frequency transmitter for transmitting the commands at a radio frequency via a fob antenna. A receiver for positioning in the vehicle has an antenna for receiving the commands at the radio frequency, a demodulator for recovering the commands, a processor for decoding the recovered commands according to vehicle configuration information, and a network interface for controlling a vehicle system in accordance with the recovered commands and the vehicle configuration information.

Abstract: In a reciprocating-piston machine, in particular a refrigerant compressor for a motor vehicle air-conditioning system, including a machine shaft, a plurality of pistons are arranged, at the same distance from the machine shaft, on a cylinder envelope defined by the axes of the pistons and extending around the machine shaft, and an annular pivoting disc which is driven by the machine shaft and which engages the pistons via a joint arrangement, the joint arrangement has an at least partially spherical receptacle, in which at least one sliding element structure is arranged moveably relative to the associated piston and relative to the pivoting disc, including a first sliding element having a first sliding face in the form of a spherical segment with a first geometric center (M1, M3), and a second sliding element having a second sliding face in the form of a spherical segment with a second geometric center (M2, M4) arranged at a distance from the first geometric center.

Abstract: In a fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine with direct fuel injection including a fuel supply pump and, downstream thereof, a high pressure pump for supplying high pressure fuel to a plurality of injectors and, parallel to the high pressure fuel pump, a hydraulic transmission operated by the low pressure fuel of the fuel supply pump for generating initially high pressure fuel to the fuel injectors so as to permit instant engine startup upon actuation of a valve disposed in the fuel supply line from the fuel supply pump to the hydraulic transmission.

Abstract: A method for controlling a drive (16) of a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine (10) and an electric motor (24). A main transmission (16) having an output shaft (18) is connected to a driveshaft (19) of the motor vehicle, and an input shaft (14) is connected to the internal combustion engine (10). The electric motor (24) is coupled to the input shaft (14) or the output shaft (16) of the main transmission (16) by an intermediate transmission (22) having at least two transmission ratio steps. In order to accelerate the motor vehicle from rest, the drive is initially effected solely by the electric motor (24) with the intermediate transmission (22) in its lowest transmission ratio step. The drawing is then taken over by the internal combustion engine (10) before a shift operation in the intermediate transmission (22). In this case, the intermediate transmission (22) is preferably a claw shift transmission.

Abstract: A fuel cell system which can be used in a mobile manner with a fuel cell unit (1) in order to produce electric energy, and an adsorption accumulator (3) which is associated with a fuel cell unit (1) are provided. The adsorption accumulator (3) is used to release heat and interacts in a thermal manner with a heat exchanger (2) which is arranged downstream from the fuel cell unit (1) in a cooling circuit (4, 5) associated with the fuel cell unit. A method for operating said type of fuel cell system, especially during a cold start is provided.

Abstract: A method for determining the buffering effect of the battery (2) for providing a voltage (U) for a power supply system (4), in particular for a vehicle, is provided in order to identify serviceability of a battery as easily and reliably as possible, in which method any voltage change and any current change are detected cyclically, the dynamic internal resistance of the battery is determined on the basis of the quotient of the voltage change and the current change, the specific dynamic internal resistance is monitored for exceeding an extreme value which can be predetermined, and a statement of the buffering effect of the battery is made and is output. In this case, the buffering effect of the battery is better, the smaller the quotient of the voltage change and current change.