Abstract: A steering column module includes a tubular jacket rotatably supporting a steering shaft, a switch module having a carrier including contact pressure surfaces, and a device for fastening the switch module to the tubular jacket. The device includes a clamp assembly between the tubular jacket and the switch module for exerting a clamping force on the tubular jacket. The clamp includes two half clamps each having two outwardly bent end flanges. The end flanges are axially movably accommodated in the carrier such that when the switch module is axially moved onto the tubular jacket the end flanges come into contact with axial end stops of the tubular jacket and the contact pressure surfaces of the carrier. The contact pressure surfaces exert forces on the end flanges as the switch module is axially moved onto the tubular jacket thus fastening the switch module to the tubular jacket with a clamping action.

Abstract: A method for measuring a capacitance value of a capacitive sensor uses an integration process involving charge quantities being transferred in successive integration cycles from the capacitive sensor to an integration capacitor. The method includes performing the integration process until the number of integration cycles carried out has reached a number N of integration cycles to be carried out, wherein a starting value NStart is set to N and an end value NEnd is determined. An A/D converter measures a voltage value UCI(N) at the integration capacitor and the voltage value is added to a voltage sum value UTotal. The number N is increased by a value n, where n is at least one and is less than NDiff=NEnd?NStart. The steps are repeated until the number N exceeds the end value NEnd. The ending voltage sum value is indicative of the capacitance value of the capacitive sensor.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a housing, a conductive foil, an elastomer body, and a strip composed of a non-elastomeric plastic. The conductive foil is electrically connected to the housing and has a functional section situated outside of the housing. The functional section of the conductive foil has a front side bearing sensors and/or display elements and is installable to a control panel. The elastomer body and the strip are positioned between an outer side of the housing and a back side of the functional section of the conductive foil.

Abstract: An operator control system includes switches, RFID transponders, and a RFID reader. Each switch has a cap support and a switch cap. The switch caps are respectively interchangeably attachable to the cap supports. The RFID transponders are respectively attached to the switch caps. Each RFID transponder stores a respective piece of information identifying a respective control function so that the switch cap to which the RFID transponder is attached is associated with the respective control function. The RFID reader is arranged on at least one of the switches for reading the piece of information of at least one of the RFID transponders.

Abstract: A system for a vehicle operable in a user-controlled driving mode and an automatic driving mode includes a hand-operated control element and a contact sensor configured to detect whether a driver of the vehicle is holding the control element. The system further includes a controller to monitor an alertness of the driver while the vehicle is in the automatic driving mode depending on whether the driver is holding the control element and/or switch operation of the vehicle between the user-controlled driving mode and the automatic driving mode depending on whether the driver is holding the control element.

Abstract: A steering column switch for a vehicle includes a switching lever that operates by pivoting in relation to a housing. The lever has a locking pin which assumes a stable position on a switching gate when the lever is not operated and is guided into an unstable position by operation of the lever. The switching gate guides the pin back into the stable position when operation of the lever ceases. A permanent magnet on a body of the lever is brought against an electromagnet on the housing by pivoting the lever into the unstable position. The lever is held in the unstable position by magnetic attraction between the magnets for a time in which a function associated with the lever being actuated into the unstable position is active. Afterwards, the electromagnet produces a counter magnetic field which interrupts the magnetic attraction so that the lever returns to the stable position.

Abstract: A device for operating multiple functions includes an operating element and a base. The base has side bearings and pins. The operating element has rotational axle end sections mounted in guide slots of the side bearings, respectively, to pivotably be mounted to the base about an axis of rotation to thereby be movable between at least two positions. At least one of the positions is assigned to a switching function. The operating element is further mounted to the base on a centered bearing between the side bearings of the base, and the operating element is supported on the pins of the base.

Abstract: A device for operating multiple functions includes an operating element and a base. The base has side bearings with guide slots, hinge joints with pivot pins, and an actuator. The operating element is mounted in the guide slots to pivotably be mounted to the side bearings about an axis of rotation to thereby be movable between positions. At least one of the positions is assigned to a switching function. The operating element is mounted to the base on a centered bearing between the side bearings. The operating element is supported on the pivot pins. Upon the operating element being actuated to trigger a switching function, the actuator produces a haptic feedback by generating an actuating force on the operating element which causes the pivot pins to pivot in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation thereby causing the operating element to axially displace along this same direction.

Abstract: A device for controlling multiple functions includes a switch panel. The switch panel includes control panels extending along a longitudinal extension of the switch panel. The switch panel is pivotably mounted about an axis of rotation parallel with the longitudinal extension to pivot about the axis of rotation in response to manual actuation of the switch panel by manual actuation of the control panels. The switch panel is movable with respect to the longitudinal extension of the switch panel and is fixed with respect to a transverse extension of the switch panel perpendicular to the longitudinal extension. Force sensors respectively associated with the control panels are distributed along the longitudinal extension of the switch panel. Actuation of the switch panel by actuating one of the control panels triggers a function depending on which one control panel is actuated and the force sensors detect which control panel is actuated.

Abstract: An input unit for an operating element that can be actuated by pressure or rotation includes a housing having a recess portion, a carrier having a detent projection, and an input member (e.g., an actuator). The carrier is displacable relative to the housing. The input member is rotatably mounted on the carrier to be rotatable. The input member has a body with a cavity therein and a detent curve body movably arranged in the cavity such that the detent curve body is displaceable relative to the body of the input member. A first end of the detent curve body has a detent curve engaging the detent projection of the carrier. A second end of the detent curve body is adjacent to the housing part and has projections. The input member further has a spring that acts on the detent curve body to press the detent curve against the detent projection.

Abstract: A screen-based operating system includes a housing having a screen accommodated therein and a rotary ring rotatably mounted to the housing. A first part of the rotary ring is mounted axially into the housing and a remaining second part of the rotary ring extends out of the housing and above the screen.

Abstract: A fragrance apparatus for distributing fragrance in a vehicle includes a connecting adapter for connecting a fragrance container to a fragrance emitter device. The connecting adapter includes a fixed component, a movable component, and springs connected between the fixed component and the movable component. The movable component is pivotable with respect to the fixed component through the springs to compensate for any angular misalignment between the movable component and the fragrance container when the movable component is attached to the fragrance container.

Abstract: A steering column module includes a tubular jacket rotatably supporting a steering shaft, a switch module having a carrier including contact pressure surfaces, and a device for fastening the switch module to the tubular jacket. The device includes a clamp assembly between the tubular jacket and the switch module for exerting a clamping force on the tubular jacket. The clamp includes two half clamps each having two outwardly bent end flanges. The end flanges are axially movably accommodated in the carrier such that when the switch module is axially moved onto the tubular jacket the end flanges come into contact with axial end stops of the tubular jacket and the contact pressure surfaces of the carrier. The contact pressure surfaces exert forces on the end flanges as the switch module is axially moved onto the tubular jacket thus fastening the switch module to the tubular jacket with a clamping action.

Abstract: A method for measuring a capacitance value of a capacitive sensor uses an integration process. For the integration process, the sensor is connected to an integration capacitor having a known capacitance value greater than the capacitance value of the sensor and a voltage UCI of the integration capacitor is measured by an A/D converter after a number IZ of executed integration cycles of the integration process. The method includes carrying out the integration process until the number IZ of executed integration cycles has reached the number N of integration cycles to be executed, adding a voltage value UCI (N) of the integration capacitor, which is determined by the A/D converter, to the total voltage value Utotal, increasing the number N, and repeating until the number N exceeds a predetermined value. The final total voltage value Utotal is indicative of the capacitance value of the capacitive sensor.

Abstract: An electric pushbutton switch includes a pushbutton, a rocker, and a housing. The pushbutton has a substantially rectangular actuating surface. The pushbutton is received within the housing and is displaceable connected to the housing. The pushbutton displaces with respect to the housing by way of a pressure actuation onto the actuating surface, thus triggering an electrical switching element. The rocker is box-shaped and is arranged within the housing beneath the pushbutton body and is at least partially encompassed by the pushbutton. The rocker is mounted on an inner longitudinally extending wall of the housing by a pivot bearing. By actuating the actuating surface, the rocker pivots about the pivot bearing while supporting the pushbutton along the longitudinal extension of the pushbutton.

Abstract: A camera arrangement includes a camera and a prism. The camera includes a camera sensor having an array of pixels. The prism is arranged between a window pane such as a vehicle windshield and the camera sensor. Optical properties of the camera sensor and the prism are matched to one another such that a maximum broadening of a light beam due to dispersion of the prism lies within one pixel of the camera sensor.

Abstract: A pressure and rotationally actuated control element for a vehicle steering wheel includes a bearing block and an input element. The bearing block is mounted on actuating elements of switching elements. The input element is mounted rotatably on the bearing block. The input element transmits a rotational actuation to a code disk and an actuating pressure on the input element actuates at least one of the switching elements. The bearing block forms two swivel pins perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the input element and which are supported by the actuating elements of switching elements. The bearing block has a stop element between the swivel pins which limits the path of actuation of the input element by an actuating pressure.

Abstract: A charging station for charging a vehicle includes a charger, a camera, a positioner, and a controller. The charger has a transformer part by which electrical energy can be transferred to a corresponding transformer part arranged behind the vehicle license plate when the charger is in a position relative to the license plate at which the transformer parts sandwich the license plate. The camera generates positional information indicative of positioning between the charger and the license plate. The positioner can move the charger within a range of motion. When the license plate is within the range of motion, the positioner moves the charger based on the positional information to the position at which the transformer parts sandwich the license plate. The controller uses the positional information to generate instructions indicative on how to drive the vehicle to a position in which the license plate is within the range of motion.

Abstract: A switch is formed by a branch including a measurement resistance and a selectable one of switching resistances having different nominal values such that a switch position depends on which switching resistance is selected. The measurement resistance is connected through the selected switching resistance to a supply voltage whereby a voltage drop dependent on the switch position is across the measurement resistance. A controller identifies the switch position by comparison of a measured value (UM1) of the voltage drop with target voltage drops corresponding to switch positions, calculates a voltage drop (Uges) across the branch based on nominal values of the measurement and selected switching resistances and the supply voltage, forms a difference value (UDiff) between a measured value (UVcc) of the supply voltage and the branch voltage drop (Uges), and qualifies the identified switch position as faulty when the difference value (UDiff) exceeds a difference threshold value (UDiff-S).

Abstract: A functional head for a fragrance container includes a housing wall section and a spring-loaded valve plate. The housing wall section has an inlet opening for admitting air into an inlet channel, an outlet opening for discharging a mixture of fragrance and air from an outlet channel, and a recess. The valve plate is biased to close the openings and is displaceable by a plunger inserted into the recess to thereby open the openings.