Abstract: A connecting device includes first and second housing parts which are rotatable relative to one another and are coupled together to define a space therebetween. At least one flexible cable is provided in the space defined by the housing parts. Each cable includes first and second end sections which are configured to be rolled and unrolled in a spiral or helix on associated contact surfaces of the housing parts, respectively. The end sections normally extend in opposite directions from each other circumferentially around the housing parts so that a U-shaped turning area at which cable movement reverses is formed in the space defined by the housing parts. Magnetic areas are arranged on at least one of each cable, the first housing part, and the second housing part to cause the end sections of each cable to removably adhere to the respective contact surfaces of the housing parts.

Abstract: An electrical plug-and-socket connector includes first and second connector parts which each have a chamber housing to respectively hold complementary first and second contacts. The second part includes a catch. A latching element is adjustably connected to the first part to be movable from a latching position to a tensioned position. When the parts are joined together along a first axial direction the parts have axial play with respect to one another to enable the latching element to latch behind the catch to prevent withdrawal of the parts from one another when the latching element is in the latching position. The latching element is tensioned to move in a second axial direction opposite to the first axial direction in order to eliminate the axial play between the parts while latching the parts together when the latching element is in the tensioned position.

Abstract: A multi-way electric switch includes an articulated suspension having parallel first and second linkages for movably mounting an operator control. Each linkage has a pair of rockers which are articulately coupled at first ends to an intermediate part such that the linkages are orthogonally to one another. The rockers of the first linkage are stationarily coupled at second opposite ends which are free with respect to the articulated coupling between the first linkage and the intermediate part. The rockers of the second linkage support the operator control at second opposite ends which are free with respect to the articulated coupling between the second linkage and the intermediate part. The articulated coupling between the rockers of the first linkage and the intermediate part lies in a first axis plane, and the articulated coupling between the rockers of the second linkage and the intermediate part lies in a second different axis plane.

Abstract: A bipolar optical plug-and-socket connector for connecting two optical fibers with other optical fibers and electro-optical transmission and receiving devices includes an optical housing for holding two fiber end sleeves in which each sleeve terminates a fiber. The optical housing includes first and second housing portions which have different external forms from one another. The housing portions hold respective ones of the sleeves when the sleeves are inserted into the housing portions along a plugging direction. The housing portions join to one another in a direction running perpendicular to the plugging direction to place the optical housing in a fully assembled position while the housing portions hold the sleeves. Each housing portion includes an end lock for locking the sleeves in the housing portions. The end locks of the housing portions lock the sleeve held in the other of the housing portions when the housing portions are joined together.

Abstract: A device for fastening a casing tube switch module to a casing tube of a steering wheel shaft when a steering wheel is mounted on the steering shaft. The device including a clamping element and a bearing. The clamping element is arranged coaxially between the casing tube and the switch module. The clamping element exerts a clamping force in a direction extending radially out from the steering shaft. The bearing rotationally decouples the steering wheel from the switch module. The bearing has a stator operable for transferring an axial motion of the steering wheel as the steering wheel is mounted on the steering shaft to the switch module such that the switch module moves axially with respect to the casing tube toward the clamping element and tensions the clamping element to apply the clamping force to fasten the switch module to the casing tube.

Abstract: An optoelectronic sensor device for detecting precipitation on an outer surface of a transparent pane. The sensor device includes a beam guide attached to an inner surface of the pane and a circuit board offset from the inner pane surface. A beam transmitter is arranged on the circuit board to transmit, along a transmission beam path, a light beam toward the pane via the beam guide. A beam receiver is arranged on the circuit board to receive, along a reception beam path, a light beam reflected from the outer surface of the pane via the beam guide. A circuit substrate, electrically connected to the circuit board, is arranged parallel to the pane between the pane and the circuit board. An installation space separates the circuit substrate from the inner pane surface. A heating device is arranged on the circuit substrate in an area lying outside of the beam paths.

Abstract: An optoelectronic position measuring device includes an encoder disk having a coding with a digital code and an analog coded track. The analog track includes segments which are in a series and whose width changes. An illuminator images the coding onto a sensor having transducers. The sensor determines the width of the analog track at a given position of the disk relative to the sensor as a function of the number of transducers upon which the analog track is optically imaged onto. The analog track is part of a continuous reference code track which has central symmetry in which the segments have a code length corresponding to the smallest resolution step of the digital coding. The layout of the segments and the resolving power of the sensor are matched such that movement of the disk along the code length is resolvable into at least two defined steps.

Abstract: An electric circuit arrangement and method for checking intactness of both a photodiode array and an electrical connection between an array output and a microprocessor input. The array output has a high resistance when the array is inactive and intact. In case of array error, the array output is connected via in each case a defined internal resistance to ground and supply voltages. The circuit arrangement enables at any time an assessment of the status of the connection and, if the connection is intact, enables an assessment of array intactness. This is achieved by connecting the array output via a first test resistor arranged in the spatial vicinity of the array to the ground voltage and by connecting the microprocessor input via a second test resistor arranged in the spatial vicinity of the microprocessor to a microprocessor port output which can be connected either to the ground or supply voltages.

Abstract: A multi-way electric switch includes an articulated suspension having parallel first and second linkages for movably mounting an operator control. Each linkage has a pair of rockers which are articulately coupled at first ends to an intermediate part such that the linkages are orthogonally to one another. The rockers of the first linkage are stationarily coupled at second opposite ends which are free with respect to the articulated coupling between the first linkage and the intermediate part. The rockers of the second linkage support the operator control at second opposite ends which are free with respect to the articulated coupling between the second linkage and the intermediate part. The articulated coupling between the rockers of the first linkage and the intermediate part lies in a first axis plane, and the articulated coupling between the rockers of the second linkage and the intermediate part lies in a second different axis plane.

Abstract: A motor vehicle optoelectronic monitoring device includes a sensor, imaging systems, a shutter, and a controller. Each sensor element outputs a sensor element signal based on the intensity of a light signal received by the sensor element. Each imaging system is associated with a sensor region and illuminates an object to monitor the object. Two sensor regions associated with two respective imaging systems partially overlap one another. Each imaging system illuminates the sensor elements of the associated sensor region with a light signal indicative of the object being monitored. The controller controls the shutter unit to selectively enable and disable illumination of the sensor by the imaging systems. The controller processes the sensor element electric signals output by the sensor elements in response to illumination by an imaging system to determine conditions of the object being monitored by the imaging system.

Abstract: A sensor device for measuring a physical value includes a sensor element for generating an output signal in response to measuring a physical value. A processor is operable with the sensor element for comparing the output signal to a reference signal in order to generate a primary signal indicative of the measured physical value. The processor is further operable with the sensor element for generating a secondary signal based on the output signal which is indicative of the operating condition of the sensor device. A switch or logic block is operable for receiving the primary and secondary signals from the processor. The switch and the logic block are switchable between a first state in which the primary signal is output and a second state in which the secondary signal is output.

Abstract: A method for providing a digital current signal from an analog armature current signal of a motor. The method includes subjecting the analog current signal to an analog-to-digital conversion to produce a first digital current signal having current ripples for each current ripple of the analog current signal. During start-up and run-down motor operation phases, the analog current signal is sampled at a sampling rate which is greater than an expected rate of the current ripples of the analog current signal to produce a second digital current signal having current ripples for each current ripple of the analog current signal during the start-up and run-down motor operation phases. The current ripples of the first and second digital current signals are then compared. The current ripples of the second digital current signal which are in non-conformance with the current ripples of the first digital current signal are evaluated.

Abstract: A method for determining the position of an element driven along a travel segment by a shaft of a motor includes counting current ripples detected in an armature current signal of the motor as the motor shaft rotates to drive the element. A first time interval between when the motor is turned on with power being supplied to the motor and when the first current ripple is detected is determined. A second time interval between when the last current ripple is detected after the motor has been turned off with the power supplied to the motor being interrupted and when the motor shaft stops rotating is determined. First and second current ripple components corresponding to the first and time intervals, respectively, are estimated. The position of the element along the travel segment is determined based on the counted current ripples and the estimated first and second current ripple components.

Abstract: A method for determining the position of a shaft of a commutated direct current (DC) motor based on the current ripples contained in an armature current signal includes digitally sampling the armature current signal to generate signal values at sampling points. The signal value corresponding to a current sampling point and selected signal values corresponding to previous sampling points in a time interval containing the sampling points are compared. Either a rising or falling slope detection signal is generated if the comparison is indicative of either an increasing or decreasing tendency in the magnitudes of the signal values. The rising and falling slope detection signals are respectively indicative of rising and falling current ripple slopes. A current ripple signal is generated if rising and falling slope detection signals are generated one after the other in a given period. The shaft position is determined based on the current ripple signal count.

Abstract: A rotating actuator includes a shaft (24) and a mechanical stop device (23) for generating a stop to limit the rotation of the shaft in a direction of rotation. The stop device acts upon the shaft to prevent the shaft from rotating further in the direction of rotation by blocking the shaft using a stop device acting mechanically on the shaft while enabling rotation of the shaft in a direction of rotation counter to the stop with slip in a stop arrangement. The slip is configured such that movement of the shaft in the direction of rotation counter to the stop is detectable. The stop device may include two independently triggered, mechanical stop devices. One stop device acts as a stop for limiting the rotation of the shaft to the right, and the other stop device acts as a stop for limiting the rotation of the shaft to the left.

Abstract: A method for determining the rotational position of a motor drive shaft includes counting detected ripples contained in a motor current signal as the shaft is driven. Whether a ripple expected to be contained in the current signal at a probable time is absent from within a tolerance band containing the probable time of the expected current ripple is determined. If the expected ripple is absent from within the tolerance band containing the probable time, then whether a ripple is detected after the tolerance band of the expected ripple is determined. If a ripple is detected after the tolerance band and the expected ripple is absent from within the tolerance band, then the expected ripple is counted as a detected ripple. The determined rotational position of the shaft is based on the counted ripples. The length of the tolerance band dynamically changes as a function of a motor operating state.

Abstract: A method for recognizing an obstructed situation of a traveling element. The method includes evaluating a variable containing information about the motor's rotational speed as the motor is driving the element. Starting from a current detection time point, the sequence of values of the variable determined at immediately preceding detection time points are observed. Change in behavior of the sequence of observed values of the variable with respect to one another over time are then compared with a value range of the variable that is indicative of the element being obstructed. A sufficient match between the value range of the variable and the sequence of observed values of the variable exists if at least three successive observed values of the variable fall within the variable value range. The element is determined to be obstructed upon the existence of a sufficient match. The variable includes the duration of motor time periods.

Abstract: A device for detecting objects on a windshield of a motor vehicle having a hood includes an imaging unit having a lens and a sensor positioned within the interior of the motor vehicle. The lens images a windshield section associated with a primary field of vision onto the sensor. The sensor generates a sensor signal in response to the windshield section imaged thereon. The imaging unit is positioned in a viewing direction pointing diagonally downwards with respect to the windshield such that the background of the windshield section imaged onto the sensor is the hood of the motor vehicle thereby causing the background of the windshield section imaged onto the sensor to be approximately constant in order to cancel environmental conditions that can impair object detection on the windshield section. An evaluation unit evaluates the sensor signal to detect objects on the windshield section.

Abstract: A device for detecting switching positions of an element movable along a detent curve. The device includes an optical transmitter and an optical receiver. A shutter is between the transmitter and the receiver. The shutter moves relative to the transmitter and the receiver in response to the element moving between switching positions. A light-beam aperture is on the detent curve at a point corresponding to a given switching position such that the light-beam aperture and a shutter aperture of the shutter are aligned when the element is in the given switching position. One of the transmitter and the receiver is positioned behind the detent curve and aligned with the light-beam aperture viewed from the direction of the other of the transmitter and the receiver such that light travels from the transmitter through the light-beam and shutter apertures to illuminate the receiver when the element is in the given switching position.

Abstract: A keyless access control device and method for a vehicle having a door and a door handle includes transmitting a code from a transceiver while a cover covers the door handle to prevent a user from actuating the door handle. A transponder of the user transmits an answer to the transceiver upon receipt of the code. The answer is checked to conduct a preliminary verification of whether the user is authorized to access the vehicle. The cover uncovers the door handle if the preliminary verification indicates that the user is authorized to access the vehicle. A bidirectional question and answer dialog takes place between the transceiver and the transponder to conduct a final verification of whether the user is authorized to access the vehicle upon the user actuating the door handle. The door is unlocked if the final verification is indicative of the user having access to the vehicle.