Abstract: A range detection apparatus comprising a transmitter adapted to transmit a microwave signal and a receiver adapted to receive an echo signal reflected from a target which corresponds to a portion of the transmitted signal; a signal generating means adapted to generate a drive signal to be applied to the transmitter to produce the transmitted signal, the signal generator producing a drive signal which includes a first signal frame comprising at least two frequencies and a second signal frame comprising at least two frequencies, the second signal frame differing from the first, and a processor adapted to process the echo signal together with the transmitted signal so as to determine the distance to the target that produced the echo signal. The apparatus may reduce ambiguity in range measurements and is particularly suited for Frequency Shift Key (FSK) radar in automotive, typically adaptive cruise control functions.

Abstract: In a method for stabilising a motor vehicle which is decelerated into a rest position and in a corresponding motor vehicle brake system which is provided with a service brake and a parking brake which can be actuated independently of the driver, when activation of the parking brake is initiated, the service brake changes from a first braking-force distribution of a service brake mode to a mode simulating a second braking-force distribution of the parking brake, and a switch-back to the first braking-force distribution of the service brake mode is enabled at least during the transition.

Abstract: The invention relates to an actuator for the electromotive actuation of a parking or stop brake, especially of a private car. The actuator comprises, downstream on the electric motor, a planetary wheel transmission which is axially cascaded in a multi-stage manner and comprises a centering pin which is radially mounted on the two front ends thereof and extends coaxially to the output shaft, on the radial overdefined bearing arrangement thereof. Respectively one planet carrier comprising a pinion is embodied, along the centering pin, as a sun wheel for the planet wheels on the planet carrier of the following transmission step.

Abstract: A steering assembly for a vehicle comprising: a fixed guide portion; a movable steering column portion which is arranged to move relative to the fixed portion to permit a collapse of the steering column assembly; and at least one bearing element which is located between the fixed guide portion and the movable steering column portion and provides a bearing surface upon which the movable portion can slide relative to the guide portion in which the bearing element is able to articulate relative to the guide portion. The bearing element may provide longitudinal guidance to the movable portion in the event of a collapse or reach adjustment.

Abstract: A disc brake comprises a brake carrier, which is fastenable to the vehicle and is provided with bolts at the leading side and at the trailing side of the brake, which during braking take up the forces acting upon the brake linings. The relative dimensions and arrangements of the bolts and of the brake lining are such that, upon introduction of a brake force that is capable of decelerating the vehicle up to a maximum value in the region of 0.1 g, only tensile forces act upon the brake lining.

Abstract: What is described is a pressure generator for a vehicle brake system and also a method for mounting said pressure generator in said vehicle brake system. The pressure generator possesses a modular construction consisting of a pump subassembly and a receiving housing for said subassembly. The housing is designed in such a way that it has at least one fluid connection which, when the pressure generator is in the mounted state, is connected to a fluid inlet or a fluid outlet on a cylinder block belonging to the pump subassembly. Said pump subassembly is preferably constructed as a multi-piston pump and may comprise an actuating unit for the asynchronous actuation of the pumping pistons.

Abstract: A steering column assembly comprising a steering column shroud which supports a steering column shaft, the shroud being connected to the vehicle by a clamping mechanism which is operable between a locked position in which the shroud is clamped in position relative to a fixed portion of the vehicle chassis and an unlocked position in which the shroud is adjustable for reach and/or rake relative to the vehicle chassis. The clamping mechanism includes an actuator and a user operated switch that is connected to the actuator and which is operable to control the operation of the actuator to move the clamp between the locked and the unlocked position.

Abstract: In a method and system for controlling a braking system, equipped with an electric parking brake, for a motor vehicle, the electric parking brake is released in response to an identification of a moving-off operation. A release instant of the electric parking brake is defined in dependence on at least one measured parameter of a clutch engagement operation. In comparison with a method and system in which, for example, the electric parking brake is released in dependence on the actuation of the accelerator by a driver, the method and system permit a more precise coordination of the deactivation of the electric parking brake with the clutch engagement operation, and thus with the moving-off operation of the vehicle, particularly in the case of a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a system for controlling a braking equipment of a motor vehicle in order to activate the braking equipment at a standstill of the motor vehicle such that braking forces are built up which are necessary to keep the motor vehicle in a state of standstill. To this end it is established on the basis of vehicle movements whether the vehicle is at a standstill. If vehicle movements are detected that cannot occur during driving modes of the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle is in a state of standstill. Subsequently, the braking equipment, and in particular a holding brake mechanism included in the braking equipment, are activated. In order to provide braking forces keeping the motor vehicle at a standstill also when it is on a slope, the braking equipment, and in particular the holding brake mechanism, are controlled in response of the vehicle inclination present in the state of standstill.

Abstract: System for evaluating the traffic environment of a motor vehicle and for influencing the speed of the motor vehicle in its own traffic lane, comprising an electronic control unit, which is connected to a signal transmitter that produces a signal characteristic of the desired speed of the motor vehicle, a signal transmitter that produces a signal characteristic of the yaw of the motor vehicle about its vertical axis, a signal transmitter that produces a signal, which is characteristic of the articles situated, in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle, in front of the motor vehicle in terms of their spacing and orientation relative to the motor vehicle and which reproduces the speed relative to the speed of the system motor vehicle and/or the spacing relative to the system motor vehicle and/or the angular offset or the cross track distance relative to the vehicle longitudinal axis of the system motor vehicle, and a signal transmitter that produces a signal characteristic of the speed of at least one whee

Abstract: A disc brake has a brake carrier (10) with at least two bolts (16a, 16b, 18a, 18b) which stand axially to the brake disc for guiding a brake lining (32a, 32b). The plane (P) spanned by the bolt axes has a smaller radial distance (D) from the disc axis (A) than the centroid of the friction lining.

Abstract: In a vehicle brake having a brake piston accommodated in a housing, a blocking device for securing the brake piston inside the housing and an actuating device for controlling the blocking device, it is provided that the brake piston together with the housing delimits a fluid chamber, which is chargeable with hydraulic fluid, so that the brake piston for actuating the vehicle brake is displaceable hydraulically inside the housing along a piston longitudinal axis, that moreover the blocking device comprises a ramp arrangement and a blocking element that is displaceable relative to the housing, and that by means of the actuating device the blocking element in interaction with the ramp arrangement for securing the brake piston inside the housing is displaceable and connectable to the brake piston.

Abstract: In a brake force generator for a vehicle hydraulic brake system having a force input element, which is connectable or connected to a brake pedal and displaceable in a base housing of the brake force generator, a master cylinder, in which a primary piston is displaceably guided, wherein the primary piston with the master cylinder delimits a primary pressure chamber for generating a hydraulic brake pressure, an electromagnetic actuating force generating device for exerting an actuating force on the primary piston, and at least one operating position detecting device for detecting the present operating position of the brake force generator, it is provided that the actuating force generating device is controllable in accordance with a brake pedal actuation and that the brake force generator is provided with a central connector, in which contact elements for contacting electric lines to the actuating force generating device and to the operating position detecting device are integrally provided.

Abstract: In a brake force generator (10) for a vehicle hydraulic brake system having a force input element (14), which is connectable or connected to a brake pedal (P) and displaceable in a base housing of the brake force generator (10), a master cylinder, in which a primary piston (64) is displaceably guided for generating a hydraulic brake pressure, a pedal counterforce simulating device (105) connected to the force input element (14), a pedal actuation detecting device (150) for detecting a pedal actuation, and an actuating force generating device for exerting an actuating force on the primary piston (64), it is provided that the actuating force generating device comprises a control valve (22), a chamber arrangement (16) and an electromagnetic actuator (48), wherein the chamber arrangement (16) is designed with a vacuum chamber (30) and a working chamber (32), which is separated from the vacuum chamber (30) by a movable wall (28) and is fluidically connectable to the vacuum chamber (30) by the control valve (22), a

Abstract: In a method for braking a vehicle by means of a fluidically triggerable vehicle brake system, wherein the vehicle brake system comprises a respective fluidically triggerable brake unit that is assigned to a vehicle wheel and is fluidically coupled to a brake force generator via at least one fluid circuit, wherein a pumping mechanism by means of which at least one of the brake units can be fed with brake fluid regardless of whether the brake force generator is activated, is provided in the at least one fluid circuit in order to convey brake fluid, and wherein control valves by means of which the brake force generator can be fluidically coupled to and disconnected from the brake units and the pumping mechanism are provided in the fluid circuit, it is provided that in order to comfortably create a parking brake condition, the following steps are carried out: A) a fluid pressure is built up in the at least one fluid circuit via the brake force generator such that at least two of the brake units are fluidically tr

Abstract: The present invention provides driveaway assistance for a motor vehicle having braking equipment which, in the standstill condition of the motor vehicle, automatically or under the control of a vehicle driver summons up braking forces needed for the standstill condition. To assist start-up (driveaway) of the motor vehicle through a reduction of the braking forces generated in the standstill condition, a driveaway request or a vehicle driver is determined when defined conditions, which are to be met for driveaway of the motor vehicle, exist in the standstill condition. Once a driveaway request has been recognized, the operating state of the motor vehicle is checked until an operating condition required for driveaway exists. Once such an operating condition is reached, the braking equipment of the motor vehicle is controlled in such a way that its braking forces generated in the standstill condition are reduced to allow driveaway of the vehicle.

Abstract: A disc brake (10) is described, comprising a brake disc (12) and two brake shoes (20), which are pressable against both sides of the brake disc (12) and which in relation to a peripheral force (C?) generated upon application of the brake shoes (20) against the brake disc (12) are supported against a vehicle-fixed carrier (14). The disc brake (10) moreover comprises at least one device (34) for measuring and/or converting the peripheral force (C?), which device is disposed in a force transmission chain between the brake shoe (20) and the carrier (14). A force transmission member in the form of e.g. a swivel element (30) is disposed between the brake shoe (20) and the device (34) for measuring and/or converting the peripheral force (C?) and is movable under guidance parallel to the brake disc (12).

Abstract: In a vehicle brake comprising a housing, a brake piston, which is accommodated in the housing and on which a brake lining is fitted, and a blocking device, it is provided that the brake piston is displaceable in the housing by means of an actuating device and that the brake piston is securable relative to the housing by means of the blocking device. In this vehicle brake, it is further provided that the blocking device comprises an electromechanical latching arrangement, which is actuable in such a way that in a latching position it prevents a displacement of the brake piston inside the housing and in a release position it enables a movement of the brake piston in the housing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a brake system for a motor vehicle comprising a master brake cylinder in which a primary piston for generating a brake pressure in a hydraulic brake circuit can be displaced according to actuation of a brake pedal, it being possible to displace the primary piston under the effect of a hydraulic servo pressure circuit in the master brake cylinder and the hydraulic servo pressure circuit comprising a pressure source for generating the servo pressure and a pressure accumulator for maintaining a minimum servo pressure in the servo pressure circuit. It is provided in this brake system that the pressure accumulator of the servo pressure circuit can be supplied with hydraulic fluid as a function of the servo pressure prevailing in the servo pressure circuit.

Abstract: The assembly comprises: a hollow lower guide portion 7 a hollow upper shroud portion 10, which fits at least partially within the guide portion and extends away from the guide portion a telescopic steering shaft 1, 2 having at least an upper part 2 and a lower part 1, the upper part co-operating with the lower part and the two parts extending through the guide portion and the upper shroud portion a lower axial bearing 16, which is supported in a seat in the guide portion and provides axial location for the lower steering shaft part an upper axial bearing 17, which is supported in a seat in the upper shroud portion and provides axial location for the upper steering shaft part and in which the guide portion has at least one arcuate guide wall, which co-operates with a complimentary arcuate guide wall of the upper shroud to define a contact surface along which the upper shroud portion is adapted to slide relative to the guide portion in the event of an accident.