Abstract: A control system for an electric motor comprises a current controller which produces a set of voltage demands for the motor, a current sensing means arranged to produce a current sensing output indicative of electric current in the motor, and a current signal processing means arranged to process the current sensing output signal to produce a modified current signal in which at least one harmonic component present in the current sensing output signal due to inaccuracies in the current measurement is removed or substantially reduced. The modified current signal is combined with a demanded motor current to provide the input to the current controller.

Abstract: A method to manufacture electric power steering systems is proposed. First, an electric motor having a drive shaft, a coupling device, and a worm gear having a worm shaft are provided. Then, an adjusting sleeve is provided, and an individual axial position of each adjusting sleeve in its associated opening is determined in order to achieve a specific axial preloading force on the worm shaft. The adjusting sleeve is press-fitted into the axial opening in the determined axial position, and a spring element is installed in the adjusting sleeve so that the spring element is supported on one end axially on the drive shaft and on its other end it is supported axially on the adjusting sleeve, and said spring element acts upon the worm shaft with the preloading force in the axial direction via the adjusting sleeve.

Abstract: A gearbox assembly for an electric power assisted steering apparatus comprises a gearbox housing which houses a worm shaft and a gear wheel, the worm shaft being supported relative to the housing by a main bearing assembly at an end closest to the motor and by a tail bearing assembly at an end furthest from the motor. The main bearing assembly comprises an inner race and an outer race separated by bearing elements, the outer race being supported by a carrier that is supported by an axle that is in turn secured to gearbox housing, the axle defining a pivot axis for the worm shaft that is located on the side of the worm shaft closest to the wheel gear and extends in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the worm shaft and parallel to the axis of the wheel gear.

Abstract: A steering column assembly comprises a telescopic shroud having an outer shroud portion and an inner shroud portion, a clamp rail fixed to an upper face of the inner shroud portion including a slot, a clamp bolt that extends perpendicular to the shroud, a rocker comprising a body from which extends a lever arm, the body having an opening through which the clamp bolt passes, the rocker converting a rotation of the clamp bolt about its axis in a first direction into an upward motion of the lever arm and into a downward motion when the clamp bolt is rotated in the opposing second direction, a toothed block having two opposed racks of locking teeth that is connected to a carrier element, the carrier element in turn being connected to the lever of the rocker arm such that movement of the lever arm up and down causes movement of the carrier element up and down between an upper position and a lower position.

Abstract: An energy absorption device for a vehicle steering column comprising a metal band and an adjustable deformation unit through which the metal band extends. The deformation unit is a rotatable hollow roller having a first contact surface inside the hollow roller that is separated from an outer contact surface by an outlet slot. The metal band passes through an inlet slot into the interior of the roller, and then through the outlet slot leaves the roller, in a manner that that said metal band is entirely deformed along an S-shaped curve.

Abstract: A motor control circuit for an electric motor of an electric power assisted steering system of the kind in which a measurement of torque carried by a part of the steering system is used to produce a torque demand signal indicative of a torque to be applied to the steering system by the motor. The motor control circuit includes a current controller is responsive to an error signal that represents the difference between a current demand signal and an actual current signal, and a noise reduction circuit adapted to identify an operating condition of the system in which the motor is stationary or rotating at a very low speed, and in the event that the operating condition is identified the noise reduction circuit is adapted to reduce the response of the controller to variations in the error signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a belt tensioner (30) for a vehicle occupant restraint system comprising a housing (32), a working chamber (34) into which the compressed gas released in the case of restraint is flowing, a pull rope (24) extending through an opening (36) within the housing (32) and a sealing bush (10) for sealing the working chamber (34) against the opening (36) between the pull rope (24) and the housing (32), with the sealing bush (10) comprising a sleeve (16) and a sealing element (12) and the sealing bush (10) being pressed onto the pull rope (24) by plastic deforming of the outer sleeve (16).

Abstract: A method for detecting the presence of a drivers hands on the steering wheel of a motor vehicle is described. By means of a mathematical model, at least one part of a steering system of the motor vehicle is modeled. In addition, a rotational angle of a lower end and/or an upper end of a torsion bar of the steering system is determined. A torque acting on the torsion bar is determined by means of a measuring device and a total torque acting on the steering wheel and a rotational angle acceleration of the steering wheel are estimated by means of a Kalman Filter.

Abstract: A frontal airbag for vehicle occupants, especially a passenger airbag, includes a contact panel (26) facing the vehicle occupant (12). Inside the airbag plural tethers (38) and/or partitions (38) are arranged which in portions withhold the contact panel (26) in the inflated state of the airbag (10) and form at least one lateral bead (34) and plural central beads (36) which in cross-section are smaller than the lateral beads (34). Furthermore, an airbag module is presented.

Abstract: A belt buckle includes a casing (12) and an illumination system (24) present in the area of a locking tongue insertion opening (14). The illumination system (24) includes a lamp (32) and a light conductor (26; 26?) having a light emission area, and the light conductor (26; 26?) includes an annular portion (42; 42?) which surrounds at least a major part of the locking tongue insertion opening (14).

Abstract: A seat belt retractor comprises (a) a rotatable spool on which seat belt webbing is wound and (b) a load-limiting system to limit a load applied to a vehicle occupant by the webbing. The load-limiting system includes a flow control orifice through which fluid is forced when a load in excess of a predetermined load is applied to the rotatable spool by the webbing. The cross-sectional flow area of the flow control orifice is adjustable in response to unwinding of webbing from the rotatable spool prior to a vehicle crash event and ceases to be adjustable after the crash event is in progress. The load-limiting system also includes a piston in a cylinder. The piston and cylinder are operatively coupled to the spool such that rotation of the spool causes the piston to move relative to the cylinder, which movement causes fluid to be forced through the flow control orifice.

Abstract: A multi-piece gearwheel comprising an inner core section and an external toothed ring with external teething is presented. The core section has intermeshing teeth extending radially outwards, which have an undercut in cross-section in the radial direction. The toothed ring has recesses that originate from an inner side of the tooth ring and extend radially outwards, wherein the recesses are at least partially complementary to the intermeshing teeth, and wherein the intermeshing teeth are received in the recesses. Furthermore, a gearbox for an electromechanically-assisted steering system is described.

Abstract: A gearbox assembly for an electric power assisted steering apparatus comprises a gearbox housing which houses a worm shaft and a gear wheel, the worm shaft being supported relative to the housing by a main bearing at an end closest to the motor and by a tail bearing at an end furthest from the motor, and the gear wheel being supported by an output shaft having at least one end that provides a take-off from the gearbox assembly, in which the main bearing and tail bearing are free to move relative to the housing through a limited range of motion that enables the worm shaft to pivot away from the wheel gear facilitated by tilting of the main bearing about a pivot that is fixed relative to the housing, characterised in that the gearbox assembly is arranged such that the pivot reacts the axial component of the worm shaft tooth load that arises when a gearwheel torque is applied to the gearwheel in a first direction but not in a second, opposing, direction, and in that a tensioning device is provided that reacts th

Abstract: The invention relates to an inflatable airbag (1) for the protection of a person comprising a flexible sheath (10) which comprises at least two fingerlike extensions (11), wherein the flexible sheath (10) delimits a closed gas expansion chamber by the fingerlike extensions (11). The invention excels by the fact that the fingerlike extensions (11) are connected by at least one of being stitched, glued or welded to each other so that in an inflated state the airbag (1) takes a three-dimensional shape. The invention further relates to an airbag module, a vehicle occupant restraint system as well as vehicle parts comprising such airbag.

Abstract: An electric power steering system with a worm gear includes a worm shaft and a worm wheel, wherein an electric motor is associated with the worm shaft, which is connected to the worm shaft in a force-transmitting manner. A bearing element, arranged on the worm shaft at the end of the worm shaft facing away from the electric motor, is received in a guide bush, wherein the guide bush has, on its circumferential side, a passage opening. It is provided a pre-tensioning device comprising a spring-loaded actuator element extending through the passage opening of the guide bush and acting on the worm shaft in the direction of the worm wheel with a defined pre-tensioning force (K), wherein the pre-tensioning device comprises a limiting device which is adapted to limit a pivoting movement that displaces the worm wheel away from the worm shaft. Furthermore, it is proposed a method for the production of steering systems and a test system for performing the method.

Abstract: A method for controlling access to a vehicle includes storing at a vehicle-based system a GPS location of the vehicle associated with the location at which the vehicle is parked. The vehicle-based system communicates with a mobile device to obtain a GPS location of the mobile device. The vehicle-based system blocks entry to the vehicle if the GPS location of the mobile device is outside a predetermined distance from the stored GPS location of the vehicle.

Abstract: An inflator (30) comprises at least one combustion chamber (34), filled with a plurality of solid propellant pellets (10), each of the solid propellant pellets (10) including a surface having a breaking point (19) which is delimited at least by two converging surfaces (28) produced by pressing. A method of manufacturing solid propellant pellets (10), includes the steps of providing a solid propellant (12), pressing the solid propellant (12) into a pellet blank (16), the pellet blank (16) having at least one predetermined breaking point (18) which divides the pellet blank (16) into at least two subareas (20), and breaking the pellet blank (16) along the at least one predetermined breaking point (18), wherein each of the at least two subareas (20) forms a solid propellant pellet (10).

Abstract: An inflator as well as a method of manufacturing an inflator, a module including an inflator and an airbag module. In an inflator, especially for a protective device in a vehicle, comprising plural components a sealant is applied in the area of abutting components, especially a sealant which adheres to both abutting components.

Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system comprises a motor adapted to apply an assistance torque to a portion of a steering shaft in response to a motor drive signal from a drive circuit, in which the motor comprises a synchronous wound field motor of the kind comprising a stator and a rotor, in which the rotor includes at least one pole and at least one coil winding associated with the pole and the stator comprises a number of phase windings, and in which the drive circuit which is configured to provide current in the coils of the stator and rotor during operation of the motor.

Abstract: A steering column assembly for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, provides that an absorption part extends into a reduction part through a passage, which has a smaller cross-section than an end portion of the absorption part having the form of a rod, tube or wire. By a relative movement between the reduction part and the absorption part the end portion is pulled through the passage and plastically deformed. In such a way, an energy absorption device is formed.