Abstract: To detect a defect or failure of a compressed air load circuit in a compressed air system for vehicles, pressure is measured in compressed air load circuits and evaluated in an electronic control unit, which briefly shuts off the compressed air load circuits, measures pressure values and/or determines pressure gradients during the shutoff time and compares the pressure values and/or the determined pressure gradients with a respective threshold value, identifies defective circuits and definitively shuts off circuits detected as defective if the results are below the threshold value.

Abstract: A pushbutton device for actuating an electropneumatic parking brake (EPH) of a vehicle, which is connected to an evaluating electronic unit via connecting cables. In order to detect switching processes and/or faults, the input resistance of the pushbutton device between the connecting points is evaluated, thus allowing the evaluating electronic unit to reliably detect both the switched position of the pushbutton device and potential fault conditions.

Abstract: To detect a failure of a compressed air consumer circuit in a compressed air system for vehicles, pressure is continuously measured in compressed air consumer circuits and evaluated in an electronic control unit which compares the pressure values and/or determined negative pressure gradients of the compressed air consumer circuits with a respective threshold value and shuts off an air-consumer circuit if the pressure values and/or negative pressure gradients thereof satisfy a circuit-failure criterion. The circuit-failure criterion is satisfied when the pressure values and/or pressure gradients are below the respective threshold value for a time equal to or longer than the time of a dynamic pressure change or of a dynamic pressure collapse.

Abstract: A method for identifying low-pressure tires includes determining the number of revolutions of each wheel over a preselected driving distance, and comparing crosswise by summing the number of revolutions of the diagonally opposite front right/rear left and front left/rear right wheels and taking the difference between the sums, a diagonal containing a low-pressure tire being identifiable via the sign of the difference between the diagonals. A further comparison for each side of the vehicle is effected by summing the revolutions of the front left/rear left side and front right/rear right side wheels and comparing the difference between the sums, the side containing a low-pressure tire being identifiable via the sign of the difference between the sides. The difference between diagonals is compared with a low-pressure threshold value. If the threshold is exceeded, the signs of the difference between diagonals and between sides are logically combined to identify the low-pressure tire.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for refilling vehicle operational brake circuits after a large consumption of compressed air. The operational brake circuits are compressed air consumer circuits of a consumer part of a vehicle compressed air system. The operational brake circuits also include at least one additional compressed air consumer circuit provided with a compressed air reservoir. The actual pressure values in the operational brake circuits and in the additional compressed air consumer circuit are continuously determined and compared against a lower threshold value. If the values are below the threshold value, the identified operational brake circuits are blocked as defective and communication is established between the additional compressed air consumer circuits and the intact operational brake circuits in order to refill the operational brake circuits from the compressed air reservoirs of the additional compressed air consumer circuits.

Abstract: An air dryer desiccant cartridge, the cartridge comprising a base having an inlet and an outlet, and a casing connected to the base to define a cavity there between, wherein the cavity contains a filter and a desiccant, the filter being arranged upstream of the desiccant such that during normal operation fluid flow entering the cartridge through the inlet passes through the filter and then on to the desiccant before reaching the outlet, and during purging of the cartridge purge flow entering the outlet passes through the desiccant before reaching the filter, wherein further the cartridge includes a valve operable to permit a portion of the purge flow to bypass the filter.

Abstract: A parking brake module for a pressure medium-operated brake system of a vehicle having a parking brake function enabled by at least one spring brake cylinder includes a first valve device that increases the amount of pressure medium and has an inlet that can be connected to a pressure medium reservoir, an outlet that can be connected to at least one spring-loaded part of a spring brake cylinder, and a control input connected to a control line. A second valve device encompasses at least one first connection used as a trailer control valve connection and can be connected to a trailer control valve to control a trailer brake. To provide a valve concept for different vehicle configurations, particularly including an anti jackknifing function, pressure prevailing at the first connection can be adjusted regardless of pressure prevailing in the pressure medium reservoir and at the outlet of the first valve device.

Abstract: A method for determining the steering ratio of a vehicle from sensed measured values (e.g., yaw rate, steering wheel angle, vehicle speed) in a manner that takes vehicle parameters (e.g., self-steering gradient, wheelbase and other vehicle dimensions) into consideration during stable travel of the vehicle.

Abstract: The invention relates town apparatus for connection to a gearbox actuating element of an engine gearbox, having sensors (5, 6, 7) for sensing gearbox shifting positions of a shifting apparatus, and to an interface (2) for transferring the evaluation signals of the sensors (5, 6, 7) to the control electronics of a gearbox actuating element, wherein the sensors (5, 6, 7) are arranged in such a way that their spacing from the interface (2) is smaller than the spacing between the interface (2) and the shifting apparatus which is to be sensed.

Abstract: The invention rotates to a modulator (1), particularly for a brake system in a motor vehicle, connected to a central module (15) via a data bus (20), the modulator (1) having at least one input (6) for capturing measured values and at least one output (8) for controlling at least one electromagnetic valve, a control circuit for actuating the at least one electromagnetic valve being connected by the data bus (20) such that the measured values captured by the modulator (1) are transmitted to the central module (15), control commands for actuating the at least one electromagnetic valve being first calculated from said measured values in the central module (15), said control commands being transmitted via the data bus (20) to the modulator (1) in order that the modulator (1) selects the at least-one electromagnetic valve as a function of the control commands transmitted via the data bus (20).

Abstract: A method for error processing in electronic controllers, particularly, in motor vehicles, is provided whereby errors determined on each vehicle start are permanently written in an error memory. On repeated recognition of similar errors, an error counter, provided for the error, is increased. In the case where it is determined that the error counter has reached a pre-determined state on a renewed vehicle start, a special “poor maintenance” is launched, which only permits the start of the monitored function when further tests are carried out and completed.

Abstract: An air dryer cartridge (10) is provided with an inlet connectable to a compressed air source, an outlet connectable to a reservoir and a desiccant (18) provided intermediate the inlet and outlet adapted to remove moisture from air passing through the air dryer cartridge (10), wherein the air dryer cartridge (10) further includes a filter (20) to capture oil droplets present in air received from the source, and wherein further the filter (20) is positioned downstream of the desiccant (18).

Abstract: A method and system for operating a sensor, particularly, a yaw rate sensor, which is housed inside a housing. In order to detect the potentially dangerous influence of mechanical vibrations upon the output of the sensor, the vibrations are sensed at the location of the sensor, and the sensor or an electronic device interacting with the sensor is switched off for as long as the vibrations exceed an established intensity. The method and system of the present invention can be used in a driving dynamics control system of a road vehicle, for example.