Abstract: A non-isolated type voltage sensor is provided between a battery of less than 60 V and a circuit having a resistor, an end of which is connected to a wire harness while another end is connected to a reference power supply. The non-isolated type voltage sensor includes voltage dividing circuits, which include plural resistors connected in series such that those resistors are connected to the battery in parallel so as to obtain a voltage proportional to a terminal voltage of the battery and less than the reference voltage at a desired voltage dividing point of the plural resistors, a voltage follower, which receives an input of a voltage from the voltage dividing point of the voltage dividing circuit, and a voltage-current conversion circuit including a FET so as to supply a current proportional to a low impedance output voltage obtained through the voltage follower to the ground through a resistor.

Abstract: A switching element of foil construction is presented, with a triggering layer of first resistive material applied to a first carrier-foil and a sensor layer of a second resistive material applied to a second carrier-foil. The two carrier-foils are arranged a certain distance from each other by means of spacers, in such a way that the triggering layer and the sensor layer are opposite each other and, when the switching element is not operated, are not in contact with each other, whereas, when the switching element is triggered, the triggering layer and the sensor layer are initially in contact with each other at a first point of their surface, and the area of contact increases as the pressure on the switching element is increased.

Abstract: Process for monitoring an alternating-voltage discharge between the electrodes of a double electrode and an apparatus. The process includes measuring values of at least one of a discharge current and a discharge voltage for each half-wave within an alternating-voltage discharge period, determining a difference between the measured values of a second half-wave and the measured values of the first half-wave, and comparing the determined differences to specific tolerance values. When the specific tolerance values are exceeded by the determined differences, a power supply is reduced, whereby the discharge is at least briefly suppressed. The apparatus includes a double magnetron including first and second targets arranged to form a double electrode, and a power supply coupled to supply power to the first and second targets.

Abstract: A static DC magnetic field is externally applied to a targeted surface portion of protectively coated steel to vary the amount of microwave energy absorbed therein. Measurements of varying amounts of absorbed microwave energy are compared by coordination with corresponding measurements of the strength of the applied magnetic field varied in response to coating hidden deposit of corrosion products on the targeted surface portion of the steel, to provide a basis for detection of the corrosion involved.