Abstract: Increasingly, motor vehicles are being equipped with safety systems for vehicle occupants and where these safety systems are controlled by electrically actuated triggering means such as ignition pills for airbags that in turn are controlled from an output stage. The invention demonstrates a method that ensures safe and uninterrupted operation of these triggering means and which protects the output stage from being destroyed should a fault occur as a result of, for example, an ignition pill by-pass.

Abstract: A vehicle restraint system that includes an impact sensor for sensing a vehicle impact to provide an electrical impact signal, an occupant restraint such as an air bag to restrain motion of a vehicle occupant, and an electronic control circuit responsive to the impact signal for operating the occupant restraint. The impact sensor includes a permanent magnet axially slidable within a linear cavity and resiliently biased to one end of the cavity, such that vehicle impact forces on the sensor urge the magnet to slide axially toward the opposing end of the cavity against the biasing forces. A magnetic sensor is disposed adjacent to the cavity and is characterized by providing the electrical impact signal as an analog electrical signal that varies in magnitude as a continuous monotonic function of axial position of the magnet within the cavity.

Abstract: An electric current distribution system is provided for a plurality of types of automotive vehicles. The distribution system is installed in a vehicle compartment and distributes current from an input terminal to loads (6) via a plurality of output terminals. The distribution system includes a box (10) having input terminals at least equal in number to the maximum number of output terminals necessary for the different types of vehicles. A reading device (12) is provided in the box (10) for reading vehicle specific data stored in a memory (11) that may be outside the box (10), for storing in advance the vehicle specific data for each type of vehicle. A controller (16) is provided in the box (10), and receives the vehicle specific data from the reading device (12), specifies which output terminals out of the plurality of output terminals are to be used and outputs a corresponding control signal.

Abstract: An anti-theft alarm system for attended and unattended vehicles enabled by a remotely carried inviolable electronic chip that is read by a voltage supplying receiver. In the unattended mode, the system operates like a conventional alarm system capable of disabling an electronically based vehicle. In an attended mode, the operator can activate the system by brake pedal depression followed by opening of the door within a predetermined time. Upon this sequence of events, the system will allow the vehicle to operate for about 60 seconds allowing the victim to get out of harms way before the vehicle becomes disabled and initiates an alarm sequence. In this mode the only method of restarting the vehicle is by use of a by-pass switch which is easily hidden and known only to the vehicle owner. The system further provides a controller chip for use in all fleet vehicles which lock or unlock the access of the vehicle and a master chip giving access to any vehicle of the fleet.

Abstract: An anti-theft device for a motor vehicle wherein a personal identification unit is carried by an authorized operator of said motor vehicle and includes means for identifying its location in the vicinity of the motor vehicle. A vehicle control unit mounted onto the motor vehicle, has a first and second condition with means for allowing operation of the motor vehicle when the control unit is in the first condition and means for inhibiting operation of the motor vehicle when said control unit is in the second condition and means for shifting the control unit into the second condition at a time subsequent to removal of the identification device from the vicinity of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: The invention provides a seat-occupancy-detection device in a motor vehicle, by means of which seat functions can be actuated dependent on the load acting on the seat, which device is configured such that it can be utilized and implemented in a more versatile manner. By using a data bus in the vehicle, which provides the functions connected to the data bus with items of information throughout the vehicle, the area around a seating position is automatically adapted based on seat occupancy.

Abstract: A lighting switch for use in a vehicle lighting system that comprises a switch housing, a plurality of electrical contacts on the switch housing and a manually operable contact engaging means. The manually operable contact engaging means, when in a first position, prevents electrical energy from flowing to either the headlights or the parking lights; when in a second position, permits electrical energy to flow from the battery to the parking lights with the headlights being electrically isolated from the battery and the ignition switch; and, when in a third position, permits electrical energy to flow from the ignition switch to the headlights and parking lights such that when the ignition switch is turned off no electrical energy flows to either the headlights or parking lights.

Abstract: Remote control of a slave electric circuit is produced by sensing change in state of power flow through a master electric circuit and transmitting a resultant wireless signal between apparatus included in each the master circuit and the slave circuit. In a representative embodiment, the master electric circuit might include a main lamp which can be switched on and off while the remote electric circuit may include a supplementary lamp which is to be controlled.

Abstract: A light switching device for a motor vehicle, in which a switching component, capable of more than one switching position, for switching on and off a plurality of lamps of the operating illumination of a motor vehicle, a indicator for illuminating functions and an electrical plug-in connection device are integrated, are insertable in one piece into the dashboard or the instrument panel of the motor vehicle. The device integrates the operating illumination control, the circuit fuses appertaining to the operating illumination and the circuit monitoring, such that the fuses are easily accessible at the level of the actuating handle of the at least one switching component for the illumination control. The device has a patchboard for exchangeable fuses, and at least one integrated semiconductor circuit, monitoring current paths for current flows, for realizing at least one checking and/or warning function.

Abstract: A contactless signaling device for operating a horn or bell is disclosed. The signaling device has an electro-magnetic coil which drives an armature. A light source is positioned opposite a light sensor and a shutter portion of the armature moves between the source and the sensor periodically blocking the light flow. The light sensor is in electrical communication with the electro-magnetic coil. A spring connected to the armature moves the shutter portion when current is not supplied to the coil thereby supplying the desired pulsing as the armature striker engages a horn diaphragm or bell gong.

Abstract: A motor vehicle having a plurality of pivotal doors and a sliding door each movable between a closed and an open position has a lock system with a respective lock on each of the doors having an electrical motor energizable to set the respective lock in a locked position and in an unlocked position. A sensor at the sliding door produces a closed-door output when the sliding door is closed and an open-door output when the sliding door is open. Contacts on the sliding door are connected to the respective motor and contacts on the vehicle are engageable with the sliding-door contacts only in the closed position of the sliding door. A command unit can generate a lock-doors output and an unlock-doors output and an electrical controller is connected to the sensor, to the command unit, to the pivotal-door motors, and to the motor-vehicle contacts for energizing the pivotal-door motors to place the pivotal-door locks in the locked position after generation of the lock-doors signal.

Abstract: A circuit for internal illumination of motor vehicles having a controller, coupled to the internal illumination, that automatically turns the internal illumination on and off as a function of operating state parameters of the motor vehicle according to a predetermined switching program. The controller is a deliberately operable electrical controller. The circuit also includes a control device, coupled to and controlled by the controller, that switches the switching program off and the internal illumination permanently on in response to being controlled by the controller.

Abstract: A vehicle security system with an anti-theft controller which conducts a data exchange with at least one function controller, particularly an engine controller, in order to control its operational readiness, wherein the data exchange is conducted via a data line connecting at least the anti-theft controller and the function controller. Alternatively, an external device (4) can be connected to the data line (1), with the device being configured for the exchange of data with at least one of the controllers (2, 3, 3', 3") The data line is a line which is already in existence in the vehicle, particularly a K-diagnostics line and/or an L-diagnostics line in accordance with ISO standard 9141. For the control of the data exchange, one of the controllers (2, 3) connected via the data line (1) exercises the functions of the control unit.

Abstract: A switching circuit for an electronic distributor ignition device for an internal combustion engine. Current flowing through the primary ignition coil is controlled by a semiconductor switch circuit connected between the coil and ground. A control input to the semiconductor switch is also connected to ground by a pair of oppositely poled zener diodes which have a temperature coefficient which approximates that of the semiconductor switch circuit.

Abstract: Electrical devices in a vehicle are controlled and supplied with power through a system which includes a circuit board. The circuit board has removable modules which are mounted on a flat base or support, and which are connected at least electrically by coupling means in such a way that the power supply system for the electrical devices of the vehicle is modular, without being linked to any particular type or model of vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle battery disabling apparatus for disconnecting a battery of a vehicle including a solenoid having a retracted orientation when electrically energized and an extended orientation when de-energized; a first switch mechanism coupleable between an electrical system of the vehicle and its battery and further engaged with the solenoid and having a first orientation when the solenoid is de-energized for allowing electrical energy to be delivered from the battery to the electrical system and a second orientation when the solenoid is energized for preventing such delivery; a spring-loaded plunger having a biased and extended orientation when impact pressure is applied thereto and an unbiased and retracted orientation when no impact pressure is applied; and a second switch mechanism coupled to the solenoid and further positioned in juxtaposed relation to the plunger and having an activated orientation when the plunger is momentarily abutted thereagainst in its biased and extended orientation for energizing the

Abstract: An elongate member is coupled by a socket at one end to the aircraft surface, whilst a tip forms its other end. The electrical resistivity of the elongate member, tip and coupling is equal to or greater than 10.sup.2 ohmmeter; and are preferably molded from a high temperature thermoplastics material having an electrical resistivity equal to or greater than 10.sup.16 ohmmeter. The plastics material is selected from the group comprising polyetherimide, polyethersulphone and polyetheretherketone. The material of the tip is provided with an embedded aligned array of carbon or silicone carbide fibers while the other parts of the discharger are loaded with carbon black or coated with the same thermoplastics material loaded with 4% by weight carbon black. The adhesive used to mount the socket has an electrical resistance between 5 to 10K ohms, while that of the socket is between 5 to 10M ohms, that of the elongate member between 20 to 100M ohms, and that of the tip is between 2 to 5 ohms.

Abstract: A multiwinding spiral generator is capable of delivering any predetermined amount of energy at any predetermined voltage. The multiple spiral combines three components into a single component. The multiple spiral functions as the primary low voltage energy store, the voltage step-up means, and the high voltage energy store. The duplication of these functions by a single multiple spiral potentially offers a factor of three in reducing the size, weight, volume, and cost compared to the conventional pulse power conditioning apparatus.

Abstract: A hybrid active filter shunts three-phase power with passive elements tuned to have low impedance at a frequency of harmonic distortion. The passive elements are in series with controlled voltages sources providing cancelling currents to the harmonic currents. Rapid determination of the harmonic currents is provided in real-time through the use of a Park transformation reducing the variables which need to be manipulated. Measured currents as transformed are used to model undistorted current based on an average power consumed by the load. When the undistorted current is subtracted from the actual current, a harmonic current signal is produced that may be used to drive the voltage sources. The time domain method requires rapidly computed running averages and thus may be performed in-between the acquisition of the measured current samples.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus comprises a generator (5) that can generate electric power used for welding, lighting, and electric tools and is installed under a load carrying platform (2) of a vehicle (1), a speed-increasing gear (3) that is installed at one side of the generator (5), a power switchboard (4) that is installed at the other side of the generator (5) as integral with the generator (5), and a propeller shaft (14) connecting a side PTO (12) installed on a transmission case (13) to the speed-increasing gear (3).