Abstract: A testing device is provided for testing an optical rain sensor which is designed to determine a measure of moisture by determining a reflected portion of a light beam, which testing device has a mounting device for holding the rain sensor and test equipment which is positioned in the light beam, movably, for example, the test equipment having an area which is designed to reflect a predefined portion of the light beam.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a contact-disk system including a control unit, a rotatable contact disk and a plurality of contact elements, the contact disk having a plurality of paths and each contact element being associated with one path. The paths have electrically conductive segments and electrically insulating segments, logical states being encoded by the electrically conductive segments and the electrically insulating segments. The contact disk has n paths with n≧2, and N logic states are encoded by the n paths and by the sequence of the electrically conductive segments and the electrically insulating segments, with N>2n. The present invention also relates to a method for controlling a windshield-wiper motor and a windshield-wiper motor having a contact-disk system according to the present invention.

Abstract: An electric motor, in particular a wiper motor, for wiping a window of a motor vehicle, having a gearing situated in a gear housing, a cover closing the gear housing, and a control electronics having a sensor device, which detects the position of the gearing and records the signals of a signal transmitter situated at or in a movable part of the gearing, elements of the sensor device being situated in the cover or at least on the side of the gearing facing the cover and determining the position of the gearing without contact.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a contact-disk system including a control unit, a rotatable contact disk and a plurality of contact elements, the contact disk having a plurality of paths and each contact element being associated with one path. The paths have electrically conductive segments and electrically insulating segments, logical states being encoded by the electrically conductive segments and the electrically insulating segments. The contact disk has n paths with n≧2, and N logic states are encoded by the n paths and by the sequence of the electrically conductive segments and the electrically insulating segments, with N>2n. The present invention also relates to a method for controlling a windshield-wiper motor and a windshield-wiper motor having a contact-disk system according to the present invention.

Abstract: An electric motor (10), in particular a wiper motor, for wiping a window of a motor vehicle, having a gearing situated in a gear housing (28), a cover closing the gear housing (28), and a control electronics having a sensor device (34), which detects the position of the gearing and records the signals of a signal transmitter (26) situated at or in a movable part (14) of the gearing, elements of the sensor device (34) being situated in the cover or at least on the side of the gearing facing the cover and determining the position of the gearing without contact.

Abstract: A circuit for operating an electric motor (10) has a triac (24) that is parallel to the electric motor (10). The triac (24) is acted upon by a first control signal (28) that is dependent on the voltage present at a first connection (11) of the electric motor (10). The triac (24) is further acted on by a second control signal (22) that is emitted as a braking signal by a motor-control circuit (19). The circuit of the invention, which includes a semiconductor component (24), permits both a braking of the electric motor (10) and the damping of an inductive voltage peak during the switch-off process of the electric motor (10). The damping of the inductive voltage peak is also assured after the separation of the voltage from an energy source (16).

Abstract: A control device associated with a wiper motor for motor vehicles, in particular a rear window wiper motor the control device permitting a rapid final test of the motor with virtually no delay. For this purpose, a certain test signal is fed to a control unit via a signal input in response to which test signal the control unit electrically charges the motor for a test mode over an extended period.

Abstract: Suggested is a switching arrangement for actuating a wiper motor (10) for windshield wiper arrangements, which functions to protect the power switching element (13), designed as semiconductor, and the wiper motor (10) against permanent destruction caused by blocking and overload. The switching arrangement comprises a temperature monitoring of the semiconductor end stage (29), which short-circuits the power switching element (13) in case of a motor (10) overload and simultaneous heating up of the power switching element and shuts down the motor (10), as well as a parking position monitoring of the wiper lever, in order to shut down the motor completely if the wiper lever is blocked (FIG. 1).

Abstract: Windshield wiper mechanism and method for precisely placing a wiper in each reversing position during wiper operation. The local wetness conditions on the windshield after deactivating the motor are taken into account from braking until reaching the reversing positions. The mechanism also includes a pulse generator for generating pulses as a function of the wiper movement, with these pulses being supplied to a controller via a signal input in order to control the motor. The pulses characterizing deceleration of the wiper from the time the motor is deactivated prior to a reversing position until it comes to a standstill are counted by a counter. The controller emits a switching signal for deactivating the motor and/or for reversing its direction of rotation prior to reaching the next reversing position or parking position as a function of the counted deceleration pulses.