Abstract: A valve includes an electromagnetic actuator, which has an armature in an armature space and guided on a valve needle operable by the actuator using the armature. A first and a second stop element that interact with a first and second end face, respectively, of the armature are situated on the valve needle. The armature has a spring receptacle, which is open towards the first end face of the armature, and into which a spring is inserted. The armature has at least one fluid channel, which, during operation, allows fluid to pass through between first and second regions of the armature space at the first and second end faces, respectively, of the armature. The fluid channel incorporates at least part of the spring receptacle. Sections of the fluid channel run radially outwards along a direction oriented from the first to the second end face and coaxial to a longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A valve for metering a fluid is described, which is used, in particular, as a fuel injector for internal combustion engines, including an electromagnetic actuator and a valve needle actuatable by the actuator, an armature of the actuator being guided on valve needle, a stop element which limits a movement of the armature relative to the valve needle being situated on the valve needle, and the armature including a spring receptacle which is open toward the stop element and in which a spring supported on the stop element is inserted. The valve needle is guided via the armature and/or the stop element along a longitudinal axis of a housing. Furthermore, as viewed along the longitudinal axis, a length of the spring receptacle is smaller than a spring length of the spring in the non-actuated initial state.

Abstract: A fuel injector including an especially precisely aligned valve needle. The fuel injector includes an excitable actuator for actuating a valve closure element, which forms a sealing seat together with a valve seat surface formed on the valve seat body, and has injection orifices, which are developed downstream from the valve seat surface. The valve closure element is spherical and, as a part of a valve needle which is axially movable along a valve longitudinal axis, is fixedly connected to a pin-shaped solid valve needle shaft. A contact region of the valve needle shaft and the valve closure element is situated radially outside the valve longitudinal axis and surrounds it in the form of a ring. The fuel injector is particularly suitable for the direct injection of fuel into a combustion chamber of a mixture-compressing internal combustion engine having externally supplied ignition.

Abstract: A valve includes an electromagnetic actuator, which has an armature in an armature space and guided on a valve needle operable by the actuator using the armature. A first and a second stop element that interact with a first and second end face, respectively, of the armature are situated on the valve needle. The armature has a spring receptacle, which is open towards the first end face of the armature, and into which a spring is inserted. The armature has at least one fluid channel, which, during operation, allows fluid to pass through between first and second regions of the armature space at the first and second end faces, respectively, of the armature. The fluid channel incorporates at least part of the spring receptacle. Sections of the fluid channel run radially outwards along a direction oriented from the first to the second end face and coaxial to a longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A valve for metering a fluid is described, which is used, in particular, as a fuel injector for internal combustion engines, including an electromagnetic actuator and a valve needle actuatable by the actuator, an armature of the actuator being guided on valve needle, a stop element which limits a movement of the armature relative to the valve needle being situated on the valve needle, and the armature including a spring receptacle which is open toward the stop element and in which a spring supported on the stop element is inserted. The valve needle is guided via the armature and/or the stop element along a longitudinal axis of a housing. Furthermore, as viewed along the longitudinal axis, a length of the spring receptacle is smaller than a spring length of the spring in the non-actuated initial state.

Abstract: A solenoid armature for a solenoid actuator, including at least one magnetic region and at least one non-magnetic region, the solenoid armature being configured as a one-piece component having a first and second armature end face, the magnetic and non-magnetic regions being integrally bonded to each other by a two-component powder injection molding technique, and the magnetic region and the non-magnetic region extending in the axial direction at least as far as the first armature end face.

Abstract: A solenoid armature for a solenoid actuator, including at least one magnetic region and at least one non-magnetic region, the solenoid armature being configured as a one-piece component having a first and second armature end face, the magnetic and non-magnetic regions being integrally bonded to each other by a two-component powder injection molding technique, and the magnetic region and the non-magnetic region extending in the axial direction at least as far as the first armature end face.

Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine and a device for implementing the method, in which a diagnosis is performed of an adjusting device situated in the exhaust duct of the internal combustion engine, which distributes the exhaust gas between a first and at least one second exhaust gas path. A transit time from a change of a characteristic quantity of the exhaust gas in front of the adjusting device until the appearance behind the adjusting device detected by a sensor is compared to a specified transit time threshold value. The transit time threshold value is specified as a function of a setpoint position of the adjusting device. In the event of a deviation from or exceedance of the threshold value, a fault signal is provided.

Abstract: An ignition system for an internal combustion engine, having a combustion chamber and a fuel injection device which injects a fuel directly into the combustion chamber in stream-guided fashion, is configured so that the ignition system has a positive polarity.

Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine, particularly of a motor vehicle, is described. The engine has a number of cylinders (Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4), and in each of the cylinders (Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4), one movable piston is accommodated, which is capable of passing through an intake phase (S), a compression phase (V), a working phase (A), and an expulsion phase (B). The fuel can be injected directly into a combustion chamber defined by the cylinder (Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4) and the piston. A first output signal (P1) is generated, which always changes its value whenever a transition from one phase to the next phase of the engine is taking place. A second output signal (P2) is generated, which always changes its value upon every other transition between two phases of the engine. The two output signals (P1, P2) are generated independently from one another, and from the two output signals, the present phase of at least one of the cylinders (Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4) is ascertained.

Abstract: A method for determining the ignition angle is provided, in which modifications of manipulated variables which have an influence on the knock limit, and therefore on the optimum ignition angle as well, are dynamically taken into account. To this end, a base ignition angle is first determined, based on the instantaneous engine speed and load. As part of a downstream knock control, a first ignition angle adjustment in the retard direction is determined when knocking has been detected. As part of a knock limit control, a second ignition angle adjustment is also determined when at least one manipulated variable influencing the knock limit changes, with the type of the second ignition angle adjustment, i.e., advancing or retarding, depending on the manipulated variable and its modification.

Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine, particularly of a motor vehicle, is described. The engine has a number of cylinders (Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4), and in each of the cylinders (Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4), one movable piston is accommodated, which is capable of passing through an intake phase (S), a compression phase (V), a working phase (A), and an expulsion phase (B). The fuel can be injected directly into a combustion chamber defined by the cylinder (Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4) and the piston. A first output signal (P1) is generated, which always changes its value whenever a transition from one phase to the next phase of the engine is taking place. A second output signal (P2) is generated, which always changes its value upon every other transition between two phases of the engine. The two output signals (P1, P2) are generated independently from one another, and from the two output signals, the present phase of at least one of the cylinders (Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4) is ascertained.

Abstract: A fuel injector for the direct injection of fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine includes an energizable actuator, a valve needle, which is in operative connection with the actuator and acted upon by a restoring spring in a closing direction to actuate a valve-closure member, which, together with a valve-seat surface formed on a valve-seat body, forms a sealing seat; and includes at least two spray-discharge orifices which are formed in the valve-seat body. At an outer side, facing the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, of the valve-seat body, a coating is formed and/or the maximum number of spray-discharge orifices is eight and/or a clearance between the valve-closure member and the valve-seat body is smaller than 20 ?m and/or the spray-discharge orifices widen in a spray-discharge direction of the fuel.

Abstract: An ignition system for an internal combustion engine, having a combustion chamber and a fuel injection device which injects a fuel directly into the combustion chamber in stream-guided fashion, is configured so that the ignition system has a positive polarity.

Abstract: A method for determining the ignition angle is provided, in which modifications of manipulated variables which have an influence on the knock limit, and therefore on the optimum ignition angle as well, are dynamically taken into account. To this end, a base ignition angle is first determined, based on the instantaneous engine speed and load. As part of a downstream knock control, a first ignition angle adjustment in the retard direction is determined when knocking has been detected. As part of a knock limit control, a second ignition angle adjustment is also determined when at least one manipulated variable influencing the knock limit changes, with the type of the second ignition angle adjustment, i.e., advancing or retarding, depending on the manipulated variable and its modification.

Abstract: Devices and methods for knock detection and knock control are described, in which, in addition to the customary component parts, the knock-detection circuit has a filter with switchable filter characteristic. The switchover of the filter characteristic, i.e. the shift, for example, of the mid-frequency of the filter, is carried out taking into consideration specifiable quantities or parameters, for instance, as a function of rotational speed. During the switchover of the filter characteristic, i.e. the shift of the mid-frequency, problems could occur in the knock detection; that is why measures are proposed which carry out the knock detection according to a special knock-detection algorithm during a switchover phase lasting a specifiable time.

Abstract: In a method for operating an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, in particular, pressurized fuel is conveyed to a fuel accumulator. The fuel is injected into a combustion chamber via a fuel injector. Coking of the fuel injector is determined. A first fuel-pressure increase is implemented when the coking exceeds a threshold value.

Abstract: A device for signal evaluation is described, in particular for knock recognition in an internal combustion engine, in which the signals forwarded by sensors are evaluated digitally and error recognition is carried out that performs two different test functions, whereby a first test function supplies a test pulse at a specifiable location, and the second test function clears the sensor signals, and the reaction of both the analog and digital parts of the circuit are monitored.

Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine and a device for implementing the method, in which a diagnosis is performed of an adjusting device situated in the exhaust duct of the internal combustion engine, which distributes the exhaust gas between a first and at least one second exhaust gas path. A transit time from a change of a characteristic quantity of the exhaust gas in front of the adjusting device until the appearance behind the adjusting device detected by a sensor is compared to a specified transit time threshold value. The transit time threshold value is specified as a function of a setpoint position of the adjusting device. In the event of a deviation from or exceedance of the threshold value, a fault signal is provided.

Abstract: The method for knock detection includes establishing that knock is occurring in the internal combustion engine when the amplified knock signal exceeds a predetermined reference level in a predetermined manner. The reference level is determined on the basis of individual cylinders and the increase in the reference level is limited when a new reference level leaves a predetermined reference level range or the gradient of the sound increase exceeds a predetermined threshold value. For determination of the reference level range and/or the threshold for the gradient average values of the signals originating from the sound of other cylinders are considered.