Abstract: A headrest of a motor vehicle seat can be folded down into an inoperative position. The headrest has a headrest body and a headrest bracket which are mechanically connected in such a manner, via a bearing part having a sliding bearing and a pivot bearing that a vertical displacement and a pivoting about a horizontal pivot axis arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle are achievable.

Abstract: A sheathed-element glow plug for an internal combustion engine, made up substantially of a plug housing and a glow element disposed in the plug housing, having a gas conduit for measuring the combustion chamber pressure. A gas-permeable filter element, provided according to the present invention in the gas conduit, prevents the penetration of carbon residues or combustion residues into the interior of the sheathed-element glow plug, or reduces particle entry to a tolerable level.

Abstract: A device for detecting the combustion-chamber pressure in an internal combustion engine is configured in such a way that the combustion-chamber pressure is able to be detected in a reliable and reproducible manner. To this end, a heating pin exposed to the combustion-chamber pressure is fixed in place in a housing of the glow plug with the aid of a fixation member. A sensor is affixed in the housing of the glow plug via a fixation element set apart from this fixation member. This sensor detects the elastic longitudinal expansion of the housing caused by the combustion-chamber pressure between the end of the fixation member facing the sensor and the fixation point of the fixation element on the housing. This device is preferably utilized in the automotive industry.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pressure sensor (1), comprising a housing (2), a housing element (3) which may be exposed to a pressure chamber (10), mounted on the housing (2) by means of a metallic membrane (5) and a measuring cell (4) which can indirectly measure a pressure acting on the housing element (3) and transmitted to the measuring cell (4) as a force resulting therefrom. According to the invention, said pressure sensor (1) comprises a housing element (3) embodied as a pin and projects out of the housing (2). The advantage of such an arrangement is only a small drilling to a pressure chamber (10) need be provided, in order to carry out a pressure measurement. The pin (3) need only be so long that the front end thereof, in the assembled state, approximately reaches the wall (11) of the pressure chamber (10).

Abstract: A device for detecting the pressure in a combustion chamber of an engine is designed in such a way that the combustion-chamber pressure can be detected reliably and reproducibly. For this purpose, a glow element in a glow plug, exposed to the combustion-chamber pressure, is fixedly mounted in a housing of the glow plug via a fastening element. A sensor is fixedly mounted in the housing of the glow plug using this fastener located at a distance from the fastening element. This sensor detects the elastic deformation of the glow element caused by the combustion-chamber pressure. This device is preferably used in the automobile industry.

Abstract: A device for controlling a fluid volume in shape changing elements of vehicle seats has a sliding valve connectable with a fluid pressure source and with shape changing elements for filling the shape changing elements with fluid and discharging fluid from the shape changing elements, the sliding valve having a housing provided with connecting openings for a corresponding one of the shape changing elements and a control slider movable in the housing relative to the connecting openings, the control slider having at least one control opening cooperating with the connecting openings and at least one connecting passage which opens in the control opening and is loadable with fluid from the fluid pressure source, the control slider being formed as an axial slider which is guided on the housing, the axial slider having an axial displaceably sliding head provided with the at least one control opening and the at least one connecting passage and a slider rod rigidly connected with the slider head for axial displacement

Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle occupant protection system for a motor vehicle having a vehicle seat with airbags which are integrated into lateral areas of a seating part and of a backrest, the air pressure of the airbags being adjustable by means of a compressed air regulating device. According to the invention, a coordination system is provided which evaluates the data which is relevant to the safety of the driving operation, and times the actuation of the compressed air regulating device in such a way that at least one airbag of the vehicle seat is inflated before the occurrence of an anticipated accident.

Abstract: A sheathed-element glow plug for an internal combustion engine, in which the sheathed-element glow plug is arranged or constructed so that it substantially reduces the glow temperature during the heat-up process. The control filament is considerably shortened and has a resistance between 20 m? and 100 m?.

Abstract: A headrest of a motor vehicle seat can be folded down into an inoperative position. The headrest has a headrest body and a headrest bracket which are mechanically connected in such a manner, via a bearing part having a sliding bearing and a pivot bearing that a vertical displacement and a pivoting about a horizontal pivot axis arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle are achievable.

Abstract: A passive, high-temperature-resistant resistor element for measuring temperature is provided, the resistor element having an essentially interior insulating layer and two exterior conducting layers of a ceramic composite structure; the conducting layers being connected to one another at the tip of the resistor element; and the ceramic composite structure including trisilicon tetranitride, a metal silicide, and yttrium oxide or trisilicon tetranitride, a metal silicide, and a matrix phase of SixOyCzNw, where x signifies 1–2, y signifies 0–2, and w signifies 0–2. A combination element of this resistor element and a sheathed type glow plug, for example, is also provided.

Abstract: A sheathed-element glow plug for an internal combustion engine, in which the sheathed-element glow plug is arranged or constructed so that it substantially reduces the glow temperature during the heat-up process. The control filament is considerably shortened and has a resistance between 20 m? and 100 m?.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle seat for a motor vehicle, in which the seat cushion (2) and the seat back (3) are each provided with a plurality of pressurizable elements (4) which can be activated by a controller (5) to obtain different massage effects, the pressurizable elements (4) being cushion-like elements which are small in relation to the surface of the seat contour and can each be activated separately via lines (6) in order to change the seat contour in an essentially punctiform manner.

Abstract: A pin heater in a sheathed-element glow plug and a sheathed-element glow plug for internal combustion engines, which have improved electrical and mechanical properties, are described. The pin heater has at least one essentially internal insulating layer and one essentially external first conductive layer, both layers including ceramic composite structures. The pin heater includes a second conductive layer, which also includes a ceramic composite structure. The second conductive layer is bonded to the first conductive layer in the region of a combustion chamber side tip of the pin heater. The second conductive layer runs inside the insulating layer.

Abstract: An electrically heatable glow plug and a method for manufacturing an electrically heatable glow plug are proposed that enable a protection of a heating coil of the glow plug against nitridation and evaporation of the aluminum from the heating conductor alloy. The glow plug includes a glow tube that is closed at the end, into which the electrically conductive heating coil is inserted, the heating coil being formed at least partially of aluminum, in particular of an aluminun-iron-chromium alloy. In the glow tube, oxygen donors are provided in order to form an aluminum oxide layer on the surface of the heating coil before or during the heating of the heating coil.

Abstract: A sheathed element glow plug having an ionic current sensor and a method of operating such a sheathed element glow plug are provided. The sheathed element glow plug includes a housing and a rod-shaped heating element arranged in a concentric bore in the housing. The heating element has at least one insulation layer, a first feeder layer, and a second feeder layer, the first feeder layer and the second feeder layer being connected by a web on the combustion chamber-side end of the heating element, the first and second feeder layers and the web being made of an electrically conducting ceramic material, and the insulation layer being made of an electrically insulating ceramic material. The heating element has at least one ionic current detection electrode made of an electrically conducting ceramic material.

Abstract: A sheathed-element glow plug having an ionic-current sensor, as well as a method for operating a sheathed-element glow plug having an ionic-current sensor are described, the sheathed-element glow plug having a housing and a rod-shaped heating element arranged in a concentric bore hole of the housing. The heating element has at least one insulating layer as well as a first lead layer and a second lead layer, the first lead layer and the second lead layer being connected via a bar at the end of the heating element on the combustion chamber side, the first and second lead layers and the bar being made of electroconductive ceramic material, and the insulating layer being made of electrically insulating ceramic material. The heating element has a first electrode for detecting ionic current and a second electrode for detecting ionic current which are embedded in the insulating layer or applied on the insulating layer.

Abstract: A software tool for enabling automated tracking of activity related to the status and usage statistics of a plurality of Web sites on a data packet network is provided. The software tool comprises a network communication capability for establishing network communication between the software tool and the tracked Web sites; a plurality of data-reporting modules for obtaining and reporting data about tracked Web sites; a data input function for excepting data from the reporting modules and from external sources; a data recording function for recording and logging the data received from the reporting modules and from the external sources; and a data management function for organizing and storing the received data and rendering the data accessible for use in software development.

Abstract: A device for controlling a fluid volume in shape changing elements of vehicle seats has a sliding valve connectable with a fluid pressure source and with shape changing elements for filling the shape changing elements with fluid and discharging fluid from the shape changing elements, the sliding valve having a housing provided with connecting openings for a corresponding one of the shape changing elements and a control slider movable in the housing relative to the connecting openings, the control slider having at least one control opening cooperating with the connecting openings and at least one connecting passage which opens in the control opening and is loadable with fluid from the fluid pressure source, the control slider being formed as an axial slider which is guided on the housing, the axial slider having an axial displaceably sliding head provided with the at least one control opening and the at least one connecting passage and a slider rod rigidly connected with the slider head for axial displacement

Abstract: A software tool for enabling automated tracking of activity related to the status and usage statistics of a plurality of Web sites on a data packet network is provided. The software tool comprises a network communication capability for establishing network communication between the software tool and the tracked Web sites; a plurality of data-reporting modules for obtaining and reporting data about tracked Web sites; a data input function for excepting data from the reporting modules and from external sources; a data recording function for recording and logging the data received from the reporting modules and from the external sources; and a data management function for organizing and storing the received data and rendering the data accessible for use in software development.

Abstract: A process for increasing or reducing the internal pressure of at least one hollow body (HK—1, HK—2, HK—3) to a specified set internal pressure. The set internal pressure is adjusted so that several pressure-increasing steps or pressure-reducing steps are conducted successively until the internal pressure deviates from the set internal pressure at most by a specified tolerance. Each of these steps brings about a pressure increase or pressure reduction the amount of which is not larger than a specified upper limit. In this way, impairments of comfort owing to the rise in pressure or the reduction in pressure are especially avoided. The actual internal pressure is only measured at the beginning of the process. In one design of the invention, this amount depends upon the volumes of the hollow bodies (HK—1, HK—2, HK—3) and a supply line (VL) as well as (in the case pressure is increased) from the pressure which a pressure generator generates.