Abstract: A capacitance sensor, having at least one electrode is disclosed. A frequency spread signal generation circuit is coupled to the at least one electrode to apply a frequency spread signal based on a spread sequence. A periodic signal with a frequency is coupled to the at least one electrode. A frequency controller is coupled to the frequency spread signal generation circuit to vary the frequency of the periodic signal. A receiver circuit is coupled to the at least one or a further electrode to receive a version of the frequency spread signal which depends on a capacitance applied to the at least one electrode. An evaluation circuit is coupled to the receiver circuit to determine a capacitance value based on the received, dependent version of the frequency spread signal.

Abstract: A system includes a capacitive sensor including a first electrode and a second electrode. The system includes a measurement system configured to sense a capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode and apply a first offset to the sensed capacitance to provide an offset compensated capacitance.

Abstract: A capacitance sensor, having at least one electrode is disclosed. A frequency spread signal generation circuit is coupled to the at least one electrode to apply a frequency spread signal based on a spread sequence. A periodic signal with a frequency is coupled to the at least one electrode. A frequency controller is coupled to the frequency spread signal generation circuit to vary the frequency of the periodic signal. A receiver circuit is coupled to the at least one or a further electrode to receive a version of the frequency spread signal which depends on a capacitance applied to the at least one electrode. An evaluation circuit is coupled to the receiver circuit to determine a capacitance value based on the received, dependent version of the frequency spread signal.

Abstract: A system includes a capacitive sensor including a first electrode and a second electrode. The system includes a measurement system configured to sense a capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode and apply a first offset to the sensed capacitance to provide an offset compensated capacitance.

Abstract: A bistable minivalve includes a movable component, an actuator that is electrostatically, magnetically, or mechanically coupled to the movable component for controllably switching the movable component between open and closed states, and a casing providing structural support. The movable component has an actuation surface [300] movably positioned in the valve conduit and a bistable element attached to the actuation surface providing mechanical stability to the open and closed states of the movable component. The bistable element may be realized as a pair of elastic buckling beams [302, 304] attached at their midpoints to opposite sides of the actuation surface. Optionally, there may also be elastic support beams [306, 308] attached at their endpoints to the actuation surface and attached at their midpoints to the elastic buckling beams.

Abstract: A method and a device for determining the velocity of a mass flow of powdered/granular bulk material in a conduit (1). Periodic disturbances are introduced into the mass flow that affect its electrical properties at at least one first point of the conduit (“point of disturbance”) (SST). Using an electrode mechanism (ME1 . . . ME6) an electrical current is produced by the mass flow at at least one second measuring point situated downstream of the point of disturbance (“measuring point”) (MST), and temporarily occurring changes of the current based on the disturbances introduced upstream are measured via an evaluation circuit (REV). The speed of the mass flow is determined from the time dependency between measured changes and introduced disturbance.

Abstract: A bistable minivalve includes a movable component, an actuator that is electrostatically, magnetically, or mechanically coupled to the movable component for controllably switching the movable component between open and closed states, and a casing providing structural support. The movable component has an actuation surface [300] movably positioned in the valve conduit and a bistable element attached to the actuation surface providing mechanical stability to the open and closed states of the movable component. The bistable element may be realized as a pair of elastic buckling beams [302, 304] attached at their midpoints to opposite sides of the actuation surface. Optionally, there may also be elastic support beams [306, 308] attached at their endpoints to the actuation surface and attached at their midpoints to the elastic buckling beams.

Abstract: In a micro gas turbine engine, a capacitive sensor is used for measuring a tip clearance of a radial compressor section thereof, and an actuator is used for axially displacing a rotor shaft in response to an output from the capacitive sensor. Because the capacitive change gives an accurate measure of the size of the tip clearance, a particularly high sensitivity can be achieved in parts where the tip clearance is small, thereby providing a highly precise tip clearance control.

Abstract: In a micro gas turbine engine, a capacitive sensor is used for measuring a tip clearance of a radial compressor section thereof, and an actuator is used for axially displacing a rotor shaft in response to an output from the capacitive sensor. Because the capacitive change gives an accurate measure of the size of the tip clearance, a particularly high sensitivity can be achieved in parts where the tip clearance is small, thereby providing a highly precise tip clearance control.

Abstract: The capacitive angular displacement transducer includes a first stator (2) comprising a plurality of electrically conductive; circular ring-shaped electrodes (51) which are electrically isolated from each other and have a predetermined sector angle, with a second stator (4) arranged parallel to the first stator comprising a receiving electrode (6), and with a rotor (3) mounted on a rotatable shaft (7) comprising at least one rotor blade (8a, 8b) in the form of circle sectors and located perpendicular to the shaft and the rotor blade being located parallel to and between the first and the second stators. The sum of the central angles of all transmitting electrodes is less than 2&pgr; (360°), preferably ranging from &pgr;/12 (30°) to 5&pgr;/6 (300°), and the central angle of each rotor blade is essentially equal to the sum of the central angles of n adjacent or neighboring transmitting electrodes.

Abstract: The capacitive angular displacement transducer includes a first stator (2) comprising a plurality of electrically conductive, circular ring-shaped electrodes (51) which are electrically isolated from each other and have a predetermined sector angle, with a second stator (4) arranged parallel to the first stator comprising a receiving electrode (6), and with a rotor (3) mounted on a rotatable shaft (7) comprising at least one rotor blade (8a, 8b) in the form of circle sectors and located perpendicular to the shaft and the rotor blade being located parallel to and between the first and the second stators. The sum of the central angles of all transmitting electrodes is less than 2&pgr; (360°), preferably ranging from &pgr;/12 (30°) to 5&pgr;/6 (300°), and the central angle of each rotor blade is essentially equal to the sum of the central angles of n adjacent or neighboring transmitting electrodes.

Abstract: A device and a method for driving at least one capacitive actuator, in particular a piezoelectrically operated fuel injection valve of an internal combustion engine, by a microprocessor-controlled control circuit. The device has a charging capacitor which can be recharged by an energy source, which charges the at least one actuator via switches controlled by the control circuit, and into which the actuator is discharged again.

Abstract: A method for controlling a stepping motor includes the steps of storing step angles as an angle table in memory so that the magnitudes of the step angles rise as microsteps from an initial position having an initial value of zero to a final position having a final value in the order of magnitude of a coarse step; connecting field windings of the stepping motor to a switching device which sets a magnitude and direction of phase currents in the field windings as a function of a vector angle of a required vector which is switched onwards by one of the step angles per interval of a system clock, reading out from the memory the stored values in an increasing direction on one hand for acceleration and in a reverse direction on the other hand for braking, the step angle being dependent on the stored values which are read out from memory.

Abstract: Measuring device for the measurement of a rotor angle including a capacitive angular displacement transducer generating an output that varies with an angular displacement of a shaft. A first stator has a plurality of transmitting electrodes to generate electric fields within the transducer due to excitation signals applied to the plurality of transmitting electrodes which are electrically conducting circle sectors of equal area which are electrically isolated from each other and which completely cover a rotational angle of 2.pi. on the first stator. A second stator is parallel and coaxial to the first stator and includes a conductive ring electrode receiving excitation from the first stator and producing an electric output signal. A rotor is located coaxially, parallel to the first stator and the second stator. The rotor has at least one rotor blade in the form of circle sectors, the central angle of each rotor blade being equal to at least the sum of the central angles of two sectors of the first stator.

Abstract: An electronic switch with two transistors connected in a Darlington configuration. A first of the two transistors has collector-emitter terminals connected between input and output terminals. A regulator monitors the output voltage and controls the duty cycle of a switch providing base drive current to the second transistor of the Darlington pair. Current from the switch is also provided to a second switch which is connected to the base of the first transistor. The second switch is a comparator which monitors the voltage of the input terminal as compared to a reference. When the difference between the voltages at the input and output terminals is low, the second switch is closed so that the first transistor is driven by the current through the first switch directly. When the difference between the input voltage and output voltage is high, the second switch opens so that the two transistors are operative as a Darlington pair.

Abstract: For shutting down a fuel injection combustion there is provided a spring-loaded and lockable stop (8), the locking member (13) of which can be retracted in a controlled manner by an operation paramenter, e.g. the number of revolutions. In the released position, the stop (8) acts on the fuel amount control rod (1) and moves this rod into zero-delivery position. Adjustment of the fuel amount control-rod (1) is effected by means of a servomotor, noting that on starting the fuel injection combustion engine the stop (8) is drawn by this servomotor into a position in which the stop is maintained by the locking member (13) until retracting same. This locking position of the lockable stop (8) simultaneously represents a stop for the maximum amount of fuel supplied by the injection pump and the fuel amount control rod can, during operation, be adjusted to any desired and just required amount of fuel supplied. If there occurs an inadmissible operating condition, e.g.

Abstract: In a circuit arrangement for controlling the commutation of a stepping motor, each phase winding (1) of which is connected to the detector diagonal of a bridge circuit consisting of four switching transistors (2, 3, 4, 5), a capacitor (17) is connected across each phase winding (1) and a decoupling diode (13, 14) is included in each of two arms of the bridge circuit. In case of a bridge circuit comprising complementary transistors (2, 4; 3, 5), whose emitters are connected to the terminals (6, 7) of the supply voltage (U.sub.o) and whose collectors are interconnected in pairs, the decoupling diodes (13, 14) are included in the collector leads of the transistors (2, 4) of one type of conductivity, and protective diodes (15, 16) are connected in parallel to the collector-emitter path of the transistors (3, 5) of the other type of conductivity.

Abstract: In a control equipment for adjusting the moment of fuel injection and/or the amount of fuel supplied by a fuel injection pump in internal combustion engines, at least one mechanical energy accumulator (9, 10) is provided between an adjusting member (2, 3) for the begin of fuel supply and/or for the amount of fuel supplied and an electrical servomotor (4), said energy accumulator comprising two mutually movable spring collars (12, 13) between which is accommodated a pre-stressed compression spring (11) and the maximum distance of which one from the other is limited by abutments (14, 15) of a housing surrounding the spring collars. (FIG. 1).