Abstract: An impact sensor configuration in a motor vehicle includes a sensor device in each vehicle half (relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle) for detecting an acceleration. Each sensor device has two acceleration sensors with differently directed sensitivity axes.

Abstract: A configuration for triggering a personal protection system supplies a trigger signal for triggering the personal protection system which is dependent on an acceleration-dependent release signal and a response of a switch that operates acceleration-dependently, in a protection device or safing sensor. A simple and testable structure for such a protection device includes two switching units which can be alternately connected through and locked for testing purposes.

Abstract: A mechanical inertia switch in a housing has an elastic tongue with an inertial mass as well as a contact piece. The elastic tongue has a stable neutral position and can be moved in the direction of the contact piece against a force, for example a magnetic force or a force due to preloading of the elastic tongue, which acts in addition to a spring force of the elastic tongue. The compact mechanical inertia switch has a small number of components and short switching times. The elastic tongue is prevented from oscillating. It is thus possible to use the mechanical inertia switch as a safing sensor for detecting side impact.

Abstract: A micromechanical sensor unit for detecting acceleration has pendulums each with a spiral spring and a seismic mass. Supports each being connected to a respective one of the pendulums, and position sensors, each two of the position sensors is associated with a respective one of the pendulums. Each position sensor and an associated pendulum form a switch with a defined triggering threshold and at least two switches respond to the same direction of acceleration. At least one switch is a safing sensor with a separate tap of a sensor signal.

Abstract: A control assembly for a passenger protection system of a vehicle which is tripped upon the occurrence of a side impact traffic accident. The control assembly has at least one detector adapted to detect a pressure rise in a hollow body. The at least one detector is mounted in a largely enclosed side portion on the side of the vehicle body defining a hollow body such as a door. A control unit is connected to and receives signals from the at least one detector. The control unit evaluates a sudden and largely adiabatic air pressure rise detected by the detector upon a side impact collision and determines whether to actuate a passenger protection system such as an air bag.

Abstract: A traffic accident detecting sensor for a passenger protection system in a vehicle includes a low-retentivity seismic mass which can move along a guide member between two extreme positions and is normally held in a first extreme position by a contact pressure. The contact pressure is overcome in the event of deceleration in such a way that the seismic mass then moves toward a second extreme position. A magnet being distinct from the seismic mass has a magnetic field which is deformed to a varying degree by the seismic mass depending on the position of the seismic mass. At least one contact can be controlled by the magnetic field of the magnet. The contact and the seismic mass have such a configuration that in the first extreme position the latter to a large extent constitutes a magnetic shunt diverting the magnetic field away from the contact toward the seismic mass so that the contact is then in its first contact state.

Abstract: Laser-induced color printing with means with which the printing color of a micro-capsule to be impinged by the laser beam (12) is identified. These means are a fluorescence transformer material as a constituent of the content of the micro-capsules (3) or an additional white light ray with which the printing color of an individual micro-capsule (3) can likewise be identified.The printing ensues given coincidence of a printing instruction provided for a defined location with color specification and of the momentary incidence of the scanning laser beam (12) on a micro-capsule (3) for which this printing color has been identified as being present.

Abstract: With the present tank ventilation system formed of a fuel tank, an active carbon filter, a control unit, a lambda probe, a tank ventilation valve and a flow sensor it is possible to recognize defects at the connecting lines and the ventilation valve immediately. For the recognition of the defect, a control unit is provided which examines the signals arriving from the lambda probe and from the flow sensor along with the outgoing tank ventilation control signals for unreasonable events. When a defect is recognized, the error signal is stored. A ceramic PTC resistor is preferably employed as the flow sensor.

Abstract: Optical sensor line of amorphous or polycrystalline photo-electric material having a plurality of sensor elements. An optical sensor line of amorphous or polycrystalline photo-electric material having a plurality of sensor elements, whereby it is provided that a non-linear element is allocated to each sensor element as a converter that converts the photo-current (i.sub.ph) of the associated sensor and which is proportional to the quantity of light incident on the sensor into a signal voltage (u.sub.s) that is at least approximately proportional to the logarithm of the photo-current (i.sub.ph).

Abstract: A pyrodetector, which is both movement selective and directional selective, has preferably a foil supporting detector elements relative to a concave mirror which may have a spherical curve surface, a spherical-parabolic curve surface or a curve surface between a spherical surface and a spherical-parabolic surface. The sensor is preferably a plurality of individual sensor elements which are arranged on an arc, preferably on a planar member or a foil, and may include additional or second sensor elements having electrodes which are for determining temperature compensation for the detector.