Abstract: The invention relates to a melting fuse, especially for a motor vehicle that has a high-voltage circuit, comprising an electrically insulating housing inside of which there is a fusible conductor that connects two contacts with each other, whereby, between two longitudinal areas that are adjacent to each other, the fusible conductor has a rotation point around which the longitudinal areas can be rotated in case of a thermo-mechanical expansion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a melting fuse, especially for a motor vehicle that has a high-voltage circuit, comprising an electrically insulating housing inside of which there is a fusible conductor that connects two contacts with each other, whereby, between two longitudinal areas that are adjacent to each other, the fusible conductor has a rotation point around which the longitudinal areas can be rotated in case of a thermo-mechanical expansion.

Abstract: A method for determining the air/fuel ratio in an internal combustion engine combustion chamber having at least two ignition plugs spaced apart from one another. Ion-current measurement is carried out during successive operating cycles, wherein a first ignition plug is operated as an ion-current sensor and does not release ignition energy. The time of arrival at the first ignition plug of a flame front formed at the ignition point of a second ignition plug, is detected. The detected time of arrival of the flame front, the ignition point and the ignition-plug spacing are used to determine the speed of the flame and, from this, the air/fuel ratio is determined as a function of the speed and/or load of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for determining the breakdown voltage in the case of an ignition of a vehicle is provided. The breakdown point in time is detected and the breakdown voltage is determined based on the breakdown point in time.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining the ion component following a combustion process in a self-igniting internal combustion engine. At least two electrodes are located inside at least one cylinder, to which electrodes an electrical voltage can be applied, with the voltage being an AC voltage or having an AC voltage component.

Abstract: A method for evaluating an ion current signal of a self-igniting internal combustion engine, with the ignition shift being derived from the time shift of the local maximum in the curve of the ion current signal relative to an injection point in time. Similarly, continuous injection in a cylinder can be detected when the ion current signal is integrated and evaluated in terms of area and/or when the position and/or height of the maximum of the ion current signal are evaluated. Carbon formation can be detected by an evaluation of the time curve of the ion current signal following an injection. For example, the parameters of the main injection can be controlled as a function of an evaluation of the measured ion current following a preinjection. When a continuous injection is detected, injection can be suppressed at least in those cylinders in which continuous injection was detected.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for detecting knocking combustion in an internal combustion engine, by evaluating the ionic current signal sensed in the combustion chamber, is especially adapted to correct or compensate the ionic current signal for longterm variations arising therein, for example due to variations in the composition of the fuel as a result of contamination with metallic components or the like. Thereby, erroneous knock recognition is prevented. To achieve this, a frequency-filtered time-sampled knocking component integral of the ionic current signal generated in the present combustion cycle is multiplied by a correction value determined from at least one integral value of the ionic current signal generated during at least one prior combustion cycle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining the running smoothness of an Otto spark ignition engine by measuring the ionic current (I) in at least one combustion chamber of the Otto spark ignition engine. Once the spark plug has fired, a measuring voltage is applied to the spark plug, inducing the ionic current (I). Following each ionic current measurement, initially an active, average ionic-current value (IM) is defined, and a running-smoothness value (L) is subsequently determined from a reference value and the ionic-current average value (IM).

Abstract: A process for recognizing ignition failures in an internal-combustion engine which has two spark plugs per cylinder, based on a measurement of the ionic current at the spark plugs. In this process, the ionic current signals of the two spark plugs are each integrated using an assigned integrator over an entire combustion cycle and the integrator values are compared with one another. Since, in the case of a defective spark plug, an ionic current signal will occur only some time after the ignition (specifically after the arrival of the flame from the ignited spark plug), its integration value is significantly lower than that of the intact spark plug. From this information, the correct operation of the spark plugs is determined.

Abstract: A method for detecting flow-reducing changes in an exhaust-gas catalyst body is provided. The method includes measuring the ion-current signal from an ion-current probe in an internal combustion engine and monitoring the signal to determine whether its signal strength for a particular operating cycle falls below a minimum strength which can be specified as a function of the engine operating state. The method also include providing warning information to the control system when such an event occurs. The method further includes a variety of embodiments used to determine whether the ion current signal falls below a minimum strength.

Abstract: A method of recognizing knocking combustion in an internal combustion engine involves sensing an ionic current in the combustion chamber and providing a corresponding ionic current signal, detecting the signal during a pertinent time window and band-pass filtering the signal for a pertinent frequency range characteristic of knocking phenomena, integrating the signal to provide a present integral value, and then comparing the present integral value to a lower knocking threshold and a higher knocking threshold. If the present integral value exceeds the lower knocking threshold but does not exceed the higher knocking threshold, the combustion is identified as a knocking combustion. If the present integral value exceeds the higher knocking threshold, the value is essentially disregarded as being implausible, and the combustion is identified either as non-knocking, or as the same combustion condition, i.e. either knocking or non-knocking, that had been determined in the previous combustion cycle.

Abstract: A method for determining an operating parameter of an internal combustion engine. An ionic current signal curve at a spark plug of the internal combustion engine is measured for a number of ignitions as a function of time. The measured signal curves are then averaged to obtain an averaged signal curve. A maximum and/or the time of the maximum of the averaged signal curve is determined. Based on the maximum of the average signal curve and/or the time of the maximum of the average signal curve, the operating parameter is calculated.