Abstract: In a thorax supporting device including at least one tension element (1) surrounding the thorax and support elements capable of being pressed against the thorax by the aid of the at least one tension element, the support elements are formed by at least two cushions (2, 3) or the like, which are arranged on both sides of the thoracic part to be supported. The tension element (1) comprises at least two portions of different elasticity, wherein a first portion (13) extending between the two cushions (2, 3) over the thoracic region to be supported has a lower elasticity in the tension direction than a second portion (14) extending between the cushions (2, 3) in the opposite direction.

Abstract: The invention concerns a heating appliance which is protected against overheating in that the temperature increase during operation of the appliance is monitored. If the temperature increases too rapidly, the heating operation is stopped. According to the invention, temperature increase values are determined in a close chronological succession and/or a mean value is calculated in order to compensate signal noise from the temperature sensor.

Abstract: A burner for a vehicle heater of a particle filter regenerator including a combustion air blower, a combustion chamber with a fuel evaporator, a fuel supply with a fuel metering pump by which the fuel is proportionately fed to the evaporator, a glow-plug to ignite a mixture of combustion air and vaporized fuel and a control device, in which the control device switches the flow-plug on to ignite the mixture, starts the fuel metering pump after a first period following the switch-on of the glow-plug and substantially simultaneously with the starting of the fuel metering pump or a second period thereafter initiates a gradual increase in the speed of the combustion gas blower from a standstill or low speed rotation.

Abstract: In a vehicle heating appliance, an overhead state is detected by an overheating temperature sensor by means of a microprocessor. The overheating temperature sensor supplies a signal (UTF) to the microprocessor, and when the signal (UTF) exceeds a threshold value, the microprocessor blocks the transmission of driving signals to a driving transistor (Tr) for the fuel dosing pump. A circuit connected in parallel to the microprocessor with a threshold value switch acts as a redundant switching-off device. The output signal of the threshold value switch is applied to an AND-gate whose output is connected to the base of the driving transistor (Tr) and whose other input receives the driving signals from the microprocessor. When the signal UFT exceeds the threshold value of the threshold switch, the AND-gate blocks all signal transmission from the microprocessor to the driving transistor, so that the fuel dosing pump is stopped.