Abstract: A motor vehicle clutch assembly with an outer ring which is rotationally driven by the engine. An inner ring of the clutch assembly is seated, with a clutch element, on the transmission input shaft of a speed-change gear. The clutch element locks during engaged conditions of the engine and opens during overrun conditions of the engine.

Abstract: A keyboard has keys, or buttons, having guide projections which, when the keys are pushed from an operating side, are shoved along guide plates, with motion being restricted by a locator, the locator having two stops which restrict the motion of the keys between the two stops and with a switch being activated being ON and OFF by the key moving within these limits. This provides a very flat keyboard which is economical to manufacture.

Abstract: An electrical rotary switch for several switch positions having a control knob mounted in a housing supported on first, second and third ball bearings that, guided by a cage disk, roll in a housing groove formed by an axial wall and a radial wall against which the ball bearings are loaded under an applied force of a conical bearing surface of the control knob. Axial and radial wall bearing surfaces respectively have first and second contact segments and first, second and third contact bands thereon that extend out of the housing via terminal lugs, the first contact segment and first contact band being shorted by the first ball bearing in predetermined switch positions. In a last switch position, contact occurs between the second contact segment (19) and the second and third contact bands (20, 21) through the second and third ball bearings (6, 7).

Abstract: A control unit for adjusting heating, air conditioning, and/or ventilation equipment in motor vehicles has turning knobs (5, 6) and the cam wheels (13, 14) which are connected together. There are adjusting levers (10, 11, 12), with each being mounted by means of two bearing pins (15, 16) in a base part (3), and each adjusting arm (10, 11, 12) being structured as a two-armed lever with one lever arm (17, 18, 19) engaging in a three-dimensional cam plate (20, 21, 22) of the cam wheel (13, 14) in a swivel plane E. Between the lever arm (17, 18, 19) and the three-dimensional cam plate (20, 21, 22), a barrel-shaped or spherical follower element (23) is positioned that cooperates with radial motion-causing walls (24, 25) of the three-dimensional cam plate (20, 21, 22). A control unit of this invention is structured to be space saving, easier and less expensive to produce, and to function in an improved manner.

Abstract: Most prior-art switch inserts for rotary switches of a type including wiped segments and a switch wiper have a tall construction, and are unsuitable for carrying high current loads. In a switch insert of this invention, wiped segments (5) are arranged inside a plastic plate (8) so that they can be contacted from another side by a further switch wiper (9) having contacts (10) arranged in a mirror image of contacts (11) of a first switch wiper (7), with the further switch wiper (9) having positioning lugs (12) that extend through control recesses (13) of the first switch wiper (7) to accept a leaf spring (15) in a locking slot (14) thereof on the other side. The leaf spring supports itself by resiliently bracing on a surface of the first switch wiper (7) facing away from the contacts (11), and thereby loads the contacts (10, 11) of both switch wipers (7, 9) against the wiped segments (5). Generally switch inserts structured according to this invention provide an extremely flat construction.

Abstract: An operational control for use with a ventilation, heating, or air conditioning unit of a vehicle, that can be actuated by a turn knob comprises: a guide member for being attached to and manipulated by a turn knob, the guide member defining a guiding groove; an adjusting lever for actuating a Bowden cable to which the adjusting lever is linked, the adjusting lever being mounted adjacent the guide member to pivot; a guide pin attached to the adjusting lever for extending into the guiding groove for cooperating with the guiding groove to cause the adjusting lever to pivot when the guide member is manipulated. The adjusting lever is made of a material that can be welded to steel and the guide pin is a weld-on steel ball welded to the adjusting lever.

Abstract: A control knob (1) includes a companion part (2) as a base of the control knob and a control-knob top part (3) having a grip handle (4). The control-knob top part (3) includes a plate (9) having a flexible elastic material coated thereon to form sidewalls (5.1) of the grip handle (4) which can be flexibly deformed when the grip handle (4) is manipulated. This provides improved manipulation and quiet operation of the control knob (1). Additional push-button and switch functions can be included via a flexible facing wall (5.2) on the grip handle (4).

Abstract: A rotary switch has a control knob (3) that is mounted on at least three balls (6) that move, guided by a cage disk (7), in a housing groove (8) formed by a radial wall (9) and an axial wall (10), against which the balls (6) are urged by an outward or inward conical bearing surface (11) or (12). The radial and axial wall bearing surfaces have contact segments and contact paths (13, 14) that are shorted by at least one of the balls (6). The control knob has a stop lug (15), an operational adjustment angle (4) of which is limited by housing lugs (16) and which, during operational adjustment, contacts at least one of two stop lugs (17) of the cage disk, which are positioned at an angle that corresponds approximately to one-half the maximum operational adjustment angle (4) and to a maximum contact adjustment angle (5). This structure results in reduced cost and functional improvement.

Abstract: Rotary potentiometers known in the art having sensitive adjustment of the control knob require a stepdown gearing and have differing moments of friction that vary between devices. By contrast, in a rotary potentiometer of this invention a control knob (3) is mounted on at least three balls (6) that move, guided by a cage disk (7), in a housing groove (8) formed by a radial wall (9) and an axial wall (10), against which the balls (6) are urged by a load pressure of a conical bearing surface (11 or 12) of the control knob (3). The radial and axial wall bearing surfaces have contact and resistive strips (13, 14) that are short circuited by the balls (6).

Abstract: An optoelectronic component for improved distribution of light in a horizontal plane has an elongated body (2) with a central hollow (6) at a top portion (3) thereof, a base (4), and an electrical connection (5). An internally emitted luminescent beam (7) is deflected by the central hollow (6) through transparent portions of the body into the horizontal plane. A height of the component (1) is thereby reduced, and light is fed into light guides more efficiently. Light distribution on all sides is made possible by a conical central hollow. The luminescent beam (7) can be concentrated into four beams by using a pyramidal hollow (6), so that the luminescent beam (7) can be efficiently fed into four light guides that cross at that location.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of control elements (3) on a dashboard (1) of a motor vehicle which are framed and covered by face plates (6) which are mounted after the control elements are mounted. Control element bodies of the control elements (3), are resiliently held relative to fixed attaching eyes (7), and spacings between control element bodies of individual control elements (3) and control element bodies and framing edges of the dashboard (1) are set by spacers (10) on the face plates (6). This arrangement achieves an uncomplicated mounting and a pleasing visual appearance.

Abstract: A push button switch (3) encounters, during a stroke of a push rod (6) thereof, a pressure point (D), a switching (contact-making) movement, and a return tension. A one-piece spring element (16) is provided for achieving this with an uncomplicated structure, with a short stroke, and with a reliable contact once the pressure point has been overcome. The one-piece spring element has, between a contact arm (26) and a return arm (21), hairpin-shaped bent guide legs (17, 18). A sloping step (24) formed on at least one of the guide legs creates the pressure point.

Abstract: A moist web of exposed and developed photographic film or photographic paper is continuously advanced through a drying unit wherein selected areas of the path for the web are monitored by devices which generate signals denoting the heat absorptivity of monitored portions of the web. Such signals are processed and utilized to regulate the intensity of heat which is emitted by batteries of heating elements at both sides of the path for the running web. This ensures that the less developed portions of the web are subjected to sufficient heating action and that the more developed portions of the web are not overheated. The monitoring can involve ascertaining the intensity of heat which has penetrated through successive portions of the running web and/or ascertaining the intensity of heat which is reflected by successive portions of the running web and issues from heating elements designed to emit heat of known intensity.

Abstract: A simplified construction is suggested for an electrical construction assembly, or an assembled electrical component, having a circuit board, a liquid crystal display, a light conductor, and a sheet-metal screen. In this regard, a leg of the sheet-metal screen extends about one edge of the circuit board and effects, on the one hand, a secure contacting of the liquid crystal display and, on the other hand, in an uncomplicated manner, a releasable clamping together of the assembly.

Abstract: A motor vehicle ventilation apparatus for providing ventilation by a fan (3), located within an air channel (1) of the apparatus, whose operation can be multiply, or step, adjusted by "switching in" performance resistors (8). The performance resistors (8) and a step switch (7) required for adjusting operation of the fan (3) are arranged on members forming the air channel (1), or are in the air channel, within an effective ventilating range of the fan (3).

Abstract: The invention relates to a sliding regulator, having a sliding slot which is closed without leaks against dust, etc., even in the immediate surrounding of the sliding member. According to the invention, this is achieved by a rubbery-elastic sealing lip associated with the sliding slot, which consists of a string of aligned lamellae attached to each other so as to form a flexible barrier against penetration of unwanted matter. The lamellae barrier deforms as the sliding member slides through it, so that the interface between the two remains substantially constantly sealed.

Abstract: A key cap of a keyboard is guided at a frame 2, covers a switching element and a luminous element 5 and is provided with an operation section for the switching element 4 and with a transparent symbol zone 18 before the luminous element 5. The key cap consists of a flexible, transparent flat foil 8 fixed with a marginal section 9 at a frame 2. As operation section a body 15 is injection-moulded to the foil 8 at a distance from the marginal section 9. The foil 8 forms a joint section 21 between the marginal section 9 and the body 15, the printed symbol zone 18 being provided for between the body 15 and the joint section 21.

Abstract: A tool carrier for a punch or stamping machine in which the positioning piston-and-cylinder devices for respective actuating elements are disposed with a fixed center-to-center spacing from one another on opposite sides of a plane of symmetry and the tool holders are disposed in the tool carrier with their tools located symmetrically with respect to this plane so that individual tools can be operatively enabled by single actuating elements, larger tools by pairs of such actuating elements and even larger tools by two pairs of such actuating elements in symmetrical relationship.

Abstract: An external door handle for a motor vehicle with a cleaning device for removing dirt and slush which accumulates on the handle when the vehicle is driven on slushy or muddy routes or when the vehicle is stationary.

Abstract: The punch press with a control mechanism for the displacement of a punch tool carriage and a punch tool mounted therein comprises a machine frame, a punch tool carriage movable up and down in the machine frame, a die-bearing member having a workpiece receiving portion mounted on the machine frame positioned opposite the punch tool carriage, a stripper on the machine frame adjustable in height for different workpiece thicknesses and a control mechanism having a plurality of controlling element pairs including a plurality of control cams and associated control switches.