Abstract: A method for controlling two or more comfort functions of a vehicle uses a controller, wherein a first comfort function is provided by a pneumatic massage system of a vehicle seat including one or more air cushions and an air supply system for individual air impingement of the one or more air cushions, and wherein a second comfort function is provided by an electromechanical vibration system of the vehicle seat independent from the pneumatic massage system and including one or more individually controllable electromechanical vibration devices.

Abstract: A valve has a valve housing with a lid, bottom, and an intermediate housing portion between the lid bottom. The valve housing encloses a valve chamber, a flow chamber, and an actuation chamber, with at least one valve opening leading from the flow chamber to the actuation chamber. Inside the actuation chamber at least one axially movable actuator movable between a closing position to close the valve opening and an opening position to release the valve opening, one wire- or band-shaped SMA element made of a shape memory alloy to activate the actuator in the opening direction, one return element to move the actuator in closing direction, and one printed circuit board. The SMA element is attached to the actuator at a middle section and is electrically connected at its ends to the printed circuit board to be supplied with an electrical current.

Abstract: A valve has a valve housing with a lid, bottom, and an intermediate housing portion between the lid and bottom. The valve housing encloses a valve chamber with at least one valve opening and at least one axially movable actuator movable between a closing position to close the valve opening and an opening position to release the valve opening, one wire- or band-shaped SMA element made of a shape memory alloy to activate the actuator in the opening direction, one return element to move the actuator in the closing direction, and one printed circuit board. The SMA element is attached to the actuator at a middle section and is electrically connected at its ends to the printed circuit board to be supplied with an electrical current. A valve arrangement includes several of such valves.

Abstract: A catalytic burner, especially for a vehicle heater, for the catalytically supported combustion of a fuel/combustion air mixture, includes a mixing chamber (24) and a combustion air feed device (36), for feeding combustion air to the mixing chamber (24) and a fuel feed device (28, 34), for feeding fuel to the mixing chamber (24), upstream of the mixing chamber (24). A catalyzer device (46) is provided with at least one catalyzer unit (48, 50, 52, 70), through which the fuel/combustion air mixture can flow. The fuel feed device (28, 34) includes an evaporator device (28) receiving liquid fuel from a fuel feed line (34) and releasing fuel vapor into the mixing chamber (24) or/and the at least one catalyzer unit (48, 50, 52, 70) includes a grid-like support with catalyst material on a surface of the a grid-like support.

Abstract: A valve has a valve housing with a lid, bottom, and an intermediate housing portion between the lid and bottom. The valve housing encloses a valve chamber with at least one valve opening and at least one axially movable actuator movable between a closing position to close the valve opening and an opening position to release the valve opening, one wire- or band-shaped SMA element made of a shape memory alloy to activate the actuator in the opening direction, one return element to move the actuator in the closing direction, and one printed circuit board. The SMA element is attached to the actuator at a middle section and is electrically connected at its ends to the printed circuit board to be supplied with an electrical current. A valve arrangement includes several of such valves.

Abstract: A valve has a valve housing with a lid, bottom, and an intermediate housing portion between the lid bottom. The valve housing encloses a valve chamber, a flow chamber, and an actuation chamber, with at least one valve opening leading from the flow chamber to the actuation chamber. Inside the actuation chamber at least one axially movable actuator movable between a closing position to close the valve opening and an opening position to release the valve opening, one wire- or band-shaped SMA element made of a shape memory alloy to activate the actuator in the opening direction, one return element to move the actuator in closing direction, and one printed circuit board. The SMA element is attached to the actuator at a middle section and is electrically connected at its ends to the printed circuit board to be supplied with an electrical current.

Abstract: A catalytic burner, especially for a vehicle heater, for the catalytically supported combustion of a fuel/combustion air mixture, includes a mixing chamber (24) and a combustion air feed device (36), for feeding combustion air to the mixing chamber (24) and a fuel feed device (28, 34), for feeding fuel to the mixing chamber (24), upstream of the mixing chamber (24). A catalyzer device (46) is provided with at least one catalyzer unit (48, 50, 52, 70), through which the fuel/combustion air mixture can flow. The fuel feed device (28, 34) includes an evaporator device (28) receiving liquid fuel from a fuel feed line (34) and releasing fuel vapor into the mixing chamber (24) or/and the at least one catalyzer unit (48, 50, 52, 70) includes a grid-like support with catalyst material on a surface of the a grid-like support.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for ventilating a crankcase of an internal combustion engine, comprising a ventilation line leading from the crankcase to the suction line of the internal combustion engine, an oil-mist separator (2) for separating the oil parts from the blow-by-gases containing the oil-mist from the crankcase is arranged in the path thereof. Also, said device (1) comprises a pump (3) which is arranged upstream of the oil-mist separator (2) and which is used to produce a negative pressure. The invention is characterized in that the oil-mist separator (2) and the pump (3) are embodied as connected modules thus providing a particularly compact structure.

Abstract: An auxiliary electrical heating device for a motor vehicle includes a heating block that includes parallel layers of at least one heat emitting element and at least one heat generating element. The heating block is held in a housing having oppositely situated housing openings. In order to permit the electrical heating device to be operated safely even at high operating voltages, a contact protection of an insulating material covers the respective housing openings.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for ventilating a crankcase of an internal combustion engine, comprising a ventilation line leading from the crankcase to the suction line of the internal combustion engine, an oil-mist separator (2) for separating the oil parts from the blow-by-gases containing the oil-mist from the crankcase is arranged in the path thereof. Also, said device (1) comprises a pump (3) which is arranged upstream of the oil-mist separator (2) and which is used to produce a negative pressure. The invention is characterised in that the oil-mist separator (2) and the pump (3) are embodied as connected modules thus providing a particularly compact structure.

Abstract: A centrifugal oil mist separator device integrated into an axially hollow camshaft of an internal combustion engine should permit a good separation effect. To this end, a device is provided whereby the camshaft (101) is provided on a first end with radial oil mist inlet openings (106) for oil mist to be introduced into the axially hollow space (102) in the camshaft (101) and on the second end, for discharge with a radial oil discharge channel (112) for oil separated as liquid phase on the one hand and with an axial gas discharge channel (113) on the other hand for oil mist stream remaining after the liquid component has been separated, a centrifugal oil mist pre-separator is provided upstream from the radial oil mist inlet openings (106) as a pre-separator (107) fixedly connected to the camshaft (101), and within the axially hollow space (102) in the camshaft (101) a spiral flow generating device (108) is provided as the final separator.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a heating device for a fluid line, in particular for a crankcase venting system in an internal combustion engine, with a heating element and with a holding device, through which the heating element can be mounted on the fluid line. Embodiments of the invention also relate to a fluid line for the accommodation of the said heating device and to a heating module with a fluid line and a heating device fitted to it. Embodiments of the invention also relate to a method for the manufacture of the heating device mentioned above.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a heat transfer unit, in particular a charge air cooler, having a housing in which first flow channels for a gas to be cooled, and second flow channels for a cooling medium are situated separately therefrom. It is essential to the invention here that the first flow channels are made of hollow metallic bodies, each of which is sheathed with plastic on their longitudinal ends to form a shared tube bottom, wherein the second flow channels are bordered by outsides of the hollow metallic bodies, the two tube bottoms and an inside of the housing which is made of plastic.

Abstract: A centrifugal oil mist separator device integrated into an axially hollow camshaft of an internal combustion engine should permit a good separation effect. To this end, a device is provided whereby the camshaft (101) is provided on a first end with radial oil mist inlet openings (106) for oil mist to be introduced into the axially hollow space (102) in the camshaft (101) and on the second end, for discharge with a radial oil discharge channel (112) for oil separated as liquid phase on the one hand and with an axial gas discharge channel (113) on the other hand for oil mist stream remaining after the liquid component has been separated, a centrifugal oil mist pre-separator is provided upstream from the radial oil mist inlet openings (106) as a pre-separator (107) fixedly connected to the camshaft (101), and within the axially hollow space (102) in the camshaft (101) a spiral flow generating device (108) is provided as the final separator.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a heating device for a fluid line, in particular for a crankcase venting system in an internal combustion engine, with a heating element and with a holding device, through which the heating element can be mounted on the fluid line. Embodiments of the invention also relate to a fluid line for the accommodation of the said heating device and to a heating module with a fluid line and a heating device fitted to it. Embodiments of the invention also relate to a method for the manufacture of the heating device mentioned above.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric heating device which is especially conceived as a heating device for use in automotive vehicles. A plurality of heating elements, which are stacked so as to define a heating block, form together with a control device a structural unit. For this purpose, the control device is accommodated in a lateral bar of the frame by means of which the heating elements are held together. The air to be heated flows through the heating block as well as through windows provided in the lateral bar, past cooling elements which are respectively connected to the power-electronics components of the control device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric heating device which is especially conceived as a heating device for use in automotive vehicles. A plurality of heating elements, which are stacked so as to define a heating block, form together with a control device a structural unit. For this purpose, the control device is accommodated in a lateral bar of the frame by means of which the heating elements are held together. The air to be heated flows through the heating block as well as through windows provided in the lateral bar, past cooling elements which are respectively connected to the power-electronics components of the control device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a flow heater for heating liquid in a closed cycle in a motor vehicle. The flow heater comprises at least one radiator with at least one channel, through which the liquid to be heated flows, ant at least one PTC-heating element for heating the closely adjacent radiator.

Abstract: An electric heating system comprising at least two electric heating resistors, the heating power of which being adjusted by a control device comprising a plurality of controllers each one of which has one of the electric heating resistor associated with it, wherein the control range of the control means is distributed over the controllers and wherein a different control range is associated to each controller.