Abstract: A device for measuring an angle and/or the torque acting on a rotatable body is proposed according to the invention, whereby the rotational angle is detected by means of magnetic or optical sensors. In particular, in a preferred exemplary embodiment, two devices (7, 8) are proposed, each of which comprises two optically readable code tracks. The two code tracks (1a, 1b or 2a, 2b) on one device (7 or 8) are similar in design and are offset in relation to each other, so that associated sensors (4) output a digital signal. The rotational angle is calculated based on the lag between the two digital signals. In a further embodiment it is provided that a torsion element (5) having a known torsional stiffness is situated between the two devices (7, 8). Torque transferred by the rotatable body (3) can also be calculated therefore from the angular difference of the two devices 7, 8. The device is used preferably in the steering axle of a motor vehicle.

Abstract: The invention proposes a connecting element (5) with an elongated shaft (19), in particular a screw or bolt, for connecting two bodies, wherein at least part of the shaft (19) has a slot (14) and a recess (13). The invention also proposes that a component (10) that generates a magnetic field, and spaced apart from it, a magnetically sensitive element (11) be disposed in the vicinity of the recess (13). The proposed connecting element is particularly suitable for detecting a force or mechanical strain acting on the seat of a motor vehicle.

Abstract: A device for measuring a level of a fluid in a container by measuring the transit time of an emitted acoustic pulse to the fluid surface and of its return echo through a guide conduit. The transit time of the emitted acoustic pulse is prolonged so that the transit time is long enough to reliably separate the emitted decaying acoustic pulse from its echo. An approach region with a subsequent bend is provided in the acoustic guide conduit.

Abstract: A method for determining a rotation angle or a path, with the following steps: measurement of at least two phase values &agr;1, &agr;2 through the scanning of sensors that are associated with the respective phase values and have different periodicities, calculation of a working value k, which can be represented as a whole number, on the basis of the measured phase values &agr;1 and the periodicities ni associated with them, calculation of at least two scaled estimates &phgr;s1/2&pgr; on the basis of the phase values &agr;i, the periodicities ni, the working value k, and integral working factors ki that set the periodicities ni in relation to one another in a scaling relation, and weighted summation of the scaled estimates &phgr;s1/2&pgr; in order to obtain a determined estimate &PHgr;meas/2&pgr;.

Abstract: A device for measuring the level of a fluid in a container by means of a sound guide tube and an ultrasonic transducer disposed inside the container mounted in a fluid feeding device within the container.

Abstract: A device and a method for determining a magnetic field with respect to its intensity and direction at at least one detection location, and uses a first arrangement for superimposing an auxiliary magnetic field, known at least in intensity, on the magnetic field, and a second arrangement for measuring at least the direction of the magnetic field resulting from the superimposition of the magnetic field to be determined and of the auxiliary magnetic field at the detection location. The magnetic field is determined at the detection location in that the resultant magnetic field produced by the magnetic field to be determined and the auxiliary magnetic field is determined with respect to its direction for at least two different auxiliary magnetic fields; and the magnetic field to be determined is calculated therefrom. The method is especially suited for determining the intensity and direction of a magnetic field in the immediate vicinity of the surface of a magnet.

Abstract: A method for optical measuring data acquisition of a component that moves in a rotatory or translatory manner, in particular for optical angle, torque, or distance measurement, with the following steps:

Abstract: A method for determining a rotation angle or a path, with the following steps:

Abstract: A method for determining the instantaneous fluid level of a tank includes the steps of: designating a beginning fluid-level of the tank as an input value during the starting of the engine; ascertaining a first fluid-level value from a fluid level measured by a fluid-level measuring device, and ascertaining a second fluid-level value and a window around the second fluid-level value from the consumption of the engine and from the input value; comparing the first fluid-level value to the window around the second fluid-level value; determining whether the first or the second fluid-level value should be a new input value; displaying the new input value as the fluid level; and terminating the method if the engine is switched off or repeating the method starting from the ascertaining step when the engine is running.

Abstract: The invention proposes a connecting element (5) with an elongated shaft (19), in particular a screw or bolt, for connecting two bodies, wherein at least part of the shaft (19) has a slot (14) and a recess (13). The invention also proposes that a component (10) that generates a magnetic field, and spaced apart from it, a magnetically sensitive element (11) be disposed in the vicinity of the recess (13). The proposed connecting element is particularly suitable for detecting a force or mechanical strain acting on the seat of a motor vehicle.

Abstract: A device for measuring an angle and/or the torque acting on a rotatable body is proposed according to the invention, whereby the rotational angle is detected by means of magnetic or optical sensors. In particular, in a preferred exemplary embodiment, two devices (7, 8) are proposed, each of which comprises two optically readable code tracks. The two code tracks (1a, 1b or 2a, 2b) on one device (7 or 8) are similar in design and are offset in relation to each other, so that associated sensors (4) output a digital signal. The rotational angle is calculated based on the lag between the two digital signals. In a further embodiment it is provided that a torsion element (5) having a known torsional stiffness is situated between the two devices (7, 8). Torque transferred by the rotatable body (3) can also be calculated therefore from the angular difference of the two devices 7, 8. The device is used preferably in the steering axle of a motor vehicle.

Abstract: A method for determining the instantaneous fluid level of a tank includes the steps of: designating a beginning fluid-level of the tank as an input value during the starting of the engine; ascertaining a first fluid-level value from a fluid level measured by a fluid-level measuring device, and ascertaining a second fluid-level value and a window around the second fluid-level value from the consumption of the engine and from the input value; comparing the first fluid-level value to the window around the second fluid-level value; determining whether the first or the second fluid-level value should be a new input value; displaying the new input value as the fluid level; and terminating the method if the engine is switched off or repeating the method starting from the ascertaining step when the engine is running.

Abstract: An angle encoder for determination of an angle between a sensor device (4, 5, 6, 7) and a magnetic field, having a magnet (2) that generates the magnetic field, a number of Hall elements (4, 5, 6, 7) disposed in the magnetic field, and flux-conducting parts (3) made of ferromagnetic material disposed between the Hall elements and rotationally fixed in relation to them, wherein the magnet (2) is embodied so that it can rotate in relation to the Hall elements and the flux-conducting parts, wherein at least four Hall elements (4, 5, 6, 7) are provided.

Abstract: An arrangement for detecting the angle of rotation of a rotatable element, in which, with evaluation of magnetically variable properties of a sensor arrangement, a first magnetic field, generated or varied by a rotatable element, is detectable in an evaluation circuit and usable for ascertaining the angle of rotation, wherein the sensor arrangement, utilizing the magnetoresistive effect, furnishes signals that can be associated unambiguously with one direction of the magnetic field Bext over a first angular range, in particular an angular range of 360°, having means to for is selective application of a magnetic auxiliary field BH the sensor arrangement, by means of which signals a modification of the signals that can be associated with the direction of the first magnetic field Bext, attainable for the sake of unambiguous association of an angle over a second angular range, in particular 360°.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive sensor element, in particular an angle sensor element, has a first, magnetic layer (3) whose direction of magnetization represents a reference direction, a second, nonmagnetic layer (2) formed on the first layer (3), a third magnetic layer (1), formed on the second layer (2), whose direction of magnetization can be varied by an external magnetic field, and an additional layer consisting of a current conductor (5) for selective orientation of the direction of magnetization of the first layer (3). A current flow direction of an electric current that passes through the current conductor (5) can be switched to change the magnetization direction of the first magnetic layer (3) to create different reference directions. An insulation layer (4) for galvanic separation of the first magnetic layer (3) from the additional layer (5) is also provided between them.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a GMR bridge detector as well as the bridge detector itself in which magnetoresistive resistors are interconnected in the form of a bridge to detect a magnetic field. The resistors consist of a material that exhibits the giant magnetoresistive ratio (GMR) effect. The magnetoresistive sensitivity of the individual resistors is produced through annealing. The annealing of the resistors takes place through selective feeding of a current that is sufficient for reaching the temperature required for annealing into the bridge connections. Depending on the wiring of the bridge connections, the resistors are provided with the property necessary for the GMR effect either singly or in pairs. As the material for the resistors, in particular, a material of the class of discontinuous multilayer materials, particularly NiFe/Ag, is used in which the GMR property is produced through single annealing at a specific temperature.

Abstract: The measuring device for contactless determination of a rotation angle includes a rotatable permanent magnet (22) arranged in a stator (10) made of magnetically conductive material and including two stator segments (13,14) and a surrounding cup-shaped housing part (11). One stator segment (14) is mounted directly on the bottom (15) of the housing part (11) so that a magnetically conductive connection exists. A layer (18) of magnetically nonconductive material is present between the other stator segment (13) and the bottom (15) so that no magnetic flux is possible there. The rotatable permanent magnet (22) is arranged so that it is movable in an air gap between the two stator segments (13,14) and the housing part (11) with the direction of magnetic polarization oriented radially, i.e. toward the stator segments (13,14) or in the opposite direction. The measuring element (20) is arranged in the slot (12) between the two stator segments (13,14).

Abstract: The sensor device accurately measures small angle changes of mechanical parts that rotate relative to each other. The sensor device includes only one cylindrical magnet (3) extending axially from a first part; two magnetoresistive sensors (5′,5″) mounted on a second part and located in the magnetic field of the sole magnet (3), the two magnetoresistive sensors having respective magnetic field sensitive layers (MS) facing a magnetic pole of the magnet (3), extending tangentially to a rotation direction in which the parts rotate relative to each other and generating respective output signals according to magnetic field line direction; and a device (PT) for combining the respective output signals of the two magnetoresistive sensors (5′,5″) to produce a combined output signal characteristic of the relative rotation angle of the parts. The combined output signal is set to zero when the parts are at a predetermined relative rotation angle.

Abstract: The contactless magneto-resistive angle sensing device (1) includes two sensor components (10,11) oriented at a fixed angle relative to each other, a controllable power supply (PW) to heat and maintain the sensor components (10,11) at different temperatures, a magnet (MG) producing a magnetic field (B) in which the sensor components are arranged and an evaluating device (12) to receive output signals (U1,U2) from the sensor components (10,11). Each sensor component (10,11) includes magneto-resistive resistors (MR) connected in a respective bridge (B1,B2) having input terminals (I1,I1';I2,I2') for supply of current and output terminals (O1,O1';O2,O2') for the output signal (U1,U2).

Abstract: A method and a device for measuring the angle of a rotatable body, in particular a body rotatable by more than 360.degree., are described. In this case this rotatable body cooperates with at least two further rotatable bodies, for example gear wheels, whose angular positions are determined with the aid of two sensors. The angular position of the rotatable body is determined from the angular positions detected in this way. So that unequivocal statements can be made, it is necessary for all three rotatable bodies or gear wheels to have defined predetermined numbers of teeth. The method and the device can be used, for example, for determining the steering angle of a motor vehicle.