Abstract: The invention relates to a towing vehicle (100) for manoeuvring aeroplanes without using tow bars, the towing vehicle (100) comprising a coupling device (122/124) for gripping and lifting the nose wheel of the aeroplane to be manoeuvred. According to the invention, the towing vehicle (100) comprises a pressure store (176), in which operating fluid is stored under pressure, a release initiation device (178), which can be actuated manually by an operator and which in a release initiation position connects the pressure store (176) to a release device (180), and the release device (180), which is configured and intended, upon manual transfer of the release initiation means (178) into the release initiation position by the operator, initially to lower the nose wheel of the aeroplane automatically until it stands on the travel surface, simply by means of the pressure energy stored in the pressure store (176) and the potential energy of the nose wheel load, and only subsequently to release the nose wheel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a towing vehicle (100) for manoeuvring aeroplanes without using tow bars, the towing vehicle (100) comprising a coupling device (122/124) for gripping and lifting the nose wheel of the aeroplane to be manoeuvred. According to the invention, the towing vehicle (100) comprises a pressure store (176), in which operating fluid is stored under pressure, a release initiation device (178), which can be actuated manually by an operator and which in a release initiation position connects the pressure store (176) to a release device (180), and the release device (180), which is configured and intended, upon manual transfer of the release initiation means (178) into the release initiation position by the operator, initially to lower the nose wheel of the aeroplane automatically until it stands on the travel surface, simply by means of the pressure energy stored in the pressure store (176) and the potential energy of the nose wheel load, and only subsequently to release the nose wheel.

Abstract: A method for operating an electric motor with at least two motor terminals that are driven by a control device contains the steps of short-circuiting of at least two of the motor terminals of the electric motor by the control device; measurement of the motor phase currents at the short-circuited motor terminals; and identification of a standstill of the electric motor if a magnitude and/or a frequency of the motor phase currents measured lies below a predefined limit value. In the case of such a reliable identification of the standstill of the electric motor, an enable signal can then advantageously be generated in order, by way of example, to enable access to an apparatus driven by the electric motor.

Abstract: A circuit configuration for providing a voltage supply for a driver circuit driven by a controller, contains a controller for driving a driver circuit, and an intermediate circuit for providing a DC voltage. The intermediate circuit is connectable to a voltage source. A first voltage regulating circuit is provided for generating an auxiliary voltage from the DC voltage. A second voltage regulating circuit is provided for generating a first supply voltage for the controller from the auxiliary voltage. A third voltage regulating circuit is provided for generating a second supply voltage for the driver circuit from the auxiliary voltage. In this case, the third voltage regulating circuit generates the second supply voltage in a manner dependent on a control signal from the controller.

Abstract: A method for operating an electric motor with at least two motor terminals that are driven by a control device contains the steps of short-circuiting of at least two of the motor terminals of the electric motor by the control device; measurement of the motor phase currents at the short-circuited motor terminals; and identification of a standstill of the electric motor if a magnitude and/or a frequency of the motor phase currents measured lies below a predefined limit value. In the case of such a reliable identification of the standstill of the electric motor, an enable signal can then advantageously be generated in order, by way of example, to enable access to an apparatus driven by the electric motor.