Abstract: A circuit arrangement and a method are provided to avoid an uncontrolled discharge of the battery of a motor vehicle in the event of a defective initialization of an electronic control unit in the motor vehicle. The initialization process is monitored, and the result thereof controls a supply voltage which is fed via a voltage-monitoring line to a monitoring device of a bus-transceiver only when a successful initialization is detected, or the feeding or the generation of the supply voltage is interrupted when successful initialization is not detected. If the monitoring device does not detect the required supply voltage, e.g. at an appropriate time, then it cuts off power to the supply voltage unit that generates the supply voltage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for a control unit in a motor vehicle for converting an activation signal transmitted from a bus system to the control unit, comprising monitoring the initialisation of the control unit, and to a method for operating said control unit, in particular for avoiding a defective initialisation of the relevant control unit and discharge of the battery of the motor vehicle. At least one of the supply voltages generated by the supply voltage unit is fed via a voltage-monitoring line to the monitoring device of the bus-transceiver only when a successful initialisation of the control unit is detected, or the feed of said supply voltage to the monitoring device or generation of said supply voltage is interrupted, when successful initialisation of the control unit is not detected.

Abstract: A switching regulator is configured as a fixed-voltage regulator and contains a voltage divider. The voltage divider is supplied with a voltage signal available from a regulator output via a first connection. The voltage divider feds an output signal to the driver circuit functioning as a regulating variable that is compared to a reference voltage. The switching regulator further contains a monitoring device which impinges the driver circuit with a voltage signal exceeding the reference voltage as a new regulating variable depending on the voltage signal applied to the first connection.

Abstract: A switching regulator is configured as a fixed-voltage regulator and contains a voltage divider. The voltage divider is supplied with a voltage signal available from a regulator output via a first connection. The voltage divider feds an output signal to the driver circuit functioning as a regulating variable that is compared to a reference voltage. The switching regulator further contains a monitoring device which impinges the driver circuit with a voltage signal exceeding the reference voltage as a new regulating variable depending on the voltage signal applied to the first connection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a nickel shape or shell employs nickel vapor deposition onto the inside surface of a closed, multi-part mandrel. The closed multi-part mandrel eliminates the need for a separate deposition chamber and the nickel vapor deposition creates a nickel shell in the shape of the complete or multi-part partial mandrel internal surface resulting in a hollow or partially hollow nickel product.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a nickel shape or shell employs nickel vapor deposition onto the inside surface of a closed, multi-part mandrel. The closed multi-part mandrel eliminates the need for a separate deposition chamber and the nickel vapor deposition creates a nickel shell in the shape of the complete or multi-part partial mandrel internal surface resulting in a hollow or partially hollow nickel product.

Abstract: An air cooled or heated blow mold is shown having a mold cavity shell and a mold holder. The mold cavity shell is made by a process of nickel vapour deposition and so requires no hand finishing or polishing. The mold cavity shell has a cavity portion with a front face defining a cavity in the shape of a portion of a product to be molded. The mold holder is located rearwardly of the mold cavity shell and defines an inner wall spaced from the mold cavity shell cavity portion to define a heat transfer passage between the inner wall and the cavity portion. In use, air is passed through the heat transfer passage to transfer heat to or from the mold cavity shell.

Abstract: Hollow nickel blow molds produced by nickel vapor deposition have an inner wall defining a mold cavity and an integral outer wall defining a hollow interior therebetween for coolant fluid. The outerwall has inlet and outlet ports therein for admission and exhaustion of the coolant fluid. A holder is provided for mounting the molds in a blow molding machine.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraining system includes a plurality of safety restraint devices and utilizes a main controller and a safing controller to determine whether or not conditions are proper for deploying each safety restraint device. The system discriminates between front, side, rear, and roll-over impact events and determines which safety restraint devices should be deployed in response to an impact event. The system also independently determines whether to activate a fuel cut-off switch in response to an impact event. The main and safing controllers utilize vehicle data from a main center tunnel sensor assembly and various satellite sensors to make deployment decisions. The safing controller is used to independently verify whether or not the safety restraint should be deployed.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraining system includes a plurality of safety restraint devices and utilizes a main controller and a safing controller to determine whether or not conditions are proper for deploying each safety restraint device. The system discriminates between front, side, rear, and roll-over impact events and determines which safety restraint devices should be deployed in response to an impact event. The system also independently determines whether to activate a fuel cut-off switch in response to an impact event. The main and safing controllers utilize vehicle data from a main center tunnel sensor assembly and various satellite sensors to make deployment decisions. The safing controller is used to independently verify whether or not the safety restraint should be deployed.

Abstract: An air cooled or heated blow mold is shown having a mold cavity shell and a mold holder. The mold cavity shell is made by a process of nickel vapour deposition and so requires no hand finishing or polishing. The mold cavity shell has a cavity portion with a front face defining a cavity in the shape of a portion of a product to be molded. The mold holder is located rearwardly of the mold cavity shell and defines an inner wall spaced from the mold cavity shell cavity portion to define a heat transfer passage between the inner wall and the cavity portion. In use, air is passed through the heat transfer passage to transfer heat to or from the mold cavity shell.

Abstract: A system and method for communicating between a single electronic controller and multiple sensor devices in a vehicle supplemental restraint system includes a unique communication protocol. A series of pulses, each having a chosen duration, are communicated between the sensor device and the controller. The combined sequence and duration of each pulse provides a unique piece of information to the controller regarding the condition sensed by each sensor device, respectively. By controlling the sequence and duration of pulses, each sensor device is able to provide unique information to the controller, which responsively controls the supplemental restraint device as needed.

Abstract: A double-shell nickel mold produced by nickel vapor depositoin. A first nickel shell is deposited on a mandrel, heating/cooling lines are attached to the first nickel shell, a thermally-conductive filler is applied to fill all gaps between the heating/cooling lines and the first nickel shell, and a second nickel shell is deposited on the first nickel shell to encapsulate the heating/cooling lines.

Abstract: A system and method for communicating between a single electronic controller and multiple sensor devices in a vehicle supplemental restraint system includes a unique communication protocol. A series of pulses, each having a chosen duration, are communicated between the sensor device and the controller. The combined sequence and duration of each pulse provides a unique piece of information to the controller regarding the condition sensed by each sensor device, respectively. By controlling the sequence and duration of pulses, each sensor device is able to provide unique information to the controller, which responsively controls the supplemental restraint device as needed.

Abstract: A method of forming a nickel shell for a mold insert to reproduce an article surface, and a novel nickel shell insert are disclosed. The method comprises securing the article to be reproduced to a base having a perimeter, forming a dam about the perimeter, filling the interior of the dam with a silicone, mounting a register plate over the article within the dam in contact with the silicone, and allowing the silicone to cure whereby the silicone forms a negative master of the article surface, removing the negative master from the article and positioning a steel mandrel over the negative master to define a cavity therebetween, feeding a silicone which is not adherent to the negative master into said cavity to fill the cavity and allowing the silicone to cure whereby the silicone forms a positive master which adheres to the steel mandrel, removing the negative master from the positive master, and depositing a layer of nickel by nickel vapour deposition onto the positive master to form a nickel shell.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a nickel shell mold by nickel vapour deposition onto a mandrel in a deposition chamber is disclosed. A nickel shell mold assembly is produced having a liquid and vapour-tight cavity co-extensive with the mandrel for receiving a heating fluid, preferably a liquid such as oil, for flood heating of the mandrel to a uniform surface temperature.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a nickel shell mold by nickel vapour deposition onto a mandrel in a deposition chamber is disclosed. A nickel shell mold assembly is produced having a liquid and vapour-tight cavity co-extensive with the mandrel for receiving a heating fluid, preferably a liquid such as oil, for flood heating of the mandrel to a uniform surface temperature.

Abstract: A nickel shell for molds formed by nickel vapor deposition having incorporated therein a combination steel parting line and manifold and a plurality of heating and cooling lines operatively connected to the manifold for the flow of heating or cooling fluid therethrough, said heating and cooling lines, and other mold components such as injection nozzles and mold vents, being encapsulated within the nickel shell.