Abstract: In a safety system and a method of operating a sensor in a safety system, the sensor transmits an electric reaction signal to a central system unit, and is also excited by the central system unit by a diagnostic and/or excitation signal as a reversible electro-mechanical system.

Abstract: Fibrous substrates selected from textile substrates and leather are coated using at least one hydrophobin.

Abstract: A position monitoring means for detecting the locked position of a locking element is assigned to at least one locking element. Furthermore, each position monitoring means is operatively connected to a control means for checking on whether a proper locked state prevails such that the actual state and the setpoint state of the locking element are comparable so that if these states do not correspond, an acknowledgment signal can be generated. In this way, it is possible to check on whether all the doors and hatches of a vehicle are properly locked after a locking operation has been performed.

Abstract: A restraint system, in particular for a motor vehicle, includes a restraint device, to be activated in at least two steps; a sensor unit for sensing activation-relevant vehicle and operating data; a control device for processing the activation-relevant vehicle and operating data; as well as an ignition unit for driving the actuators for activating the at least one restraining device. To increase the safety of such a restraining device, at least two independently switched ignition units are provided such that, when one ignition unit fails, the activation of the restraint device in at least one step is guaranteed by the other ignition unit.

Abstract: A method of washing a surface includes the step of providing a cleaning formulation including a surfactant composition including a first surfactant, a second surfactant, and a polyalkylene glycol. The first surfactant has the general formula: R1—O-(A)mH. R1 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having from 8 to 11 carbon atoms, A is an alkyleneoxy group having from 2 to 5 carbon atoms, and m is a positive number. The second surfactant has the general formula: R2—O-(B)nH. R2 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having from 12 to 14 carbon atoms, B is an alkyleneoxy group having from 2 to 5 carbon atoms, and n is a positive number. The polyalkylene glycol is present in an amount of from 3 to 20 parts by weight. The method also includes providing a rinse formulation, applying the cleaning formulation to the surface, and applying the rinse formulation to the surface.

Abstract: A surfactant composition includes a first surfactant, a second surfactant, and a polyalkylene glycol. The first surfactant is of the general formula R1—O—(A)mH, wherein R1 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having 10 carbon atoms, A is an alkyleneoxy group having from 2 to 5 carbon atoms, and m is a positive number. The second surfactant is of the general formula R2—O—(B)nH, wherein R2 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having from 12 to 14 carbon atoms, B is an alkyleneoxy group having from 2 to 5 carbon atoms, and n is a positive number. The polyalkylene glycol is present in the surfactant composition in an amount of from 3 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the surfactant composition.

Abstract: Occupant protection systems in a motor vehicle are activated in the event of a crash that puts the occupants of the vehicle at risk. A processor-based trigger system evaluates signals of crash sensors and actuates the occupant protection systems. Signatures that are produced by impacts on the vehicle body by means of a crash sensor system are detected and preprocessed directly on site of the crash sensor mounting areas. The crash sensor system includes a plurality of similar multifunctional peripheral crash sensors located in various areas of the vehicle body. The preprocessed signatures or variables derived therefrom are evaluated by means of a crash algorithm associated with the trigger system, in terms of kind, intensity, direction and time of the crash signatures and/or occupant risk signatures.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a surfactant mixture comprising (A) a short-chain component comprising the alkoxylation product of alkanols, where the alkanols have 8 to 12 carbon atoms and the average number of alkoxy groups per alkanol group in the alkoxylation product assumes a value from 3 to 30 and the alkoxy groups are chosen from the group consisting of ethoxy, propoxy, butoxy and pentoxy groups and the alkanols have an average degree of branching of at least 1; and (B) a long-chain component comprising the alkoxylation product of alkanols where the alkanols have 13 to 20 carbon atoms and the average number of alkoxy groups per alkanol group in the alkoxylation product assumes a value from 3 to 30 and the alkoxy groups are chosen from the group consisting of ethoxy, propoxy, butoxy and pentoxy groups and the alkanols have an average degree of branching of from 0.0 to 0.3; and phosphate esters, sulfate esters and ether carboxylates thereof.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an airbag system, a sensor unit, which includes a first sensor module, which permits the sensing of actual driving conditions, and an electronic system, which fires the airbag system in the event of a crash and which is designed to evaluate the sensor signals that are provided by the sensor unit. The electronic system carries out a comparison of sensed actual driving conditions with predetermined critical driving conditions, which indicate a crash. The sensor unit includes a second sensor module, which senses in advance the environmental conditions of the vehicle, which after a certain period of time may lead to critical actual driving conditions. Critical actual driving conditions, whose imminent occurrence has been indicated in advance by the second sensor module, are rated by the electronic system as crash-free driving conditions.

Abstract: A restraint system for a vehicle having sensors for detecting a collision of the vehicle is described. The system has a control unit which analyzes the signals and, in the event of a recognized collision of the motor vehicle, transmits a first signal to a safety belt restraint, which then activates a belt tensioner using a predefined first restraint force, and subsequently transmits a second signal to a front airbag system, which then triggers an airbag. The system has a malfunction monitoring unit for one of the restraint devices such that the control unit transmits a third signal to a replacement restraint device in the event that a malfunction of the front airbag system is recognized by the malfunction monitoring unit.

Abstract: A method of washing a surface includes the step of providing a cleaning formulation including a surfactant composition including a first surfactant, a second surfactant, and a polyalkylene glycol. The first surfactant has the general formula: R1—O-(A)mH. R1 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having from 8 to 11 carbon atoms, A is an alkyleneoxy group having from 2 to 5 carbon atoms, and m is a positive number. The second surfactant has the general formula: R2—O—(B)nH. R2 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having from 12 to 14 carbon atoms, B is an alkyleneoxy group having from 2 to 5 carbon atoms, and n is a positive number. The polyalkylene glycol is present in an amount of from 3 to 20 parts by weight. The method also includes providing a rinse formulation, applying the cleaning formulation to the surface, and applying the rinse formulation to the surface.

Abstract: Method for the evaluating of an installation location of an acceleration sensor assembly in a vehicle with respect to the transmission characteristics to this installation location of acceleration impulses acting on the vehicle, with a following serially-connected evaluating circuit, especially for the triggering of occupant protection devices, in that a prescribed acceleration impulse is impressed at at least one prescribed position on the vehicle, the impulse response is measured at the installation location, the frequency spectrum of the impulse response is determined, and the installation location is evaluated through comparison of this frequency spectrum with a prescribed nominal spectrum.

Abstract: An alkoxylate mixture containing; at least one alkoxylate of the formula CnH2n+1O(A)x(B)yH where A is ethyleneoxy, B is C3-C10-alkyleneoxy or mixtures thereof, n is an integer in the range from 8 to 11, x is a number in the range from 1 to 20, y is a number in the range from 0 to 10, and (ii) at least one alkoxylate of the formula CmH2m+1O(A)v(B)wH where A is ethyleneoxy, B is C3-C10-alkyleneoxy or mixtures thereof, m is an integer in the range from 12 to 24, v is a number in the range from 1 to 50, w is a number in the range from 0 to 10.

Abstract: A seat occupancy sensor has at least two pressure-activatable switch elements, which are assigned to two areas of a seat and are spaced a distance apart from one another and connected in a logic AND operation arrangement. An electric resistance element is connected in parallel to each switch element, its resistance value being between the resistance values when the switch element is activated and when the switch element is not activated. Each switch element can have a plurality of parallel connected sensor cells interconnected in a logic OR operation arrangement and distributed over a zone of the seat so that occupancy at any location within this zone is recognized as seat occupancy by one of the sensor's switch elements.

Abstract: A system for triggering passive occupant safety measures in a motor vehicle is described. The system includes a control unit, a plurality of acceleration sensors for detecting the acceleration caused by an impact of the motor vehicle as well as feed lines assigned to the acceleration sensors, by which feed lines the output signals of the acceleration sensors are transmitted to the control unit which analyzes the signals to determine the type and/or severity of the impact, and triggers appropriate safety measures. The sensors are mounted on a vehicle part of a low structural stiffness on the outer vehicle circumferences, and all surrounding vehicle parts of high stiffness are designed to prevent contact with the sensors after an impact of the motor vehicle of a low or medium severity within a minimum reaction time period.

Abstract: A surfactant composition includes a first surfactant, a second surfactant, and a polyalkylene glycol. The first surfactant is of the general formula R1—O-(A)mH, wherein R1 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having 10 carbon atoms, A is an alkyleneoxy group having from 2 to 5 carbon atoms, and m is a positive number. The second surfactant is of the general formula R2—O—(B)nH, wherein R2 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having from 12 to 14 carbon atoms, B is an alkyleneoxy group having from 2 to 5 carbon atoms, and n is a positive number. The polyalkylene glycol is present in the surfactant composition in an amount of from 3 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the surfactant composition.

Abstract: A restraint system for a vehicle having sensors for detecting a collision of the vehicle is described. The system has a control unit which analyzes the signals and, in the event of a recognized collision of the motor vehicle, transmits a first signal to a safety belt restraint, which then activates a belt tensioner using a predefined first restraint force, and subsequently transmits a second signal to a front airbag system, which then triggers an airbag. The system has a malfunction monitoring unit for one of the restraint devices such that the control unit transmits a third signal to a replacement restraint device in the event that a malfunction of the front airbag system is recognized by the malfunction monitoring unit.

Abstract: In a method for controlling a safety device in a motor vehicle, wherein the safety device is controlled as a function of at least one preset characteristic of a vehicle seat in the motor vehicle, an electric adjusting mechanism, which is provided for adjusting the preset characteristic of the vehicle seat, detects the measured adjustments, which relate to the preset characteristic, and that the preset characteristic is determined with the aid of the measured adjustments.

Abstract: Occupant protection systems in a motor vehicle are activated in the event of a crash that puts the occupants of the vehicle at risk. A processor-based trigger system evaluates signals of crash sensors and actuates the occupant protection systems. Signatures that are produced by impacts on the vehicle body by means of a crash sensor system are detected and preprocessed directly on site of the crash sensor mounting areas. The crash sensor system includes a plurality of similar multifunctional peripheral crash sensors located in various areas of the vehicle body. The preprocessed signatures or variables derived therefrom are evaluated by means of a crash algorithm associated with the trigger system, in terms of kind, intensity, direction and time of the crash signatures and/or occupant risk signatures.

Abstract: Driver-related electrical adjusting components in motor vehicles are regulated. An operator signal is generated based on a user actuating operator elements, to affect a desired movement of a vehicle component. The operator signal is processed in a control unit. An effect of the operator signal on movement of the vehicle component is regulated as a function of vehicle operating state signals so as to prevent the vehicle component from moving into a safety-critical position.