Daimler Chrysler Ag

Mercedes-benz Aktiengesellschaft

Klaus Land

Thomas Guertler

Peter Stocker

Franz Rueckert

Rudolf Thom

Harald Ott

Helmut Schaefer

Hartmut Engels

Alfred Weinschenk

Peter Lingl

Markus Hartmann

Markus Harfmann

Roland Glueck

Martin-Kai Riedel

Manfred Klein

Anton Knoll

Helmut Wassler

Hartwig Hellwig

Werner Uebele

The invention relates to a method for determining the fill quantity of an operating medium, in particular of the engine oil in a motor vehicle having a reservoir container of the operating medium and having a data processing device for determining the fill quantity of the operating medium. A fill level sensor for sensing the fill level is arranged in the reservoir container for the operating medium. In order to determine the fill level of the operating medium, operating states of the vehicle such as the temperature of the operating medium and the engine speed are also sensed. According to the invention, a characteristic variable for the engine load, for example the position of the accelerator pedal, the throttle valve position or the torque on the drive train are sensed. The fill quantity of the operating medium is determined from the sensed data by a data processing device.

Method for determining the amount of an operating medium in a motor vehicle

A casting die for the production of a cylinder block/crankcase of an internal combustion engine includes at least one sleeve, which may be moved relative to its axis and is fitted in each case with a cylinder liner, the sleeve keeping open the cylinder bore of the cylinder block/crankcase and extending from a wall on the cylinder-head side of the die to a wall on the crankshaft side of the casting die. The cylinder liner ends at least 3 mm before the wall on the cylinder-head side of the casting die, and the cylinder liner is held at a distance from the wall on the cylinder-head side of the casting die by a spacer.

Casting die for the production of a cylinder block/crankcase

In a cylinder liner of an internal combustion engine for casting into a light-metal crankcase to be cast, in order, during the casting in of the cylinder liner, to achieve as good a binding as possible of the cylinder liner to the surrounding casting material, the cylinder liner has on the outer circumference, in the region of the upper dead center of the piston rings of a piston guided in the liner, an activation layer which consists of a material which, due to the heat effect of the liquid casting material, connects metallically more rapidly to the latter than the liner material, and in that the cylinder liner has a rough surface on the outer circumference following the region of the upper dead center.

Cylinder liner of an internal combustion engine

The invention relates to a method for determining engine oil servicing dates for a motor vehicle engine as a function of recorded engine operating parameters. According to the invention, the number of engine revolutions and at least one engine other operating parameter relevant to engine oil ageing are continuously recorded and, on the basis of this, a fictitious distance is determined by associating the recorded engine revolutions with the evaluation factors dependent on recorded engine operating parameter(s) relevant to engine oil ageing in accordance with a predeterminable association relationship. From this, a remaining operating distance until the next engine oil servicing date is then calculated by subtracting the determined fictitious distance from a specified total distance potential.

Method for determining the times when it will be necessary to change, or add to, the engine oil in a motor vehicle engine

A sensor arrangement determines a condition and level of a liquid in a container. A first sensor has first electrodes forming a first measuring chamber communicating with the liquid and supplies a signal for determining an impedance of the first sensor and a condition of the liquid in the container. A second sensor has second electrodes forming a second measuring chamber communicating with the liquid via the first measuring chamber and supplies a signal for determining an impedance of the second sensor and a level of the liquid in the container. Electronic devices are coupled to the first and second sensors, and determine the impedance of the first and second sensors and the condition and level of the liquid in the container.

Sensor arrangement

A process for determining the quantity of a liquid situated in a largely closed system of a motor vehicle is provided. The filling level of the liquid in the system fluctuates as a function of the driving condition. In the case of a known process of this type for determining the engine oil quantity, the oil quantity determination takes place by filling level measurements while the vehicle is standing and the engine is switched off. The present process determines driving-condition-indicating quantities in the driving operation, determines therefrom the momentary driving condition, and, at least during selected driving conditions in the driving operation, continuously sense the filling level, as well as determines therefrom the momentary filling quantity via a given dependence of the liquid quantity on the driving condition and on the filling level. This permits, for example, a monitoring of the engine oil quantity in the continuous driving operation.

Process for determining a liquid quantity, particularly an engine oil

A starter is provided with a device for protecting an internal combustion engine against damage resulting from rapid repeated starting. The device holds the starter pinion meshed in the ring gear after an aborted attempt at starting and, after the starter switch is opened and the main current supply to the starter motor is disconnected, for as long as a voltage which is induced by the rotation of the armature shaft of the coasting starter motor flows through the device. The protection device can consist of a winding which is connected to the exciter winding of the starter motor. When current flows through the winding, a stop armature is extended and counteracts an unmeshing movement of the pinion.

Starter protection device

Growing community of inventors

Schlierbach, Germany

Klaus Land