Mannesmann Vdo Ag

Continental Automotive Gmbh

Vdo Adolf Schindling Ag

Sensordynamics Ag

Lothar Gier

Werner Wallrafen

Wolfgang Porth

Volker Kempe

Drago Strle

Sabine Stark

Bernd Osterle

Rudolf Borchert

An arrangement for measuring a rate of rotation using a vibration sensor, being excited and measured by means of capacitive drive elements, and the rotation of said sensor in an axis, excited by a rotation in another axis by means of the Coriolis force, being measured by means of capacitive measuring elements. Excitation voltages can be supplied to the fixed electrodes of the drive elements, the frequency of said voltages corresponding to the resonance frequency or the subharmonic of the resonance frequency of the vibration sensor. An alternating voltage having a first measuring frequency which is higher than the excitation frequency can be supplied to capacitive elements for measuring the excited vibration. Alternating voltages having a second measuring frequency higher than the excitation frequency are supplied to the fixed electrodes of the measuring elements can be supplied to drive elements causing a vibration excitation in a direction on the basis of the excitation voltage, being in antiphase with the excitation voltage.

Arrangement for measuring a rate of rotation using a vibration sensor

A fluid level sensor that is particularly useful in fluid fuel tanks of motor vehicles wherein a resistor network is arranged on a fixed support and it is possible to generate an output signal from the resistor network which corresponds to the position of a float member. The level sensor has particularly low wear and is inexpensive to produce with a contact structure for the resistor network that operates through interaction of a magnetic member is moved by the float and can be deflected such that an electrical connection is dependent on the position of the float.

Level indicator

A displacement sensor for acquiring the position of two parts that can be moved relative to one another is described. A sequence of markings are placed on the first part and a plurality of sensors are placed on the second part. The sensors detect each of the sequence of markings as they pass each sensor. To determine the absolute position of the two parts relative to one another without additional, special reference markings, each individual marking has a specific distance from neighboring markings and the absolute position is calculated from the phase shift of the signals of sensors as movement of the sequence of markings is detected. If the speed of movement is not known, this can be determined by means of additional secondary sensors, which are provided at a certain axial distance from the first sensors. The speed of movement of the two parts relative to one another can be calculated using the time delay of the signals from the sensors and secondary sensors. The calculated speed of movement can then be used to calculate the absolute position of the two parts relative to one another.

Displacement sensor

A device for indicating the level of the axle of a vehicle having a reference mark indicator which follows the level of the vehicle axle is arranged fixedly connected on the axle of the vehicle and changes its position as a result of the change in level. An electric signal which corresponds to the level of the axle is obtained from a resistance network which is firmly attached to the body of the vehicle. In a level indicator which operates with little wear, is economical to manufacture, and nevertheless is of high accuracy, the resistance network has, associated with it, a contact structure which, under the action of a magnet device which is movable by the change in position of the reference mark indicator, can be deflected in the manner that an electrical connection which is dependent on the level of the axle is produced.

Device for indicating the level of the axle of a vehicle

A passive magnetic position sensor is constructed of an electrically non-conductive, non-magnetic substrate on which a resistance layer and a soft-magnetic, electrically conductive bending-beam structure are arranged. The resistance layer and bending-beam structure are arranged at a constant distance apart partially overlapping each other. The distance apart is selected so that, under the action of a magnet device conducted along the overlapping region of the bending-beam structure and resistance layer, contact is produced between resistance layer and soft-magnetic bending-beam structure. In order to provide a position sensor which permits a precise tapping of voltage, the electrically conductively developed resistance layer has along its longitudinal direction a meander-like structure adjoined by taps which have contact surfaces on the regions opposite the soft-magnetic bending-beam structure.

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Bad Nauheim, Germany

Lothar Gier