Robert Boschgmbh

Manfred Knetsch

Peter Romann

Klaus-Jurgen Peters

Hermann Nusser

Wolfgang Kuhne

A method for converting a movement into an analog or digital variable, in particular into an electrical voltage, and an apparatus for performing the method are proposed. The apparatus includes at least one measuring spring element having windings and fabricated of electrically conductive material, which is disposed together with a supplementary spring element of identical structure and serving as a supplementary resistor in a bridge branch of a carrier-frequency measurement bridge. A deformation of the measuring spring element by a movement causes a change in the spacing between windings and thus causes a change in the inductive resistance of the measuring spring element which serves as a standard for the movement.

Method and apparatus for using spring-type resistive elements in a

A flow rate meter is proposed, which serves to ascertain the quantity of a flowing medium, in particular the air quantity aspirated by an internal combustion engine via an air intake tube. The flow rate meter includes a measuring body (3) which is pivotable in a flow conduit (2) about a shaft (5) supported in the housing (1) counter to a restoring force in accordance with the quantity of medium flowing through the conduit. The lateral gap (15, 16) between the measuring body (3) and the lateral wall of the flow conduit (2) is narrower in the range of a slight deflection of the measuring body (3) than in the range of a greater deflection. As a result, air flowing via the lateral gap (15, 16) is prevented from impairing the measuring range of the flow rate meter, so that even very slight quantities of flowing air, such as those at low engine idling, can still be measured by this flow rate meter.

Flow rate meter

A flow rate meter is proposed which serves to ascertain the quantity of a flowing medium, in particular the quantity of air aspirated via an air intake tube by an internal combustion engine. The flow rate meter includes a measuring body which is pivotable counter to a restoring force about a bearing shaft supported in the housing in accordance with the quantity of the medium flowing therethrough. The flow rate meter further includes a damping body which is likewise pivotable about the bearing shaft and defines a damping chamber in the form of a movable wall, with respect to the flow conduit. The measuring body and the damping body are coupled rigidly to one another by means of crosspieces. The invention comprehends embodiments wherein either the damping body or the measuring body is directly connected with a hub held in a rotationally fixed manner on the bearing shaft. The housing wall about the hub is provided such that a leakage gap formed between the housing wall and the hub terminates at one end outside the damping chamber downstream of the measuring body. As a result, the harmful effects on the measuring competence of the flow rate meter which would be caused by air flowing via the leakage gap are avoided; thus, even very small flowing air quantities such as occur at low engine rpm levels can still be measured accurately.

A pivoting member, especially the air flow rate meter of an internal combustion engine is disposed on a hub which surrounds a locally fixed shaft. Extending inwardly from the hub is a protrusion, for example a pin, which penetrates an opening in the wall of the shaft which is hollow at this point due to a blind bore extending axially into the shaft. The protrusion is held between two balls or rollers which are located in the blind bore and held in position by cooperation of a spring and an adjustment screw. The adjustment screw has a counter nut which bears on the end face of the shaft and also has gear teeth which engage a first set of threads of a pinion. The pinion has another set of threads of opposite and slightly different pitch so that rotation of the pinion causes differential rotation of the counter nut and permits very precise axial positioning of the hub which carries the pivoting member.

Growing community of inventors

Stuttgart, Germany

Manfred Knetsch