A method for charging an auxiliary voltage source that provides power for at least one additional component, the additional component being in addition to an electric drive that is powered by a main voltage, is described. The method includes electrically connecting a protection and/or control circuit to the main voltage source via a DC-to-DC converter configured for power supply, and to the auxiliary voltage source via a reverse blocking valve. The method further includes electrically connecting the main voltage source to the auxiliary voltage source via a charging device. The method still further includes charging the auxiliary voltage source via the main voltage source.

A switch device includes an operation button operated by a push operation on an operating surface, light sources arranged on a lighting substrate to illuminate an illumination target of the operation button, and a plurality of switches that are arranged on a switch substrate different from the lighting substrate so as to be located on an end portion side of the operation button and are turned on due to displacement of the operation button caused by the push operation.

A boat has a battery located within an interior of a battery-housing, which includes a waste gas outlet that has a gas-permeable seal and a pressure relief valve. The battery housing is gastight and watertight with the exception of the waste gas outlet. The gas-permeable seal is water-impermeable and comprises a semi-permeable diaphragm that allows the passage of water vapor out from the interior of the battery housing, but prevents the passage of water vapor into the interior of the battery housing.

Systems and methods for forming an electrostatic MEMS plate switch include forming a deformable plate on a first substrate, forming the electrical contacts on a second substrate, and coupling the two substrates using a hermetic seal. The deformable plate may have at least one shunt bar located at a nodal line of a vibrational mode of the deformable plate, so that the shunt bar remains relatively stationary when the plate is vibrating in that vibrational mode. The second substrate may have semiconductor integrated circuits formed thereon. The second substrate may also have a shielding layer formed thereon, such as to improve the impedance characteristics of the device.

A key switch includes a movable part configured to be moved by a pressing operation, a support mechanism that movably supports the movable part, an electrical connector including multiple pairs of contacts of upper electrodes and lower electrodes, and a disc spring that is disposed between the movable part and the electrical connector and configured to be elastically deformed by movement of the movable part and to press the electrical connector. The multiple pairs of contacts are provided for one movable part. When the disc spring is deformed by the movement of the movable part, the disc spring is configured to simultaneously press the multiple pairs of contacts provided for the corresponding movable part.

The invention relates to a current distributor (3) for a vehicle, having an input (E) and a plurality of load channels (LK1, LK2, LKn) which connect the input (E) to a connected load (L1, L2, Ln) via a safety fuse (F1, F2, Fn) and a line (W1, W2, Wn) in each case, and to a protection system (1) for a vehicle having such a current distributor (3). In this case, a standby channel (EK1) connects the input (E) to the connected loads (L1, L2, Ln) via an electronic fuse (EF1), wherein an evaluation and control unit (10) checks the safety fuses (F1, F2, Fn) for functionality and switches on a semiconductor switch (T) of the electronic fuse (EF1) and forms a redundant current path between the input (E) and the connected loads (L1, L2, Ln) via the standby channel (EK1) if at least one of the safety fuses (F1, F2, Fn) is identified as having been tripped.

A boat having an electric motor coupled with an electrical store is disclosed. The electrical store includes a storage element, and positive and negative poles in current-conducting connection with the storage element. An isolating circuit element is operatively connected to a user activatable emergency stop switch. The isolating circuit element is configured to, upon activation of the emergency stop switch, isolate the current-conducting connection between the storage element and at least one of the poles.

A switch device includes a switch operation unit, two detection units which convert the amount of press of the switch operation unit into detection signals, determination units which determine the pressed state of the switch operation unit, monitoring units which monitor the determination states of the determination units, and output units, each of which outputs an ON signal when the determination unit determines that a full pressed state is maintained, and when, upon determination that a half pressed state is maintained, the detection signal is equal to or larger than an ON threshold and the monitoring result indicates a full pressed state, and outputs an OFF signal when the determination unit determines that a non-pressed state is maintained, and when, upon determination that a half pressed state is maintained, the detection signal is equal to or smaller than an OFF threshold and the monitoring result indicates a non-pressed state.

A switch device includes a switch operation unit, two detection units which convert the amount of press of the switch operation unit into detection signals, determination units which determine the pressed state of the switch operation unit, monitoring units which monitor the determination states of the determination units, and output units, each of which outputs an ON signal when the determination unit determines that a full pressed state is maintained, and when, upon determination that a half pressed state is maintained, the detection signal is equal to or larger than an ON threshold and the monitoring result indicates a full pressed state, and outputs an OFF signal when the determination unit determines that a non-pressed state is maintained, and when, upon determination that a half pressed state is maintained, the detection signal is equal to or smaller than an OFF threshold and the monitoring result indicates a non-pressed state.

An electrical parking brake device includes an operation switch and a control circuit. The operation switch includes a switch button, miniature switches, operation switch terminals and inside conductors, the switch button being in one of an On state, an Off state and a neutral state, the miniature switches operating in conjunction with the state of the switch button. The control circuit includes control circuit terminals, a switch verification circuit, management circuitry and brake application command circuitry, the management circuitry managing the electrical parking brake device. The operation switch defines closed circuits that are independent in terms of a pair of the operation switch terminals, for each of the operating states. The closed circuits are closed circuits that, when one or more of the miniature switches fail, avoids influence of the failure, by the miniature switches other than the one or more failing miniature switches.