Twin beam type headlight device for motorcycle

• US 20030133306A1
• Filed: 01/02/2003
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Kakizoe, Takashige, Tsushima, Hisao
• Granted Patent: US 6,773,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/475
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 6/01 Electric circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 6/026 characterised by the structure, e.g. casings

Abstract

The headlight device includes: a pair of left and right headlights, the one on the right road-shoulder side being a double filament type headlight which is switchable between low and highbeams, the other one on the left, oncoming vehicle'"'"'s side, being a single filament type headlight dedicated for low beam only; and a lighting control circuit which activates the low beam filaments of both headlights in the low beam mode and which activates the high beam filament of the double filament type headlight and the low beam filament of the other headlight in high beam mode.

Claims

1. A twin beam type headlight device for a motorcycle, having a cowling that covers the front part of the body and a pair of headlights arranged side by side on the left and right sides on the front panel of the cowling, characterized in that one of the paired headlights is a double filament type headlight which is switchable between low and high beams;

the other is a single filament type headlight dedicated for low beam only; and

a lighting controller which activates the low beam filaments of both headlights in the low beam mode and which activates the high beam filament of the double filament type headlight and the low beam filament of the other headlight in high beam mode is provided.

2. The twin beam type headlight device for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein the lens openings of the twin beam headlights are formed in an approximately elliptic shape that has major and minor axes or having an approximately parallelogram shape.

3. The twin beam type headlight device for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein the left and right headlights are laid out with their major axes inclined upwards and sidewards from the central axis of the vehicle, forming a roughly open-V shaped arrangement and each headlight has an optical element for achieving the predetermined luminous intensity distribution.

4. The twin beam type headlight device for a motorcycle according to claim 2, wherein the left and right headlights are laid out with their major axes inclined upwards and sidewards from the central axis of the vehicle, forming a roughly open-V shaped arrangement and each headlight has an optical element for achieving the predetermined luminous intensity distribution.

5. The twin beam type headlight device for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein on the assumption that the motorcycle travels on a two-way traffic road, a headlight including a double filament type bulb which is switchable between the low and high beams is arranged on the road-shoulder side, and a headlight for low beam including a single filament type headlight dedicated for low beam only is arranged on the center line side of the road.

6. The twin beam type headlight device for a motorcycle according to claim 2, wherein on the assumption that the motorcycle travels on a two-way traffic road, a headlight including a double filament type bulb which is switchable between the low and high beams is arranged on the road-shoulder side, and a headlight for low beam including a single filament type headlight dedicated for low beam only is arranged on the center line side of the road.

7. The twin beam type headlight device for a motorcycle according to claim 3, wherein on the assumption that the motorcycle travels on a two-way traffic road, a headlight including a double filament type bulb which is switchable between the low and high beams is arranged on the road-shoulder side, and a headlight for low beam including a single filament type headlight dedicated for low beam only is arranged on the center line side of the road.

8. The twin beam type headlight device for a motorcycle according to claim 4, wherein on the assumption that the motorcycle travels on a two-way traffic road, a headlight including a double filament type bulb which is switchable between the low and high beams is arranged on the road-shoulder side, and a headlight for low beam including a single filament type headlight dedicated for low beam only is arranged on the center line side of the road.