Optical axis control device for vehicle headlamp

• US 20050068780A1
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi FUSO Truck & Bus Corporation (Daimler Truck Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi FUSO Truck & Bus Corporation (Daimler Truck Holding AG)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Kenji
• Application Number:
  US10/949,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20050068780A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/460
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/10 due to vehicle inclination, e.g. due to load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2200/38 Automatic calibration of motor-driven means for adjusting headlamps, i.e. when switching on the headlamps, not during mounting at factories
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/114 Vehicle acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/116 Vehicle at a stop
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/132 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/872 Combination of several systems for attitude determination using inertial means G01C9/00, control of attitude G05D1/49

Abstract

An optical axis control device for a vehicle headlamp detects the inclined state (inclination angle Δα) of a vehicle relative to a road surface during running of the vehicle, performs, in parallel, filtering for removing high frequency components of the detection data (for example, frequency components exceeding 0.1 Hz) (processing by first filter means), and filtering for removing high frequency components of the detection data (for example, frequency components exceeding 0.05 Hz) (processing by second filter means), updates the inclination angle Δα based on a plurality of data, and adjusts the inclination angle of a headlamp 5.

Claims

1. An optical axis control device for a vehicle headlamp, comprising:

optical axis adjusting means for adjusting an optical axis of a headlamp provided in a vehicle;

inclined state detection means for detecting an inclined state of said vehicle relative to a road surface;

first filter means for filtering a detection value of said inclined state detection means;

second filter means for filtering said detection value of said inclined state detection means to a higher degree than said first filter means;

first inclination value establishing means for establishing a first inclination value based on a first detection value obtained by filtering by said first filter means;

second inclination value establishing means for establishing a second inclination value based on a second detection value obtained by filtering by said second filter means; and

control means for taking at least one inclination value among said first inclination value and said second inclination value as an established inclination angle, and controlling said optical axis adjusting means based on said established inclination angle.

2. The optical axis control device for a vehicle headlamp according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of said first inclination value establishing means and said second inclination value establishing means includes average inclination value computing means for finding an average value of a previous inclination value and a current inclination value.

3. The optical axis control device for a vehicle headlamp according to claim 2,

further comprising cargo change determination means for determining that a cargo has been changed if a difference between said previous inclination value and said current inclination value established by said first inclination value establishing means or said second inclination value establishing means is a predetermined value or more, and

wherein said control means controls said optical axis adjusting means based on an inclination value after cargo change when said cargo change determination means determines that said cargo has been changed.

4. The optical axis control device for a vehicle headlamp according to claim 1, wherein

said inclined state detection means is composed of ultrasonic sensors, and

said ultrasonic sensors are housed in a box-shaped case attached to a cross member of said vehicle via a U-shaped bracket.