Vehicle headlight device

• US 20070086203A1
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Kawasaki Heavy Industries Limited), Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Kawasaki Heavy Industries Limited), Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Yoshinobu, Nakano, Shinichi, Bamba, Shoichi, Nomura, Tadashi, Domoto, Mikio
• Granted Patent: US 7,556,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/514
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0683 Adjustable by rotation of a screw
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/122 with electrical actuating means details of the electric drive components, e.g. motors, shafts, ball joints B60Q1/076
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/136 Roll
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 6/023 responsive to the lean angle of the cycle, e.g. changing intensity or switching sub-lights when cornering

Abstract

A headlight device (27) for motor vehicle includes a plurality of headlight units (29 and 30). At least one of those headlight units is a movable headlight unit (30) having a light distribution adjusting mechanism (83) for changing a range of illumination during a cornering of the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A headlight device for a motor vehicle, which comprises a plurality of headlight units, in which at least one of those headlight units is a movable headlight unit including a light distribution adjusting mechanism for changing a range of illumination during a cornering of the motor vehicle.

2. The headlight device for the motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable headlight unit is of a low beam type having a downward illuminating characteristic.

3. The headlight device for the motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light distribution adjusting mechanism includes a light distribution changing mechanism capable of shifting to change the range of illumination and a driving unit for shifting the light distribution changing mechanism.

4. The headlight device for the motor vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the light distribution adjusting mechanism also includes a position detector for detecting a position of the light distribution changing mechanism and wherein the driving unit and the position detector are positioned on one side of a center of the movable headlight unit adjacent a mid-center plane of the motor vehicle.

5. The headlight device for the motor vehicle as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a stopper for regulating a range of movement of the light distribution changing mechanism.

6. The headlight device for the motor vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the light distribution adjusting mechanism further includes a driven gear provided in the light distribution changing mechanism and engageable with a drive gear of the driving unit, and a standard position detector for detecting a standard position of the light distribution changing mechanism and wherein the driving unit and the standard position detector are disposed on respective sides of a center of the movable headlight unit in opposition to each other.

7. The headlight device for the motor vehicle as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a forcible shift member for manually shifting the light distribution changing mechanism.

8. A headlight device for a motor vehicle, which comprises:

A headlight unit having a light distribution adjusting mechanism for changing a range of illumination during a cornering of the motor vehicle, the light distribution adjusting mechanism including a light distribution changing mechanism capable of shifting to change the range of illumination and a driving unit for shifting the light distribution changing mechanism; and

a forcible shift member for manually shifting the light distribution changing mechanism.