METHOD OF SUPPLYING POWER TO AN AUTOMOBILE HEADLIGHT LAMP AND HEADLIGHT USING THAT METHOD

• US 20090212705A1
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: PAUTY, Etienne, LE BARS, Jean-Francois
• Granted Patent: US 8,154,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/82
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0094 Arrangement of electronic circuits separated from the light source, e.g. mounting of housings for starter circuits for discharge lamps arrangements being part of the light source holder F21V17/06, F21S43/195
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1407 General lighting circuits comprising dimming circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/683 by moving screens
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/044 continuously H05B39/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/047 with pulse width modulation from a DC power source
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Abstract

A method and headlight adapted to supply power to a dual-mode automobile headlight light source able to provide either main beam mode lighting or dipped beam mode lighting, wherein the light source is supplied with electrical power at a first voltage when it is in main beam mode and at a second voltage when it is in dipped beam mode, the second voltage being lower than the first voltage.

Claims

1. A power supply method of supplying power to a dual-mode automobile headlight light source able to provide either lighting in main beam mode or lighting in dipped beam mode, wherein the light source is supplied with electrical power at a first voltage when it is in main beam mode and at a second voltage when it is in dipped beam mode, the second voltage being lower than the first voltage.

2. The power supply method according to claim 1, wherein the first voltage has a value close to or equal to a nominal voltage of the light source.

3. The power supply method according to claim 2, wherein the second voltage is strictly less than the nominal voltage of the light source.

4. The power supply method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second voltages are pulse width modulated (PWM) signals.

5. The power supply method according to claim 4, wherein the PWM signal corresponding to each voltage is controlled by a lighting controller.

6. The power supply method according to claim 4, wherein the PWM signal corresponding to each voltage is controlled by a regulation electronic circuit card located in the headlight.

14. The power supply method according to claim 2, wherein the first and second voltages are pulse width modulated (PWM) signals.

15. The power supply method according to claim 3, wherein the first and second voltages are pulse width modulated (PWM) signals.

7. A headlight for automobile vehicles, comprising:

a light source associated with a lighting module generating a light beam,

a removable cap, and

power supply means for supplying a voltage to the light source,

wherein the power supply means are adapted to generate alternately a first voltage when the headlight is in a main beam mode and a second voltage, lower than the first voltage, when the headlight is in a dipped beam mode.

8. The headlight according to claim 7, wherein the power supply means of the light source consist of a lighting controller.

9. The headlight according to claim 7, wherein the power supply means of the light source include a lighting controllers associated with a regulation electronic circuit card located in the headlight.

10. The headlight according to claim 9, wherein the electronic circuit card includes an intelligent MOS component.

11. The headlight according to claim 7, wherein the power supply means of the light source include a lighting controllers associated with a regulation electronic circuit card located in the headlight, which card can be controlled by logic signals and/or messages in transit in digital form on a bus.

12. The headlight according to claim 7, wherein the power supply means of the light source include a lighting controller associated with a regulation electronic circuit card located in the headlight, which card can be controlled by messages in transit in digital form on a bus allowing dynamic modification of the first and second voltages at the terminals of the light source depending on different mission profiles.

13. An automobile vehicle, wherein said automobile vehicle includes a headlight according to claim 7.

16. The headlight according to claim 11, wherein the power supply means of the light source include a lighting controller associated with a regulation electronic circuit card located in the headlight, which card can be controlled by messages in transit in digital form on a bus allowing dynamic modification of the first and second voltages at the terminals of the light source depending on different mission profiles.

17. An automobile vehicle, wherein said automobile vehicle includes a headlight according to claim 8.

18. An automobile vehicle, wherein said automobile vehicle includes a headlight according to claim 9.

19. An automobile vehicle, wherein said automobile vehicle includes a headlight according to claim 10

20. An automobile vehicle, wherein said automobile vehicle includes a headlight according to claim 11.