Electrical system for vehicle daytime running lights

• US 4,841,199 A
• Filed: 02/03/1988
• Issued: 06/20/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: See-Me Lights Corporation
• Original Assignee: See-Me Lights Corporation
• Inventors: Irie, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Application Number:
  US07/151,979
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 315/77, 315/82, 315/83, 315/191, 315/192, 315/193, 315/121, 315/122, 315/88, 315/89, 307/10 LS, 1/89
• US Class Current: 315/83
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/052 Switching delay, i.e. the beam is not switched or changed instantaneously upon occurrence of a condition change
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/30 Daytime running lights [DRL], e.g. circuits or arrangements therefor

Abstract

The invention consists of an electrical circuit for a vehicle headlight system whereby the conventional parallel circuit connection of headlights is automatically converted into a series circuit connection under conditions appropriate for daytime running lights, whereby the light output of the headlights is reduced as compared to that in conventional headlight circuit mode, and a method for interconnecting such circuit with conventional headlight systems.

Claims

1. A headlight circuit for a vehicle, said vehicle having an engine and a plurality of headlights including headlight filaments, and wherein the vehicle operator may select a normal mode of operation of said headlights whereby a parallel circuit connection is established between at least two headlight filaments, comprising in combination:

electrical circuit means for establishing said parallel circuit connection between said headlight filaments;

electrical circuit means for establishing a series circuit connection between said headlight filaments;

means for detecting when the engine is running;

means for detecting when the operator has selected said normal mode of operation of the headlights;

electrical circuit means for converting said parallel circuit connection to said series circuit connection when the engine is running and the operator has not selected the normal mode of operation of the headlights, whereby said conversion of said parallel circuit connection to said series circuit connection reduces the current flowing through the headlight filaments and reduces the intensity of the light output from said filaments.

2. A headlight circuit for a vehicle, said vehicle having an engine and right and left side headlights including low and high beam filaments, and wherein the vehicle operator may select operation of the headlights in a low beam mode by energizing a parallel circuit connection between the left and right side low beam filaments or in a high beam mode by energizing a parallel circuit connection between the left and right side high beam filaments comprising in combination:

electrical circuit means for establishing said parallel circuit connection between said left and right side low beam filaments;

electrical circuit means for establishing said parallel circuit connection between said left and right side high beam filaments;

means for detecting when the engine is running;

means for detecting when the operator has selected either the high or the low beam mode of operation;

electrical circuit means for establishing a series circuit connection between said left and right side low beam filaments;

electrical circuit means for establishing a series circuit connection between said left and right side high beam filaments;

electrical circuit means for converting said parallel circuit connection between the low beam filaments to said series circuit connection between said low beam filaments and the said parallel circuit connection between said high beam filaments to said series circuit connection between said high beam filament when the engine is running and the operator has not selected either the high or the low beam mode of operation of the headlights, whereby said conversion reduces the current flow through said filaments and reduces the intensity of the light output from said filaments.

3. A headlight circuit for a vehicle having an engine and a plurality of headlights including headlight filaments having first and second contact points between which an electrical potential may be applied to induce said filaments to emit light comprising in combination:

means for electrically connecting the first contact point of a first of said filaments to a first contact point of a second of said filaments;

means for selectively connecting said first contact points of said first and second filament to a power source

means for electrically connecting a second contact point of said first filament to a point of common electrical potential;

means for electrically connecting a second contact point of said second filament to switching means;

switching means being adapted to assume a first state establishing an electrical connection to said point of common electrical potential or a second state establishing an electrical connection to said power source;

means for detecting when the vehicle engine is running;

means for establishing said second state of said switching means only when the engine is running and said first contact points of said first and second filaments are not connected to said power source.

4. A headlight circuit for a vehicle, said vehicle having an engine and right and left side headlights including low and high beam filaments having first and second contact points between which an electrical potential may be applied to induce said filaments to emit light, and comprising in combination:

means for electrically connecting first contact points of each of said low beam filaments;

means for electrically connecting first contact points of each of said high beam filaments;

means for selectively connecting said first contact points of said low beam filaments to a power source;

means for selectively connecting said first contact points of said high beam filaments to a power source;

means for connecting second contacts of the low and high beam filaments on a first side of the vehicle to a point of common potential;

means for connecting second contacts of the low and high beam filaments on a second side of the vehicle to switching means;

said switching means being adapted to assume a first state establishing an electrical connection to said point of common potential or a second state establishing an electrical connection to said power source;

means for establishing said second state only when the engine is running and the first contacts of neither the low or high beam filaments are connected to said power source.

5. In a vehicle, said vehicle having a battery, said battery having negative and positive terminals, said vehicle further including a four headlight system including one two contact headlight on each side of the vehicle and one three contact headlight on each side of the vehicle, one of said contacts in each of said headlights being connected by a ground wire to a point at the same electrical potential as the negative terminal of the battery and the other of said contacts having wires connected to other parts of the vehicle, a method for establishing operative interconnection with said four headlight system of a circuit for automatically enabling daytime running lights of the vehicle under specified conditions, comprising the following combination of steps:

(a) Severing the ground wires of the three contact headlight and of the two contact headlight on one side of the vehicle;

(b) Reconnecting the portions of the severed ground wires which remain connected to the headlights together to a third lead of the circuit;

(c) Reconnecting the remaining portions of the severed ground wires which remain connected to the point at the same electrical potential as the negative terminal of the battery, together to a fourth lead of the circuit;

(d) Connecting a fifth lead of the circuit to one of the two remaining unsevered wires of the three contact headlights;

(e) Connecting a sixth lead of the circuit to the other of the two remaining unsevered wires of the three contact headlights;

(f) Connecting a first lead of said circuit to a point in the vehicle which is at a positive potential only when the vehicle engine is running;

(g) Connecting a second lead to the positive terminal of said battery.

6. In a vehicle, said vehicle having a battery, said battery having negative and positive terminals, said vehicle further including a two headlight system including one three contact headlight on each side of the vehicle, one of said contacts in each of said headlights being connected by a ground wire to a point at the same electrical potential as the negative terminal of the battery and the other two of said contacts in each headlight having wires connected to other parts of the vehicle, a method for establishing operative interconnection with said two headlight system of a circuit for automatically enabling daytime running lights of the vehicle under specified conditions, comprising the following combination of steps:

(a) Severing the ground wires of the headlight on one side of the vehicle;

(b) Reconnecting the portion of the severed ground wire which remains connected to the headlight to a third lead of the circuit;

(c) Reconnecting the remaining portions of the severed ground wire which remains connected to a point at the same electrical potential as the negative terminal of the battery, together to a fourth lead of the circuit;

(d) Connecting a fifth lead of the circuit to one of the two remaining unsevered leads of the headlight;

(e) Connecting a sixth lead of the circuit to the other of the two remaining unsevered leads of the headlight;

(f) Connecting a first lead of said circuit to a point in the vehicle which is at a positive potential only when the vehicle engine is running;

(g) Connecting a second lead to the positive terminal of said battery.