Lighting control circuit for head lamps

• US 5,075,593 A
• Filed: 02/06/1991
• Issued: 12/24/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Shoda, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): LaRoche, Eugene R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, SON T
• Application Number:
  US07/650,617
• Time in Patent Office: 321 Days
• Field of Search: 315/80, 315/82, 315/83, 307/10.8
• US Class Current: 315/82
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1415 Dimming circuits

Abstract

A lighting control circuit for head lamp has three relays with coils. When a lighting switch is turned on, high beams of right and left head lamps are lit. When the dimmer switch is turned on, low beams of right and left head lamps are lit. When the lighting switch is turned off, right and left head lamps are lit by low voltage which is equal to 50% of a rated voltage so as to improve the durability of the head lamps.

Claims

1. In a head lamp lighting circuit of left and right loops having a circuit which extends from a power source to a common terminal of high- and low-beam filaments of a left head lamp, a circuit which extends from the power source to a common terminal of high- and low-beam filaments of a right head lamp, a circuit by which a node connecting other terminals of the high-beam filaments of the left and right head lamps is connected to earth when a lighting switch is manipulated to a head lamp lighting position thereof or when a dimmer switch is manipulated to a passing-beam projection position thereof, and a circuit which extends from a node connecting other terminals of the low-beam filaments of the left and right head lamps, to the earth via a low-beam input terminal of the dimmer switch;

a lighting control circuit for head lamps comprising a first relay including a relay coil, as well as a normally-off type relay contact by which a circuit path between said node connecting said other terminals of said high-beam filaments of said left and right head lamps and a high-beam input terminal of said dimmer switch is turned " on" when said relay coil of said first relay is energized, a second relay including a relay coil, as well as a normally-off type relay contact by which a circuit path between said other terminals of said low-beam filaments of said left and right head lamps is turned "on" when said relay coil of said second relay is energized, and a third relay including a relay coil, as well as a transfer type relay contact by which said common terminal of said high- and low-beam filaments of either of said left and right head lamps is transferred from a side thereof connected to said earth, to a side thereof connected to said power source when said relay coil of said third relay is energized, wherein said relay coils of said first, second and third relays are energized when said lighting switch is manipulated to said head lamp lighting position thereof or when said dimmer switch is manipulated to said passing-beam projection position thereof.

2. A lighting control circuit for head lamps as defined in claim 1, further comprising a left light relay which includes a relay coil that is connected at one end to one end of each of said relay coils of said first, second and third relays and connected at the other end to said earth, and a normally-off type relay contact that is connected between said power source and said common terminal of said high- and low-beam filaments of said left head lamp and that is turned "on" when said relay coil of said left light relay is energized.

3. A lighting control circuit for head lamps as defined in claim 2, further comprising a right light relay which includes a relay coil that is connected at one end to said one end of each of said relay coils of said first, second and third relays and said one end of said left light relay and connected at the other end to the other end of said relay coil of said third relay and said head lamp lighting position of said lighting switch, and a normally-off type relay contact that is connected between said power source and said common terminal of said high- and low-beam filaments of said right head lamp and that is turned "on" when said relay coil of said right light relay is energized.

4. A lighting control circuit for head lamps as defined in claim 1, wherein said first, second and third relays are implemented in the form of a single relay which includes two normally-off type relay contacts and one transfer type relay contact.