Device for controlling the angle of the optical axis of a headlamp light

• US 5,414,335 A
• Filed: 04/08/1993
• Issued: 05/09/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harada Kogyo KK
• Original Assignee: Harada Kogyo KK
• Inventors: Sato, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US08/044,981
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 318/264, 318/265, 318/266, 318/286, 318/466, 318/467, 318/468, 362/61, 362/66, 362/257, 362/269, 362/271, 362/272, 362/285, 362/286, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.8
• US Class Current: 318/466
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/076 by electrical means including means to transmit the movements, e.g. shafts or joints

Abstract

A device for controlling the angle of an optical axis of a headlamp which is advantageous in which the device is compact, light-weight and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and in which accurate optical axis angle control that corresponds to the operation of the operation switch can be achieved at all times regardless of the number of optical axis angle controllers used.

The device comprises: an operation switch which includes a potentiometer for setting a control voltage, a motor which variably controls the angle of the optical axis of the headlamp based upon the control voltage generated by the operation switch, an optical axis angle voltage generator that includes a potentiometer for generating an optical axis angle voltage of the headlamp which is variably controlled by the motor, and a comparative controller which compares the optical axis angle voltage with the control voltage and then causes the motor to rotate in a direction in which the difference between the two voltages disappears. The optical axis angle voltage generator further includes a voltage setting resistance R connected in series to a power supply, and the potentiometer of this voltage generator is in a parallel connection with the potentiometer of the operation switch.

Claims

1. A device for controlling an angle of an optical axis of at least two headlamp lights comprising:

an operation switch which includes a first variable resistance means for setting a control voltage;

an optical axis angle controller for each of said at least two headlamp lights, each of said optical axis angle controllers comprising;

a motor which variably controls an angle of an optical axis of a headlamp based on said control voltage set by said operation switch;

an optical axis angle voltage generating means which includes a second variable resistance means and generates a voltage that corresponds to an angle of said optical axis of said headlamp which is variably controlled by said motor, said second variable resistance means of each of said optical axis angle controllers being equal in resistance and said second variable resistance means of each of said optical axis angle controllers and said first variable resistance means being connected in parallel; and

a comparative control means which compares an optical axis angle voltage generated by said optical axis angle voltage generating means with said control voltage set by said operation switch and then causes said motor to rotate in a direction in which a difference between said two voltages approaches zero; and

a voltage setting resistance connected in series to a power supply and said second variable resistance means.