Automatically slaved motor vehicle light

• US 5,580,148 A
• Filed: 05/08/1995
• Issued: 12/03/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yu-Ken Liao
• Original Assignee: Yu-Ken Liao
• Inventors: Liao, Yu-Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Gromada, Denise L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/436,151
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 362/71, 362/35, 362/37, 362/40, 362/66, 362/74, 362/69, 362/233, 362/271, 362/269, 362/272, 362/275, 362/287, 362/419, 362/420, 362/422, 362/423, 362/424, 362/427, 362/428, 74/42, 74/53, 74/54
• US Class Current: 362/493
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/115 by electric means details of the electric drive components, e.g. motors, shafts, ball joints B60Q1/076
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/132 Pitch

Abstract

An automatically slaved light for a motor vehicle comprises a roof mounted lamp steerable about a horizontal and vertical axis, and an internal control unit within the coach of the vehicle. The control unit rotates the lamp unit about the vertical axis via a first motor in the lamp housing when the vehicle is engaging a turn, wherein the lamp is rotated in the direction of turn of the vehicle to an angle proportional to the steering angle thereof as determined by a steering angle sensor coupled to the vehicle'"'"'s steering wheel. The lamp is rotated upward about the horizontal axis by the control unit via a second motor in the lamp housing when the vehicle is traversing a declinate section of road, wherein the lamp unit is rotated upward relative the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle to an angle proportional to the angle defined between the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and the gravitational horizon which is determined by a level sensor in the control unit.

Claims

1. An automatically slaved light comprising:

a base member mounted on a roof of a motor vehicle in a substantially horizontal orientation with respect therewith;

a gimbal member rotatingly secured on said base member about a substantially vertical axis;

a lamp member rotatingly mounted on said gimbal member about a substantially horizontal axis;

an azimuth motor rotatingly coupled to said gimbal member for rotating said gimbal member about the vertical axis;

an elevation motor rotatingly coupled to said lamp member for rotating said lamp member about the horizontal axis;

a steering angle sensing means coupled to a steering column of said motor vehicle for sensing a steering angle thereof;

a level sensing means for sensing an elevational angle of said motor vehicle;

a controller means for receiving respective signals from said steering angle sensing means and said level sensing means in communication therewith, and for transmitting control signals to respective said azimuth motor and said elevation motor in communication therewith, said controller means effecting a rotation of said gimbal member via control signals to said azimuth motor in a direction of a turn of said motor vehicle to a degree proportional to a angle of turn thereof as determined by a signal from said steering angle sensing means, and a upward rotation of said lamp member via control signals to said elevation motor upon a downward direction of travel of said motor vehicle to a degree proportional to a downward elevational angle thereof as determined by a signal from said level sensing means.