Head lamp device for vehicle including light distribution control of an auxiliary light source

• US 5,854,537 A
• Filed: 08/01/1996
• Issued: 12/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ohnuma, Shujiro, Ishizaki, Tatsuya, Kobayashi, Takeshi, Gotoh, Shinichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, DAVID HUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/690,892
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 315/82, 315/76, 315/81, 315/79, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.8, 362/64, 362/65, 362/66, 362/71
• US Class Current: 315/82
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• 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 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/142 Turn signal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle

Abstract

A head lamp device for a vehicle by which a pedestrian on the opposing vehicle lane side can be easily perceived without giving glare on an opposing vehicle. The head lamp device comprises main light emitting mechanism capable of changing over a low beam and a high beam from each other; an auxiliary light emitting mechanism for lighting a front and upper portion on the opposing vehicle lane side; an opposing vehicle sensor for detecting existence of an opposing vehicle; and a control mechanism for controlling the auxiliary light emitting mechanism. The control mechanism decreases or turns off the light of the auxiliary light emitting mechanism in response to input of an opposing vehicle detection signal from the opposing vehicle sensor when the main light emitting mechanism emits the low beam and at the same time the auxiliary light emitting mechanism is turned on.

Claims

1. A head lamp device for a subject vehicle, comprising:

main light emitting means capable of changing over a low beam and a high beam from each other;

auxiliary light emitting means for lighting a front and upper portion on an opposing vehicle lane side concurrently while said main light emitting means emits one of said low beam and said high beam;

opposing vehicle detection means for detecting existence of an opposing vehicle; and

control means for controlling said auxiliary light emitting means, said control means decreases or turns off the light of auxiliary light emitting means in response to input of an opposing vehicle detection signal from said opposing vehicle detection means when said main light emitting means emits said low beam at the same time said auxiliary light emitting means is turned on.

2. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary, manipulatable light emitting selection switch for selecting whether turning on of said auxiliary light emitting means is appropriate or not, and said control means prohibits the turning on of said auxiliary light emitting means when the main light emitting means emits the passing-by beam and said auxiliary light emitting selection switch is manipulated to a not-appropriate position thereof.

3. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a vehicle speed sensor for detecting speed of the subject vehicle, a turn indicator switch, and a steering angle sensor, and said control means prohibits the turning on of said auxiliary light emitting means when said main light emitting means emits the low beam and at least one of the following conditions exists:

the vehicle speed sensor detects a low speed of the subject vehicle below a specific speed;

the turn indicator switch is manipulated on; and

the steering angle sensor detects a steering angle larger than a specific angle.

4. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a vehicle speed sensor for sensing speed of the subject vehicle, and said control means prohibits the turning on of said auxiliary light emitting means when said main light emitting means emits the low beam and said vehicle speed sensor detects a low speed of the subject vehicle below a specific speed.

5. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means prohibits the turning on of said auxiliary light emitting means when said main light emitting means emits the low beam and a turn indicator switch is manipulated on.

6. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a steering angle sensor, and said control means prohibits the turning on of said auxiliary light emitting means when said main light emitting means emits the low beam, a turn indicator switch is manipulated on and said steering angle sensor detects a steering angle larger than a specific angle.

7. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said opposing vehicle detection means detects the opposing vehicle by detecting an emitted light from a head lamp of the opposing vehicle.

8. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said auxiliary light emitting means further lights a front and intermediate portion on the opposing vehicle lane side, and said control means controls lighting of the front and upper portion on the opposing vehicle lane side separately from lighting of the front and intermediate portion on the opposing vehicle lane side.

9. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein said control means controls said auxiliary light emitting means such that said front and intermediate portion on the opposing vehicle lane side is lighted when the front and upper portion on the opposing vehicle lane side is not lighted.

10. A head lamp device for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising display means for providing an indication to a driver when the auxiliary light emitting means is turned on.

11. A head lamp device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary light emitting means and said main lighting means are provided together in a single head lamp unit.

12. A head lamp device for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein said auxiliary lighting emitting means and said main lighting emitting means jointly include a single light bulb for emitting said high beam and said auxiliary light.

13. A head lamp device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary lighting emitting means and said main lighting emitting means are provided in separate lamp units.