Head lamp device for vehicle

• US 6,010,237 A
• Filed: 01/22/1998
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1997
• 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: Gotou, Shinichirou
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ward, John A.
• Application Number:
  US09/012,129
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 362/459, 362/460, 362/465, 362/466, 362/467
• US Class Current: 362/460
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/122 with electrical actuating means details of the electric drive components, e.g. motors, shafts, ball joints B60Q1/076
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/134 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/322 Road curvature
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/62 for adaptation between right-hand and left-hand traffic

Abstract

A head lamp device for a vehicle capable of moving a lighting region of a head lamp in front of the vehicle in rightward and leftward directions. This device comprises steering angle detecting means for detecting a steering angle; displacement quantity setting means for setting a quantity of displacement of the lighting region based on the steering angle detected by the steering angle detecting means; vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed; maximum displacement quantity setting means for setting a maximum quantity of displacement of the lighting region based on the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed detecting means; and control means for controlling displacement of the lighting region in accordance with the quantity of displacement set by the displacement quantity setting means when the quantity of displacement is less than the maximum quantity of displacement set by the maximum displacement quantity setting means, and controlling displacement of the lighting region in accordance with the maximum quantity of displacement when the quantity of displacement is more than the maximum quantity of displacement.

Claims

1. A head lamp device for a vehicle capable of moving a lighting region of a head lamp in front of the vehicle in rightward and leftward directions, comprising:

steering angle detecting means for detecting a steering angle of the vehicle;

displacement quantity setting means for setting a quantity of displacement of the lighting region based on said steering angle detected by said steering angle detecting means;

vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed;

maximum displacement quantity setting means for setting a maximum quantity of displacement of the lighting region based on said vehicle speed detected by said vehicle speed detecting means; and

control means for controlling displacement of the lighting region in accordance with said quantity of displacement set by said displacement quantity setting means when said quantity of displacement is less than said maximum quantity of displacement set by said maximum displacement quantity setting means, and controlling displacement of the lighting region in accordance with said maximum quantity of displacement when said quantity of displacement is more than said maximum quantity of displacement.

4. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control means stops controlling displacement of the lighting region when a state in which said quantity of displacement set by said displacement quantity setting means is more than said maximum quantity of displacement set by said maximum displacement quantity setting means continues during a predetermined time.

5. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein said lighting region is returned in a direct front direction of said vehicle when said control means stops controlling displacement of the lighting region.

2. A head lamp device for a vehicle capable of moving a lighting region of a head lamp in front of the vehicle in rightward and leftward directions, comprising:

lateral movement quantity detecting means for detecting a quantity of lateral movement of the vehicle;

displacement quantity setting means for setting a quantity of displacement of the lighting region based on said quantity of lateral movement detected by said lateral movement quantity detecting means;

vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed;

maximum displacement quantity setting means for setting a maximum quantity of displacement of the lighting region based on said vehicle speed detected by said vehicle speed detecting means; and

control means for controlling displacement of the lighting region in accordance with said quantity of displacement set by said displacement quantity setting means when said quantity of displacement is less than said maximum quantity of displacement set by said maximum displacement quantity setting means, and controlling displacement of the lighting region in accordance with said maximum quantity of displacement when said quantity of displacement is more than said maximum quantity of displacement.

6. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein said control means stops controlling displacement of the lighting region when a state in which said quantity of displacement set by said displacement quantity setting means is more than said maximum quantity of displacement set by said maximum displacement quantity setting means continues during a predetermined time.

7. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein said lighting region is returned to a direct front direction of said vehicle when said control means stops controlling displacement of the lighting region.

3. A head lamp device for a vehicle capable of moving a lighting region of a head lamp in front of the vehicle in rightward and leftward directions, comprising:

map information outputting means for outputting map information including road data;

present location detecting means for detecting a present location of the vehicle on the map information;

displacement quantity setting means for setting a quantity of displacement of the lighting region by forecasting a shape of a road in front of the vehicle based on said map information and said present location;

vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed;

maximum displacement quantity setting means for setting a maximum quantity of displacement of the lighting region based on said vehicle speed detected by said vehicle speed detecting means; and

control means for controlling displacement of the lighting region in accordance with said quantity of displacement set by said displacement quantity setting means when said quantity of displacement is less than said maximum quantity of displacement set by said maximum displacement quantity setting means, and controlling displacement of the lighting region in accordance with said maximum quantity of displacement when said quantity of displacement is more than said maximum quantity of displacement.

8. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein said control means stops controlling displacement of the lighting region when a state in which said quantity of displacement set by said displacement quantity setting means is more than said maximum quantity of displacement set by said maximum displacement quantity setting means continues during a predetermined time.

9. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein said lighting region is returned to a direct front direction of said vehicle when said control means stops controlling displacement of the lighting region.

10. A head lamp device for a vehicle capable of moving a lighting region of a head lamp in front of the vehicle in rightward and leftward directions, comprising:

means for detecting at least one of an operating condition of the vehicle and a present location of the vehicle relative to map information including road data;

displacement quantity setting means for setting a quantity of displacement of the lighting region based on an output of said detecting means;

vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed;

maximum displacement quantity setting means for setting a maximum quantity of displacement of the lighting region based on said vehicle speed detected by vehicle speed detecting means; and

control means for controlling displacement of the lighting region in accordance with said quantity of displacement set by said displacement quantity setting means when said quantity of displacement is less than said maximum quantity of displacement, and controlling displacement of the lighting region in accordance with said maximum quantity of displacement when said quantity of displacement is more than said maximum quantity of displacement.

11. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein said detecting means detects a steering angle of the vehicle.

12. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein said detecting means detects a quantity of lateral movement of the vehicle.

13. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein said detecting means includes map information outputting means for outputting the map information including the road data and present location detecting means for detecting the present location of the vehicle on the map information.

14. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein said control means stops controlling displacement of the lighting region when a state in which said quantity of displacement set by said displacement quantity setting means is more than said maximum quantity of displacement set by said maximum displacement quantity setting means continues for a predetermined time period.

15. A head lamp device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein said lighting region is returned to a direct front direction of said vehicle when said control means stops controlling displacement of the lighting region.