Direction-indication-lamp control apparatus for vehicle

• US 6,483,246 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2001
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anden Company Limited (DENSO Corporation), DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: Anden Company Limited (DENSO Corporation), DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Sugimoto, Shigekazu, Yagyu, Hiroshi, Abe, Yoshichika
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alemu, Ephrem
• Application Number:
  US09/897,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20020047531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 315/82, 315/83, 315/86, 307/10.8
• US Class Current: 315/82
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/382 Electronic temporisation with semiconductor amplification

Abstract

Left and right turn lamps are used as lamps in a daytime travel of a vehicle. When a first daytime turn-on requirement is satisfied, i.e., when an ignition switch is ON, a left-hand contact of a turn switch is OFF, a right-hand contact thereof is off, and the like, a left front turn lamp and a right front turn lamp are turned on as the lamps in the daytime travel, based on signals outputted from first and second AND logic circuits. When the left-hand contact of the turn switch is turned on in this state, the left front turn lamp flashes, based on a signal outputted from a flasher circuit, whereas the right front turn lamp keeps a turn-on state. On the other hand, when the right-hand contact of the turn switch is turned on, the right front-turn lamp flashes, based on a signal outputted from the flasher circuit, whereas the left front turn lamp keeps a turn-on state.

Claims

1. A direction-indication-lamp control apparatus for a vehicle for turning on a left-hand front turn lamp of said vehicle or a right-hand front turn lamp thereof as a lamp in a daytime travel, comprising:

a first determining means outputting a left-hand turn lamp turn-on signal, when said first determining means determines that a requirement of a daytime travel is satisfied and a requirement of flashing left-hand turn lamps is not satisfied, whereas said first determining means stops outputting said left-hand turn lamp turn-on signal, when said first determining means determines that said requirement of said daytime travel is not satisfied or said requirement of flashing said left-hand turn lamps is satisfied, based on a signal indicating said requirement of said daytime travel and a signal indicating said requirement, of flashing said left-hand turn lamps, including ON of a turn switch turned to the left;

a second determining means outputting a right-hand turn lamp turn-on signal, when said second determining means determines that said requirement of said daytime travel is satisfied and said requirement of flashing right-hand turn lamps is not satisfied, whereas said second determining means stops outputting said right-hand turn lamp turn-on signal, when said second determining means determines that said requirement of said daytime travel is not satisfied or said requirement of flashing said right-hand turn lamps is satisfied, based on a signal indicating said requirement of said daytime travel and a signal indicating said requirement, of flashing said right-hand turn lamps, including ON of said turn switch turned to the right;

a first driving means for turning on said left front turn lamp, based on said left-hand turn. lamp turn-on signal; and

a second driving means for turning on said right front turn lamp, based on said right-hand turn lamp turn-on signal.

2. A direction-indication-lamp control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said signal indicating said requirement of said daytime travel includes a signal outputted from an ignition switch and a signal outputted from a head lamp switch;

said signal indicating said requirement of flashing said left-hand turn lamps includes a signal outputted from said turn switch turned to the left and a signal outputted from a hazard switch; and

said signal indicating said requirement of flashing said right-hand turn lamps includes a signal outputted from said turn switch turned to the right and a signal outputted from said hazard switch.

3. A direction-indication-lamp control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first determining means comprises a first AND logic circuit taking an AND logic of said signal outputted from said ignition switch, said signal outputted from said head lamp switch, said signal outputted from said turn switch turned to the left, and said signal outputted from said hazard switch;

and said second determining means comprises a second AND logic circuit taking an AND logic of said signal outputted from said ignition switch, said signal outputted from said head lamp switch, said signal outputted from said turn switch turned to the right, and said signal outputted from said hazard switch.

4. A direction-indication-lamp control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a flash control means for outputting a left-hand turn lamp flashing signal and/or a right-hand turn lamp flashing signal, based on said signal outputted from said turn switch turned to the left, said signal outputted from said turn switch turned to the right, and said signal outputted from said hazard switch;

a third driving means for flashing a left rear turn lamp of said vehicle, based on said left-hand turn lamp flashing signal; and

a fourth driving means for flashing a right rear turn lamp of said vehicle, based on said right-hand turn lamp flashing signal,

wherein said first driving means is configured to flash said left front turn lamp by said third driving means, when said first determining means stops outputting said left-hand turn lamp turn-on signal and when said flash control means outputs said left-hand turn lamp flashing signal, and

said second driving means is configured to flash said right front turn lamp by said fourth driving means, when said second determining means stops outputting said right-hand turn lamp turn-on signal and when said flash control means outputs said right-hand turn lamp flashing signal.

5. A direction-indication-lamp control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of aid third and fourth driving means comprises a relay.

6. A direction-indication-lamp control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first driving means comprises a first relay having a common terminal connected to said left front turn lamp, a break terminal connected to said third driving means, and a make terminal connected to a power supply line extending from a battery mounted on said vehicle;

and

said second driving means comprises a second relay having a common terminal connected to said right front turn lamp, a break terminal connected to said fourth driving means, and a make terminal connected to a power supply line extending from said battery mounted on said vehicle.

7. A direction-indication-lamp control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first driving means includes:

a first OR logic circuit taking an OR logic of a signal outputted from said first determining means and a signal outputted from said flash control means; and

a first relay for turning on or flashing said left front turn lamp, based on a signal outputted from said first OR logic circuit;

said second driving means includes;

a second OR logic circuit taking an OR logic of a signal outputted from said second determining means and said signal outputted from said flash control means; and

a second relay for turning on or flashing said right front turn lamp, based on a signal outputted from said second OR logic circuit.

8. A direction-indication-lamp control apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a flash control means for outputting a left-hand turn lamp flashing signal and/or a right-hand turn lamp flashing signal, based on a signal outputted from a turn switch turned to the left, a signal outputted from a turn switch turned to the right, and a signal outputted from a hazard switch;

a first AND logic means outputting a left-hand turn lamp turn-on signal, when a first daytime turn-on requirement is satisfied, i.e., when it is determined that an ignition switch is ON, a head lamp switch is OFF, a turn switch turned to the left is OFF, and a hazard switch is OFF and stopping outputting said left-hand turn lamp turn-on signal, when said first daytime turn-on requirement is not satisfied, by taking an AND logic of a signal outputted from said ignition switch, a signal outputted from said head lamp switch, a signal outputted from said turn switch turned to the left, and a signal outputted from said hazard switch;

a second AND logic means outputting a right-hand turn lamp turn-on signal, when a second daytime turn-on requirement is satisfied, i.e., when it is determined that said ignition switch is ON,.said head lamp switch is OFF, said turn switch turned to the right is OFF, and said hazard switch is OFF and stopping outputting said right-hand turn lamp turn-on signal, when said second daytime turn-on requirement is not satisfied, by taking an AND logic of said signal outputted from said ignition switch, said signal outputted from said head lamp switch, a signal outputted from said turn switch turned to the right, and said signal outputted from said hazard switch;

a first relay means for flashing a left front turn lamp of said vehicle and a left rear turn lamp thereof, based on said left-hand turn lamp flashing signal;

a second relay means for flashing a right front turn lamp of said vehicle and a right rear turn lamp thereof, based on said right-hand turn lamp flashing signal;

a third relay means having a common terminal connected to said left front turn lamp, a break terminal connected to said first relay means, and a make terminal connected to a power supply line extending from a battery mounted on said vehicle and connecting said common terminal to said make terminal to turn on said left front turn lamp, based on said left-hand turn lamp turn-on signal; and

a fourth relay means having a common terminal connected to said right front turn lamp, a break terminal connected to said second relay means, and a make terminal connected to said power supply line and connecting said common terminal to said make terminal to turn on said right front turn lamp, based on said right-hand turn lamp turn-on signal.

9. A direction-indication-lamp control apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a flash control means for outputting a left-hand turn lamp flashing signal and/or a right-hand turn lamp flashing signal, based on a signal outputted from a turn switch turned to the left, a signal outputted from a turn switch turned to the right, and a signal outputted from a hazard switch;

a first AND logic means outputting a left-hand turn lamp turn-on signal, when a first daytime turn-on requirement is satisfied, i.e., when it is determined that an ignition switch is ON, a head lamp switch is OFF, a turn switch turned to the left is OFF, and a hazard switch is OFF and stopping outputting said left-hand turn lamp turn-on signal, when said first daytime turn-on requirement is not satisfied, by taking an AND logic of a signal outputted from said ignition switch, a signal outputted from said head lamp switch, a signal outputted from said turn switch turned to the left, and a signal outputted from said hazard switch;

a second AND logic means outputting a right-hand turn lamp turn-on signal, when a second daytime turn-on requirement is satisfied, i.e., when it is determined that said ignition switch is ON, said head lamp switch is OFF, said turn switch turned to the right is OFF, and said hazard switch is OFF and stopping outputting said right-hand turn lamp turn-on signal, when said second daytime turn-on requirement is not satisfied, by taking an AND logic of said signal outputted from said ignition switch, said signal outputted from said head lamp switch, a signal outputted from said turn switch turned to the right, and said signal outputted from said hazard switch;

a first OR logic means of taking an OR logic of said left-hand turn lamp turn-on signal and said left-hand turn lamp flashing signal;

a second logic means of taking an OR logic of said right-hand turn lamp turn-on signal and said right-hand turn lamp flashing signal;

a first relay means for flashing a left rear turn lamp of said vehicle, based on said left-hand turn lamp flashing signal;

a second relay means for flashing a right rear turn lamp of said vehicle, based on said right-hand turn lamp flashing signal;

a third relay means for turning on or flashing said left front turn lamp, based on said left-hand turn lamp turn-on signal or said left-hand turn lamp flashing signal outputted from said first OR logic means; and

a fourth relay means for turning on or flashing said a right front turn lamp, based on said right-hand turn lamp turn-on signal or said right-hand turn lamp flashing signal outputted from said second OR logic means.