Vehicle headlamp

• US 6,550,944 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2001
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Kusagaya, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choi, Jacob Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/855,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20010043474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 362/465, 362/466, 362/467, 362/468, 362/525, 362/526, 362/512, 362/513, 362/464, 362/427, 362/287
• US Class Current: 362/466
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/12 due to steering position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/689 Flaps, i.e. screens pivoting around one of their edges

Abstract

A vehicle headlamp has a unit pivot control mechanism for laterally moving the luminous intensity distribution of a lamp unit by laterally pivoting the lamp unit according to the travel conditions of the vehicle, and a luminous intensity variable control mechanism for varying the luminous intensity distribution by moving a shade of the lamp unit according to the travel conditions of the vehicle. Beam emission can be carried out at emission angles with the luminous intensity distribution conforming to the travel conditions of the vehicle by properly combining beam emission control performed by the unit pivot control mechanism and the luminous intensity variable control mechanism. The result is improved visibility of a road surface ahead of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle headlamp having a lamp body for emitting beams forward with a predetermined luminous intensity distribution, comprising:

a lamp unit housed in the lamp body and including a light source disposed in a manner substantially coaxial with an optical axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a reflector for reflecting light from said light source forward closer to said optical axis, a condenser lens provided in front of said reflector, and a provided between said condenser lens and said reflector;

a luminous intensity variable control mechanism for varying said luminous intensity distribution by moving the component element of said lamp unit according to the travel conditions of a vehicle; and

a pivot control mechanism including a motor connected to a support frame within the headlamp body, a single link mechanism coupling the motor to the lamp unit, a driving circuit connected to the motor, and a control unit connected to the driving circuit, the pivot control mechanism for laterally pivoting said lamp unit according to the travel conditions of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle headlamp according claim 1, wherein the component is a shade, and said luminous intensity variable control mechanism is so arranged as to vary said luminous intensity distribution by moving said shade.

3. A vehicle headlamp comprising:

a head lamp body including a lamp unit with a light source disposed in a manner substantially coaxial with an optical axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a reflector for reflecting light from said light source forward closer to said optical axis, a condenser lens provided in front of said reflector, and a component which is provided between said condenser lens and said reflector;

a luminous intensity variable control mechanism for varying a luminous intensity distribution according to travel conditions; and

a pivot control mechanism including a motor connected to a support frame within the headlamp body, a single link mechanism coupling the motor to the lamp unit, a driving circuit connected to the motor, and a control unit connected to the driving circuit, the pivot control mechanism for laterally pivoting the lamp unit according to travel conditions.

4. The vehicle headlamp of claim 3, wherein the lamp unit includes a light source disposed substantially coaxial with an optical axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle headlamp of claim 3, wherein the component is a shade.

6. The vehicle headlamp of claim 5 wherein the luminous intensity variable control mechanism is configured to move the shade.

7. The vehicle headlamp of claim 3 wherein the lamp unit is supported by a frame such that the lamp unit can laterally pivot about an axis substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the lamp unit.

8. A method for controlling the beam emitted from a vehicle headlamp comprising:

moving a component of a lamp unit according to vehicle travel conditions to vary a luminous distribution of the beam; and

pivoting the lamp unit laterally according to vehicle traveling conditions, wherein a shade is moved to an intermediate position if a low-beam is being emitted and if a vehicle-to-vehicle distance is at least a predetermined value.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein if a left turn steering operation is performed, a rudder angle sensor generates a signal and the lamp unit is pivoted to the left.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein as the rudder angle signal increases, a left pivot angle of the lamp unit also increases.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein if a right turn steering operation is performed, a rudder angle sensor generates a signal and the lamp unit is pivoted to the right.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein as the rudder angle signal increases, a right pivot angle of the lamp unit also increases.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein if the emitted beam is a low-beam emission, then a shade is moved to an intermediate position to displace a cut-off line of a low beam luminous intensity distribution.