Vehicle lighting apparatus

• US 6,726,349 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2002
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Uchida, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US10/138,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20020163795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 362/464, 362/465, 362/466, 362/37, 362/40, 362/43, 362/276, 315/81, 315/82
• US Class Current: 362/466
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/12 due to steering position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/00 Arrangement of monitoring devices for devices provided for in groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2200/38 Automatic calibration of motor-driven means for adjusting headlamps, i.e. when switching on the headlamps, not during mounting at factories
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/114 Vehicle acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/116 Vehicle at a stop
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle

Abstract

A vehicle lighting apparatus includes means for controlling a deflection angle of a lamp which controls the deflection angle based on an output from a steering angle sensor for detecting the steering direction. The maximum deflection angle is controlled based on a vehicle speed detected by a vehicle speed sensor. When the vehicle is almost in a state of coming to stop, the maximum deflection angle is set to 0°, and the direction of radiation of the lamp is fixed in the straight ahead direction of the vehicle. When the vehicle is in the state of cruising almost at a high speed, the maximum deflection angle is suppressed with increase in vehicle speed, and thus the deflection angle of the lamp is controlled within the angle range around the straight ahead direction, thereby preventing lateral fluctuation of the deflecting direction of the lamp.

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting apparatus comprising:

a steering angle sensor for detecting a steering direction of a vehicle;

lamp deflection angle controlling means for controlling a deflection angle of a direction of radiation of a lamp based on an output from said steering angle sensor; and

a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a traveling speed of the vehicle,

wherein said lamp deflection angle controlling means controls a maximum deflection angle of the lamp based on the traveling speed detected by said vehicle speed sensor, and wherein the maximum deflection angle decreases with increase in the traveling speed when the vehicle is in a cruising state at a prescribed speed or more.

2. The vehicle lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lamp deflection angle controlling means sets the maximum deflection angle to 0°

when the vehicle is almost in a state of coming to stop.

3. The vehicle lighting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said lamp deflection angle controlling means increases the maximum deflecting angle with increase in the traveling speed when the vehicle is in a transitional traveling state between the state of almost coming to stop and the cruising state.

4. The vehicle lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein, when the vehicle is in a cruising state of at least the prescribed speed, the maximum deflection angle decreases as the traveling speed increases through a range of continuously increasing speeds.