Vehicle light apparatus

• US 7,036,963 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2002
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Fukawa, Kiyotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ton, Anabel
• Application Number:
  US10/262,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20030067762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 362/464, 362/465, 362/466, 362/468, 362/469, 362/37, 362/40, 362/53, 362/54
• US Class Current: 362/465
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/12 due to steering position
• 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 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/054 Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/124 Steering speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/126 Hysteresis behavior based on steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/128 Steering dead zone
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/142 Turn signal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/17 Discharge light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/255 Lenses with a front view of circular or truncated circular outline
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/321 the reflector being a surface of revolution or a planar surface, e.g. truncated
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/36 Combinations of two or more separate reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/43 characterised by the shape thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/657 by moving light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/675 by moving reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2102/19 for curves

Abstract

A vehicle light apparatus comprises a controller 10 for changing a lighting range of a lamp L for illuminating a forward part of a vehicle corresponding to a steering angle of the vehicle and for controlling the lighting range of lighting means corresponding to a steering angular velocity of the vehicle. Alternatively, there is provided lighting range control means for changing a lighting range of lighting means for illuminating a forward part of the vehicle corresponding to a steering angle of the vehicle and for controlling the lighting range of the lighting means based on an operation of a turn signal lamp of the vehicle. It is possible to decide a running condition of the vehicle from the steering angular velocity or the operation state of the turning signal lamp and a vehicle speed, thereby rapidly controlling a change in the lighting direction or the lighting area of the lamp L in a running direction. Consequently, it is possible to carry out an illumination in the running direction prior to a steering operation. Thus, it is effective for maintaining the safe running of the vehicle on a curved road and an intersection road.

Claims

1. A vehicle light apparatus comprising:

lighting means which illuminates forward of the vehicle; and

lighting range control means which changes a lighting range of said lighting means in response to a steering angle of the vehicle, and controls the lighting range of said lighting means in response to a steering angular velocity of the vehicle, wherein;

when the steering angular velocity is less than a predetermined value, the lighting range control means is set to change the lighting range of the lighting means between a first value and a second value at a first speed; and

when the steering angular velocity is greater than a predetermined value, the lighting range control means is set to change the lighting range of the lighting means between the first value and the second value at a second speed greater than the first speed.

2. A vehicle light apparatus comprising:

lighting means which illuminates forward of the vehicle; and

lighting range control means which changes a lighting range of said lighting means in response to a steering angle of the vehicle, and controls the lighting range of said lighting means in response to a steering angular velocity of the vehicle, wherein;

when the steering angular velocity is less than a predetermined value, the lighting range control means is set to change an angle of the lighting direction of the lighting means between a first value and a second value at a first speed; and

when the steering angular velocity is greater than a predetermined value, the lighting range control means is set to change the angle of the lighting direction of the lighting means between the first value and the second value at a second speed greater than the first speed.

17. The vehicle light apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the angle of the lighting direction of the lighting means is changed between the first value and the second value in a linear manner when the steering angular velocity is less than the predetermined value and when the steering angular velocity is greater than the predetermined value.

3. A vehicle light apparatus comprising:

lighting means which illuminates forward of the vehicle; and

lighting range control means which changes a lighting range of said lighting means in response to a steering angle of the vehicle, and controls the lighting range of said lighting means in response to a steering angular velocity of the vehicle, wherein;

the lighting range control means serves to control at least one of a lighting direction and a lighting area of the lighting means, thereby controlling the lighting range;

when the steering angular velocity is less than a predetermined value, the lighting range control means is set to change the lighting range of the lighting means between a first value and a second value at a first speed; and

when the steering angular velocity is greater than a predetermined value, the lighting range control means is set to change the lighting range of the lighting means between the first value and the second value at a second speed greater than the first speed.

4. A vehicle light apparatus comprising:

lighting means which illuminates forward of the vehicle; and

lighting range control means which changes a lighting range of said lighting means in response to a steering angle of the vehicle, and controls the lighting range of said lighting means in response to a steering angular velocity of the vehicle, wherein;

the lighting range control means serves to control at least one of a lighting direction and a lighting area of the lighting means, thereby controlling the lighting range;

when the steering angular velocity is less than a predetermined value, the lighting range control means is set to change an angle of the lighting direction of the lighting means between a first value and a second value at a first speed; and

when the steering angular velocity is greater than a predetermined value, the lighting range control means is set to change the angle of the lighting direction of the lighting means between the first value and the second value at a second speed greater than the first speed.

18. The vehicle light apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the angle of the lighting direction of the lighting means is changed between the first value and the second value in a linear manner when the steering angular velocity is less than the predetermined value and when the steering angular velocity is greater than the predetermined value.

5. A vehicle light apparatus comprising:

lighting means which illuminates forward of the vehicle;

turn signal lamp operation detecting means for detecting whether or not the turn signal lamp is in operation; and

lighting range control means which changes a lighting range of said lighting means, wherein;

when the turn signal lamp is in operation, the lighting range control means changes the lighting range of said lighting means in response to a steering angle of the vehicle and a vehicle speed; and

when the turn signal lamp is not in operation, the lighting range control means changes the lighting range of said lighting means in response to the steering angle, but not the vehicle speed.

6. The vehicle light apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the lighting range control means serves to control at least one of a lighting direction and a lighting area of the lighting means, thereby controlling the lighting range.

7. The vehicle light apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the lighting range control means is set to increase a change angle of the lighting range of the lighting means for a change in the steering angle when the turn signal lamp is in operation as compared with the case in which it is not in operation.

8. The vehicle light apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the lighting range control means stops an operation for increasing a change angle of the lighting range when a speed of the vehicle is equal to or higher than a predetermined speed.

9. The vehicle light apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the lighting range control means is set to increase a change angle of the lighting direction of the lighting means for a change in the steering angle when the turn signal lamp in operation as compared with the case in which it is not in operation.

10. The vehicle light apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the lighting range control means stops an operation for increasing a change angle of the lighting direction when a speed of the vehicle is equal to or higher than a predetermined speed.

11. The vehicle light apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the lighting range control means is set to increase a change speed of the lighting range of the lighting means for a change in the steering angle when the turn signal lamp is in operation as compared with the case in which it is not in operation.

12. The vehicle light apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the lighting range control means stops an operation for increasing a change speed of the lighting range when a speed of the vehicle is equal to or higher than a predetermined speed.

13. The vehicle light apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the lighting range control means is set to increase a change speed of the lighting area of the lighting means for a change in the steering angle when the turn signal lamp is in operation as compared with the case in which it is not in operation.

14. The vehicle light apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the lighting range control means stops an operation for increasing a change speed of the lighting area when a speed of the vehicle is equal to or higher than a predetermined speed.

15. The vehicle light apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the lighting range control means is set to increase a change angle of the lighting range of the lighting means for a change in the steering angle when the speed of the vehicle is less than a predetermined speed, as compared with the case in which the speed of the vehicle is greater than the predetermined speed.

16. The vehicle light apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the lighting range control means is set to increase a change speed of the lighting range of the lighting means for a change in the steering angle when the speed of the vehicle is less than a predetermined speed, as compared with the case in which the speed of the vehicle is greater than the predetermined speed.

19. The vehicle light apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

when the turn signal lamp carries out a direction indicating operation, the lighting range control means is set to change an angle of the lighting range of the lighting means between a first value and a second value at a first speed; and

when the turn signal lamp does not carry out a direction indicating operation, the lighting range control means is set to change the angle of the lighting range of the lighting means between the first value and the second value at a second speed greater than the first speed.