Vehicle headlight

• US 8,956,025 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Kushimoto, Takuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Hanley, Britt D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Brenitra M
• Application Number:
  US13/083,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20110249460A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 362/510, 362/512
• US Class Current: 362/510
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/125 Coloured light
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/13 Ultraviolet light; Infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/141 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/16 Laser light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/176 Light sources where the light is generated by photoluminescent material spaced from a primary light generating element
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/25 Projection lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/675 by moving reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/30 Elements containing photoluminescent material distinct from or spaced from the light source shades F21V1/17; globes, bowls or cover glasses F21V3/08, F21V3/12; refractors F21V5/10; reflectors F21V7/26, F21V7/30; elements with provision for controlling the spectral properties or intensity F21V9/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/30 Semiconductor lasers

Abstract

A vehicle headlight including a common light distribution unit and a variable light distribution unit and a headlight system including the headlight can form a common light distribution pattern and a variable light distribution pattern using the common and the variable light distribution units. The variable distribution unit can include a light source, a phosphor panel, a mirror reflecting/scanning light emitted from the light source onto the phosphor panel and a projector lens projecting the scanning light adjacent the common light distribution pattern. The headlight system can include a front sensor detecting a surrounding condition, and can control the common and the variable light distribution units to form an optimum light distribution pattern in accordance with surrounding conditions. Thus, the disclosed subject matter can provide a headlight system including a headlight that can form an optimum light distribution pattern in accordance with surrounding conditions and can have a simple structure.

Claims

1. A vehicle headlight comprising:

a casing having a first end and a second end facing the first end, and the casing including a first inner surface and a second inner surface facing the first inner surface;

a radiator attached to the first end of the casing;

a first light source located adjacent the radiator so that light emitted from the first light source is directed toward the first inner surface of the casing;

a phosphor panel attached to the second end of the casing;

a first mirror located adjacent the first inner surface of the casing so that when light is emitted from the first light source the light is reflected toward the phosphor panel, and the first mirror being configured to be movable in two directions so as to freely vary a reflecting direction of the light and configured to scan the light emitted from the first light source on the phosphor panel; and

a projector lens located adjacent the phosphor panel.

2. The vehicle headlight according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second light source located adjacent the radiator so that light emitted from the second light source is directed toward the second inner surface of the casing; and

a second mirror located adjacent the second inner surface of the casing so that when light is emitted from the second light source the light from the second light source is reflected toward the phosphor panel, and the second mirror being configured to be movable in two directions so as to freely vary a reflecting direction of the light and configured to scan the light emitted from the second light source on the phosphor panel.

3. The vehicle headlight according to claim 1, further comprising:

a common light distribution unit located adjacent the second inner surface of the casing.

4. The vehicle headlight according to claim 2, further comprising:

a common light distribution unit located adjacent the casing.

5. The vehicle headlight according to claim 1, wherein the first mirror is a micro electro mechanical systems mirror.

6. The vehicle headlight according to claim 2, wherein each of the first mirror and the second mirror is a micro electro mechanical systems mirror.

7. The vehicle headlight according to claim 1, further comprising:

a collimator lens located between the first light source and the first mirror, and wherein the first light source is a blue LED device and the phosphor panel includes a wavelength converting material that is selected from the group consisting of a yellow phosphor, and two phosphors including a red phosphor and a green phosphor.

8. The vehicle headlight according to claim 2, further comprising:

a collimator lens located between the first light source and the first mirror; and

a second collimator lens located between the second light source and the second mirror, wherein each of the first light source and the second light source is a blue LED device and the phosphor panel includes a wavelength converting material that is selected from the group consisting of a yellow phosphor, and two phosphors including a red phosphor and a green phosphor.

9. The vehicle headlight according to claim 1, further comprising:

a collimator lens located between the first light source and the first mirror, wherein the first light source is an ultraviolet LED device and the phosphor panel includes a wavelength converting material including at least one of a red phosphor, a green phosphor and a blue phosphor.

10. The vehicle headlight according to claim 2, further comprising:

a collimator lens located between the first light source and the first mirror; and

a second collimator lens located between the second light source and the second mirror, wherein each of the first light source and the second light source is an ultraviolet LED device and the phosphor panel includes a wavelength converting material including at least one of a red phosphor, a green phosphor and a blue phosphor.

11. The vehicle headlight according to claim 1, wherein the first light source is a laser device configured to emit blue light and the phosphor panel includes a wavelength converting material that is selected from the group consisting of a yellow phosphor, and two phosphors including a red phosphor and a green phosphor.

12. The vehicle headlight according to claim 2, wherein each of the first light source and the second light source is a laser device configured to emit blue light and the phosphor panel includes a wavelength converting material that is selected from the group consisting of a yellow phosphor, and two phosphors including a red phosphor and a green phosphor.

13. The vehicle headlight according to claim 1, wherein the first light source is a laser device configured to emit ultraviolet light and the phosphor panel includes a wavelength converting material including at least one of a red phosphor, a green phosphor and a blue phosphor.

14. The vehicle headlight according to claim 2, wherein each of the first light source and the second light source is a laser device configured to emit ultraviolet light and the phosphor panel includes a wavelength converting material including at least one of a red phosphor, a green phosphor and a blue phosphor.

15. A headlight system including the vehicle headlight according to claim 1, comprising:

a front sensor configured to detect surrounding information;

an operation unit configured to receive data related to the surrounding information from the front sensor and configured to determine an optimum light distribution pattern; and

a drive unit configured to receive data related to the optimum light distribution pattern from the operation unit and configured to control the first light source and the first mirror in accordance with the data related to the optimum light distribution pattern.

16. A headlight system including the vehicle headlight according to claim 2, comprising:

a front sensor configured to detect surrounding information;

an operation unit configured to receive data related to the surrounding information from the front sensor and configured to determine an optimum light distribution pattern; and

a drive unit configured to receive data related to the optimum light distribution pattern from the operation unit and configured to control the first light source, the first mirror, the second light source and the second mirror in accordance with the data related to the optimum light distribution pattern.

17. A headlight system including the vehicle headlight according to claim 3, comprising:

a front sensor configured to detect surrounding information;

an operation unit configured to receive data related to the surrounding information from the front sensor and configured to determine an optimum light distribution pattern; and

a drive unit configured to receive data related to the optimum light distribution pattern from the operation unit and configured to control the common light distribution unit, the first light source and the first mirror in accordance with the data related to the optimum light distribution pattern.

18. A headlight system including the vehicle headlight according to claim 4, comprising:

a front sensor configured to detect surrounding information;

an operation unit configured to receive data related to the surrounding information from the front sensor and configured to determine an optimum light distribution pattern; and

a drive unit configured to receive data related to the optimum light distribution pattern from the operation unit and configured to control the common light distribution unit, the first light source, the first mirror, the second light source and the second mirror in accordance with the data related to the optimum light distribution pattern.

19. The headlight system according to claim 15, further comprising:

at least one of a memory and a communication unit configured to receive map information.

20. The headlight system according to claim 16, further comprising:

at least one of a memory and a communication unit configured to receive map information.