Vehicle headlight

• US 9,574,733 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2015
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• 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): Santiago, Mariceli
• Application Number:
  US14/589,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20150124466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 362/466, 362/510, 362/511, 362/516
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 phosphor panel having an incident surface and an output surface facing the incident surface;

a casing having a first end, a second end and a space located between the first end and the second end, and the space of the casing including a first inner surface and a second inner surface facing the first inner surface;

a first light source located in the space toward the first end of the casing so that light emitted from the first light source is directed toward the first inner surface of the casing; and

a first mirror located adjacent the first inner surface of the casing, the light emitted from the first light source being reflected toward the incident surface of 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 incident surface, wherein the vehicle headlight provides at least two light distribution patterns or more by using the first light source and the first mirror, and wherein the phosphor panel includes a frame either having at least one hole, which includes a wavelength converting material in the at least one hole, or having at least one cavity, which includes the wavelength converting material in the at least one cavity located toward the incident surface of the phosphor panel.

2. The vehicle headlight according to claim 1, wherein the phosphor panel include at least one of a glass and a silicone.

3. 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 common light distribution unit, the first light source and the first mirror in accordance with the data related to the optimum light distribution pattern.

4. The headlight system according to claim 3, further comprising:

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

5. The vehicle headlight according to claim 1, wherein the phosphor panel includes the frame having either a plurality of the holes or a plurality of the cavities, and further includes a projector lens toward the output surface of the phosphor panel, which is integrated into the frame.

6. A headlight system including the vehicle headlight according to claim 5, 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.

7. The headlight system according to claim 6, further comprising:

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

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

a common light distribution unit located adjacent the casing.

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 1, further comprising:

a collimator lens located between the first light source and the first mirror, 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.

11. 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, the first mirror, the second light source and the second mirror in accordance with the data related to the optimum light distribution pattern.

12. The headlight system according to claim 11, further comprising:

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

13. A vehicle headlight comprising:

a phosphor panel having an incident surface and an output surface facing the incident surface;

a casing having a first end, a second end and a space located between the first end and the second end, and the space of the casing including a first inner surface and a second inner surface facing the first inner surface;

a first light source located in the space toward the first end of the casing so that light emitted from the first light source is directed toward the first inner surface of the casing; and

a first mirror located adjacent the first inner surface of the casing, the light emitted from the first light source being reflected toward the incident surface of 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 incident surface,

wherein the vehicle headlight provides at least two light distribution patterns or more by using the first light source and the first mirror, and

wherein the phosphor panel is located adjacent the second end of the casing.

14. A vehicle headlight comprising:

a phosphor panel having an incident surface and an output surface facing the incident surface;

a casing having a first end, a second end and a space located between the first end and the second end, and the space of the casing including a first inner surface and a second inner surface facing the first inner surface;

a first light source located in the space toward the first end of the casing so that light emitted from the first light source is directed toward the first inner surface of the casing; and

a first mirror located adjacent the first inner surface of the casing, the light emitted from the first light source being reflected toward the incident surface of 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 incident surface, wherein the vehicle headlight provides at least two light distribution patterns or more by using the first light source and the first mirror; and

a collimator lens located between the first light source and the first mirror, 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.