Method and apparatus for adjusting the orientation of vehicle headlights
First Claim
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1. A process for regulating the position of a headlight with respect to a vehicle body, to compensate for changes in height and inclination of the vehicle and to maintain essentially constant the distance between the vehicle and the point of impingement of the headlight beam on the roadway comprising, the steps of, sensing a height d1 of the vehicle body relative to the roadway at a point P1 near the front of the vehicle with a first sensor C1, sensing a height d2 of the vehicle body relative to the roadway at a point P2 near the rear of the vehicle with a second sensor C2, and rotating the headlight about an axis parallel to the roadway and perpendicular to the vehicle path to adjust the headlight to an angle α
- with respect to the vehicle body which is substantially equal to an angle α
o, where
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">α
.sub.o =K.sub.1 (d.sub.2 -d.sub.1)+K.sub.2 d.sub.1 +K.sub.3,K1, K2, and K3 being constants, and K1 and K2 being related by the expression;
K1 l2 +K2 l1 ≃
1, where l1 is the distance between the rotational axis of the headlight and point P1 projected on a line P1 P2 through the points P1 and P2, and l2 is the distance between points P1 and P2.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for adjusting a vehicle headlight to maintain the point of intersection of the headlight beam with the roadway at a fixed predetermined distance, and which compensates for changes in both static and dynamic loading of the vehicle.
27 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A process for regulating the position of a headlight with respect to a vehicle body, to compensate for changes in height and inclination of the vehicle and to maintain essentially constant the distance between the vehicle and the point of impingement of the headlight beam on the roadway comprising, the steps of, sensing a height d1 of the vehicle body relative to the roadway at a point P1 near the front of the vehicle with a first sensor C1, sensing a height d2 of the vehicle body relative to the roadway at a point P2 near the rear of the vehicle with a second sensor C2, and rotating the headlight about an axis parallel to the roadway and perpendicular to the vehicle path to adjust the headlight to an angle α
- with respect to the vehicle body which is substantially equal to an angle α
o, where
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">α
.sub.o =K.sub.1 (d.sub.2 -d.sub.1)+K.sub.2 d.sub.1 +K.sub.3,K1, K2, and K3 being constants, and K1 and K2 being related by the expression;
K1 l2 +K2 l1 ≃
1, where l1 is the distance between the rotational axis of the headlight and point P1 projected on a line P1 P2 through the points P1 and P2, and l2 is the distance between points P1 and P2. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 14)
- with respect to the vehicle body which is substantially equal to an angle α
-
4. Apparatus for adjusting the position of a headlight with respect to the body of a vehicle comprising, a headlight, means mounting the headlight for adjustment about an axis parallel to the roadway and perpendicular to the vehicle path, motor means for rotating the headlight to an adjustment angle α
- with respect to the vehicle body, a first sensor C1 mounted near the front of the vehicle for sensing the height d1 of the vehicle body relative to the roadway at a point P1 of the vehicle body, a second sensor C2 mounted near the rear of the vehicle for sensing the height d2 of the vehicle body relative to the roadway at a point P2 near the rear of the vehicle body, means for deriving a voltage V1 (α
o) indicative of the desired angle α
, where
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">V.sub.1 (α
.sub.o)=K.sub.1 (d.sub.2 -d.sub.1)+K.sub.2 d.sub.1 +K.sub.3,K1, K2 and K3 being constants, and K1 and K2 being related by the expression K1 l2 +K2 l1 ≃
1, where l1 is the distance between the axis of rotation of the headlight and point P1 projected on a line P1 P2 through the points P1 and P2, and l2 is the distance between points P1 and P2, sensing means for generating a voltage V (α
) indicative of the angle α
between the headlight and the vehicle body, means for comparing V1 (α
o) with V (α
), and means responsive to a difference between V1 (α
o) and V (α
) for generating a signal to operate said motor means to adjust the headlight to cause said voltage V (α
) to substantially equal V1 (α
o). - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16)
- with respect to the vehicle body, a first sensor C1 mounted near the front of the vehicle for sensing the height d1 of the vehicle body relative to the roadway at a point P1 of the vehicle body, a second sensor C2 mounted near the rear of the vehicle for sensing the height d2 of the vehicle body relative to the roadway at a point P2 near the rear of the vehicle body, means for deriving a voltage V1 (α
Specification
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Current AssigneeSociété pour l'Equipement de Vehicules
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Original AssigneeSociété pour l'Equipement de Vehicules
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InventorsPoirier d'Ange d'Orsay, Emmanuel H.
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Primary Examiner(s)Bentley, Stephen C.
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Application NumberUS05/836,897Time in Patent Office967 DaysField of Search315/77, 315/82, 362/71, 362/61, 362/250, 364/856US Class Current362/466CPC Class CodesB60Q 1/10 due to vehicle inclination,...B60Q 2300/132 PitchG01M 11/06 Testing the alignment of ve...
