Automotive vehicle switching electric circuit

• US 4,339,667 A
• Filed: 04/13/1981
• Issued: 07/13/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1979
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Firma Leopold Kostal
• Original Assignee: Firma Leopold Kostal
• Inventors: Bergmann, Eduard, Speidel, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Michael L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Application Number:
  US06/253,718
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10 LS, 307/10 R, 361/196, 315/82, 315/83, 200/61.54
• US Class Current: 315/83
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1415 Dimming circuits

Abstract

An electrical circuit providing a light passing signal function obtained by means of a single push switch independently of whether the low beam switch is open or closed. An electronic system controlled by the push switch and the low beam switch is provided for controlling the high beam contact of the relay and when the low beam is disconnected the electronic system closes the relay contact as a function of the length of time of the closure of the push switch and when the low beam is connected the relay contact is also closed as a function of the length of time of the closure of the push switch.

Claims

1. Means for actuating and controlling a light-passing signal of an automotive vehicle and for interrelated and timed switching between high-beam and low-beam lights of the automotive vehicle road-lighting system, the said means comprising a DC-voltage-fed electric circuit interconnecting in interruptible manner the said light-passing signal and the vehicle road-lighting system, said electric circuit including a manual switch, a time responsive circuit and a closable relay contact for a. actuating the light passing signal and for b. changing the road-lighting system from high-beam to low-beam, wherein the choice of a. or b. is determined by the time responsive circuit and the length of time the manual switch is held closed.

2. Means according to claim 1, wherein the manual switch is mounted on the steering column of the vehicle or on another vehicle part accessible to the driver of the vehicle.

3. Means according to claim 1, wherein the relay contact is closed during long disconnection of the low-beam for the length of time of closure of the manual switch.

4. Means according to claim 2, wherein the relay contact is closed during short connection of the low-beam for the length of time of closure of the manual switch.

5. Means according to claim 1, wherein the relay contact is closed during long disconnection of the low-beam for the length of time of closure of the manual switch, the long disconnection resulting from an equally long switch closure and the relay contact opening again, only by a further manual switch closure.

6. Means according to claim 1, wherein the manual switch is mounted on the steering column of the vehicle or on another vehicle part accessible to the driver of the vehicle, the manual switch controlling a transistor with inductive load said inductive load being the coil of said relay and the manual switch being provided with a capacitor and resistor forming chatter suppression means therefor when the manual switch is subject to chatter.

7. Means according to claim 1, wherein the manual switch is mounted on the steering column of the vehicle or on another vehicle part accessible to the driver of the vehicle, and further comprising a separate low-beam closable switch relay contact which, when closed, acts to transmit vehicle battery voltage to lighting-system bulbs of the vehicle-lighting system.

8. A headlight high-beam/low-beam system for an automotive vehicle comprising a DC-voltage-fed electric circuit, a relay controlling both the low-beam/high-beam change and the passing signal momentary change of the head-light system, switch contact means for energizing and de-energizing the low-beam and for energizing and de-energizing the high-beam, a single touch-contact for changing low-beam to high-beam and high-beam to low-beam and for actuating the passing signal independently of the low-beam being energized or de-energized.

9. A headlight system for an automotive vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the DC-voltage-fed electric circuit with its relay controlling the low-beam, the high-beam and the passing signal of the vehicle headlights comprising switch contact means for actuating the low-beam, touch-contact means for actuating the high-beam momentarily as a passing signal and for changing the low-beam to high-beam and the high-beam to low-beam, and electronic means controlled by said switch contact means and said touch-contact means for controlling the high-beam, the low-beam and the passing signal, whereby:

(a) closing of the touchcontact means energized the high-beam passing signal during a time predetermined by the closed time of the touchcontact when the switch-contact means is opened; and

whereby;

(b) the closing of the touch-contact means causes a change of the energizing of the low-beam to the energizing of the high-beam for a time determined by the closed time of the touch-contact when this time is shorter than a predetermined time controlled by said electronic means, and causes a change back from the energizing of the high-beam to the energizing of the low-beam upon opening or releasing the touch-contact thus further energizing the high-beam when said closed time of the touchcontact if longer than the said predetermined time controlled by the electronic means, a further closing of the touch-contact causing the de-energizing of the high-beam and the energizing of the low-beam, all said energizing and de-energizing in (b) being only possible when the switch-contact means is closed.

10. Road-lighting system according to claim 9, wherein the said touch-contact is mounted on the steering column of the vehicle or on another part of the vehicle accessible to the driver of the vehicle.

11. Road-lighting system according to claim 9, wherein the said electronic means essentially comprises a first NOR-member, a flip-flop stage, a time-member and a transistor, one of the respective inputs of the first NOR-member and the flip-flop stage being connected to the said touch-contact in such manner that the NOR-member receives an inverted signal and that the flip-flop stage receives a non-inverted signal, the other of the respective, first NOR-member inputs is connected to the said switch-contact, the output of the NOR-member and one of the outputs of the flip-flop stage controlling the base of the transistor, which serves as a switch for the said relay, and wherein the time-member, when the said switch-contact is switched on, controls the closure of the said touch-contact and feeds a corresponding signal to a re-set input of the flip-flop stage.

12. Road-lighting system according to claim 11, wherein the time-member consists of an integrating-member and a second NOR-member controlled by the said touch-contact.

13. Road-lighting system according to claim 11, wherein the flip-flop stage has a J-input connected to the said switch-contact, a C-input connected to the said touch-contact, a R-input connected to the said time-member, a Q-output which controls the base of the said transistor and a Q-output which controls a capacitor of the said time-member.

14. Road-lighting system according to claim 9, wherein the said touch-contact is connected to means for suppressing chatter which means comprises a capacitor and a resistor.

15. Road-lighting system according to claim 14, wherein a Schmitt-trigger with two inverters and two resistors is connected between the said touch-contact or the said means of chatter suppression and the said flip-flop stage.

16. Road-lighting system according to claim 11, wherein in the connection of the said switch-contact and the said first NOR-member there is provided a voltage divider and a filter capacitor.