Headlight arrangement for vehicles

• US 4,768,135 A
• Filed: 11/21/1986
• Issued: 08/30/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Neumann, Rainer, Noelte, Eckhard, Kretschmer, Heinz, Loewe, Richard, Longchamp, Jean-Francois, Lietar, Christian, Lindae, Gerhard, Perthus, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Larry
• Time in patent office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 362/61, 362/66, 362/36, 362/64, 362/71, 362/210, 362/277, 362/285, 362/286, 362/319, 362/321, 350/518
• US Class Current: 362/466
• 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 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/322 Road curvature
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/635 by moving refractors, filters or transparent cover plates

Abstract

A headlight arrangement for vehicles, particularly for power vehicles, comprises a light source with a light reflector forming a light beam which illuminates a roadway with a predetermined light distribution, and at least one adjustable element for changing the light distribution.

Claims

1. A headlight arrangement for vehicles, particularly for power vehicles, comprising a light source with a light reflector forming a light beam which illuminates a roadway with a predetermined light distribution;

means for sensing a traffic situation forwardly of a vehicle and including at least one sensor with a receiving optical element;

means for comparing the sensed traffic situation with at least one predetermined parameter and thereby forming a signal; and

an element for changing the light distribution, controlled by said signal.

2. An arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for sensing and means for comparing and forming together form a device installable on a vehicle.

3. An arrangement as defined in claim 1;

and further comprising an objective including two lenses having an axis, said element for changing the light distribution being formed so as to displace at least one of said lenses in the direction of said axis.

4. An arrangement as defined in claim 1;

and further comprising a headlight having an axis;

a diaphragm which determines an optically effective edge of light-dark limit of the light beam; and

an additional diaphragm displaceable transversely to said axis by said element so as to change the light distribution.

5. An arrangement as defined in claim 4, wherein said element is formed so as to displace said additional diaphragm in dependence upon roadway direction, roadway condition, traffic density, weather.

6. A headlight arrangement for vehicles, particularly for power vehicles, comprising a light source with a light reflector forming a light beam which illuminates a roadway with a predetermined light distribution;

at least one adjustable element for changing the light distribution;

means for sensing a traffic situation forwardly of a vehicle;

means for comparing the sensed traffic situation with at least one predetermined parameter and thereby forming a signal which controls said element for changing the light distribution, said means for comparing and forming being formed as an electronic computer connected with said means for sensing and said element for changing the light distribution.

7. An arrangement as defined in claim 6, wherein said computer is formed so that it stores various traffic situations as said predetermined parameter.

8. An arrangement as defined in claim 7, wherein said computer is formed so that it stores possible speeds of the vehicle as said predetermined parameter and receives said signal as a respective speed of the vehicle.

9. An arrangement as defined in claim 7, wherein said computer is formed so that it stores as said parameter roadway direction, roadway condition, traffic density and weather.

10. A headlight arrangement for vehicles, particularly for power vehicles, comprising a light source with a light reflector forming a light beam which illuminates a roadway with a predetermined light distribution;

at least one adjustable element for changing the light distribution;

means for sensing a traffic situation forwardly of a vehicle;

means for comparing the sensed traffic situation with at least one predetermined parameter and thereby forming a signal which controls said element for changing the light distribution, said means for sensing a traffic situation including at least one sensor which includes a receiving optical element and a dioxide matrix arranged so that said receiving optical element projects the traffic situation onto said diode matrix.

11. An arrangement as defined in claim 10, wherein said diode matrix has at least 144 and at most 1296 diodes.

12. An arrangement as defined in claim 10, wherein said diode matrix has the ratio of its width to its height equal to approximately 4:

1.