Automotive vehicle daytime running light circuit
First Claim
1. In combination with an automotive vehicle headlight circuit which is powered from a source of electrical potential and comprises high and low beam headlights on both right and left sides of the vehicle, a headlight switch for turning the headlights on and off, and a dimmer switch that selects between the high and low beams of the headlights, and in which the low beams of the headlights are connected in separate branch circuits from the headlight switch, one of said branch circuits contains said dimmer switch, and the other of said branch circuits contains a switching means that is slaved to the dimmer switch, said dimmer switch and said switching means comprise respective switching devices each of which is operable to connect the low beam of the corresponding one of the right and left headlights across the source of electrical potential when the headlight switch is turned on and the dimmer switch is selecting the low beams, and to disconnect the low beam of the corresponding one of the right and left headlights from the source of electrical potential when either the headlight switch is turned off or the dimmer switch is selecting the high beams, said dimmer switch and said switching means further comprising means to connect the high beams of both the right and left headlights as a parallel load across the source of electrical potential when the headlight switch is turned on and the dimmer switch is selecting the high beams, and to disconnect the high beams of both headlights from the source of electrical potential when either the headlight switch is turned off or the dimmer switch is selecting the low beams, a daytime running light circuit comprising means providing a signal indicative of vehicle running, and means responsive to said signal and to said headlight switch being off for causing the high beams of both the right and left headlights to be connected in series with each other and across the source of electrical potential whereby each headlight will illuminate at appreciably less than its rated intensity when the vehicle is running and the headlight switch is off, to thereby provide daytime running light illumination while full intensity illumination by the high beams can be obtained at anytime by turning the headlight switch on and operating the dimmer switch to select the high beams.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A daytime running light circuit is integrated with the existing headlight circuit of an automotive vehicle. The daytime running light circuit functions to automatically illuminate the headlights at reduced intensity when the vehicle is running and the headlight switch is turned off. Any time, however, that the headlight switch is turned on, the headlights are illuminated at full intensity. The daytime running light circuit comprises a day relay and a night relay. The night relay is responsive to the headlight switch being turned on for preventing operation of the daytime relay which would otherwise illuminate the headlamps at reduced intensity if the vehicle were running and the headlight switch off. When the headlight switch is off, the night relay enables the day relay to be operated whenever the vehicle is running. Indication that the vehicle is running is obtained from the alternator "R" terminal. The alternator "R" terminal signal may be further conditioned by sensing the status of one or more devices on the vehicle, such as the parking brakes or transmission, so that the day relay is operated by the alternator "R" terminal voltage signal only if all these one or more other devices indicate that the vehicle is not incapable of motion.
20 Citations
11 Claims
- 1. In combination with an automotive vehicle headlight circuit which is powered from a source of electrical potential and comprises high and low beam headlights on both right and left sides of the vehicle, a headlight switch for turning the headlights on and off, and a dimmer switch that selects between the high and low beams of the headlights, and in which the low beams of the headlights are connected in separate branch circuits from the headlight switch, one of said branch circuits contains said dimmer switch, and the other of said branch circuits contains a switching means that is slaved to the dimmer switch, said dimmer switch and said switching means comprise respective switching devices each of which is operable to connect the low beam of the corresponding one of the right and left headlights across the source of electrical potential when the headlight switch is turned on and the dimmer switch is selecting the low beams, and to disconnect the low beam of the corresponding one of the right and left headlights from the source of electrical potential when either the headlight switch is turned off or the dimmer switch is selecting the high beams, said dimmer switch and said switching means further comprising means to connect the high beams of both the right and left headlights as a parallel load across the source of electrical potential when the headlight switch is turned on and the dimmer switch is selecting the high beams, and to disconnect the high beams of both headlights from the source of electrical potential when either the headlight switch is turned off or the dimmer switch is selecting the low beams, a daytime running light circuit comprising means providing a signal indicative of vehicle running, and means responsive to said signal and to said headlight switch being off for causing the high beams of both the right and left headlights to be connected in series with each other and across the source of electrical potential whereby each headlight will illuminate at appreciably less than its rated intensity when the vehicle is running and the headlight switch is off, to thereby provide daytime running light illumination while full intensity illumination by the high beams can be obtained at anytime by turning the headlight switch on and operating the dimmer switch to select the high beams.
- 10. In combination with an automotive vehicle headlight circuit which is powered from a source of electrical potential and which comprises dual filament high and low beam headlights on both right and left sides of the vehicle and single filament high beam headlights on both right and left sides of the vehicle, a headlight switch for turning the headlights on and off, and a dimmer switch that selects between the high and low beams of the headlights, the single filament high beam headlights are in a branch circuit from the headlight switch that is separate from the dual filament high beam headlights, a daytime running light circuit comprising means providing a signal indicative of vehicle running, and means responsive to said signal and to said headlight switch being off for operating only the single filament high beam headlights on both right and left sides of the vehicle to provide daytime running illumination.
Specification