Device for adjusting a presettable lighting level of a headlight in motor vehicles

• US 5,785,405 A
• Filed: 07/17/1996
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: BMW AG (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG)
• Inventors: Huhn, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/682,374
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 362/61, 362/66, 362/287, 362/284, 362/285, 362/286
• US Class Current: 362/459
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/076 by electrical means including means to transmit the movements, e.g. shafts or joints

Abstract

In a device for adjusting a presettable lighting level of a headlight in motor vehicles, the headlight is provided with a control device for adjusting a tilt angle of the headlight, and a control device assigns a corresponding tilt angle to each presettable lighting level.

Claims

1. A device for setting a headlight to different presettable lighting levels in a motor vehicle, said presettable lighting levels being defined by a specified light level at a predetermined measurement point in front of the headlight in the motor vehicle, comprising:

a control device which assigns to each of said different presettable lighting levels a corresponding tilt angle of the headlight relative to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle; and

wherein said control device adjusts the tilt angle of the headlight upward or downward relative to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle in accordance with a desired one of said different presettable lighting levels.

2. Method for setting a headlight to different presettable lighting levels in a motor vehicle, said presettable lighting levels being defined by a specified light level at a predetermined measurement point in front of the headlight in the motor vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

assigning to each of said different presettable lighting levels a corresponding tilt angle of the headlight relative to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle;

providing a desired lighting level signal for one of the different presettable lighting levels to a control device which adjusts the tilt angle of the headlight; and

adjusting the tilt angle of the headlight upward or downward relative to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle, via said control device, to a corresponding headlight tilt angle for the desired lighting level signal to obtain the specified light levels.