Motor vehicle lighting system having at least two bend lighting driving lights

• US 6,176,590 B1
• Filed: 03/11/1998
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Leleve, Joël, Prevost, André
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US09/038,794
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 362/464, 362/465, 362/466, 362/37, 362/276, 362/802, 362/40, 315/81
• US Class Current: 362/37
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/12 due to steering position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/054 Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/128 Steering dead zone

Abstract

A lighting system for a motor vehicle includes at least two short range driving lights with chopped beams, for illuminating bends in the road. The system includes a control unit for controlling the power supplied to the short-range (bend lighting) driving lights as a function of the steering deflection of the wheels of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle having steering unit and a lighting apparatus, the lighting apparatus comprising:

at least two driving lights with cut-off beams for illuminating bends in a road ahead of the vehicle and a controlling unit for varying an amount of power supplied to the driving lights as a function of the position of the steering unit.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the steering unit includes a rotatable steering column and wherein the lighting apparatus further includes a sensor connected to the steering column for measuring at least one rotation of the column, the control unit receiving a plurality of input signals, each input signal corresponding to a rotation measurement of the steering column, the control unit further varying the amount of power supplied to the lights as a function of the measurements.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit further includes a filtering unit for filtering the signals.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first control unit comprises a power output circuit and a computer connected to power output circuit, wherein the computer controls the power output circuit.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit keeps the lights extinguished until the steering deflection exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bend lighting driving lights comprise a first light and a second light, the first light being on a side of the vehicle towards which the vehicle is turning and the second light being on the opposite side of the vehicle steered on a bend, and wherein the control unit progressively increases an amount of power supplied to the first light according to the position of the steering unit.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit keeps the lights extinguished until the steering deflection exceeds a predetermined threshold value and supplies the second light with constant power beyond the threshold value of the position of the steering unit.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit further includes an electronic converter for temporarily supplementing the power supplied to the first light to enhance the illumination given by the first light at high values of the steering deflection.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit energizes the bend lighting driving lights simultaneously and extinguishes the lights simultaneously.

10. A lighting apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a plurality of headlights including reflectors disposed in the front of the vehicle;

a plurality of driving lights having a transverse cutoff beam disposed in the front of the vehicle behind the headlights;

a control unit connected to the driving lights for varying an amount of power supplied to the driving lights based on a plurality of steering deflections of a plurality of wheels of the vehicle;

a sensor being connected to a steering column of the vehicle and the control unit, the sensor measuring the rotations of the column and providing a plurality signals representing the steering deflections of the wheels of the vehicle to the control unit.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control unit comprises a computer for determining a plurality of power levels to be supplied to the driving lights based on the rotation measurements and outputting a plurality of signals corresponding to the determined power levels;

and an amplifier receiving the signals and generating power to the driving lights in response to the signals.

12. A method utilizing a plurality of driving lights of a vehicle to illuminate the bends of the road ahead of the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a plurality of steering deflections of a plurality of wheels of the vehicle; and

varying an amount of power supplied to the lights as a function of the deflections.

13. Method according to claim 12, further including the steps of measuring a plurality of rotations of a steering column of the vehicle and varying an amount of power supplied to the lights as a function of the measurements.

14. Method according to claim 13, further including the steps of receiving a plurality of the measurement signals corresponding to the rotation measurements and filtering the signals.

15. Method according to claim 12, further including the step of keeping the lights extinguished until the steering deflection exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

16. Method according to claim 12, further including the step of progressively increasing an amount of power supplied to a first light on the side of the vehicle towards which the vehicle is running.

17. Method according to claim 16, further including the steps of keeping the. first light extinguished until the steering deflection exceeds a predetermined threshold value and supplying a second light on the side of the vehicle steered on the bend with constant power beyond the threshold value of the steering deflection.

18. Method according to claim 16, further including the step of temporarily supplementing the power applied to the first light at high values of the steering deflection.

19. Method according to claim 12, further including the steps of energizing the lights simultaneously and extinguishing the lights simultaneously.

20. A light apparatus for a motor vehicle having a steering system, comprising:

at least one light generating device; and

a control system for varying an amount of power supplied to the at least one light generating device as a function of a steering deflection associated with the steering system.

21. A method of operating at least one light generating device for a motor vehicle having a steering system, comprising:

determining a steering deflection associated with the steering system; and

varying an amount of power supplied to the at least one light generating device as a function of the steering deflection.