Light axis adjusting apparatus for vehicle headlamp

• US 7,093,963 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi FUSO Truck & Bus Corporation (Daimler Truck Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi FUSO Truck & Bus Corporation (Daimler Truck Holding AG)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Kenji, Kayano, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Cariaso, Alan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Han, Jason
• Application Number:
  US10/803,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20040246731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 362/460, 362464-467, 362/523, 362/525, 362/485, 315/82, 315/77, 73627-628, 340/306, 340/440, 702/104
• US Class Current: 362/466
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/10 due to vehicle inclination, e.g. due to load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2200/38 Automatic calibration of motor-driven means for adjusting headlamps, i.e. when switching on the headlamps, not during mounting at factories
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/114 Vehicle acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/116 Vehicle at a stop
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/132 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/324 Road inclination, e.g. uphill or downhill

Abstract

A light axis adjusting apparatus for a vehicle headlamp has an inclination sensor which receives at least two ultrasonic signals transmitted toward a road surface in a vehicle width direction, and detects the inclined state of a vehicle relative to the road surface based on a receiving time difference between the respective ultrasonic signals. Processings are performed such that the inclination angle Δα of the vehicle is detected based on the results of detection of the inclination sensor; an actuator is driven based on the inclination angle Δα to correct the inclination angle of the headlamp; and the abnormality of the inclination sensor is detected based on the state of reception of the ultrasonic signals. Thus, the inclined state of the vehicle is detected constantly with high accuracy, and the light axis of the headlamp can be adjusted appropriately.

Claims

1. A light axis adjusting apparatus for a vehicle headlamp, comprising:

a light axis adjustor for adjusting a light axis of the headlamp of a vehicle;

an operating state detector for detecting an operating state of the vehicle;

an inclined state detector including two ultrasonic wave transmitters and two receivers for receiving ultrasonic signals from said transmitters, said inclined state detector being adapted to detect an inclined state of the vehicle relative to a road surface based on a receiving time difference between the respective receivers;

an abnormality detector for detecting an abnormality of said inclined state detector based on a received state of said ultrasonic signals;

a display device, placed within a vehicle compartment of the vehicle, for indicating the abnormality of said inclined state detector; and

a control device for controlling said light axis adjustor based on the results of detection of said inclined state detector and said abnormality detector, and also for actuating said display device when said abnormality detector determines the abnormality of said inclined state detector.

2. The light axis adjusting apparatus for a vehicle headlamp according to claim 1, wherein said abnormality detector determines the abnormality of said inclined state detector when intensity of said ultrasonic signal received is not higher than a predetermined specified value which has been preset.

3. The light axis adjusting apparatus for a vehicle headlamp according to claim 1, wherein said abnormality detector determines the abnormality of said inclined state detector when a deviation between a transmitting-receiving time difference of the ultrasonic signal in one combination of said transmitter and said receiver and a transmitting-receiving time difference of the ultrasonic signal in the other combination of said transmitter and said receiver is not smaller than a predetermined specified value which has been preset.

4. The light axis adjusting apparatus for a vehicle headlamp according to claim 1, wherein said abnormality detector determines the abnormality of said inclined state detector when an amount of change or a rate of change of the inclined state of the vehicle is not smaller than a predetermined specified value which has been preset.

5. The light axis adjusting apparatus for a vehicle headlamp according to claim 1, wherein:

said vehicle is a truck furnished with a cab and a frame where said cab is disposed, and

said inclined state detector is placed on said cab or a vehicle front portion of said frame.

6. A light axis adjusting apparatus for a vehicle headlamp, comprising:

a light axis adjustor for adjusting a light axis of the headlamp of a vehicle;

an operating state detector for detecting an operating state of the vehicle;

an inclined state detector including at least one ultrasonic wave transmitter and at least two receivers for receiving an ultrasonic signal from said transmitter, said inclined state detector being adapted to detect an inclined state of the vehicle relative to a road surface based on a receiving time difference between the respective receivers;

an abnormality detector for detecting an abnormality of said inclined state detector based on a received state of said ultrasonic signal; and

a control device for controlling said light axis adjuster based on results of detection of said inclined state detector and said abnormality detector,

wherein a display device for indicating the abnormality of said inclined state detector is provided within a vehicle compartment of the vehicle, and

wherein said control device actuates said display device when said abnormality detector determines the abnormality of said inclined state detector.

7. A light axis adjusting apparatus for a vehicle headlamp, comprising:

a light axis adjuster for adjusting a light axis of the headlamp of a vehicle;

an operating state detector for detecting an operating state of the vehicle;

an inclined state detector including at least one ultrasonic wave transmitter and at least two receivers for receiving an ultrasonic signal from said transmitter, said inclined state detector being adapted to detect an inclined state of the vehicle relative to a road surface based on a receiving time difference between the respective receivers;

an abnormality detector for detecting an abnormality of said inclined state detector based on a received state of said ultrasonic signal; and

a control device for controlling said light axis adjuster based on results of detection of said inclined state detector and said abnormality detector,

wherein a cleaning device is provided for cleaning a signal receiving portion of said inclined state detector, and

wherein said control device actuates said cleaning device when said abnormality detector determines the abnormality of said inclined state detector.

8. A light axis adjusting apparatus for a vehicle headlamp, comprising:

light axis adjusting means for adjusting a light axis of the headlamp of a vehicle;

operating state detecting means for detecting an operating state of the vehicle;

inclined state detecting means including two ultrasonic wave transmitters and two receivers for receiving ultrasonic signals from said transmitters, said inclined state detecting means being adapted to detect an inclined state of the vehicle relative to a road surface based on a receiving time difference between the respective receivers;

abnormality detecting means for detecting an abnormality of said inclined state detecting means based on a received state of said ultrasonic signals;

display means, placed within a vehicle compartment of the vehicle, for indicating the abnormality of said inclined state detecting means; and

control means for controlling said light axis adjusting means based on the results of detection of said inclined state detecting means and said abnormality detecting means, and also for actuating said display means when said abnormality detecting means determines the abnormality of said inclined state detecting means.