Vehicle headlamp apparatus

• US 8,979,336 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2009
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamamura, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Guharay, Karabi
• Assistant Examiner(s): APENTENG, JESSICA MCMILLAN
• Application Number:
  US12/401,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20090231866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,197 Days
• Field of Search: 362/507, 362/509, 362/466, 362/475, 362/508, 362/543, 362/545, 362/800
• US Class Current: 362/507
• 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 2300/054 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 2300/056 Special anti-blinding beams, e.g. a standard beam is chopped or moved in order not to blind
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/143 the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/151 arranged in one or more lines
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/155 Surface emitters, e.g. organic light emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/24 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/663 by switching light sources by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/50 characterised by aesthetic components not otherwise provided for, e.g. decorative trim, partition walls or covers
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A vehicle headlamp apparatus is provided. The vehicle headlamp apparatus includes a lamp unit, a first additional lamp unit which forms a first light distribution pattern, a second additional lamp unit which forms a second light distribution pattern overlapping with the first light distribution pattern, and a controller. The first light distribution pattern includes at least one first partial region, and the first additional lamp unit adjusts a luminous intensity of a light to be irradiated toward the first partial region. The second light distribution pattern includes at least one second partial region which partially overlaps with the first partial region, and the second additional lamp unit adjusts a luminous intensity of a light to be irradiated toward the second partial region. The controller controls the first additional lamp unit and the second additional lamp unit to adjust the luminous intensity of the partial regions.

Claims

1. A vehicle headlamp apparatus comprising:

a low beam lamp unit which forms a low beam distribution pattern having a cutoff line along an upper edge thereof;

a first additional lamp unit which forms a first additional light distributing pattern at least partially above the cutoff line of the low beam distributing pattern, the first additional light distributing pattern comprising a plurality of first partial regions, and the first additional lamp unit being configured such that a luminous intensity of a light to be irradiated toward each of the first partial regions is adjustable;

a second additional lamp unit which forms a second additional light distributing pattern overlapping with the first additional light distributing pattern, the second additional light distributing pattern comprising a plurality of second partial regions, each of the second partial regions partially overlapping at least one of the first partial regions, and the second additional lamp unit being configured such that a luminous intensity of a light to be irradiated toward each of the second partial regions is adjustable;

a camera which captures an image of a forward region of a vehicle to produce image data; and

a controller configured to control the first additional lamp unit to adjust the luminous intensity of the light to be irradiated toward each of the first partial regions and configured to control the second additional lamp unit to adjust the luminous intensity of the light to be irradiated toward each of the second partial regions based on the produced image data,

wherein the first additional lamp unit comprises a plurality of first light emitting devices, each of the plurality of first light emitting devices generating a corresponding one of the first partial regions,

wherein the second additional lamp unit comprises a plurality of second light emitting devices, each of the plurality of second light emitting devices generating a corresponding one of the second partial regions,

wherein the controller is configured to individually control the plurality of first light emitting devices and individually controls the plurality of second light emitting devices such that the controller is configured to lower the luminous intensity of the light to be irradiated toward one of the first partial regions together with the luminous intensity of the light to be irradiated toward at least one of the second partial regions that partially overlaps said one of the first partial regions with the luminous intensity of the light to be irradiated toward the remaining ones of the first and second partial regions being maintained, and

wherein a rear focal point of the first additional lamp unit is provided on a light emitting surface of one of plurality of first light emitting devices and a rear focal point of the second additional lamp unit is provided on an outer edge of one of plurality of second light emitting devices, and

wherein in response to a position of an oncoming vehicle obtained from the produced image data being placed on a dividing line between one region of the first or second partial regions and an adjacent region of respective first or second partial regions, the controller is configured to control the first or second light emitting devices corresponding to the one and adjacent regions to lower the luminous intensity of the light to be irradiated toward the one and adjacent regions.

2. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the first additional light distributing pattern is divided into said first partial regions such that the first partial regions are arranged in a row,

at least a portion of the second additional light distributing pattern that overlaps with the first additional light distributing pattern is divided in to said second partial regions such that the second partial regions are arranged in a row parallel to the row of the plurality of said first partial regions and such that dividing lines of the plurality of said first partial regions and dividing lines of the plurality of said second partial regions are alternately arranged, and

the luminous intensity is independently adjustable for each of the plurality of said first partial regions and for each of the plurality of said second partial regions.

3. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said portion of the first additional light distributing pattern and said portion of the second additional light distributing pattern are formed in an area including a horizontal line, and

the row of said first partial regions and the row of said second partial regions extend along the horizontal line.

4. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle position detector which detects a position of a vehicle in a forward region of the vehicle headlamp apparatus,

wherein, based on the position of the vehicle, the controller determines whether the vehicle is present in said one of the first partial regions, and if the vehicle is present in said one of the first partial regions, the controller controls the first additional lamp unit such that the luminous intensity of the light to be irradiated toward said one of the first partial regions is lowered, and

wherein, based on the position of the vehicle, the controller determines whether the vehicle is present in one of the second partial regions, and if the vehicle is present in said one of the second partial regions, the controller controls the second additional lamp unit such that the luminous intensity of the light to be irradiated toward said one of the second partial regions is lowered.

5. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the low beam lamp unit comprises a right lamp unit and a left lamp unit.

6. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a number of the plurality of first light emitting devices is different from a number of the plurality of second light emitting devices.

7. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first additional lamp unit comprises two lamp units, at least two of the plurality of first light emitting devices mounted to one of the two lamp units, and a remainder of the plurality of first light emitting devices mounted to the other one of the two lamp units, and

the second additional lamp unit comprises two lamp units, at least two of the plurality of second light emitting devices mounted to one of the two lamp units, and a remainder of the plurality of second light emitting devices mounted to the other one of the two lamp units.

8. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein each of the two lamp units of the first additional lamp unit comprises a block in which a plurality of optical paths are formed, each of the optical paths corresponding to one of the first light emitting devices of the respective lamp unit, and the first light emitting devices are mounted at one end of the block so as to transmit light through the corresponding optical path, and

each of the two lamp units of the second additional lamp unit comprises a block in which a plurality of optical paths are formed, each of the optical paths corresponding to one of the second light emitting devices of the respective lamp unit, and the second light emitting devices are mounted at one end of the block so as to transmit light through the corresponding optical path.

9. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an outer shape and size of the first light distribution pattern formed by the first additional lamp unit are the same as an outer shape and size of the second additional light distribution pattern formed by the second additional lamp unit.

10. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first light emitting devices are arranged side by side in a row, and the second light emitting devices are arranged side by side in a row.

11. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each of the first light emitting devices and the second light emitting devices having a same height.

12. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each of the first light emitting devices and the second light emitting devices are rectangular.

13. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a width of each of the plurality of first light emitting devices is the same, and

wherein a width of at least one of the plurality of second light emitting devices is different from a width of the remaining ones of the plurality of second light emitting devices.

14. A vehicle headlamp apparatus comprising:

a camera which captures an image of a forward region of a vehicle to produce image data;

a first headlamp comprising;

a first low-beam lamp unit comprising a light source bulb and a reflector; and

a first additional lamp unit comprising;

a first projection lens; and

at least four rectangular first light emitting devices arranged side by side in a row, each of the rectangular first light emitting devices having a same height and a same width; and

a second headlamp comprising;

a second low-beam lamp unit comprising a light source bulb and a reflector; and

a second additional lamp unit comprising;

a second projection lens;

at least three rectangular second light emitting devices arranged side by side in a row, each of the rectangular second light emitting devices having a same height, an outside device width of each of the rectangular second light emitting devices on outside ends of the row being the same and an inside device width of each of the rectangular second light emitting devices on the inside of the row being the same, the outside device width being greater than the inside device width; and

a controller which controls the first additional lamp unit and the second additional lamp unit based on the produced image data;

wherein light emitted from one of the second light emitting devices partially overlaps light emitted from a corresponding two of the first light emitting devices, and

wherein a rear focal point of the first projection lens is provided on a light emitting surface of one of the at least four rectangular first light emitting devices and a rear focal point of the second projection lens is provided on an outer edge of one of the at least three rectangular second light emitting devices,

wherein in response to a position of an oncoming vehicle obtained from the produced image data being placed on a dividing line between one region generated by one of the first light emitting devices and an adjacent region generated by an adjacent light emitting device of the first light emitting devices, the controller is configured to control the one and adjacent light emitting devices of the first light emitting devices to lower the luminous intensity of the light to be irradiated toward the one and adjacent regions, and

wherein in response to a position of an oncoming vehicle obtained from the produced image data being placed on a dividing line between one region generated by one of the second light emitting devices and an adjacent region generated by an adjacent light emitting device of the second light emitting devices, the controller is configured to control the one and adjacent light emitting devices of the second light emitting devices to lower the luminous intensity of the light to be irradiated toward the one and adjacent regions.

15. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 14, wherein an outer shape and size of a light distribution pattern formed by the first additional lamp unit are the same as an outer shape and size of a light distribution pattern formed by the second additional lamp unit.

16. A vehicle headlamp apparatus comprising:

a low beam lamp unit which forms a low beam distribution pattern having a cutoff line along an upper edge thereof;

a first additional lamp unit which forms a first additional light distributing pattern at least partially above the cutoff line of the low beam distributing pattern, the first additional light distributing pattern comprising at least one first partial region, and the first additional lamp unit being configured such that a luminous intensity of a light to be irradiated toward the first partial region is adjustable;

a second additional lamp unit which forms a second additional light distributing pattern overlapping with the first additional light distributing pattern, the second additional light distributing pattern comprising at least one second partial region which partially overlaps with the first partial region, and the second additional lamp unit being configured such that a luminous intensity of a light to be irradiated toward the second partial region is adjustable;

a camera which captures an image of a forward region of a vehicle to produce image data; and

a controller which controls the first additional lamp unit to adjust the luminous intensity of the light to be irradiated toward the first partial region and which controls the second additional lamp unit to adjust the luminous intensity of the light to be irradiated toward the second partial region based on the produced image data,

wherein the first additional lamp unit comprises;

a first projection lens; and

a plurality of first light emitting devices, each of the plurality of first light emitting devices generating a corresponding one of the at least one first partial regions,

the second additional lamp unit comprises;

a second projection lens; and

a plurality of second light emitting devices, each of the plurality of second light emitting devices generating a corresponding one of the at least one second partial regions, and

the controller individually controls the plurality of first light emitting devices and individually controls the plurality of second light emitting devices,

wherein a number of the plurality of first light emitting devices is different from a number of the plurality of second light emitting devices,

wherein a rear focal point of the first projection lens is provided on a light emitting surface of one of plurality of first light emitting devices and a rear focal point of the second projection lens is provided on an outer edge of one of plurality of second light emitting devices, and

wherein in response to a position of an oncoming vehicle obtained from the produced image data being placed on a dividing line between one region of the at least one first or second partial regions and an adjacent region of respective at least one partial first or second partial regions, the controller is configured to control the first or second light emitting devices corresponding to the one and adjacent regions to lower the luminous intensity of the light to be irradiated toward the one and adjacent regions.

17. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 16, wherein an outer shape and size of the first light distribution pattern formed by the first additional lamp unit are the same as an outer shape and size of the second additional light distribution pattern formed by the second additional lamp unit.

18. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the first light emitting devices are arranged side by side in a row, and the second light emitting devices are arranged side by side in a row.

19. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 18, wherein each of the first light emitting devices and the second light emitting devices having a same height.

20. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 19, wherein each of the first light emitting devices and the second light emitting devices are rectangular.