Light distribution-controlling device of vehicle headlight

• US 9,341,338 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2012
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ishizaki, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Evan
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEERCE, MATTHEW J
• Application Number:
  US13/980,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20130294100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: 362/466, 362/464, 362/465
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/60 characterised by a variable light distribution

Abstract

A light distribution-controlling device of a vehicle headlight includes headlight lamp bodies, light distribution operation switches, a front detection unit, a manual mode control unit that controls the light distribution of the headlight lamp body based on a signal outputting from the light distribution operation switch, an auto mode control unit that controls the light distribution of the headlight lamp body based on a signal output from the front detection unit, an auto mode changeover switch that switches control of the light distribution of the headlight lamp body to control by the auto mode control unit, a passing continuation-determining unit that determines whether a continuation time of an ON operation of a passing switch is more than or equal to a threshold continuation time, and an auto mode-returning unit that returns the control of the light distribution to the control by the auto mode control unit.

Claims

1. A light distribution-controlling device of a vehicle headlight, comprising:

a headlight lamp body that switches light distribution to any one of a low beam state and a high beam state;

a switch lever that is configured to switch light distribution of the headlight lamp body by a driver'"'"'s operation, the switch lever having a high/low changeover switch and a passing switch, the switch lever having a momentary mechanism to self-return to a neutral position when the switch lever is released, terminating a passing operation, the passing operation being a pulling and holding operation of the switch lever, the high/low changeover switch maintaining a high beam lighting or a low beam lighting even when the switch lever is released, the passing switch changing the low beam lighting to the high beam lighting and maintaining the high beam lighting only while the passing operation is performed;

a front detection unit that detects an object in front of a vehicle;

a manual mode control unit that controls the light distribution of the headlight lamp body based on a signal output from the light distribution operation switch;

an auto mode control unit that controls the light distribution of the headlight lamp body based on a signal output from the front detection unit;

an auto mode changeover switch that switches control of the light distribution of the headlight lamp body to control by the auto mode control unit by the driver'"'"'s operation;

a passing continuation-determining unit that determines whether a continuation time is more than or equal to a threshold continuation time, the continuation time being a time for which the passing operation is maintained; and

an auto mode-returning unit that changes the control of the light distribution by the manual mode control unit to the control of the light distribution by the auto mode control unit when the continuation time is determined to be more than or equal to the threshold continuation time by the passing continuation-determining unit and keeps the control of the light distribution by the manual mode control unit when the continuation time is determined to be less than the threshold continuation time by the passing continuation-determining unit after the control of the light distribution by the auto mode control unit is switched to control of the light distribution by the manual mode control unit by an operation on the light distribution operation switch in a case in which the auto mode changeover switch is in an ON state.

2. The light distribution-controlling device of the vehicle headlight, according to claim 1, further comprising:

a non-operation time-determining unit that determines whether a non-operation time during which the light distribution operation switch is not continuously operated is more than or equal to a second threshold time,

wherein the auto mode-returning unit changes the control of the light distribution to the control by the auto mode control unit when the non-operation time is determined to be more than or equal to the second threshold time by the non-operation time-determining unit after the control of the light distribution by the auto mode control unit is switched to the control of the light distribution by the manual mode control unit by the operation on the light distribution operation switch in the case in which the auto mode changeover switch is in the ON state.

3. The light distribution-controlling device of the vehicle headlight according to claim 1, further comprising:

a non-operation travel distance determining unit that determines whether a travel distance of the vehicle while the light distribution operation switch is not operated is more than or equal to a threshold distance,

wherein the auto mode-returning unit changes the control of the light distribution to the control by the auto mode control unit when the travel distance is determined to be more than or equal to the threshold distance by the non-operation travel distance determining unit after the control by the auto mode control unit is switched to the control of the light distribution by the manual mode control unit by the operation on the light distribution operation switch in the case in which the auto mode changeover switch is in the ON state.

4. The light distribution-controlling device of the vehicle headlight according to claim 2, further comprising:

a non-operation travel distance determining unit that determines whether a travel distance of the vehicle while the light distribution operation switch is not operated is more than or equal to a threshold distance,

wherein the auto mode-returning unit changes the control of the light distribution to the control by the auto mode control unit when the travel distance is determined to be more than or equal to the threshold distance by the non-operation travel distance determining unit after the control by the auto mode control unit is switched to the control of the light distribution by the manual mode control unit by the operation on the light distribution operation switch in the case in which the auto mode changeover switch is in the ON state.