Vehicle lamp

• US 9,878,655 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2015
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hidetada, Shibata, Yuichi, Nakazawa, Misako, Hayakawa, Michihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): BANNAN, JULIE A
• Application Number:
  US14/757,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20160185276A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• 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 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• 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 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/148 the main emission direction of the LED being perpendicular to the optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/151 arranged in one or more lines
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/32 Optical layout thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/657 by moving light sources

Abstract

A vehicle lamp includes a first light source that emits light of a first brightness, a second light source that emits light of a second brightness higher than the first brightness, an actuator that changes the direction of light emitted from the first light source and the second light source, and an ADB control device that controls the light output of the second light source and the actuator so as to be associated with each other in accordance with a driving condition of a vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a low-beam unit that outputs a low-beam light distribution pattern, the low-beam unit comprising a low-beam light source;

a high-beam unit that outputs a high-beam light distribution pattern, the high-beam unit comprising;

a first high-beam light source that emits light of a first brightness, and

a second high-beam light source that emits light of a second brightness higher than the first brightness;

an actuator that changes the direction of light emitted from the first high-beam light source and the second high-beam light source; and

an ADB control device that controls the light output of the second high-beam light source and the actuator so as to be associated with each other in accordance with a driving condition of a vehicle, wherein

the first high-beam light source is a light-emitting diode (LED) and the second high-beam light source is a laser diode or the first high-beam light source is a low-brightness LED and the second high-beam light source is a high-brightness LED.

2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the ADB control device performs a control of lowering the light output of the second high-beam light source when the light emitted from the second high-beam light source is directed to an oncoming vehicle.

3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the ADB control device performs a control of lowering the light output of the second high-beam light source when the light emitted from the second high-beam light source is directed to a retro-reflective object.

4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the ADB control device performs a control of increasing the light output of the second high-beam light source when the light emitted from the second high-beam light source is directed to an extending direction of a curved road.

5. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the ADB control device performs a control of changing the light output of the second high-beam light source from Low to High when the light emitted from the second high-beam light source is switched from downward to upward.

6. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein, during heavy weather, the ADB control device performs a control of directing an optical axis of the second high-beam light source toward a road surface and lowering the light output of the first high-beam light source.

7. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a first light source that emits light of a first brightness;

a second light source that emits light of a second brightness higher than the first brightness;

an actuator that changes the direction of light emitted from the first light source and the second light source; and

an ADB control device that controls the light output of the second light source and the actuator so as to be associated with each other in accordance with a driving condition of a vehicle,

wherein, during heavy weather, the ADB control device performs a control of directing an optical axis of the second light source toward a road surface and lowering the light output of the first light source.

8. The vehicle lamp according to claim 7, wherein the ADB control device performs a control of lowering the light output of the second light source when the light emitted from the second light source is directed to an oncoming vehicle.

9. The vehicle lamp according to claim 7, wherein the ADB control device performs a control of lowering the light output of the second light source when the light emitted from the second light source is directed to a retro-reflective object.

10. The vehicle lamp according to claim 7, wherein the ADB control device performs a control of increasing the light output of the second light source when the light emitted from the second light source is directed to an extending direction of a curved road.

11. The vehicle lamp according to claim 7, wherein the ADB control device performs a control of changing the light output of the second light source from Low to High when the light emitted from the second light source is switched from downward to upward.