JP2012061952A - Light emission control system of vehicle rear light - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a driver to let a periphery (a succeeding vehicle, in particular) know that the driver has operated a brake device by temporarily substituting a rear turn lamp for a brake lamp when such malfunction as burnout of the brake lamp occurs.SOLUTION: While a brake lamp 5 emits light (lighting) through the medium of a brake lamp light emitting means 19 at a normal time when a driver of a vehicle 1 operates a brake device 12 of the vehicle 1, a rear turn lamp 4 emits light (blinking) through the medium of a rear turn lamp light emitting means 22 when operating a direction indicator 13. When non-light emitting detection means 21 detects such malfunction as burnout of the brake lamp 5, a selector switch 18 connects the brake device 12 and the rear turn lamp light emitting means 22. By so doing, when the drive operates the brake device 12, the rear turn lamp 4 emits light (blinking) through the medium of the rear turn lamp light emitting means 22.

Description

  The present invention relates to a light emission control device for a vehicle rear light that is attached to a rear portion of a vehicle and substitutes a brake lamp for a rear turn lamp when a brake lamp does not emit light even when a driver operates a brake device.

  A tail lamp, a brake lamp (also referred to as a stop lamp), and a rear turn lamp (also referred to as a rear turn signal lamp) are attached to the rear part of the body of a vehicle (for example, an automobile) as a vehicle rear light. Of these, the tail lamp and the brake lamp may be combined. Some recent vehicles include a pair of brake lamps mounted on both sides of the vehicle body and a high-mount stop lamp mounted at a higher position than the pair of brake lamps.

  The above-described lamp is provided for the driver to communicate his intention to the surroundings (other vehicles and pedestrians). For this reason, if the lamp does not emit light due to a blown out lamp or disconnection of the peripheral circuit, etc., it will be subject to punishment under the Road Traffic Law, so it must be repaired promptly. However, since the brake lamp emits light only when the driver operates the brake device (depresses the brake pedal), there is a problem that the driver is difficult to notice non-light emission.

  As conventional techniques for solving the above problems, there are those disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2. Patent Document 1 detects disconnection in a lamp circuit, and cannot detect a break in a brake lamp. Further, Patent Document 2 makes it possible to easily detect a break in the brake lamp by interlocking light emission of the brake lamp with opening and closing of the door. However, since the brake lamp emits light each time the door is opened and closed, the life of the brake lamp is shortened.

JP-A-9-150669 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-105033

  In view of the above-described problems, the present invention provides a temporary replacement of the brake lamp with a rear turn lamp in the event of a problem such as running out of a brake lamp. The challenge is to be able to communicate to the vehicle.

The present invention for solving the above problems is as follows.
A light emission control device for controlling a light emission state of a vehicle rear light including a brake lamp and a rear turn lamp arranged at the rear of the vehicle,
A brake lamp light emitting means for connecting to a brake device of the vehicle and causing the brake lamp of the vehicle to emit light when a driver operates the brake device;
A rear that is connected to the vehicle direction indicator and that causes the rear turn lamp attached to the rear of the vehicle to emit light in a manner that indicates the traveling direction of the vehicle when the driver operates the direction indicator. Turn lamp light emitting means;
Non-light emission detecting means for detecting that the brake lamp does not emit light when the driver operates the brake device;
When the non-light emission detecting means detects non-light emission of the brake lamp, the brake device is switched so as to be connected from the brake lamp light emitting means to the rear turn lamp light emitting means, and the driver changes the brake device. Switching means for causing the rear turn lamp to emit light in a mode corresponding to the operation of the brake device as an alternative to the brake lamp when operated;
It is characterized by providing.

  The light emission control device for a vehicle rear light according to the present invention is configured as described above, and when a driver of the vehicle operates the brake device of the vehicle in a normal state, the brake light (vehicle rear light) is connected via the brake light light emission means. When the direction indicator is operated, the rear turn lamp (vehicle rear lamp) emits light through the rear turn lamp light emitting means. When a malfunction such as a break in the brake lamp is detected by the non-light emission detection means, the switching means connects the brake device and the rear turn lamp light emission means. Thus, when the driver operates the brake device, the rear turn lamp emits light through the rear turn lamp light emitting means. As a result, the driver can display the intention of operating the brake device to the surroundings (especially the following vehicle) in the same manner as in the normal state even when the brake lamp malfunction occurs. In the United States, it is permitted to use both a brake lamp and a rear turn lamp.

  In order to be able to recognize the light emission of the rear turn lamp as the light emission due to the operation of the brake device, the connection is switched by the switching means, and the light amount of the rear turn lamp when the light is emitted according to the command from the brake device is It is desirable that the rear turn lamp be larger than the amount of light when light is emitted in response to a command from the direction indicating device. In order to realize this, the following configuration is adopted.

In other words, the rear turn lamp light emitting means emits the rear turn lamp composed of LEDs, and generates a predetermined pulse, and a duty that defines a duty ratio of the pulse generated by the pulse generating means. A PWM dimming circuit comprising a ratio defining means,
In a state where the non-light emission detecting means does not detect non-light emission of the brake lamp, the rear turn lamp light emitting means causes the rear turn lamp to emit light intermittently at a predetermined duty ratio defined by the duty ratio defining means. ,
In a state where the non-light emission detection means detects non-light emission of the brake lamp, the rear turn lamp light emission means continues the rear turn lamp with a duty ratio larger than a duty ratio for causing the rear turn lamp to emit light intermittently. To emit light.

  As a result, the rear turn lamp composed of one type of LED can normally emit light (flash) with a predetermined light amount, and the rear turn lamp can emit light (light up) with a large amount of light when a brake lamp malfunction occurs. .

The rear turn lamps are provided as a pair at the rear of the vehicle,
It is desirable that the pair of rear turn lamps emit light simultaneously when the brake device is operated in a state where the non-light emission detecting means detects non-light emission of the brake lamp. Thereby, the periphery can recognize more reliably that the brake device was operated.

  And when the said non-light emission detection means detects the non-light emission of the said brake lamp, it has an alerting | reporting means which alert | reports it to a driver | operator. As a result, the driver can quickly know the malfunction of the brake lamp.

2 is a rear view of the vehicle 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a lamp device 8 of the vehicle 1. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the light emission control apparatus 100 of a present Example. (A) is the schematic of the rear turn lamp light emission means 22 which takes the form of a PWM circuit, (b) is a figure which shows the pulse 25 when a duty ratio is 20%, (c) is also when 100% FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. FIG. 1 is a rear view of the vehicle 1, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a lamp device 8 of the vehicle 1, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a light emission control device 100 of the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of tail lamps 3 (tail lights) are attached to both sides of the body 2 at the rear part of the vehicle 1, and a pair of rear turn lamps 4 are attached to the tail lamps 3 at the lower part thereof. It has been. The tail lamp 3 is also used as the brake lamp 5 and emits light when the driver turns on the lamp switch 11 (see FIG. 2) of the vehicle 1. Further, when the driver operates a brake pedal (not shown) of the vehicle 1, light is emitted with a predetermined light amount (light amount five times that of the tail lamp 3) regardless of whether the lamp switch 11 is turned on or off. When the driver operates a direction indicator lever (not shown) of the vehicle 1, the operated rear turn lamp 4 emits light. A high mount stop lamp 7 is attached to the upper part of the rear glass 6 of the vehicle 1, and emits light simultaneously with the brake lamp 5 when the driver operates the brake pedal of the vehicle 1. These lamps 3 to 5 and 7 are made of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes). Note that “light emission” in this specification includes both forms of “lighting (continuous light emission)” and “flashing (intermittent light emission)”.

  A configuration of the lamp device 8 mounted on the vehicle 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the lamp device 8 of the vehicle 1 is connected to a lamp ECU 9 with a lamp switch 11, a brake device 12 (brake pedal), and a direction indicating device 13 (direction indicating lever) as input means. The lamp ECU 9 is connected with a head lamp 14, a brake lamp 5, a front turn lamp 15, a side turn lamp 16, a rear turn lamp 4, and a notification means 17 as output means. When the driver operates any of the lamp switch 11, the brake device 12, and the direction indicating device 13, the lamp ECU 9 sends these commands to the head lamp 14, the brake lamp 5, the front turn lamp 15, the side turn lamp 16, and the rear It has a function of transmitting to the turn lamp 4 and emitting necessary light. And when each lamp | ramp 4,5,14-16 is abnormal, it has the function of operating the alerting | reporting means 17 and alert | reporting to a driver | operator.

  Next, the light emission control apparatus 100 of a present Example is demonstrated. As shown in FIG. 3, the light emission control device 100 is configured as a part of the lamp ECU 9, connected to the brake lamp 5 and connected to the brake device 12 via the changeover switch 18, and the changeover switch. 18 and a non-light emission detecting means 21 connected to the brake lamp light emitting means 19, and a rear turn lamp light emitting means 22 connected to the rear turn lamp 4 and the direction indicating device 13. The rear turn lamp light emitting means 22 is also connected to the brake device 12 via the changeover switch 18.

  Each of the above means will be described. The brake lamp light emitting means 19 continuously emits light (lights up) when the brake device 12 is operated by a current supplied from a power supply (for example, a battery) (not shown) of the vehicle. It is realized in the form of Similarly, the rear turn lamp light emitting means 22 intermittently emits (flashes) the rear turn lamp 4 when the direction indicating device 13 is operated, and is realized in the form of a light emitting circuit.

  The non-light emission detecting means 21 is attached, for example, in the vicinity of the brake lamp 5, and reacts only when the brake device 12 is operated and the brake lamp 5 emits light with a normal light amount (in other words, the non-light emission of the brake lamp 5). A light sensor (not shown) that does not react to external light during light emission. The cause of the non-light emission of the brake lamp 5 is assumed to be mostly due to the blowout of the brake lamp 5 or the disconnection in the peripheral circuit thereof. Both a ball break detection function for detecting a ball break and a break detection function for detecting a break in the peripheral circuit (including the brake lamp light emitting means 19) are provided. The out-of-ball detection function measures the voltage at the input / output part of the brake lamp 5 when the brake lamp 5 is energized, and detects the out-of-ball condition of the brake lamp 5 based on the degree of voltage drop at the output part relative to the input part. is there. The disconnection detection function uses the fact that when the circuit of the brake lamp 5 is disconnected, no current flows through the brake lamp 5, and therefore the current load in the circuit is reduced. A current detector for detecting the decrease in the current load is provided in the circuit, and the disconnection of the circuit can be determined based on the output of the detector.

  The changeover switch 18 switches between a case where the brake lamp 5 is caused to emit light and a case where the rear turn lamp 4 is caused to emit light when the brake device 12 is operated. In a normal state, the changeover switch 18 connects the brake device 12 and the brake lamp light emitting means 19. The changeover switch 18 is also connected to the non-light emission detection means 21 so that the brake device 12 and the rear turn lamp light emission means 22 are connected when the non-light emission detection means 21 detects the non-light emission of the brake lamp 5. Switch to. Thus, when the driver operates the brake device 12 when the non-light emission of the brake lamp 5 is detected, the rear turn lamp 4 emits light instead of the brake lamp 5.

  As described above, the light emission control device 100 of this embodiment causes the rear turn lamp 4 to emit light when the non-light emission of the brake lamp 5 is detected, and temporarily replaces the rear turn lamp 4 with the brake lamp 5. It is. For this reason, the rear turn lamp light emitting means 22 in the normal state is connected only to the direction indicating device 13, and the rear turn lamp 4 does not emit light by the operation of the brake device 12. However, when the non-light emission of the brake lamp 5 is detected, it is connected to both the brake device 12 and the direction indicating device 13, and the rear turn lamp 4 emits light by the operation of the brake device 12. In order to replace the rear turn lamp 4 with the brake lamp 5, it is necessary to make the rear turn lamp 4 emit light brighter (with a larger amount of light) than usual. For this reason, the rear turn lamp light emitting means 22 of the present embodiment performs dimming by PWM (Pulse Width Modulation). That is, as shown in FIG. 4A, the rear turn lamp light emitting means 22 of this embodiment includes a microcomputer 23 (pulse generating means) for generating a predetermined pulse, and a duty of a pulse generated by the microcomputer 23. It is in the form of a PWM circuit having a duty ratio defining means 24 for defining the ratio.

  Under normal conditions, the pulse generated by the microcomputer 23 is, for example, a pulse 25 having a duty ratio of 20% as shown in FIG. Then, the pulse generated by the microcomputer 23 in a state in which the non-light emission detecting means 21 detects the non-light emission of the brake lamp 5 is, for example, a pulse 26 having a duty ratio of 100% as shown in FIG. The rear turn lamp 4 is caused to emit light (emit light) continuously. At this time, since the light emission time of the rear turn lamp 4 is longer than when the duty ratio is 20%, the rear turn lamp 4 emits light brighter (with a larger amount of light).

  The notification means 17 is a speaker, a buzzer for warning the non-light emission of the brake lamp 5 by sound, or a display for warning by an image. As this display, for example, a display of a car navigation device can be used.

  The operation of the light emission control device 100 of this embodiment will be described. In a normal state, the changeover switch 18 of the light emission control device 100 is arranged to connect the brake device 12 and the brake lamp light emitting means 19. For this reason, when the driver of the vehicle 1 operates the brake device 12, the signal is transmitted to the brake lamp light emitting means 19, and the brake lamp 5 emits light. In this state, when the driver operates the direction indicating device 13, the signal is transmitted to the rear turn lamp light emitting means 22, and the rear turn lamp 4 emits light. At this time, the rear turn lamp 4 emits light (flashes) with a duty ratio of 20%, for example, by the PWM dimming circuit.

  If the non-light emission detecting means 21 detects that the brake lamp 5 does not emit light even when the driver operates the brake device 12 due to a broken ball of the brake lamp 5 or a break of the brake lamp light emitting means 19, etc. The light emission control device 100 switches the changeover switch 18 to connect the brake device 12 and the rear turn lamp light emitting means 22. This state is indicated by a broken line in FIG. Thus, when the driver operates the brake device 12, the rear turn lamp 4 emits light via the rear turn lamp light emitting means 22. At this time, the rear turn lamp 4 emits light (lights up) at a duty ratio of 100% by the PWM dimming circuit. Thereby, the rear turn lamp 4 emits light with a light quantity larger than the normal light quantity. In addition, since the rear turn lamp 4 and the brake lamp 5 are often arranged adjacent to each other or relatively close to each other, the driver of the following vehicle recognizes the light emitted from the rear turn lamp 4 as the light emitted from the brake lamp 5. There is a high possibility of doing. In other words, when the brake lamp 5 does not emit light due to ball breakage or the like, the rear turn lamp 4 emits light with a large amount of light, thereby indicating that the brake device 12 has been operated to the subsequent vehicle. it can.

  Then, when the non-light emission detection means 21 detects non-light emission of the brake lamp 5, the notification means 17 is activated to notify the driver to that effect. This notification is made, for example, by displaying on the display of a car navigation device, “The brake lamp is out of ball. The brake lamp is out of service, so please replace it as soon as possible.” As a result, the driver can quickly know the malfunction of the brake lamp 5 or the brake lamp light emitting means 19.

  In the light emission control device 100 of the present embodiment, the rear turn lamp 4 is caused to emit light (blink or turn on) by the PWM dimming circuit. In other words, there is an advantage that the light emission form and the amount of light of the rear turn lamp 4 can be changed with one circuit, and the number of parts can be reduced. However, the light emission form of the rear turn lamp 4 may be changed by other methods (for example, increasing the current flowing through the rear turn lamp 4).

  In the present invention, in a vehicle (for example, an automobile), when the brake lamp does not emit light due to a problem such as a blowout of a brake lamp or disconnection of a peripheral circuit, the rear turn lamp is temporarily used as a substitute for the brake lamp. It can be used as a control device.

100 Light emission control device 1 Vehicle 4 Rear turn lamp (vehicle rear light)
5 Brake lamp (vehicle rear light)
7 Hi-Maut stop lamp (brake lamp, vehicle rear light)
12 Brake device 13 Direction indicator 17 Notification means 18 Changeover switch (switching means)
19 Brake lamp light emission means 21 Non-light emission detection means 22 Rear turn lamp light emission means 23 Microcomputer (pulse generation means)
24 Duty ratio defining means 25, 26 pulses

Claims (5)

A light emission control device for controlling a light emission state of a vehicle rear light including a brake lamp and a rear turn lamp arranged at the rear of the vehicle,
A brake lamp light emitting means for connecting to a brake device of the vehicle and causing the brake lamp of the vehicle to emit light when a driver operates the brake device;
A rear that is connected to the vehicle direction indicator and that causes the rear turn lamp attached to the rear of the vehicle to emit light in a manner that indicates the traveling direction of the vehicle when the driver operates the direction indicator. Turn lamp light emitting means;
Non-light emission detecting means for detecting that the brake lamp does not emit light when the driver operates the brake device;
When the non-light emission detecting means detects non-light emission of the brake lamp, the brake device is switched so as to be connected from the brake lamp light emitting means to the rear turn lamp light emitting means, and the driver changes the brake device. Switching means for causing the rear turn lamp to emit light in a mode corresponding to the operation of the brake device as an alternative to the brake lamp when operated;
A light emission control device for a vehicle rear lamp, comprising:   The light quantity of the rear turn lamp when the connection is switched by the switching means and the light is emitted by a command from the brake device is larger than the light quantity when the rear turn lamp is emitted by a command from the direction indicating device. The vehicle rear light emission control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle rear light emission control device is provided. The rear turn lamp light emitting means includes a pulse generation means for generating a predetermined pulse to emit light from the rear turn lamp made of an LED, and a duty ratio specification for specifying a duty ratio of the pulse generated by the pulse generation means. And a PWM dimming circuit comprising:
In a state where the non-light emission detecting means does not detect non-light emission of the brake lamp, the rear turn lamp light emitting means causes the rear turn lamp to emit light intermittently at a predetermined duty ratio defined by the duty ratio defining means. ,
In a state where the non-light emission detection means detects non-light emission of the brake lamp, the rear turn lamp light emission means continues the rear turn lamp with a duty ratio larger than a duty ratio for causing the rear turn lamp to emit light intermittently. The vehicle rear light emission control device according to claim 1, wherein the light emission control device emits light automatically. The rear turn lamps are provided as a pair at the rear of the vehicle,
The pair of rear turn lamps simultaneously emit light when the brake device is operated in a state where the non-light emission detecting means detects non-light emission of the brake lamp. 2. A light emission control device for a vehicle rear light according to item 1.   5. The vehicle rear lamp according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit that notifies the driver when the non-light emission detection unit detects non-light emission of the brake lamp. Light emission control device.

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