JPS63184535A - Control device for retractible head light - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent any carelessly tilting motion of a headlight during checking work within an engine room, by disabling the headlight to make any tilting motion in such a way that an electric power supply to a light driving apparatus is forbidden when a bonnet is opened. CONSTITUTION:An up-switch 14 is operated in ON position, when a headlight 5 e.g. at a descending position is raised so as to turn on, with a bonnet 2 in the closed state. Then, an electric power supply relay 18 is operated in On position by electrification of a moving contact 17a by means of a motor position detecting switch 17 placed on the side of a constantly closed contact 17c, and then the moving contact 20a of a switch 20 is switched to constantly opened switch 20c. As a result of this manner, a motor 11 is so operated that the headlight 5 is raised by rotation of the crank arm of a light tilting mechanism. In this case, when a bonnet 2 is opened, the solenoid 23 of a relay 22 is supplied with electricity by the ON operation of a bonnet switch 25, and a switch 24 is set in OFF position in order to stop the supply of electricity to the motor 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a control device for controlling the vertical movement of a retractable headlight that is mounted on the front part of a vehicle body so as to be vertically movable.

(Conventional technology) Conventionally, from the viewpoint of improving aerodynamic characteristics and external appearance, etc.
For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-105'l, the headlights mounted on the front end of the vehicle body can be raised and lowered, and the lights are normally lowered and stored inside the vehicle body. Retractable headlight systems are well known in which the lights are raised only when turned on.

The headlights are switched up and down using a manual operation switch mounted on the instrument panel inside the vehicle.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) In this type of system, if the headlights do not move up or down due to an external or internal factor causing the light drive device to malfunction, the headlights cannot be moved up or down by the engine. It can be raised and lowered manually from within the room. In this case, if the cause of the inoperation of the light drive device is removed while the bonnet is opened and the headlights are being raised and lowered, the lights will suddenly move up and down, which is not desirable from a safety standpoint.

In addition, even if the headlights are raised and lowered normally, if someone else operates the operation switch inside the vehicle while the engine or other parts in the engine compartment are being inspected or repaired, the dormitory may experience an unexpected situation. The light then moves up and down, and the same problem occurs in this case as well.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its purpose is to prevent the retractable headlight from moving up and down while various works are being carried out with the hood of the vehicle body open. The aim is to ensure worker safety.

(Means for Solving the Problem) In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a retractable headlight that is attached to the front end of the vehicle body so that it can be raised and lowered, and that can be raised and lowered manually from within the engine room at the front of the vehicle body. The present invention is based on a retractable headlight control device comprising: and a light drive device that raises and lowers the headlight in response to an operation signal from an operation switch.

In response to this premise, there is a bonnet state detection means for detecting that the bonnet that seals the engine room is opened, and a bonnet state detection means that receives the output of the detection means and sends information to the light driving device when the bonnet is opened. The present invention is characterized by the provision of prohibition means for prohibiting power supply.

(Function) With this configuration, in the present invention, the inhibiting means does not operate when the bonnet constituting the vehicle body is not opened, and power is supplied to the light drive device, thereby preventing manual operation of the operation switch. The headlights move up and down accordingly.

However, when the bonnet is opened, the bonnet same state detection means detects the open state, and the prohibition means that receives the output of this detection means prohibits power supply to the light drive device, and the headlights are turned off. Lifting and lowering movements are not performed. This prevents the headlights from moving up and down unexpectedly while inspecting and adjusting various parts in the engine room with the bonnet open, ensuring worker safety.

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows the front part of a car according to an embodiment of the present invention, where 1 is a car body, 2 is a bonnet constituting the front part of the car body 1, and this bonnet 2 is an engine formed in the car body 1. This is to seal the room 3 from above.

As shown in enlarged detail in FIG. 3, at the front end of the vehicle body 1, there is a pair of headlight storage sections 4.4 on the left side, each of which is covered by a cover 4a flush with the vehicle body 1. A retractable headlight 5 is mounted in each headlight storage section 4 so as to be movable up and down. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each headlight 5 is supported by the vehicle body 1 via a link mechanism 6 so as to move up and down in parallel with the center line of the irradiation beam facing forward. One end of a link arm 7 is connected to the link mechanism 6, the other end of the link arm 7 is connected to the tip of a crank arm 8 by a pin 9, and the base end of the crank arm 8 is connected to a reduction gear mechanism. The motor 11 is operated to rotate the crank arm 8 in one direction by an angle of 360°, thereby moving the link mechanism 6 in parallel and moving the headlight 5 up and down. A light lift @horizontal 12 is configured to move up and down in the direction.

In addition, the output shaft of the motor 11 of the light elevating mechanism 12 (
(not shown) protrudes from both ends of the motor case 11a, and the reduction gear mechanism @10 is connected to one end, while the operation knob 13 protruding into the engine room 3 is integrally attached to the other end. By turning this operation knob 13 from inside the engine compartment 3, the elevation and descent of each headlight 5 can be manually adjusted.

A control circuit for driving the electric motor 11 is constructed as shown in FIG. That is, in FIG. 1, 14 is a manually operated up switch that raises each of the headlights 5, and 15 is a manually operated down switch that lowers the headlights 5. It is attached to the instrument panel (not shown). Both switches 14.1 above
5 connects the positive power source of a vehicle battery (not shown) to the motor unit 16, and the motor unit 16 is connected to the operating position 1.5 of the motor 11. In other words, a motor position detection switch 17 is provided which switches according to the vertical position of the headlight 5, and the normally closed contact 17b of this detection switch 17 is connected to the up switch 17! I, the normally open contacts 17c are connected to the down switch 15, and the movable contact 17a is connected to one terminal of the motor 11 via the solenoid 19 of the power relay 18 and is grounded.

In addition, the normally closed contact 20b of the switch 20 in the power relay 18 is grounded, the normally open contact 20C is connected to the battery power supply together with both switches 14.15, and the movable contact 20a is connected to the battery power source.
are respectively connected to the other terminal of the motor 11,
After turning on the up switch 14, the power relay 18 is turned on to supply power to the motor 11, thereby operating the motor 11 until the movable contact 17a of the motor position detection switch 17 switches to the normally open contact 17G. While positioning the headlight 5 in the raised position, when the down switch 15 is turned on, the power relay 18 is similarly turned on to supply power to the motor 11, so that the movable contact 17a of the motor position detection switch 17 returns to its original position. A light drive device @21 is configured to position the headlight 5 at the retracted position by operating the motor 11 until the normally closed contact 17b is switched.

Furthermore, as a feature of the present invention, both the switches 14.1
5 and a normally closed switch 24 of the relay 22 between the switch 20 of the power relay 18 and the positive power source of the battery.
A normally open bonnet switch 25 is connected to the solenoid 23 of the relay 22, which is turned on when the bonnet 2 is opened. Therefore, in this embodiment, the bonnet switch 25 constitutes a bonnet open state detection means that detects that the bonnet 2 that seals the engine compartment 3 is opened.

Further, the relay 22 turns ON-OFF the bonnet switch 25 as the bonnet open state detection means.
Based on the output, a prohibiting means is configured to prohibit power supply to the light driving device 21 when the bonnet 2 is opened.

Therefore, in the above embodiment, when one of the up switch 14 and the down switch 15 is turned on without opening the bonnet 2, the switch 14, 15
Each headlight 5 moves up and down in response to the operation. For example, when the headlight 5 in the lowered position is raised to turn on, when the up switch 14 is turned on, the movable contact 17a is placed on the normally closed contact 17b side of the motor position detection switch. 17, the power relay 18 is turned on and the movable contact 20a of the switch 20 is switched to the normally open contact 20C, and this switching supplies battery power to the motor 11, causing the motor 11 to operate. Upon operation, the crank arm 8 of the mechanism 12 rotates to raise and lower the lights, causing each headlight 5 to rise. Then, when the rotation angle of the crank arm 8 reaches 180 degrees and each headlight 5 is positioned at the raised position, the movable contact 17a of the motor position detection switch 17 is switched to the normally open contact 17C side, and the motor 11 The power supply to the headlights 5 is stopped, and each headlight 5 is held in the raised position.

Conversely, when lowering the headlight 5 in this raised position to store it, turn the down switch 15 to OFF.
N Operate. When the down switch 15 is turned on, the power relay 18 is turned on by the motor position detection switch 17 whose movable contact 17a is on the side of the normally open contact 17C. 11 is activated, and the operation of this motor 11 causes the crank arm 8 to further rotate in the same direction from the position corresponding to the raised position of the headlight 5, and each headlight 5 is lowered. Then, when the rotation angle of the crank arm 8 reaches 180° (360° from the initial angular position corresponding to the lowered position of the headlight 5) and each headlight 5 is positioned at the lowered position, the motor position detection switch 17 The movable contact 17a returns to the normally closed contact 17b side, and power supply to the motor 11 is stopped, thereby holding each headlight 5 in the lowered position.

Then, in order to manually raise and lower each headlight 5 from within the engine compartment 3 that does not raise or lower due to malfunction of the light drive device 21, etc., and to inspect and adjust various parts in the engine compartment 3, the above-mentioned When the bonnet 2 is opened, the bonnet switch 25 is turned ON and power is supplied to the solenoid 23 of the relay 22, and the switch 24 is turned OFF. The operation of the motor 11 is stopped regardless of whether the up switch 14 and the down switch 15 are turned on. For this reason, while opening the bonnet 2 and performing various tasks,
Even if the cause of the inoperation of the light drive device 21 is removed, or even if another person turns on the up switch 14 or the down switch 15 inside the vehicle, the light 5 will not move up or down unexpectedly, and therefore the work The safety of people can be ensured. Note that this prohibition of power supply to the motor 11 is canceled when the bonnet switch 25 returns to the OFF state when the bonnet 2 is closed.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment. Note that the same parts as in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, the bonnet switch 25' is configured to be normally closed, and is connected in series with the solenoid 19 of the power relay 18.
When the bonnet switch 25' is turned off by opening the bonnet switch 25', the power supply relay 18 is stopped from turning on, thereby prohibiting power supply to the motor 11.

In this case, the power relay 18 constitutes a prohibition means that prohibits power supply to the light drive device 21 when the bonnet 2 is opened.

Therefore, this embodiment can also provide the same effects as those of the above embodiment.

Further, it is also possible to separately provide a switch that can disable the operation of the above-mentioned inhibiting means, if necessary.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the present invention, in a tractable headlight system in which a headlight is moved up and down by a light drive device, the power supply to the light drive device is turned off when the bonnet is opened. By prohibiting the supply and preventing the headlights from moving up or down, we can reliably prevent the headlights from moving up or down unexpectedly while opening the bonnet and inspecting or adjusting various parts in the engine compartment. This has great practical effects in that it can ensure the safety of workers.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a control circuit diagram for driving the motor, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the front part of the vehicle body, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view of the light elevating mechanism, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the headlight in its installed state on the vehicle body. FIG. 6 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 1 in another embodiment. 1... Vehicle body, 2... Bonnet, 3... Engine room, 5... Headlight, 11... Motor, 1
2... Light lifting mechanism, 14... Up switch,
15... Down switch, 18... Power relay, 2
1... Light drive device, 22... Relay, 25.2
5'...Bonnet switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A retractable headlight that is attached to the front end of the vehicle so that it can be raised and lowered and that can be raised and lowered manually from within the engine room at the front of the vehicle, and a light drive that raises and lowers the headlight in response to operation signals from an operation switch. A retractable headlight control device comprising: a bonnet open state detection means for detecting that a bonnet that seals the engine compartment is opened; A retractable headlight control device, characterized in that it is further provided with prohibition means for prohibiting power supply to the light drive device.