EP3356183A1

EP3356183A1 - Lighting and signaling switch with semi-automatic switching from high beams to low beams

Info

Publication number: EP3356183A1
Application number: EP16848183.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Idris DJERROUD
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-09-27
Filing date: 2016-09-26
Publication date: 2018-08-08
Also published as: WO2017050341A4; CN108473083A; EP3356183A4; WO2017050341A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a lighting and signaling switch with semi-automatic switching from high beams to low beams and to a device for turning on said switch, thus making it possible to reduce the risks of blinding and the effects thereof caused by inattention, negligence, or driver reaction time. The switch consists of a housing having a lever (2) housed therein, switching means, and an electromagnet (12) which, when turned on by a light receiver detecting light rays which come from the vehicles coming in the opposite direction or closely following and which have been previously converged and concentrated by the converging lens (16) on the reflecting parabolic surface (17), is excited and sets in motion the reversing cam (9) which, when switched over, automatically switches from high beams to low beams. The switch according to the invention is particularly suitable for motor vehicle lighting and signaling.

Description

Title of the invention

Light and signaling switch with semi-automatic switching of high beams at low beam.

Technical field to which the invention relates:

The invention relates to a switch for lighting and signaling with a semi-automatic switching of low beam headlights and a device for its power-up, used in the field of lighting of motor vehicles.

State of the prior art:

It is known that motor vehicles are equipped with switches comprising housings whose one of their lateral faces is provided with orifices through which joysticks are introduced. The latter are used for the control of lighting and signaling means of motor vehicles, including the switching of high beam at low beam. But this purely manual switching does not eliminate the risk of dazzling oncoming or closely watched users because of drivers' reaction time, carelessness or negligence.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a lighting and signaling switch, the main purpose of which is to remove the constraints and limits which manual steering mode of the high beam passes at low beam. Said switch comprises a housing in which a joystick and switching means are located, characterized by an electromagnet which, as soon as it is powered up by a light receiver, sensing the light rays of the oncoming or closely following vehicles and previously converged and concentrated by a convergent lens on a reflective parabolic surface, excites and sets in motion an inverting cam which, by switching, automatically switches high beam at low beam. This will greatly reduce glare and its effects, caused by carelessness, carelessness or driver reaction time. In addition, the system alleviates the task of the driver who is no longer forced to operate the joystick to return the low beam and allows him to focus fully on driving.

Statement of figures:

- Figure 1 shows the top view of the switch.

- Figure 2 shows a section A-A of the switch.

- Figure 3 shows the top view of the device for switching on the switch.

- Figure 4 shows a sectional view B-B of the device for switching on the switch.

Presentation of the essence (the substance) of the invention and its embodiment:

With reference to FIG. 1, the switch comprises a housing 1, one of the side faces is provided with an orifice through which is introduced a lever 2. The latter is provided with an axis that allows it to drive, to open and close the circuits lighting, a cam cylinder 3 in which they are pivotally mounted. A cam 4, integral with the handle 2, is provided to push and hold a slide 5 which will serve as an extension to a second slide 6 in which it is fitted.

The lever 2 passes respectively through the slider 6 and an inverter 7, intended to pass from a neutral position to a right or left directional change position, by two vertical and horizontal oblong holes, in order to allow said lever 2 to to train them,

independently of each other without disrupting their functions respectively. Nevertheless, the two functions can, if necessary, take place simultaneously.

The slider 5 is provided with a spring blade 8 provided to ensure the functional connection between the slider 6 and an inversion cam 9 fig. 2. The latter has on its side, two notches which will serve as a fulcrum for the leaf spring 8 and on its face, a common stud of the side contacts 10 and 1 1 which are provided to connect

alternatively low beam and high beam.

According to a non-illustrated variant, an inversion cam can be provided with a single contact on its lateral side and a structure serving as a stopping point on the other. Thus it allows, when tilting, the addition of high beam at low beam which are fed directly by the cam cylinder 3.

To allow automatic switching of high beam at low beam, an electromagnet 12 is provided in the housing 1. Said electromagnet 12 can, once powered, attract a frame

ferromagnetic 13 whose blade spring 14 Fig.2 is based on another notch provided on the upper part of the inverting cam 9. Due to its location between the leaf springs 8 and 14, said reversing cam 9 can be moved either manually by the slider 6 or automatically by the electromagnet 12.

This automatic switching of main beam at low beam is based on a device for its powering comprising a housing fig.4 whose structure ends in a conical shape in which houses a converging lens 16. The latter is designed to converge and focus the light rays that pass through the same point on a reflective parabolic surface 17 which reflects to a phototransistor 18, which generates a current proportional to the intensity of light captured.

The housing 15 is mounted on an inclined support whose field of action is, by way of non-limiting example, 400 meters below which the light rays of vehicles traveling in low beam previously converged and concentrated in the same point, reach the reflective parabolic surface 17 to be picked up by the phototransistor 18 on the one hand, and on the other hand to prevent the concentrated light energy of vehicles traveling in high beam, much more It is important to arrive at the said reflective parabolic surface 17. As for the closely tracked vehicles whose light rays are smaller, the phototransistor 18 can capture them over a distance of 70 meters, a non-limiting distance.

However, if the light sources of the dipped-beam headlights of oncoming vehicles do not reach the

reflective parabolic surface 17 and this relatively to the state and intensity of their lights, a simple call light on their part is sufficient for their light source, previously converged and

concentrated in the same point, reaches said surface

reflective parabolic 17 to be picked up by the phototransistor

18.

By design elevate to a height of 60 centimeters and its location in the front left of the vehicle, the housing 15 allows the collection of light from all oncoming vehicles or closely followed and this, that the positioning of our vehicle over the entire width of the track.

By turning the joystick 2 forward, it causes the

cam cylinder 3 closes the contacts 19 and 20 to feed the

position lights and the light receiver. Nevertheless, the latter can be powered by a push button, provided at the end of the handle 2, to activate or deactivate said light receiver.

Continuing the movement, the joystick 2 causes a

second time the cam cylinder 3 which closes the contacts 21 and 22 to turn on a fixed contact 23 on which comes

press the common block of said reversing cam 9, under the effect of a spring interposed between the latter and the wall of the housing 1. Said reversing cam 9, whose contact 10 is connected to a fixed contact 24 fig.2 in the initial position, supplies the dipped beam.

Simultaneously, the cam 4, following the movement of the

handle 2, pushes and maintains the slide 5 serving as an extension to the slide 6 in which it is fitted. This lengthening allows the spring blade 8 to approach the reversing cam 9. Thus, by pulling the handle 2 towards the steering wheel and then releasing it, it drives the slide 6 which tilts, via the blade spring 8 already predisposed, the reversing cam 9 which passes from the low beam position to the high beam position by connecting its second contact 1 1 to a fixed contact 25. A holding pin, provided with a

spring, is provided to hold the inverting cam 9 in this

position.

Approaching all vehicles followed by meadow or oncoming traffic, including motorcycles, their light rays and those of lighting, at the entrance of agglomerations when light is sufficient, cross the convergent lens 16 which converges and concentrates at one point on the reflective parabolic surface 17 which reflects it towards the phototransistor 18.

The presence of light on the basis of the phototransistor 18 generates a current proportional to the intensity of light captured, whose sensitivity is preset by a variable resistor.

The current generated by the phototransistor 18 is then amplified and converted into a variable voltage form using an operational amplifier mounted in a voltage converter. The output voltage of the latter is compared, at the input of an operational amplifier mounted as a comparator, with a reference voltage adjustable by a variable resistor.

The signal from the comparator is applied directly to the input of a logic gate. At its output, said signal will change state to apply directly to the control input of a retriggerable monostable. If a second signal is applied before the output of the monostable is completed, it is extended by a time equal to that elapsed between the first and the second command signal.

At the exit of the monostable one obtains a delay whose adjustment of the duration is carried out by a variable resistance. The current from the monostable is applied directly on the basis of a transistor and then leads to the control part of an electromechanical relay. The latter, once excited, attracts a ferromagnetic armature which closes the power circuit in order to power up, through a diode, a fixed contact 26 fig.2.

The continuity of the circuit towards the electromagnet 12 is conditioned, firstly by the position of the inversion cam 9 on high beam to connect a movable contact 27 to the fixed contact 26, and this in order to force said electromagnet 12 to act in this position and, secondly, by the static position of the slider 6 by closing the contacts 28 and 29, in which they are arranged, and this, to avoid two simultaneous and antagonistic maneuvers electromagnet 12 and the slider 6 on the reversing cam 9, during the displacement of said slider 6 by which it interrupts, for safety, the continuity of the circuit by the opening of said contacts 28 and 29

Once these two conditions are met, the electromagnet 12 becomes excited and attracts the ferromagnetic armature 13, the spring blade 14 of which sets the reversing cam 9 in motion. The latter, by tilting around a pivot of the casing 1, automatically switches high beams to low beam. The delay generated by the monostable, whose duration is preset over 5 seconds by way of non-limiting example, allows said electromagnet 12 to finish its race even in the event of spontaneous interruption of light source. The removal of the inversion cam 9 opens the contacts 26 and 27 to cut the circuit to the electromagnet 12. A return spring is provided to detach the ferromagnetic armature 13 during the de-excitation of the electromagnet 12.

By bringing the lever 2 into the rest position, it drives on the one hand, the cam 4 which releases the slide 5, urged by the two springs of recall, to resume its initial position and secondly the cam cylinder 3 which opens first contacts 21 and 22 to turn off the fixed contact 23, and second contacts 19 and 20 to cut the circuit to the lights positions and the light receiver.

At the end of its action, the cam cylinder 3 can, by connecting a movable contact 30 to a fixed contact 31 previously put under constant voltage, fed through a diode, the fixed contact 26 whose continuity to the electromagnet 12 is conditioned by the position of the reversing cam 9 in the high beam position and that of the static slider 6, in order to always bring back said reversing cam 9 from the high beam position to the dipped beam position at each once the joystick 2 returns to its original position.

To indicate a change of direction to the right or to

left, the operation of the lever 2, upwards or downwards and parallel to the steering wheel, drives the inverter 7 which houses a movable member 32, held by two springs. The movement of the inverter 7 generates, by pulling one of the two springs, the displacement of the movable member 32 from the middle position to a position engaged towards the stopping cam of the steering wheel. A movable retainer with a spring is provided to hold the inverter 7 in this position.

Once the change of direction operation is completed and under the effect of the repositioning of the steering wheel, the stop cam of this

the last relies on the movable member 32 which in turn exerts pressure on the inverter 7 which takes over, in the company of the handle 2 and the movable member 32, its initial position.

If for any reason the driver decides to

proceed to a call of lighthouse, it is sufficient to pull and release the handle 2 so that the slide 6, by its movement, closes the contacts 33 and 34 under which they are arranged.

Claims

claims

Switch for lighting and signaling with semi-automatic switching of high beams at low beam, characterized in that it comprises an electromagnet (12) which, as soon as it is switched on by a light receiver picking up the light rays of the oncoming vehicles or closely tracked and previously converged and concentrated by a convergent lens (16) on a reflective parabolic surface (17), excites and sets in motion an inverting cam (9) which, by tilting, automatically switches high beams to low beam.

Lighting and signaling switch according to claim 2, characterized in that an inversion cam is provided with a single contact on its lateral side and a structure serving as a stopping point on the other. Thus it allows, when tilting, the addition of high beam at low beam which are fed directly by the cam cylinder 3.