FR2463027A1 - ELECTRIC CONTROL APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE ORIENTATION OF A PROJECTOR - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION RELATES TO AN APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLING THE ORIENTATION OF PROJECTORS. THIS APPLIANCE INCLUDES A MOTOR CONNECTED IN SERIES TO FIRST AND SECOND SWITCHES. WHEN IMPLEMENTATION MEANS REACH A PREDETERMINED POSITION, THE SWITCHES SHORT-CIRCUIT THE MOTOR SUPPLY TERMINALS. APPLICATION TO THE CONTROL OF VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS.

Description

The invention relates to an electrical control apparatus for

  to control the orientation of projectors, in

particular vehicle headlights.

  More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus of the type which comprises s (a) a first manually operable electrical switch adapted to take a plurality of predetermined positions, each of which is associated with a corresponding configuration of electrical connections, (b) an engine electric, (c) operating means actuated by the electric motor and arranged to convert a rotary motion of the motor shaft into a translational movement, so as to control the position taken by a control rod of the projector, (d) a second electrical switch mechanically actuated by the motor and adapted to take a plurality of positions each of which corresponds to a predetermined position of the projector control rod and a predetermined configuration of electrical connections, the second switch being adapted to cooperate with the first switch, so as to connect the motor to a power source, until the means of implementation have reached a predetermined position corresponding to a manually selected position of the

first electrical switch.

  In control apparatus of the type defined above

  above, when the means of implementation reaches the predetermined position, the second electrical switch, which is generally a rotary switch, cuts the power of the electric motor, which, therefore, stops. In reality, since the motor and the means of implementation together, have a considerable mechanical inertia, the motor continues to rotate

  shortly after the moment the power is turned off.

  Therefore, the final position taken by the device - 2 -

  implementation is indefinite overall, as-

  that the inclination given to the projector by the control rod. The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for controlling the orientation of a projector and which is

  free from the aforementioned drawback of known apparatus.

  The invention proposes an apparatus of the type defined above, characterized in that the motor is substantially connected in series with the first and second switches and when the means of implementation reach the predetermined position, the switches short-circuit the bounds

motor power supply.

  We will understand the invention better thanks to the description

  of a predential embodiment given below, by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which s Figure 1 is an operating diagram of the electrical control part of a device of FIG. 2 is a perspective view from above of a mechanically assembled detail of FIG. 1. FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are sectional elevations of three different embodiments of setting means.

  intended for the apparatus according to the invention.

  Figure 1 shows the electrical part, indicated by the general reference 10, of an apparatus for controlling the orientation of a projector, in particular of a vehicle headlight. The electrical part 10 essentially comprises a double preselection switch 11, a bipolar inverter 12 mechanically actuated by the switch 11, two motors 13, 14, two switches 15, 16 actuated respectively by these motors, and a connection block 9 comprising eight pairs. terminals of connection designated respectively by 1 to 8 and 1 'to 8'. The double switch 11 includes two conductive traces

  rings 17, 18 deposited on support disks 51, 52.

  The latter can rotate about their axis of symmetry so that each annular pattern 17, 18 slides relative to a respective direct-current brush 19, 20. The lines 17, 18, which are angularly coupled between them, each comprise a radial cavity 21 and a radial appendage 22 in positions

angular similar.

  In addition, four uniformly spaced collector brushes 23 are applied on the tracing 17 and are only in electrical contact therewith near its outer peripheral edge, so that they do not come into electrical contact with the tracing 17. the place of the cavity 21. Similarly, four equidistant collector brushes 24 are arranged around the annular path 18, their distance to the center thereof being greater than the outer radius of the path and being such that it allows the electrical contact between each of the brooms and the appendix

radial 22.

  The inverter 12 is formed of two deviators 27, 28

  each having a common terminal 29, 30 connected respectively

  The deflectors are also each provided with a respective first switching terminal 31, 33, and a respective second switching terminal 32, 34. The deflectors 27, inverter 12 take either the position shown in Figure 1, or an opposite position, according to the direction of rotation imposed on the annular traces 17, 18 of the double

switch 11.

  The letters a, to, to, d, and e indicate four angular positions that the plots can take. In particular, the plots 17, 18 can take the position a only by making a full turn in the direction of clockwise, while the plots 17, 18 can not take the position e, coinciding angularly with the position at. than by doing a complete turn in the opposite direction of

Clockwise.

  The rotary coamutator 15 comprises an annular pattern 36, deposited on a corresponding support 40 and comprising on the outside five semicircular cavities, four of which are spaced 90 apart, while the fifth is disposed between two of these. A semi-circular conductive portion 38, suitably spaced from the adjacent edge

  of the trace 36, is deposited inside each cavity 37.

  A radial rotary blade 39 is also provided and carries a contact element (not shown) designed to slide only in the vicinity of the outer peripheral edge of the path 36 and the portions 38 and in particular having a thickness less than the spacing between each portion 38. and the plot 36, so as to pocket any short circuit

between them.

  With regard to the switch 11, the brushes 23, 24 bearing the respective letters a, k. a and d are interconnected and respectively connected to the terminals 1 ', 2', 3 'and 4' of the block 9. The terminal S. of the block is connected to the switching terminals 34 and 31 of the inverter 12 and the brush 19, and the terminal 8 'of the block is connected to the switching terminals 32 and 33 of the inverter 12 and to the supply brush 20. In the block 9, the terminals 1' to

  8 'are respectively connected to terminals 1 to 8 of block 9.

  The terminals 2, 3 and 4 are connected to the corresponding conductive parts 38 indicated by the lateral letters _, c, d and the terminal 1 is connected to two conductive parts.

  adjacent 38, indicated by the side letters a and e.

  The terminal 5 of the block 9 is connected to the annular path 36, the terminals 6 and 7 are connected to opposite poles of a direct current source, for example of a vehicle power supply battery, and the terminal 8 is connected at a first power supply terminal of the motor 13, whose

  second terminal is electrically connected to the blade 39.

  The terminals i, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 are connected to the motor 14 and the rotary switch 16, not shown, but similar to what has been described for the motor 13

and the switch 15.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of assembly of the double switch 11 and of the inverter 12. In particular, the annular traces 17 and 18 of the switch 11 are conductive traces of a printed circuit deposited on the respective insulating support disc 51, 52, each coupled in torsion to a shaft 53, which also actuates the inverter 12. This shaft 53 can be rotated about its axis by a knob 54 and, on the shaft, is wedged a disk 55 whose surface comprises the concave circular seats 56. The latter are designed to cooperate with a ball 57 pushed against the surface of the disc 56 by the action of a cylindrical spring 58 compressed inside a cup holder 59 connected to the frame (Not shown) of the switch 11. Finally, a radial finger 60 cooperates with a helical groove 61 of the shaft 53 at an angle of 3600, so as to prevent the shaft and thus the disks 51 and 52 from rotating. angular superior to

a complete turn.

  A positioning device is associated with each rotary switch 15, 16 in a manner not shown, this device comprising a disk provided with concave seats, in which a ball can snap-engage in a manner similar to that described in FIG. the disc 55 and the ball 57, so as to ensure a positioning

  correct broom 39 on each conductive portion 38.

  Figure 3 shows a device for implementation

  indicated by general reference 100 and serving

  putting an axial translation movement to a control rod 101 of a not shown projector. The device essentially comprises a motor, for example the motor 13 of FIG. 1, a speed reducer 102 and a device 103 for converting rotary motion into translational movement, these being contained in FIG.

  a substantially tubular casing 104 closed at the ends

  opposed by respective covers 105 and 106.

  The gearbox 102 is an epicyclic gear and essentially comprises a ring gear 107 provided in the casing 104, a stallite 108 entrained by a pinion 109 carried by the shaft 110 of the motor 13 and also cooperating with the fixed ring gear 107 and a ring gear 111. The latter is rotatably mounted about its axis and is provided with a number of teeth which differs for example from one unit of that of the ring gear 107. The ring gear 111 is provided in FIG. one end of a cylindrical element 112, the other end protruding in the form of a journal 113, housed

  in a seat provided for correspondingly in the cover

  106. The cylindrical element 112 is part of the converter device 113 and has at its lateral surface a helical groove 114, in which a tooth 115 is directed radially towards the inside of the housing 104 through a slot 116 provided in a side wall 117 of the casing 104. The tooth 115 is part of a slide 119 which can slide axially along a pin 120, housed in a seat 121 provided in the outer surface of the side wall 117. The slide 119 comprises a tubular appendage 122, which protrudes outside the side wall 117 and is coupled to a threaded portion 123 of the rod 101. The blade 39 of Figure 1 is integral with the pin 113 and is applied on the annular path 36

  (not visible in FIG. 3) deposited on the support 40.

  Finally, a connection block 125 protrudes outside the cover 106 to allow the trace 36 and the motor 13 to be electrically connected to the terminals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 5.

8 of block 9 of FIG.

  Figure 4 shows an implementation device indicated by the general reference 150 and used to order the axial position of a control rod 151 of a projector not shown. The device 150 comprises a motor, for example the motor 13 of FIG. 1, a speed reducer 152 and a device 153 for converting the rotary motion into a translational motion. These devices, as well as the motor 13, are contained inside a substantially tubular casing 154, closed at the top and bottom by respective covers 155 and 156 and having inside a longitudinal partition 157 and a transverse partition. 158 defining in the assembly two lower chambers 159 and 160 and two upper chambers 161 and 162. The chamber 159 houses the motor 13 on the shaft 163 of which is wedged a pinion 164 coupled to a toothed ring 165 mounted so as to be rotatable around a support pin 166. On it is wedged a pinion 167 coupled to a ring gear 168, which rotates about a corresponding pin 169 bearing a pinion 170. Via a satellite 171p this pinion 170 cooperates with a fixed ring gear 172 provided in the housing 154 and can also rotate around a support pin 173, carried eccentrically by a disc 174 angularly coupled to one end of a shaft 17 5. At the other end of the disk 174, the shaft 175 supports a guide

  spiral 176, with which cooperates a slide 177.

  The latter is integral with a tubular element 178, in

  which is screwed a threaded portion 179 of the rod 151.

  This tubular element 178 is designed to slide axially in a tubular guide 180 comprising a radial slot 181, in which slide the slide 177. The plate 40 bearing the path 36 on which the blade 39 slides (see Figure 1) is connected to a wall internal side of the housing 154, limiting the chambers 159 and 161. The plate 40 can be electrically connected to the outside by means of a connection block 182, thus allowing the switch 15 and the motor 13 to be powered

  according to the diagram of Figure 1.

  Figure 5 shows an implementation device indicated by the general reference 200, designed to transmit a translational movement to a rod 201 of a not shown projector. The device 200 comprises a motor, for example the motor 13 of FIG. 1, a speed reducer 202 and a device 203 for converting the rotational movement into translational movement, these being essentially contained in a housing 204. This latter comprises a lower tubular portion 205 closed downwardly by a cover 206, containing the motor 13 and connected at the top to a cup portion 207, in which the gearbox 202 and the device are substantially accommodated.

203.

  A worm 209 is keyed on the shaft 208 of the motor 13 and cooperates with a helical wheel 210 mounted so as to be rotatable between two intermediate walls 211a, 2llb, placed parallel to the inside of the housing 204 starting from a upper wall of the bowl element 207 * The helical wheel 210 is rotatable about a pin 212, on which is locked a pinion 213, which itself meshes with an annular ring 214 carried by a shaft 215. The shaft 215 is torsionally coupled to a spiral guide 216, located outside the casing 204 and coupled to a slide 217 secured to a tubular element 218. The latter is threaded internally and receives a threaded portion 219 of the rod 201 and it can also slide in a tubular guide 220 having a radial slot 221, in which the slide 217

can move.

  At the opposite end to the one angularly coupled to the spiral guide 216, the shaft 215 supports the blade 39 shown in Figure 1, which can slide on the wafer 40. Finally, a connection block 222 is provided to allow to connect electrically to the outside

  the motor 13 and the traces provided on the wafer 40.

  The operation of the electrical part 10 of the control apparatus according to the invention will now be described, with particular reference to FIG. 1, in which the terminals 42 and 41 are assumed to be respectively connected to the positive and negative pins of a source. current -9-

  continuous, for example the accumulator of the motor vehicle.

  It will also be assumed that the rest position of the lines 17 and 18 of the switch 11, FIG. 1, has been reached by a complete rotation of the switch in a clockwise direction, reaching the position indicated by a. Under these conditions, a positive voltage signal is fed to the annular path 17, passing through the deflector 27 and the feed brush 19, and a negative signal is fed to the path 18, passing through the deflector 28 and the brush d. 20. A positive signal is also brought to the annular trace 36, passing through the deflector 27, and the conductive parts 38 bearing the letters b. a, d, passing through the collecting brushes 23 which receive this signal from the annular pattern 17. Finally, a negative voltage signal is supplied to the first connection terminal of the motor 13, via the deflector 28, and the conductive parts. 23 letters a and e are also connected to the negative pole by the collector broom 24, which

  rests on the radial appendage 22 of the annular path 18.

  Since the second terminal of the motor 13 is connected via the brush 39 to the conductive portion 38 of negative voltage, the opposite terminals of the motor 13 are short-circuited, so that it is maintained at rest, n 'being not electrically powered. The blade 39, to which the various transmission units indicated in FIGS. 3 to 5 are connected, is thus maintained at

  rest in the angular position indicated by a.

  It will be assumed that the double switch 11 is now brought to the position indicated by _. When this position is reached by rotation counterclockwise, that is to say in the opposite direction to the previous rotation to reach the position a, the inverter 12 is therefore switched, so that the diverters 27 and 28 connect this time respectively the common terminals 29

  and at the respective switch terminals 32 and 34.

  As a result of this switching operation, a signal

- 10 -

  negative voltage is fed to the trace 17, while a positive signal is fed to the trace 18. A positive signal is also supplied to the first terminal of the motor 13, while a negative signal is fed to the trace 36, where the parts conductive 38 bearing the letters a, e. c, d are also at a negative voltage, being connected to the respective brushes 23, which rest on the annular pattern 17. The only exception is the conductive portion 38 in position b, which is at a positive voltage, being fed by the collector broom 24 which, in position b, cooperates with the appendage 22 of the annular pattern 18. Thus, a positive signal from the terminal 8 and a negative signal from the brush 39

  reach the motor 13. Therefore, the engine

  and rotates the blade 39 anti-clockwise, the latter inertia surmounting the spacing between the portion 38 in position a and the annular path 36 and therefore sliding on this line, until

  that it reaches the conductive portion 38 in position _.

  Under these conditions, there are two positive voltages at the opposite terminals of the motor 13. The motor 13 is thus short-circuited, so that its rotation stops suddenly and the blade 39 is held in the conductive portion 38 in position b. The positioning device, in which the ball engages a corresponding concave seat of the opposing disk, also helps to maintain a correct position of the blade 39. In this manner, the blade 39 is prevented from stopping in the blade. spacing between Part 38 and Route 36, where he could no longer receive

  electric signal to be transmitted to the motor 13.

  A new progressive angular movement of the double switch to the positions c, d, e is performed by the motor 13 and the rotary switch 15 in the manner

  described above to reach the position b.

  Any reversal of the rotation printed at the switch 11, for example to reach the position a, has the immediate effect that the inverter 12 returns to the position of the

- 11 -

  FIG. 1, thus reversing the polarity of the feed signal

  brought to the engine 13, which starts to turn in

clockwise.

  The motor 14, locked to the rotary switch 16 partially shown in FIG. 1, behaves in the same way. However, his behavior is entirely

  separated from that of the motor 13 and the corresponding path 36.

  The operation of the implementers 150 and 200 shown respectively in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 is described briefly below, since

is almost obvious.

  Reference is particularly made to FIG. 3; the rotation of the shaft 110 of the motor 13 is transmitted by the pinion 109 and the satellite 108 to the ring gear 111, which rotates the helical guide 114 provided in the cylindrical element 112. The angular position taken by the element

  112 determines the axial position of the slider 119 relative to

  the support pin 120, since the tooth of the slide cooperates with the helical guide 114 and moves in the slot 116 according to the angular position

  taken by the cylindrical element 112.

  Reference will now be made particularly to FIG. 4; the rotation of the shaft 163 of the motor 13 is transmitted by the pinion 164, the ring gear 165 and the pinion 167 to the ring gear 168, whose pinion 170 cooperates with the satellite 171 and the ring gear 172 to make

  turn the disc 174 and thus the spiral guide 176.

  By means of a known type of system, the latter cooperates with the slider 177, so as to move it axially in the corresponding tubular guide 180, and with it,

  the rod 151 which controls the projector.

  Reference will now be made particularly to the figure; the rotary movement of the shaft 208 of the motor 13 is transmitted by the worm 209 and the helical wheel 210 to the gear 213, which itself co-operates with the ring gear 214. Consequently, the latter rotates,

- 12 -

  that the shaft 215 and, through the spiral guide 216, transmits a translational movement to the slider 217, which thus slides axially in the tubular guide 220, driving with it the control rod 201 of the projector. Upon examination of the features of the invention, it can be seen that the correction apparatus according to the invention

  achieves the goals set out above.

  In particular, when the predetermined position is reached, the terminals of the motor 13 are short-circuited to ensure the immediate stopping of the motor and therefore a

  absolute precision of the position reached. The precision-

  of the positioning of the blade 39 is further improved, given the positioning device that keeps the blade 39 in contact with the portion 38, until a

  different electrical displacement signal is received.

  The particular configurations of the conductive traces 17, 18 of the switch 11 and the conductive pattern 36 of the switch 15 make it possible to obtain five different angular rest positions, while having only

  four collector brooms for each tracing 17, 18.

  Finally, the total separation of the control between the motors 13 and 14 is particularly advantageous, each of them being independent in that it is served only by the corresponding rotary switch 15, 16 and therefore it is not influenced by possible malfunctions of the other. It is obvious that modifications can be made to the orientation control apparatus according to the invention without departing from the

framework of the idea of the invention.

  For example, the conductive parts 38, associated with the letters A and e. They could be respectively stably connected to negative and positive supply heads, for example using, in each case, two pairs of diodes which receive an incipient signal downstream of the switch 12. The collector brooms 23 and 24 of the double switch 11, relating to the positions indicated

- 13 -

  by a and and could then be deleted. The positions a and e of the rotary switch 15 can only be reached by the blade 39 at the end of a complete revolution, respectively in the clockwise direction and in the opposite direction, the corresponding conductive parts 38 to be then respectively to the negative and positive potential, while the potential taken by the parties in question, when the brush 39 of the switch 15 moves to one of the positions b, c, d, does not matter. Therefore, the motor 13 always stops when the movable blade 39 of the switch 15 reaches one of the extreme positions, at the end of a complete turn in the direction of the needles

of a watch or in reverse.

  The variant described above is of particular importance because it avoids failures or

  blockages of the motor 13 as a result of errors in the handling

  In order to better understand this, it will be assumed that the switch 11 is brought from the position a to the position d and that, during the movement of the blade 39, the switch is brought to the position cg before the broom 39 has reached this last position. With regard to the diagram of Figure 1, the polarity

  motor 13 would be reversed, with reverse

  instantaneous of its direction of rotation, so that, not only the brush 39 would never reach the position c, but that reaching the position a, the engine would not stop, thus transmitting to the corresponding converter 100, 150 or 200 mechanical stresses

which could damage it.

  With the modified connection described above, such a disadvantage is totally overcome, because when the brush 39 connected to the second terminal of the motor 13 reaches

  the final position has or e, the conductive part corre-

  38 is at the same potential as the first terminal of the motor 13, so that the latter is obliged to

- 14 -

  stop. Large modifications can be made to the structure of the switches 11, 15 and, particularly, to the conductive traces 17, 18 and 36, which could for example extend over an arc of less than 360 ° C. or be linear. In the latter case, it would be necessary to make a corresponding change to each implementation device 100, 150 or 200, for example by operating the blade 35 by means of a slider integrally sliding

with the projector rod.

  Finally, although this apparatus has been described as intended to preferentially control the orientation of a vehicle headlight, it could advantageously be used to remotely control the orientation of any

projector or antenna.

- 15 -

Claims (7)

  1. A headlamp control apparatus of the type comprising: (a) a first manually operable electrical switch adapted to take a plurality of predetermined positions, each of which is associated with a corresponding configuration of electrical connections; (b) an electric motor, (c) operating means actuated by the electric motor and arranged to convert a rotary motion of the motor shaft into a translational movement, so as to control the position taken by a the control rod of the projector, (d) a second electrical switch mechanically actuated by the motor and adapted to take a plurality of positions, each of which corresponds to a predetermined position of the control rod of the projector and a predetermined configuration of electrical connections, the second switch being designed to cooperate with the first switch, so as to connect the motor to a power source, until the means of implementation have reached a position   predetermined amount corresponding to a manually selected position   of the first electrical switch, a device   the fact that the motor is substantially connected in series with the first and second switches and that, when the means of implementation reaches the predetermined position, the switches short the motor power terminals.   2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first electrical switch comprises a first and a second annular conductive traces coupled together and rotatable about the same axis, each path cooperating with a respective supply brush for the connection with a respective pole of a direct current race, a first and a second - 16 -   groups of radial collector brushes being furthermore disposed respectively around the first and second traces and electrically connected to each other in pairs, the first and second traces respectively comprising a radial cavity and a projection, the first and second groups of brushes being mounted at a distance radial   corresponding pattern, that when a broom is   the first group cooperates with the cavity, a corresponding collector mop of the second group cooperates with the projection, the second electrical switch comprising a fixed annular pattern in which are provided several conductive parts spaced angularly, isolated   electrically of the annular trace, each conductive part   trice being connected to a respective pair of collector mops, a rotary mop also being provided, being actuated by the motor and slidable on the annular path, so that it is connected alternately to portions of the path and to each of the conductive portions. , the opposite poles of the power source being respectively connected to the annular trace and to a first terminal of the motor, the second.borne of the motor being connected in rotary broom series.   3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized   in that it includes an inverter connected   between the supply feed brushes and the opposite poles of the feed source angularly coupled to the first and second traces and adapted to respectively connect the brushes to a first and a second of the opposite poles, or vice versa, depending on the direction of rotation followed in the manual actuation of   first and second annular traces.   4. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 3,   characterized in that it comprises snap coupling elastic means angularly connected to the first and / or second switches, so as to prevent them   to float around the predetermined positions. - 17 -   5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the elastic coupling means comprises two facing elements, one of which is fixed and the other rotating, and which are urged into contact by the action of elastic means, one of these elements having at least one convex part and the opposite element comprising at least one concave part designed to cooperate with the convex part.   6. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 5,   characterized by the fact that the means of implementation comprise a device for converting a rotational movement into translational motion and which comprises a substantially cylindrical element rotatable about its axis due to a mechanical action exerted by the motor and provided with a helical groove on a lateral surface and a slider axially slidable along a support shaft and carrying a radial tooth which   engages in the helical groove.   7. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 to 6,   characterized by the fact that the projector is a lighthouse of a motor vehicle.