JP2000318519A - Lighting system of vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To maintain illumination without obstacle thereto, even at the occurrence of a failure as well as to detect a failure of a lighting element. SOLUTION: First valves 21A, 21B, 21C, etc., and second valves 21B, 22B, 22C, etc., are provided on respective lighting parts of a vehicle. A microcomputer 40 controls respective valves thorough drive circuits 12A, 12B. The microcomputer further detects the presence or absence of a failure of respective valves through current detecting sensors 14A, 14B. When a failure of either the first valve of the second valve is detected, hazard lighting control for increasing the light quantity of the other valve is carried out.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for illuminating a meter, a switch, and the like provided in a vehicle such as an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
The one shown in JP-A-181942 is known.
This device includes lamps arranged at each lighting location and a vehicle-mounted battery connected to these lamps, and determines whether there is a lamp failure at a location between each lamp and the vehicle-mounted battery based on a change in current at the location. Is provided, and when the failure is detected, the display device is configured to display the failure.

[0003]

In the device disclosed in the above publication,
Although a failure of the illumination lamp can be detected, normal illumination cannot be performed until the lamp is repaired or replaced after the failure is detected.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an illuminating device for a vehicle that can perform emergency lighting immediately when a failure occurs in an illuminating device to maintain a illuminable state. Aim.

[0005]

As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present invention relates to a lighting apparatus for a vehicle in which a plurality of lighting devices are supplied with electric power from a power supply. Detecting device for arranging a plurality of lighting devices including a lighting device and a second lighting device, and detecting the presence or absence of a failure of each lighting device, a first lighting device, and a second lighting device Lighting control means for increasing the light amount of the other lighting device when any one of the failures is detected.

According to this configuration, in addition to detecting the occurrence of a failure in each of the lighting devices, at the time of the detection, the illumination of the first lighting device or the second lighting device that is not out of order is detected. By increasing the amount of light of the device for use, appropriate illumination can be maintained even immediately after failure.

Further, if the lighting control means is configured to stop the power supply to the lighting device having the short-circuit failure, it is possible to automatically prevent the overcurrent from continuously flowing through the device. Whether or not to stop supplying power to the lighting device in which a failure other than the short-circuit failure has occurred can be appropriately selected.

Further, in the present invention, it is more preferable to provide a notifying means for notifying the failure to the outside when the failure is detected.

According to the present invention, it is possible to freely set a specific circuit configuration for connecting the power supply and each lighting device. Power supply system from power supply to each lighting device,
A first power supply system from the power supply to each first lighting device, and a second power supply system from the power supply to each second lighting device, and for each power supply system, If a current detection unit that detects a current in the system and a power adjustment unit that changes supply power are provided,
The lighting control of the first lighting device group and the second lighting device group can be performed collectively, and the configuration is simplified.

[0010] For example, when a current abnormality is detected in one of the first power supply system and the second power supply system, the power supply in the power supply system is cut off, and the other power supply system is turned off. If the lighting control means is configured so as to increase the power supplied by the lighting device, the control content becomes simpler than when each lighting device is individually controlled. This effect becomes more conspicuous as the number of devices increases.

In this configuration, when a current abnormality occurs in any of the power supply systems, a failure valve detecting means for detecting a valve that has actually failed in the power supply system and reporting the failure is provided. Response after a failure can be made easier.

More specifically, the failure valve detecting means includes an energization switching means for individually switching on and off the power supply to each lighting device, and an energization switching for each lighting device in a power supply system in which a current abnormality has occurred. It is preferable that the apparatus include a detection operation means for performing a detection operation of switching on one by one and a failed valve determination means for determining a failed valve based on a current detected by a current detection unit at the time of the detection operation.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The circuit shown in FIG. 1 includes a plurality of (six in the illustrated example) first bulbs (first lighting devices) 2 from a power source 10.
A first power supply system for supplying power in parallel to 1A, 22A, 23A, 24A, 25A, and 26A, and a plurality (six in the example) of second valves (second in the illustrated example) from the same power supply 10 Lighting device) 21B, 22B, 23B,
And a second power supply system for supplying power in parallel to 24B, 25B, and 26B. The first bulb 21A and the second bulb 21B are provided at the same illumination site (for example, a switch illumination site and a meter illumination site in a vehicle interior) as a pair of bulbs. It has become. Similarly, the bulb pairs 22A and 22B, the bulb pairs 23A and 23B, the bulb pairs 24A and 24B, the bulb pairs 25A and 25B, and the bulb pairs 26A and 26B are respectively disposed at appropriate illumination sites, and are used in combination with the paired bulbs. Lighting is performed at each part.

In the first power supply system, a drive circuit 12A and a current detection sensor 14A are provided between the power supply 10 and each of the first valves 21A to 26A. Each second valve 21B to 26B
Between the drive circuit 12B and the current detection sensor 14B
Is provided.

The drive circuits 12A and 12B include switch elements such as transistors, and
The power supply from the power supply 10 to each valve is turned on / off according to a drive signal input from 0. Therefore, by inputting a pulse signal to the drive circuits 12A and 12B, the light amount of each bulb can be PWM-controlled.

The current detection sensors 14A and 14B individually detect the current flowing through each power supply system and input the detection signal to the microcomputer 40.

Further, in this embodiment, for every six valve pairs in total, drive circuits (energization switching means) 31, 32, 33, 34, 3 interposed between the valve pairs and the ground.
5, 36 are provided. These drive circuits 31
Similarly to the drive circuits 12A and 12B, the switches 36 to 36 are configured to switch between an ON state in which each valve is connected to ground and an OFF state in which each valve is disconnected from ground in accordance with a drive signal input from the microcomputer 40. I have.

The microcomputer 40 is connected to an illuminated volume switch 16 provided in the vehicle interior via a VF circuit (frequency conversion circuit) 17.
The display 18 and each electric load 60 provided in the vehicle interior
It is connected to the.

The microcomputer 40 includes a lighting control unit 42, a failure determination unit 44, and a failure bulb detection control unit 46 as shown in FIG. 2 as functions related to the illumination control according to the present invention.

The lighting control section 42 outputs a pulse signal having a pulse width corresponding to a command signal input from the illumination volume switch 16 through the VF circuit 17 to the drive circuit 12.
A, 12B, the light quantity of each bulb is set to P
It is configured to perform WM control. That is, the lighting control unit 42 and the drive circuits 31 to 36
Lighting control means for controlling the amount of light of each bulb, which is a lighting device, is configured.

The lighting control section 42 switches between a normal control mode and an emergency control mode. In the normal control mode, the first valves 21A to 21F and the second valves are alternately switched on to drive the first valves 21A to 21F.
The valves 21 </ b> B to 26 </ b> B are alternately turned on to realize a light amount corresponding to the command signal of the illumination switch 16. The emergency control mode will be described later.

The failure judging section 44 includes the current detecting sensor 14
A, 14B monitors the current detection signal input from the A, 14B, and determines the presence or absence of a valve failure based on the detected current. Here, if it is determined that the bulb has failed, the lighting control unit 42 switches to the emergency control mode.

The faulty valve detection control unit 46 keeps the drive circuits 31 to 36 in the on state in the normal state,
When it is determined that a failure has occurred, each of the drive circuits 31 to 3
A failure valve detection operation of sequentially turning on the 6s one by one is performed. The failure determination unit 44 determines a failed valve from a change in the detection current of the current detection sensors 14A and 14B during the detection operation, and causes the display 18 to display (that is, perform notification).

In addition to the above-mentioned bulb, as shown in FIG. 1, a bulb 5 for illuminating a switch 50 provided in the vehicle is provided.
Similar lighting control can be performed for 6A and 56B.

The switch 50 has a valve 51 disposed in series with the contact 52 (ie, a valve 51 which is turned on and off in conjunction with the opening and closing of the contact 52). A command signal corresponding to the on / off of the contact 52 is transmitted to the I / O port. The data is input to the microcomputer 40 through 54. Further, the switch 50 has a first light for constantly lighting.
A valve 56A and a second valve 56B are provided. The first valve 56A is connected to the downstream side of the current detection sensor 14A in parallel with the first valves 21A to 26A.
The valve 56B is connected to the downstream side of the current detection sensor 14B in parallel with the second valves 21B to 26B.

If it is desired to control the illumination of the switch 50, as shown in the figure, the drive circuit 57 and the current detection sensor 5 are connected between the valve pair 56A, 56B and the ground.
8 may be provided. However, the following explanation
For convenience, the process proceeds while ignoring the valves 56A and 56B.

In this embodiment, the lighting control operation performed by the microcomputer 40 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3 and the time charts of FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, a is a drive signal input to the drive circuit 12A, and b is a drive signal input to the drive circuit 12B.
, A drive signal input to the drive circuit 31, a lighting state of the first valve 21 A,
e indicates a lighting state of the second valve 21B, f indicates a detection signal of the current detection sensor 14A, and c2 indicates a drive signal input to the drive circuit 32.

First, while there is no abnormality in the detection currents of the current detection sensors 14A and 14B (N in step S1 in FIG. 3).
O), normal lighting control is performed (step S2). Specifically, a command signal by operating the illuminated volume switch 16 is read, and a drive signal a having a pulse width corresponding to the command signal is supplied to the drive circuit 12A as shown in the left end of FIGS. At the same time as the input, a pulse signal whose phase is inverted from the drive signal a is input to the drive circuit 12B as a drive signal b.

During such lighting, for example, the first bulb 21
If A is short-circuited (lighting state d in FIG. 4), the detection signal f from the current detection sensor 14A becomes excessive, and
When the first valve 21A is disconnected (lighting state d in FIG. 5), the detection signal f by the current detection sensor 14A is reversed.
Is lower than usual. In these cases, the microcomputer 40 determines that an abnormality has occurred in the current (YES in step S1), and immediately performs a detection operation for detecting a failed valve (step S3).

More specifically, as shown in the middle part of FIGS. 4 and 5, the drive signals of the drive circuits 31 to 36 for switching the energization are turned off in synchronization with the turning on of the drive signal a to the drive signal 12A. By doing so, basically each first valve 21
The energization of A to 26A is turned off. Only the drive signal c1 of the drive circuit 31 corresponding to the first valve 21A is turned on, and then only the drive signal c2 of the drive circuit 32 corresponding to the first valve 22A is turned on. , Etc., the first valves 21A, 22A, 23A, 24A, 25
An operation of switching these on one by one in the order of A and 26A is performed.

At this time, if the first valve 21A has a short-circuit failure, the detection signal f of the current detection sensor 14A becomes excessive as shown in FIG. 4 only when the first valve 21A is turned on. If the first valve 21A has a disconnection failure, the detection signal f of the current detection sensor 14A becomes 0 as shown in FIG. 5 only when the first valve 21A is turned on. Therefore, by monitoring the detection signal f, a failed valve can be detected. In the illustrated example, it can be determined that the first valve 21A is a failed valve.

Then, the microcomputer 40 informs the display 18 that the first valve 21A has failed.
Is displayed (that is, a notification is made) (step S4), and emergency lighting control for compensating for a decrease in light amount due to the failure of the first valve 21A is performed (step S5). More specifically, as shown at the right end of FIGS. 4 and 5, by constantly turning off the drive signal a to the drive circuit 12A, all the first valves including the first valve 21A which is a failed valve are connected. While the power supply is cut off to prevent the occurrence of overcurrent and other adverse effects, the drive signal b to the drive circuit 12B is always turned on, so that the light quantity of the second valves 21B to 26B is increased and the first valve 21A is increased. The amount of light up to 26A is compensated.

When the valves 56A and 56B of the switch 50 are also included in the lighting control target as shown in FIG.
When a current abnormality occurs, a pulse signal similar to the drive signals c1 and c2 is also input to the drive circuit 57, for example, the drive circuits 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36,
What is necessary is just to perform the detection operation which turns on in order of 57.

Note that the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the following form can be taken as an example.

(1) In the above-described embodiment, the failure valve detection operation is performed at the time of failure determination. However, when such a detection operation is not performed, the drive circuit 3 serving as the power supply switching means is used.
Omission of 1 to 36 is possible. Conversely, as shown in FIG.
Instead of being divided into the power supply system and the second power supply system, a drive circuit may be provided for each valve and lighting control of each valve may be performed for each valve.

(2) It is sufficient that each lighting part includes at least the first bulb and the second bulb, and in addition to these, the third bulb and the fourth bulb can be freely added. Further, the lighting device is not limited to the bulb, and another light emitting element or the like may be used.

(3) In the above embodiment, the failed valve (first
As a means for urgently stopping the supply of power to the valve 21A), the drive signal a is completely turned off. However, if a faulty valve is identified by performing the above-described detection operation, a diagram shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, by inverting the drive signal c1 of the drive circuit 31 corresponding to the first valve 21A that is the failed valve with the drive signal a,
It is possible to prevent the first valve 21A from being turned on. In this case, as shown in FIG.
By applying a pulse to the drive signal c2 of the drive circuit 31 corresponding to B, it is possible to adjust the amount of light of the second valve 21B so as not to be excessive.

It should be noted that the present invention does not require that power supply to the failed valve be cut off. Further, even when the power supply is cut off, the cutoff may be performed only when, for example, a short circuit occurs.

(4) In the above embodiment, the drive circuit 12
By inputting pulse signals to A and 12B, the light quantity
Although an example in which the WM control is performed has been described, the present invention is not limited to a specific configuration as long as a means for adjusting the light amount of each lighting device is provided.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a lighting device for a vehicle, a first lighting device and a second lighting device are arranged at respective lighting locations, and the first lighting device and the second lighting device And lighting control means for increasing the amount of light of the other lighting device when a failure of any one of the lighting devices is detected. There is an effect that emergency lighting can be performed to maintain a illuminable state.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a lighting device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a microcomputer in the lighting device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control operation of the microcomputer.

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing a time change of an electric signal and a current at each point when a short-circuit fault occurs in the lighting device.

FIG. 5 is a time chart showing a time change of an electric signal and a current at each point when a disconnection failure occurs in the lighting device.

FIG. 6 is a time chart showing a modification of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 10 Power supply 12A, 12B Drive circuit (configures lighting control means) 14A, 14B Current detection sensor (configures failure detection means) 18 Display (configures notification means) 21A, 22A, 23A, 24A, 25A, 26A First valve ( 1st lighting device) 21B, 22B, 23B, 24B, 25B, 26B 2nd bulb (2nd lighting device) 31-36 drive circuit (electricity switching means) 40 microcomputer 42 lighting control part (lighting control means) 44) Failure determination unit (constitutes failure detection unit and notification unit) 46 Failure valve detection control unit (constitutes detection operation unit and failure valve determination unit)

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Yasumitsu Yamanaka 1-7-10 Kikuzumi, Minami-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi F-term in Harness Research Institute, Ltd. (Reference) 3K040 DB00 HA02

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A lighting device for a vehicle in which power is supplied from a power source to a plurality of lighting devices.
A plurality of lighting devices including the first lighting device and the second lighting device, and failure detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a failure in each lighting device; a first lighting device; and a second lighting device. A lighting device for a vehicle, comprising: lighting control means for increasing the amount of light of the other lighting device when a failure of any one of the lighting devices is detected. 2. A lighting device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said lighting control means is configured to stop power supply to a lighting device having a short-circuit failure. 3. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, further comprising: a notifying unit for notifying the failure to the outside when the failure is detected. 4. The lighting device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the power supply system from the power supply to each lighting device is a first power supply from the power supply to each first lighting device. The power supply system is divided into a second power supply system from a power supply to each second lighting device, and for each power supply system, a current detection unit that detects a current in the system and a supply power. A lighting device for a vehicle, comprising: a power control unit for changing the power. 5. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 4, wherein when a current abnormality is detected in one of the first power supply system and the second power supply system, the electric power in the power supply system is detected. A lighting device for a vehicle, wherein the lighting control means is configured to cut off supply and increase supply power in the other power supply system. 6. A failed valve according to claim 5, wherein when a current abnormality occurs in any of the power supply systems, a failed valve in the power supply system is detected and the failure is notified. An illumination device for a vehicle, comprising a detection unit. 7. A lighting device for a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein said faulty bulb detecting means includes a power supply switching means for individually switching on / off a power supply to each lighting device, and a power supply system in which a current abnormality has occurred. A detecting operation means for performing a detecting operation of turning on the energization of each lighting device one by one, and a failed valve determining means for determining a failed valve based on a current detected by a current detecting unit at the time of the detecting operation. A lighting device for a vehicle, comprising: