JP2008074369A - Vehicular headlamp control system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem that, though a vehicular headlamp has a sufficient irradiation function on straight travel, an optical axis is hardly irradiated on a part forward of a vehicle necessary for irradiation when a vehicle makes a turn at a curve or at a right angle. <P>SOLUTION: In a vehicular headlamp control system, a sensor for detecting the position of the steering angle of a front wheel is mounted to a rack or a pinion of a rack-and-pinion type steering as a main stream for vehicular steering, or a steering column, and a signal from the sensor for detecting the position is transmitted to a control device. Visibility forward of a vehicle is ensured by irradiating light with the optical axis of a headlamp or a headlamp assist lamp directed in the steering direction of the front wheel for making a turn by a motor mounted to the right and left headlamps or headlamp assist lamps of the vehicle. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle headlamp control system in which a light is not irradiated when a vehicle turns a curve, so that a vehicle headlamp or a headlamp auxiliary lamp is irradiated in conjunction with steering.

  When trying to turn a curve at night with a headlamp attached to the vehicle, the headlamp is fixed to the vehicle and the light's optical axis is irradiated in front of the vehicle. There are places that are not irradiated. In particular, when driving on a winding mountain road without a street light, it may be very dangerous because it is difficult to determine the situation in front of the vehicle. On the other hand, it is important for the headlamp to improve the visibility in front of the vehicle without giving glare to other vehicles when going straight and turning.

  As described above, the vehicular headlamp according to the related art has a sufficient function for straight running, but when turning, turning or turning at a right angle, the optical axis is difficult to be irradiated in front of the vehicle that needs to be irradiated. There is a place. For this reason, for example, even if there is a pedestrian or an obstacle ahead of the curve, it cannot be confirmed that it will not be close.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to ensure visibility in front of the vehicle without giving glare to other vehicles when the vehicle turns at a curve or the like at night. .

  The vehicle headlamp control system according to the present invention that achieves the above-described object is a front wheel by attaching a sensor for detecting a steering position to a rack and pinion of a mainstream rack-and-pinion type steering as a vehicle steering, or a steering column. The steering angle is detected, a signal from this position detection sensor is sent to the control device, and a command is sent from the control device to the motor mounted in mesh with the left and right rotatable headlamps or auxiliary headlamps of the vehicle. By sending the light, the optical axis is directed in the steering direction of the front wheel that is about to turn the headlamp or the headlamp auxiliary lamp, and irradiation is performed to ensure visibility in front of the vehicle.

  Further, the optical axis angle of the headlamp or the headlamp auxiliary lamp is set to be equal to the steering angle of the steering, and visibility in front of the vehicle is ensured without giving glare to other vehicles.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the light is emitted in front of the vehicle about to enter the night curve by interlocking with the steering angle of the vehicle steering and the headlamp or the headlamp auxiliary lamp, and the driver moves forward. Visibility is improved and it is possible to travel safely on the curve. In addition, by suppressing the optical axis of the headlamp or the headlamp auxiliary lamp to an appropriate angle, glare to other vehicles can be eliminated, and safe driving of other vehicles can be ensured.

  2 is an external perspective view of a rack and pinion type vehicle steering device that is currently most commonly used, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA showing the gear configuration of the rack and pinion type steering device of FIG. It is. FIG. 1 is a sectional view in which a position detection sensor for detecting a steering angle of a front wheel is attached to a rack portion according to a vehicle headlamp control system of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a vehicle headlamp control of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a plan view of a headlamp or headlamp auxiliary lamp according to the system in a state where the motor and the motor are engaged with each other via a worm gear and a worm wheel gear. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an outline of a control device according to the vehicle headlamp control system of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the rotation of the handle 5 of the rack and pinion type steering 8 is transmitted to the re-steering gear mechanism 7 through the steering column 6 and connected to the pinion shaft 9. In the steering gear mechanism 7, the rack 1 and the pinion 2 provided at the tip of the pinion shaft 9 intersect at right angles and mesh with each other in a tooth shape. When the pinion shaft 9 is rotated by the operation of the handle 5 by the steering gear mechanism 7. , Converted into a linear linear motion of the rack 1. The front wheel is steered at both ends of the rack 1 via a rack end 10 and a tie rod end 11 (not shown).

  Here, the rack 1 has a sawtooth shape as shown in FIG. 1, and the tooth shape of the rack 1 is detected as shown in FIG. 1 in order to detect this tooth shape as a displacement of the steering angle of the front wheel. A position detecting sensor 3 is attached to the steering gear case 4 having a shape.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the detection method on the tooth profile of the rack 1 is displayed as the steering angle position detection method. However, not only the rack 1 but also the pinion 2 or the steering column 6 can be detected. Is possible.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a rotation shaft 14 is provided in the lamp house 13 of the headlamp 12a or the headlamp auxiliary lamp 12b, and the rotation shaft 14 is attached to the vehicle body 15 so that a rotation angle can be freely obtained. A worm wheel gear 16 is attached to one end of the rotating shaft 14, and a worm gear 18 is attached to a motor 17 fixed to the vehicle body 15. The worm gear 18, the worm wheel gear 16, Are engaged.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the signal from the position detection sensor 3 attached to the rack 1 is once received by the control device, where the steering angle of the steering is read and the command is sent to the motor 17 to send the headlamp 12a or The headlamp auxiliary lamp 12b is irradiated in accordance with the steering angle of the front wheel.

  Even in the case of a projector headlamp, although not shown in the figure, a reflector in the projector headlamp is provided with a rotating shaft, a worm wheel gear is attached to the end, and a motor is meshed with this. Can do.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used in the industrial field in which vehicle headlamps and automobiles are manufactured and sold.

  1 is a cross-sectional view in which a position detection sensor for detecting a steering position, that is, a steering angle, according to a first embodiment of the present invention is attached to a rack portion of a vehicle rack and pinion type steering apparatus.   It is an external appearance perspective view for demonstrating the rack and pinion type steering device for vehicles of FIG.   FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 2 showing the configuration of the gear of the vehicle rack and pinion type steering device for explaining the rack portion of FIG. 1.   It is the front view which attached the motor for rocking | fluctuating the headlamp or headlamp auxiliary lamp which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.   FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. 4.   It is a schematic block diagram of the control apparatus which controls the motor in order to detect the position of the rack which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention, ie, a steering angle, and to swing a headlamp or a headlamp auxiliary lamp.

Explanation of symbols

1: Rack 2: Pinion 3: Position detection sensor 4: Steering gear case 5: Handle 6: Steering column 7: Steering gear mechanism 8: Rack and pinion type steering 9: Pinion shaft 10: Rack end 11: Tie rod end 12: Head Lamp 13: Lamp house 14: Rotating shaft 15: Body 16: Worm wheel gear 17: Motor 18: Worm gear 19: Valve

Claims (4)

  In a rack and pinion type steering for a vehicle, the rack is converted into a linear motion when the pinion is rotated by the operation of the steering wheel.As a means for detecting the steering angle of the rack with the position detection sensor of the rack tooth profile, The position detection sensor is provided in the steering case.   A rotating shaft is provided in the lamp house to rotate the headlamp or headlamp auxiliary lamp, a worm wheel gear is provided at one end of the lamphouse, and the worm gear is engaged with the tip of the motor attached to the body, as required. The headlamp or the headlamp auxiliary lamp is rotated.   Once the signal from the position detection sensor mounted on the rack is received by the control device, the steering angle of the steering is read there, and the command is sent to the motor for swinging the headlamp or headlamp auxiliary lamp. A headlamp or a headlamp auxiliary lamp is irradiated by a motor in accordance with the steering angle of the front wheel.   As a method for detecting the position of the steering angle, not only a rack but also a pinion or a steering column can be detected.

Images