JP2010247550A - Irradiation direction control device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an irradiation direction control device capable of suppressing restriction for an installation position and dazing oncoming vehicles. <P>SOLUTION: The vehicle 1 including a vehicle body 4 arranged with lighting fixtures 2 and an undercarriage 5 installed with the vehicle body 4 arranged with the lighting fixtures 2 has a configuration in which the vehicle body 4 is mounted with a load sensor for detecting a load applied to at least either of the longitudinal direction or the transverse direction of the vehicle body 4, and an irradiation optical axial angle of the lighting fixture 2 is adjusted by calculating an inclination of the vehicle body 4 based on the load detected by the load sensor. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an irradiation direction control device provided with a sensor for detecting the posture of a vehicle body and controlling the irradiation direction of a vehicular lamp according to the detected posture of the vehicle body.

  FIG. 6 shows a conventional irradiation direction control device for a vehicle.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the conventional irradiation direction control device arranges the vehicle height sensor 11c between the vehicle body 11a and the vehicle body 11b, and detects the displacement of the vehicle body 11a with respect to the vehicle body 11b by the connecting mechanism 11d. The detected displacement is converted into an inclination angle with respect to the chassis 11b of the vehicle body 11a, and the irradiation direction according to the inclination angle is appropriately adjusted and controlled. For example, Patent Document 1 is known as a prior art document relating to the invention of this application.

JP 2008-44615 A

  However, in the conventional irradiation direction control device, it is necessary to provide the vehicle height sensor 11c between the vehicle body 11a and the chassis 11b, so that there is a problem that the installation location is restricted, and one vehicle height sensor 11c is used. As a result, the detection accuracy of the vehicle posture change is insufficient on a road with a slope, and there is a problem that a control deviation occurs or inappropriate illumination occurs, resulting in dazzling oncoming vehicles. It was.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide an irradiation direction control device that prevents the restriction of the mounting location and dazzling oncoming vehicles.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a vehicle having a vehicle body on which a lamp is disposed and a chassis on which the vehicle body is mounted, wherein the vehicle includes a vehicle body on which the lamp is disposed and a chassis on which the vehicle body is mounted. The vehicle body is provided with a load sensor that detects a load applied to at least one of the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the vehicle body, and the vehicle body is tilted based on the load detected by the load sensor. It is configured to calculate and adjust the irradiation optical axis angle of the lamp.

  As a result, there is no need to provide a connecting mechanism as in the conventional structure, and the number of assembly steps can be reduced.

  With the above-described configuration, the load sensor may be attached to at least one of the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the vehicle body, so that there are few restrictions on the installation location. In addition, since the irradiation optical axis angle is calculated based on the load detected by the load sensor attached to the vehicle body, the detection accuracy of the vehicle posture change is improved even on a road with a slope, the occurrence of control deviation and inappropriateness. Irradiation is eliminated and dazzling oncoming vehicles can be appropriately suppressed. In particular, the irradiation optical axis angle of the lamp can be adjusted in real time.

Schematic of a vehicle equipped with an irradiation direction control device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention Operation explanatory diagram of the irradiation direction control device Operation | movement explanatory drawing of the irradiation direction control apparatus for vehicles in Embodiment 2 of this invention Operation | movement explanatory drawing of the irradiation direction control apparatus for vehicles in Embodiment 3 of this invention Explanatory drawing of operation | movement of the irradiation direction control apparatus for vehicles in Embodiment 4 of this invention. Schematic diagram of a vehicle equipped with a conventional vehicle irradiation direction control device

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, the irradiation direction control device according to the first and second aspects of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings by using the first embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle equipped with an irradiation direction control device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory diagram of the irradiation direction control device.

  In FIG. 1, 1 is a vehicle, 2 is a lamp provided with an irradiation light axis angle adjusting mechanism, 3 is an optical axis of the lamp, 4 is a vehicle body provided with the lamp, 5 is a chassis, and 6 is a suspension for connecting the vehicle body and the chassis. 8 is a wheel attached via 8. Reference numeral 7 denotes a load sensor which is attached to the wheel 6 and detects a load applied to the vehicle body 4, and is constituted by a processing circuit which converts the output of the load sensor 7 into the posture of the vehicle body.

  The load sensor 7 may be a sensor that detects a change in force due to a change in load by strain such as a strain gauge, or a sensor that detects a change in force due to a change in load by displacement or other physical quantities. Various sensors generally referred to as pressure sensors, displacement sensors, and the like can be used. As such a sensor, a sensor such as a strain gauge, a semiconductor strain sensor, a strain resistance load sensor, or a piezoelectric element is suitable.

  In FIG. 2, when a load due to luggage 9 or the like is applied to the vehicle body 4 when the vehicle body is stationary, a load corresponding to ΔLf as a displacement amount between the front wheel side chassis 5 and the vehicle body 4 is applied to the load sensor 7 attached to the front wheel side. The load sensor 7 attached to the rear wheel side changes a load corresponding to ΔLr as a displacement amount between the rear wheel side chassis 5 and the vehicle body 4. Accordingly, the vehicle body 4 is inclined with respect to the reference plane in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 4, and the optical axis 3 of the lamp 2 is similarly inclined. This inclination angle θ can be calculated by the following (Equation 1) (Equation 1).

  Only the tilt angle θ calculated from the above equation is corrected by the irradiation optical axis angle adjusting mechanism. ΔLf and ΔLr in (Expression 1) are proportional to the load F applied to the suspension 8 of each of the front and rear wheels, and are expressed as (Expression 2) below (Expression 2).

  Here, k is a spring constant including the damper and the shock absorber. Therefore, the displacement of the suspension 8 when the vehicle is stopped is proportional to the load applied to the suspension 8. From this theory, an output proportional to the load applied to the vehicle body 4 is also generated in the load sensor 7 attached to the wheel 6 attached via the suspension 8. Therefore, the inclination angle θ of the vehicle is obtained by calculating the displacement of the suspension 8 from the load sensor output by the processing circuit.

  In the present embodiment, the load sensor 7 is provided on both the front wheel side and the rear wheel side. However, the load sensor 7 may be disposed only on the rear wheel side that is largely affected by displacement due to loading. Further, if the load sensors 7 are arranged at the four positions on the left and right of the front wheel side and the left and right of the rear wheel side, there is an effect of improving the inclination detection accuracy. Further, the correction angle may be calculated by calculation on the system processing with one front wheel side, one rear wheel side, only one rear wheel side, and only one front wheel side. The load sensor 7 may be attached to at least one of the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the vehicle body 4.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, the load sensor 7 may be attached to at least one of the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the vehicle body 4, so that there are few restrictions on the place of attachment. In addition, since the irradiation optical axis angle is calculated based on the load detected by the load sensor 7 attached to the vehicle body 4, the detection accuracy of the vehicle posture change is improved even on a road with a slope, and the occurrence of control deviation or non-occurrence. Appropriate illumination is eliminated and dazzling oncoming vehicles can be suppressed appropriately. In particular, the irradiation optical axis angle of the lamp can be adjusted in real time.

(Embodiment 2)
Hereinafter, the second aspect of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The vehicle irradiation direction control device according to the second embodiment of the present invention is obtained by further adding an angular velocity sensor to the vehicle irradiation direction control device according to the first embodiment.

  FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory diagram of the irradiation direction control device for a vehicle in the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, an angular velocity sensor 10 is attached to the vehicle 1. This angular velocity sensor 10 detects an angular velocity in the pitch angle direction of the vehicle body 4. When the X-axis direction in FIG. 3, that is, the traveling direction (X-axis direction) of the vehicle 1 is forward, The angular velocity in the direction indicated by the arrow) is detected.

  By attaching such an angular velocity sensor 10 to the vehicle body 4, the optical axis of the lamp 2 can be adjusted with respect to the inclination of the vehicle body 4 in the pitch angle direction (around the Y axis).

  The principle of adjusting the optical axis of the lamp 2 using the angular velocity sensor 10 is the same as that of a camera shake prevention device such as a digital video movie or a digital still camera. That is, it is a principle of adjusting by rotating the optical axis of the lamp 2 in the opposite direction according to the angular velocity changed with respect to the inclination of the vehicle body 4 in the pitch angle direction (around the Y axis).

  Specifically, since the physical property value output as the angular velocity information from the angular velocity sensor 10 is usually a voltage, the optical axis of the lamp 2 is opposed to the angular velocity generated in the vehicle body 4 at a speed according to this voltage value. Rotate in the direction. Adjusting the optical axis of the lamp 2 with respect to the inclination of the vehicle body 4 by appropriately amplifying the voltage output from the angular velocity sensor 10 and operating a device (not shown) that rotates the optical axis of the lamp 2 Can do.

  However, when the angular velocity sensor 10 is used, the angular velocity of the vehicle body 4, that is, the speed of tilting in the pitch angle direction (around the Y axis) can be detected, but the absolute inclination of the vehicle body 4, that is, the inclination with respect to the X axis. Cannot be detected directly. Therefore, the inclination of the vehicle body 4 in the pitch angle direction (around the Y axis) is detected in advance by the irradiation optical axis angle calculation device, the optical axis of the lamp 2 is adjusted according to this inclination, and the angular velocity is based on this. It is preferable to adjust the optical axis of the lamp 2 based on the output from the sensor 10. Still, there are concerns about the accumulated error due to the detection error of the angular velocity sensor 10 and the adjustment error of the optical axis of the lamp 2, but the information on the inclination of the vehicle body 4 with respect to the X axis from the irradiation optical axis angle calculation device is obtained every predetermined time. If it detects and adjusts the optical axis of the lamp 2 based on this, there is no problem.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, the angular velocity sensor 10 that detects the angular velocity in the pitch angle direction (around the Y axis) of the vehicle body 4 is provided. The inclination around the axis can be detected. Therefore, the irradiation optical axis angle in the pitch angle direction (around the Y axis) of the vehicle body 4 can be adjusted, and the detection reliability is improved by superimposing the effect in the first embodiment.

(Embodiment 3)
Hereinafter, the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The vehicle irradiation direction control apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention is obtained by further adding an angular velocity sensor to the vehicle irradiation direction control apparatus according to Embodiment 1.

  FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory diagram of the irradiation direction control device for a vehicle in the third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, an angular velocity sensor 10 is attached to the vehicle 1. This angular velocity sensor 10 detects the angular velocity of the vehicle body 4 in the roll angular direction. When the X-axis direction in FIG. 4, that is, the traveling direction (X-axis direction) of the vehicle 1 is the front, The angular velocity in the direction indicated by the arrow) is detected.

  By attaching such an angular velocity sensor 10 to the vehicle body 4, the optical axis of the lamp 2 can be adjusted with respect to the inclination of the vehicle body 4 in the roll angle direction (around the X axis).

  As described above, according to the third embodiment, the angular velocity sensor 10 that detects the angular velocity in the roll angular direction (around the X axis) of the vehicle body 4 is provided. The inclination around the X axis can be detected. Therefore, the irradiation optical axis angle in the roll angle direction (around the X axis) of the vehicle body 4 can be adjusted. In addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the roll angle direction ( The irradiation optical axis angle of the lamp around the X axis can also be adjusted appropriately.

(Embodiment 4)
Hereinafter, the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The vehicle irradiation direction control device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention is obtained by further adding an angular velocity sensor to the vehicle irradiation direction control device according to the first embodiment.

  FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram of the irradiation direction control device for a vehicle in the fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, an angular velocity sensor 10 is attached to the vehicle 1. This angular velocity sensor 10 detects the angular velocity of the vehicle body 4 in the yaw angle direction. When the X-axis direction in FIG. 5, that is, the traveling direction (X-axis direction) of the vehicle 1 is the front, The angular velocity in the direction indicated by the arrow) is detected.

  By attaching such an angular velocity sensor 10 to the vehicle body 4, the optical axis of the lamp 2 can be adjusted with respect to the inclination of the vehicle body 4 in the yaw angle direction (around the Z axis).

  As described above, according to the fourth embodiment, the angular velocity sensor 10 that detects the angular velocity of the vehicle body 4 in the yaw angle direction (around the Z axis) is provided. The tilt around the Z axis can be detected. Therefore, the irradiation optical axis angle in the yaw angle direction (around the Z axis) of the vehicle body 4 can be adjusted. In addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the yaw angle direction (Z The illumination optical axis angle of the lamp around the axis can also be adjusted appropriately.

  The angular velocity sensor 10 may be provided with a multi-axis detection sensor or a plurality of sensors so as to detect the roll angle, pitch angle, and yaw angle of the vehicle body 4.

  The irradiation direction control device according to the present invention can appropriately control the irradiation direction of the lamp by calculating the posture change of the vehicle body on a sloped road, and can be applied to various vehicles.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle 2 Light fixture 3 Optical axis 4 Car body 5 Chassis 6 Wheel 7 Load sensor 8 Suspension 9 Luggage 10 Angular velocity sensor

Claims (5)

An irradiation direction control device for adjusting an irradiation optical axis angle of a lamp attached to a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a vehicle body on which the lamp is disposed, and a chassis on which the vehicle body is mounted. A load sensor for detecting a load applied to at least one of the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the vehicle body is provided, and the inclination of the vehicle body is calculated based on the load detected by the load sensor, and the illumination light of the lamp An irradiation control device that adjusts the shaft angle. The irradiation direction control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle body is provided with an angular velocity sensor that detects an angular velocity in a pitch angle direction of the vehicle body. The irradiation direction control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle body is provided with an angular velocity sensor that detects an angular velocity in a roll angle direction of the vehicle body. The irradiation direction control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle body is provided with an angular velocity sensor that detects an angular velocity in a yaw angle direction of the vehicle body. The irradiation direction control device according to claim 1, wherein the load sensor is attached to a wheel disposed on the chassis.

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