JP7129862B2 - headlight device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a headlight device provided in a vehicle such as an automobile.

A headlight device provided in a vehicle such as an automobile has a light source such as an LED or a high-intensity discharge bulb, and an optical system such as a lens that irradiates the light emitted from the light source in a predetermined light distribution pattern in front of the vehicle. configured as follows.
Generally, in the case of automobiles, there is a light distribution for driving (high beam) and a light distribution for passing (low beam) whose light distribution range is limited downward to prevent dazzling of preceding and oncoming vehicles.

As a prior art related to headlight devices, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vertical arrangement of visible light headlights and infrared lights in order to enable quick and accurate determination of the situation ahead of the vehicle even at night. However, it is described that an image captured by an infrared camera is superimposed on a real image and displayed.

JP 2004-254044 A

If the headlight device is placed at a relatively low position on the vehicle, the light will illuminate at a relatively small (shallow) angle with respect to the horizontal. When the front portion of the vehicle is raised, the illuminating light is directed upward and may cause dazzle (glare) to the passengers of preceding and oncoming vehicles.
On the other hand, if the headlight device is arranged at a relatively high position in the vehicle, dazzle caused by such pitching behavior can be suppressed, but the occupant's viewpoint is relatively low at a position close to the vehicle. If other vehicles are present, there is a concern that the vehicle may be dazzled during normal driving or when the vehicle is stopped such as when waiting at a traffic light.
To address these problems, it is conceivable to prevent dazzling by, for example, arranging a large number of light sources in an array and turning each light source on and off individually, or using a variable shade to make the light distribution pattern variable. However, such a variable light distribution type headlight device has a complicated structure and a high cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a headlamp device capable of realizing an appropriate illumination state with a simple configuration.

The present invention solves the problems described above by means of the following solutions.
The invention according to claim 1 includes a first irradiation unit that irradiates a predetermined irradiation range in front of the vehicle, and a irradiation range similar to the irradiation range of the first irradiation unit, and the first irradiation unit. a second irradiation unit arranged at a position higher than the irradiation unit; a vehicle state recognition unit for recognizing the state of the own vehicle; The headlamp device is characterized by comprising a control section that changes a ratio with respect to the amount of light of the second irradiation section.
According to this, the same irradiation range is irradiated by changing the ratio of the light amount of the first irradiation unit and the second irradiation unit arranged with a vertical offset according to the state of the own vehicle. It is possible to change the angle of incidence on the road surface and the passage path of the irradiated light, even in the case of a It can be obtained with an inexpensive configuration.
In this specification, claims, etc., changing the ratio of the light amount of the first irradiation unit and the light amount of the second irradiation unit means that one irradiation unit is turned off and the other irradiation unit is turned off. shall include lighting.

In the invention according to claim 2, the vehicle state recognition unit has a pitching detection unit that detects the pitching behavior of the host vehicle, and the control unit detects the pitching behavior when the pitching behavior is detected. 2. The headlamp device according to claim 1, wherein the amount of light of said second irradiation section is increased and the amount of light of said first irradiation section is decreased when it is not used.
According to this, by mainly using the second irradiation section having a downward irradiation angle with respect to the first irradiation section when the vehicle body is in a forward-rising posture due to pitching of the vehicle, the first irradiation section can be obtained. It is possible to prevent a part of the irradiation light from the irradiation unit from turning upward and dazzling other vehicles.

In the invention according to claim 3, the vehicle state recognition unit has an other vehicle detection unit that detects the presence or absence of another vehicle in front of the own vehicle and, if the other vehicle exists, a relative position with respect to the own vehicle, When there is another vehicle whose distance from the own vehicle is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the control unit increases the amount of light emitted from the second irradiation unit compared to the case where the other vehicle does not exist. 3. The headlamp device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the amount of light emitted from the irradiating portion of is reduced.
According to this, when the distance to the other vehicle is equal to or greater than the threshold value, by mainly using the second irradiation unit in which the dazzle caused by the pitching behavior is less likely to occur, the pitching behavior occurs afterward. dazzle can be prevented.

In the invention according to claim 4, the control unit increases the light amount of the first irradiation unit when the distance from the own vehicle approaches the vehicle to a distance less than the threshold value, and the second irradiation unit 4. The headlamp device according to claim 3, wherein the amount of light of a portion is reduced.
According to this, when the distance to the other vehicle approaches less than the threshold, dazzle due to the pitching behavior is unlikely to occur, so even if the viewpoint of the occupant of the other vehicle is relatively low, Mainly using the first irradiation section, which is difficult to enter, can appropriately prevent dazzling.

In the invention according to claim 5, when the other vehicle is an oncoming vehicle and the other vehicle detection unit detects that the other vehicle has passed each other, the control unit increases the light amount of the second irradiation unit, 5. The headlight device according to claim 4, wherein the light amount of the first irradiation section is reduced.
According to this, after passing by the oncoming vehicle is over and the dazzling of the occupants of the vehicle by the lights of the oncoming vehicle is eliminated, the brightness of the road surface is relatively uniformed from above by the second irradiation unit. By irradiating, it is possible to reduce discomfort when changing from a state in which dazzle caused by lights of oncoming vehicles has occurred.

In the invention according to claim 6, when the other vehicle is an oncoming vehicle and the other vehicle detection unit detects that the other vehicle has passed each other, the control unit increases the light amount of the first irradiation unit, 5. The headlight device according to claim 4, wherein the state in which the light quantity of the second irradiation section is reduced is maintained.
According to this, after the passing by the oncoming vehicle is over and the dazzling of the vehicle occupants by the lights of the oncoming vehicle is eliminated, the first illuminating unit illuminates the road surface at a shallow irradiation angle, thereby illuminating the road surface. It is possible to enhance the visibility of the road surface condition by emphasizing the contrast due to unevenness or the like.

In the invention according to claim 7, the vehicle state recognition unit has a road shape detection unit that detects a road shape in front of the vehicle, and the control unit detects the shape of the road ahead of the vehicle, and the control unit detects the shape of the road in the first irradiation unit. The headlamp device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the ratio of the light quantity of the second irradiation section and the light quantity of the second irradiation section is changed.
According to this, it is possible to obtain an appropriate irradiation state that reflects the shape of the road.

According to an eighth aspect of the invention, the road shape detection unit has a function of detecting a junction between a road on which the vehicle is traveling and another road, and the control unit detects a road within a predetermined range in front of the vehicle. 8. The headlamp device according to claim 7, wherein the second irradiation section is turned on when the joint portion exists.
In this specification, claims, and the like, joints include various intersections such as crossroads and T-junctions, merging points, branching points, and the like.
According to this, when the joint is approached, by turning on the second illuminating part located at a high position, the illuminating light from the headlight of the own vehicle can be directed to the shrubbery, the guardrail, the median strip, and the like. It is possible to prevent obstruction by an obstacle and loss of visibility from other vehicles.

According to the ninth aspect of the invention, the vehicle state recognition unit has a vehicle stop detection unit that detects a stop of the own vehicle, and the control unit detects a vehicle travel road and other roads within a predetermined range in front of the own vehicle. The headlamp according to claim 8, characterized in that when there is a joint with and the own vehicle is stopped, the first irradiation unit is lit at the same time as the second irradiation unit It is a device.
According to this, since there is no possibility of dazzling other vehicles or the like due to the pitching behavior when the vehicle is stopped, by simultaneously turning on the first irradiation unit and the second irradiation unit, it is possible to make the own vehicle visible. You can increase your sexuality.

In the invention according to claim 10, the vehicle state recognition unit has a right/left turn standby state detection unit that detects that the host vehicle is in a right/left turn standby state to the oncoming lane, and the control unit detects the right/left turn standby state. When a left turn waiting state is detected, regardless of the presence of the joint, the first irradiation unit is turned on and the light amount of the second irradiation unit is reduced or extinguished. The headlamp device according to claim 8 or 9.
According to this, when waiting for a right or left turn to the oncoming lane (right turn in left-hand traffic, left turn in right-hand traffic), the oncoming vehicle passes the vicinity of the own vehicle by mainly using the first irradiation unit at a low position. It is possible to prevent dazzling the user.
In addition, when actually starting to turn left or right, the risk of an oncoming vehicle being present is low, and as the turn is executed, the illumination range moves away from the oncoming lane, so dazzling due to pitching behavior is also possible. unlikely to occur.

The invention according to claim 11 is characterized in that the control unit turns on the second irradiation unit when the own vehicle travels on a curved road that turns toward the travel lane of the own vehicle. A headlight device according to any one of claims 7 to 10.
According to this, it is possible to prevent the visibility of the own vehicle from being blocked by an obstacle such as a guardrail present on the road shoulder on the inner side of the turning direction, which hinders the light emitted from the headlight of the own vehicle.

In the invention according to claim 12, the vehicle state recognition unit has a wet state detection unit that detects a wet state of the road surface on which the vehicle travels, and the control unit detects the wet state when the wet state is detected. 12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the amount of light from the second irradiation unit is increased and the amount of light from the first irradiation unit is decreased when the moist state is not detected. 1. A headlight device according to item 1.
According to this, when the road surface is in a wet state, the second irradiation unit is mainly used to irradiate the road surface with a deep incident angle from above, so that the reflected light reaches a distance and hits other vehicles. It can prevent dazzling.

In the invention according to claim 13, the vehicle state recognition unit has a snow state detection unit that detects a snow state of the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling, and the control unit detects the snow state when the snow state is detected. 13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the amount of light from the second irradiation unit is increased and the amount of light from the first irradiation unit is decreased when the snow cover state is not detected. 1. A headlight device according to item 1.
If the road surface is covered with snow, the unevenness of the road surface (snow surface) will block the irradiation light from a low position, resulting in a large shadow area. By irradiating the road surface with a deep incident angle, it is possible to improve the visibility of the road surface condition and prevent the reflected light from reaching a long distance and dazzling other vehicles.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a headlamp device capable of realizing an appropriate illumination state with a simple configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a block diagram which shows typically the structure of 1st Embodiment of the headlamp apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a figure which shows typically an example of the light distribution pattern of a high beam and a low beam in the headlamp apparatus of 1st Embodiment. 4 is a flow chart showing control during low beam in the headlamp device of the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side view schematically showing a low beam irradiation state during pitching behavior of a vehicle having the headlamp device of the first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a situation when a vehicle having the headlight device of the first embodiment is near an intersection, viewed from above. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a state seen from another vehicle when a vehicle having the headlight device of the first embodiment is near an intersection. FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a situation when a vehicle having the headlight device of the first embodiment travels on a curved road that turns to the left, viewed from above.

<First embodiment>
A first embodiment of a headlight device to which the present invention is applied will be described below.
The headlight device of the first embodiment is provided in an automobile such as a passenger car, for example.
Note that each embodiment will be described by taking the case of left-hand traffic as an example, and in the case of right-hand traffic, the left and right are reversed.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the headlamp device of the first embodiment.

The headlamp device 1 includes a high beam irradiation device 10, a lower low beam irradiation device 20, an upper low beam irradiation device 30, a levelizer device 40, a headlamp control unit 50, and the like.
Also, the headlight control unit 50 is connected with an attitude detection unit 60, an environment recognition unit 70, a vehicle speed sensor 81, a raindrop sensor 82, and the like.

The high-beam irradiation device 10, the lower low-beam irradiation device 20, and the upper low-beam irradiation device 30 each include a light source such as an LED or a high-intensity discharge bulb, a drive device for the light source, and the light emitted by the light source to the own vehicle V1 (see FIG. 2, etc.). The headlamp unit includes an optical system such as a lens and a reflector that emits light in a predetermined irradiation pattern in front of the headlamp unit.
The high beam irradiation device 10, the lower low beam irradiation device 20, and the upper low beam irradiation device 30 are attached to the front end of the vehicle body in a state in which their optical axes can be adjusted by a levelizer device 40. FIG.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an example of light distribution patterns of high beam and low beam in the headlamp device of the first embodiment.
A headlight device 1 of a vehicle (self-vehicle) V1 has a high beam irradiation range IH that is light distribution for driving and a low beam irradiation range IL that is light distribution for passing.
The high beam irradiation range IH is set so as to irradiate a long distance with respect to the low beam irradiation range IL.
The low beam irradiation range IL is set so as to irradiate a range closer to the own vehicle V1 than the high beam irradiation range IH, in order to prevent dazzling (glare) to preceding vehicles, oncoming vehicles, and the like.
The low-beam irradiation range IL has a cut-off line in which the irradiation range on the oncoming lane L2 side is restricted with respect to the vehicle traveling lane L1 side in order to suppress dazzling of oncoming vehicles.

The high beam irradiation device 10 has a light distribution pattern and an optical axis set so as to irradiate a high beam irradiation range IH.
The lower low-beam irradiation device 20 and the upper low-beam irradiation device 30 have their light distribution patterns and optical axes set so as to irradiate the low-beam irradiation range IL.
The lower low-beam irradiation device 20 and the upper low-beam irradiation device 30 function as first and second irradiation units according to the present invention.
The upper low-beam irradiation device 30 is arranged such that the installation location at the front end of the vehicle body is above the lower low-beam irradiation device 20 .
As a result, even if the irradiation range of the upper low beam irradiation device 30 is the same as that of the lower low beam irradiation device 20, the optical axis of the irradiation light B (see FIG. 4) is the same as that of the irradiation light A of the lower low beam irradiation device 20. It is set downward when viewed from the vehicle body with respect to the optical axis of .
The irradiation light B of the upper low-beam irradiation device 30 is incident on the road surface at a deep angle (the angle between the road surface and the optical axis is large) with respect to the irradiation light A of the lower low-beam irradiation device 20 .
The lower low-beam irradiation device 20 and the upper low-beam irradiation device 30 may be configured to be offset in the horizontal direction as well.

The high beam irradiation device 10, the lower low beam irradiation device 20, and the upper low beam irradiation device 30 can be configured, for example, as front combination lamps housed in a common housing, but are not limited to this and can be independently It is good also as a structure attached to the vehicle body.

The levelizer device 40 includes the low beam irradiation device 10, the lower low beam irradiation device 20, It adjusts the optical axis of the upper low beam irradiation device 30 in the vertical direction.
The levelizer device 40 has a function of displacing the high beam irradiation device 10, the lower low beam irradiation device 20, and the upper low beam irradiation device 30 relative to the vehicle body so that their optical axes swing vertically by, for example, an electric actuator. have.

The headlight control unit 50 switches the high beam irradiation device 10, the lower low beam irradiation device 20, and the upper low beam irradiation device 30 between a lighting state and a lighting state, and adjusts the amount of light in the lighting state in a stepwise or continuous manner. It has a light function.
In addition, the headlight control unit 50 drives the levelizer device 40 so that the irradiation range of each irradiation device becomes appropriate with respect to the stationary attitude change in the pitching direction of the own vehicle V1 detected by the attitude detection unit 60. It has the function of giving a command to correct the optical axis.
The headlight control unit 50 performs control to switch between the irradiation by the lower low beam irradiation device 20 and the irradiation by the upper low beam irradiation device 30 according to the state of the own vehicle V1 and the surrounding environment when the low beam irradiation range IL is irradiated. functions as a department.
In addition, the headlight control unit 50 cooperates with the attitude detection unit 60, the environment recognition unit 70, etc., and functions as a vehicle state recognition section according to the present invention.
This point will be explained in detail later.

The attitude detection unit 60 detects the vehicle height and attitude of the host vehicle V1.
A front vehicle height sensor 61 , a rear vehicle height sensor 62 , and the like are connected to the attitude detection unit 60 .
A front vehicle height sensor 61 and a rear vehicle height sensor 62 are provided in the shock absorbers (dampers) of the front suspension and rear suspension that support the front and rear wheels of the vehicle, respectively, and detect changes in stroke from the reference state. be.
The attitude detection unit 60 detects the pitching direction of the vehicle (swinging direction about the rotation center axis along the vehicle width direction) based on the difference in stroke change detected by the front vehicle height sensor 61 and the rear vehicle height sensor 62. Behavior can be detected.
The posture detection unit 60 functions as a pitching detection section according to the present invention.

The environment recognition unit 70 recognizes the environment around the vehicle V1 using various sensors and the like provided on the vehicle V1.
The environment recognition unit 70 functions as an other vehicle detection section, a road shape detection section, a right/left turn standby state detection section, and a snow state detection section referred to in the present invention.
The headlight control unit 50, the attitude detection unit 60, and the environment recognition unit 70 each have an information processing device such as a CPU, a storage device such as a RAM and a ROM, an input/output interface, and a bus connecting them. In addition to being configured, it is possible to communicate via an in-vehicle LAN such as a CAN communication system or directly connected.

The environment recognition unit 70 is connected to a stereo camera device 71, a millimeter wave radar device 72, a laser scanner device 73, a navigation device 74, a road-to-vehicle communication device 75, etc., and can communicate with them.

The stereo camera device 71 captures an image of the front of the vehicle V1 with a pair of cameras spaced apart in the vehicle width direction, and performs known stereo image processing on the image captured by each camera.
The stereo camera device 71 calculates the relative position of the subject with respect to the own vehicle V1 and determines the type of the subject (vehicle, pedestrian, building, terrain, etc.).

The millimeter-wave radar device 72 uses, for example, a millimeter-wave radar of 24 GHz band or 79 GHz band to detect an object existing around the own vehicle V1, and determines the relative position and relative speed of the detected object with respect to the own vehicle V1. It is something to do.

The laser scanner device 73 irradiates the surroundings of the own vehicle V1 with laser light, and utilizes scattered light when the laser light hits an object to three-dimensionally detect the positions and shapes of objects existing around the own vehicle V1. It is a 3D LiDAR that scans systematically.

The navigation device 74 has, for example, a vehicle positioning device using GPS or the like, map data accumulated in a storage medium, and has a function of determining the shape of roads and lane layouts around the vehicle V1.

The road-to-vehicle communication device 75 acquires various information useful for vehicle operation, such as road information and weather information, from a ground station (not shown).

The vehicle speed sensor 81 is provided in a hub portion that rotatably supports the wheels, and outputs a vehicle speed signal that fluctuates at a frequency proportional to the rotational speed of the wheels.
Based on the output of the vehicle speed sensor 81, it is possible to calculate the traveling speed of the vehicle.
The vehicle speed sensor 81 functions as a vehicle stop detection unit that detects a stop state of the host vehicle V1.

The raindrop sensor 82 detects a rainfall state by detecting vibration when raindrops collide with a windshield glass (not shown) of a vehicle or the like during rainfall.
The raindrop sensor 82 is used to control the wiper device (not shown) in an automatic mode, and is also used to detect rainfall (road surface wetness) in headlight control, which will be described later.

Hereinafter, the control during low beam irradiation in the headlamp device of the first embodiment will be described.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing control at the time of low beam in the headlamp device of the first embodiment.
Each step will be described in order below.

<Step S01: Other vehicle detection determination>
Based on the information from the environment recognition unit 70, the headlight control unit 50 determines whether or not there is another vehicle such as a preceding vehicle or an oncoming vehicle in front of the own vehicle V1.
Here, other vehicles include automobiles with four or more wheels such as passenger cars, trucks, and buses, motorcycles, bicycles, and the like.
If another vehicle is detected in front of the host vehicle V1, the process proceeds to step S02; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S04.

<Step S02: Judgment of own vehicle pitching state>
Based on the information from the attitude detection unit 60, the headlight control unit 50 is in a pitching state in which the own vehicle V1 exhibits a behavior of vibrating (swinging) in the pitching direction at a swinging angle greater than or equal to a preset threshold. or not.
If it is in the pitching state, proceed to step S03; otherwise, proceed to step S10.

<Step S03: Other vehicle distance determination>
The headlight control unit 50 acquires from the environment recognition unit 70 information about the relative distance of the other vehicle from the host vehicle V1 detected in step S01.
If the relative distance to the other vehicle is equal to or greater than the preset threshold value, the process proceeds to step S10; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S11.

<Step S04: Intersection approach judgment>
Based on the information from the environment recognition unit 70, the headlight control unit 50 determines whether or not there is an intersection (crossroads, T-shaped roads, merging roads, branch roads, etc.) within a predetermined range in front of the vehicle V1. discriminate.
If the intersection exists within the predetermined range, proceed to step S05; otherwise, proceed to step S07.

<Step S05: Judgment during stop>
Based on the output signal of the vehicle speed sensor 81, the headlight control unit 50 determines whether or not the vehicle V1 is currently stopped (vehicle speed is zero).
If the own vehicle V1 is stopped, the process proceeds to step S06, otherwise the process proceeds to step S10.

<Step S06: Judgment of right turn standby state>
Based on the information from the environment recognition unit 70, the headlight control unit 50 determines whether or not the host vehicle V1 is waiting for a right turn.
For example, when the own vehicle V1 is in a stopped state and the position of the own vehicle V1 is within the right turn lane L5 (see FIG. 5), it is determined that the vehicle is waiting for a right turn.
If the own vehicle V1 is waiting for a right turn, the process proceeds to step S11; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S12.

<Step S07: Judgment during left corner running>
Based on the information from the environment recognition unit 70, the headlight control unit 50 controls the left corner, which is a curved road where the vehicle V1 turns to the left (toward the driving lane of the vehicle) with a curvature greater than or equal to a preset threshold. Determine if it is running.
If the vehicle is traveling on a left corner with a curvature greater than or equal to the threshold value, the process proceeds to step S10; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S08.

<Step S08: Passing Completion Determination>
Based on the information from the environment recognition unit 70, the headlight control unit 50 immediately after the vehicle V1 completes passing another vehicle (oncoming vehicle) traveling in the opposite direction to the vehicle's traveling direction (after passing) within a predetermined time).
If it is determined that the vehicle has just passed each other, the process proceeds to step S10. Otherwise, the process proceeds to step S09.

<Step S09: Determination of road surface wetness/snow coverage>
Based on the output of the raindrop sensor 82 and the information from the environment recognition unit 70, the headlamp control unit 50 determines whether the road surface is wet or snowy.
For example, when rain is detected based on the output of the raindrop sensor 82, it can be determined to be in a wet state.
Further, the wet state and the snow-covered state may be determined based on the images captured by the stereo camera device 71 and the weather information acquired by the road-to-vehicle communication device 75 .
If it is determined that the road surface is wet or covered with snow, the process proceeds to step S10; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S11.

<Step S10: Upper Side Lighting/Lower Side Lighting Out>
The headlamp control unit 50 turns on the upper low beam irradiation device 30 to irradiate the low beam irradiation range IL, and turns off the lower low beam irradiation device 20 .
After that, the series of processing ends (returns).

<Step S11: Turning off the upper side and turning on the lower side>
The headlamp control unit 50 turns on the lower low beam irradiation device 20 to irradiate the low beam irradiation range IL, and turns off the upper low beam irradiation device 30 .
After that, the series of processing ends (returns).

<Step S12: Simultaneous Lighting of Upper and Lower Sides>
The headlight control unit 50 simultaneously turns on the lower low beam irradiation device 20 and the upper low beam irradiation device 30 to irradiate the low beam irradiation range IL.
After that, the series of processing ends (returns).
When switching between lighting and extinguishing of the lower low-beam irradiation device 20 and the upper low-beam irradiation device 30, the amount of light should be gradually changed in order to prevent a user such as a driver from feeling uncomfortable.

The effects of the headlamp device of the first embodiment described above will be described below.
FIG. 4 is a side view schematically showing a low beam irradiation state during pitching behavior of a vehicle having the headlamp device of the first embodiment.
FIG. 4A shows light emitted from the lower low-beam irradiation device 20 when the lower low-beam irradiation device 20 and the upper low-beam irradiation device 30 are turned on simultaneously in a state where the own vehicle V1 is not pitching. A, illuminating light B of the upper low beam illuminator 30 is shown.
In a state in which pitching behavior does not occur, the irradiation ranges of the irradiation lights A and B are set to be the same (low beam irradiation range IL in FIG. 2).
As is clear from FIG. 4A, the illumination light B of the upper low beam illumination device 30 is incident on the road surface at a deep angle of incidence with respect to the illumination light A of the lower low beam illumination device 20. It is possible to prevent the reflected light from being radiated far away and dazzling other vehicles when the vehicle is wet or covered with snow.
In addition, when the unevenness of the road surface is large due to snow cover, etc., it is possible to prevent the formation of shadows on the far side of the convex portion and increase the number of places that are not illuminated.

FIG. 4B is a diagram showing a state in which the lower low-beam irradiation device 20 is turned on when the vehicle V1 is in a forward-rising posture in which the front end portion of the vehicle body rises due to pitching behavior.
In this way, when the vehicle body assumes a forward-rising attitude, part of the upper part of the irradiation light A from the lower low-beam irradiation device 20 may travel upward with respect to the horizontal plane, and the front of the own vehicle V1 may travel upward. If there is another vehicle such as a preceding vehicle or an oncoming vehicle, there is a concern that the occupants of the other vehicle may be dazzled.

FIG. 4(c) is a diagram showing a state in which the upper low-beam irradiation device 30 is turned on when the own vehicle V1 is in a forward-rising posture due to pitching behavior.
As described above, even when the vehicle is in a forward-up posture, the irradiation light B of the upper low beam irradiation device 30 is irradiated downward relative to the irradiation light A when viewed from the vehicle body. Some of them are difficult to turn upwards.
In the first embodiment, when the pitching behavior is detected, the lower low beam irradiation device 20 is turned off and the upper low beam irradiation device 30 is turned on, thereby preventing dazzling caused by the pitching behavior.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view from above of a vehicle having the headlight device of the first embodiment in the vicinity of an intersection.
In FIG. 5, the host vehicle V1 is traveling from the lower side to the upper side on a one-lane road having the host vehicle traveling lane L1 and the oncoming lane L2.
In the center of FIG. 5 in the vertical direction (the front-rear direction as viewed from the vehicle V1), there is an intersecting road that extends in the left-right direction and has an intersecting road back lane L3 and an intersecting road front side lane L4. , an intersection J with the road on which the own vehicle travels.
Adjacent to the intersection J, a right turn lane L5 is provided between the own vehicle traveling lane L1 and the oncoming lane L2.

When the host vehicle V1 is traveling toward an intersection and is at a position P1 where the distance to the intersection J is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the headlights are turned on unless the environment recognition unit 70 detects another vehicle ahead. The control unit 50 turns on the lower low beam irradiation device 20 and turns off the upper low beam irradiation device 30 .
In this way, in a state where dazzling other people is unlikely to pose a problem, by illuminating the road surface with a shallow irradiation angle from the lower low beam irradiation device 20, the contrast due to the unevenness of the road surface can be emphasized, and the road surface condition can be visually recognized. can improve sexuality.

When the own vehicle V1 advances from the position P1 to the position P2 immediately before the intersection J, the headlight is turned on to improve the visibility of the own vehicle V1 from the other vehicle V2 approaching the left side lane L3 of the intersecting road. The lamp control unit 50 turns on the upper low beam irradiation device 30 .
At this time, the lower low-beam irradiation device 20 is turned on at the same time when the vehicle is stopped when dazzling caused by pitching behavior does not occur.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a state seen from other vehicles when a vehicle having the headlight device of the first embodiment is near an intersection.
FIG. 6 shows a state in which the own vehicle V1 at the position P2 is seen from another vehicle V2 in FIG.
If an obstacle such as a shrub (hedge) H is present adjacent to the own vehicle V1, the lower low beam irradiation device 20 located relatively below cannot be visually recognized from the other vehicle V2. Visibility of V1 is reduced.
In this respect, according to the first embodiment, by turning on the upper low beam irradiation device 30 near the intersection, the other vehicle V2 can see the light of the own vehicle V1 over the hedge H.

When the host vehicle V1 further advances from the position P2, passes through the intersection J, and reaches the position P3, the headlight control unit 50 controls the lower low beam irradiation device 20 and the upper low beam irradiation device 20 according to the presence or absence of other vehicles and the pitching behavior. The normal control of switching between lighting and extinguishing of the low beam irradiation device 30 is resumed.

Further, when the host vehicle V1 enters the right turn lane L5 and stops at the position P4 to wait for a right turn, the headlamp control unit 50 turns on the lower low beam irradiation device 20 and turns off the upper low beam irradiation device 30. .
As a result, it is possible to prevent dazzling the other vehicle V3 (oncoming vehicle) traveling in the oncoming lane L2 toward the own vehicle.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a situation when the vehicle having the headlight device of the first embodiment travels on a curved road that turns to the left, viewed from above.
The own vehicle V1 is traveling from the lower side to the upper side in FIG. 7, and the own vehicle travel lane L1 is a left corner that turns left (toward the own vehicle travel lane side) with a curvature greater than a predetermined value.
Inside the corner, a guardrail G is provided along the left edge of the own vehicle travel lane L1.
When the own vehicle V1 is at position P11 and the other vehicle (oncoming vehicle) V4 is at position P21, the other vehicle V4 is not yet within the imaging range of the stereo camera device 71, and the environment recognition unit 70 detects the other vehicle. V4 is not recognized.
In this case, the headlamp control unit 50 turns on the upper low beam irradiation device 30 and turns off the lower low beam irradiation device 20 as the vehicle enters the left corner.
As a result, as in the case of the intersection or the like shown in FIG. 6, the possibility that the lights of the own vehicle V1 are visible from the other vehicle V4 over the guardrail G increases, and the visibility of the own vehicle V1 is improved. .

When the host vehicle V1 travels from position P11 to position P12, and the other vehicle V4 travels from position P21 to position P22, the other vehicle V4 moves ahead of the host vehicle V1 at a relatively short distance (below the threshold in step S03). ).
In this state, the environment recognition unit 70 recognizes the other vehicle V4.
At this time, the headlight control unit 50 turns on the lower low beam irradiation device 20 and turns off the upper low beam irradiation device 30 in order to prevent the other vehicle V4 from being dazzled.
At this time, the occupant of the own vehicle V1 may be dazzled by lights such as headlights of the other vehicle V4.
That is, in the visual field of the occupant of the own vehicle V1, the area around the other vehicle V4 may be saturated with high luminance, resulting in a state in which the occupant cannot recognize the contrast (so-called blown-out highlights).
At this time, it is presumed that the occupant's concern is whether or not there is a space where the vehicle V1 can safely pass each other, based on the position of the headlights of the other vehicle V4 and the position of the shoulder of the vehicle's travel lane L1. be done. Therefore, the line of sight of the passenger is often guided to the vicinity of the headlight of the other vehicle V4, and it is difficult to completely avoid such glare.

Therefore, in the first embodiment, when the own vehicle V1 advances to position P13 and the other vehicle V4 advances to position P23 and the passing ends, the headlamp control unit 50 turns on the upper low beam irradiation device 30. , the lower low beam irradiation device 20 is turned off.
In this way, by illuminating the road surface from above, the occupant of the own vehicle V1 can visually recognize the road surface while suppressing the contrast of the road surface. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a sudden change in direction and the occurrence of discomfort.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) A similar low-beam irradiation range IL is irradiated by switching between turning on and off the lower low-beam irradiation device 20 and the upper low-beam irradiation device 30 arranged with a vertical offset according to the state of the own vehicle V1. Even in such a case, it is possible to change the angle of incidence on the road surface and the passage paths of the illuminating lights A and B, and to prevent dazzle, improve visibility, and improve visibility. , for example, can be obtained by a simple and inexpensive configuration without using complicated and expensive devices such as LED light source arrays and variable shades.
(2) By using the upper low-beam irradiation device 30, which has a downward irradiation angle with respect to the lower low-beam irradiation device 20, when the vehicle body assumes a forward-rising posture due to the pitching behavior of the own vehicle V1, the lower low-beam It is possible to prevent a part of the irradiation light A from the irradiation device 20 from turning upward and dazzling other vehicles.
(3) When the distance to the other vehicle is equal to or greater than the threshold, by using the upper low beam irradiation device 30 in which dazzle caused by pitching behavior is less likely to occur, dazzle is prevented even if pitching behavior occurs thereafter. can be prevented.
(4) When the distance to the other vehicle is less than the threshold, dazzling due to pitching behavior is less likely to occur, so even if the viewpoint of the occupant of the other vehicle is relatively low, it is difficult to enter directly into the field of vision. By using the lower low beam irradiation device 20, dazzle can be prevented appropriately.
(5) After passing by the oncoming vehicle is over and the dazzling of the occupants of the own vehicle V1 by the lights of the oncoming vehicle is eliminated, the upper low beam irradiation device 30 illuminates the road surface from above with relatively uniform brightness. By irradiating, it is possible to reduce the sense of incongruity when the appearance changes from the dazzling state caused by the lights of oncoming vehicles.
(6) By turning on the upper low beam irradiation device 30 when approaching an intersection, the irradiation light from the headlight of the own vehicle V1 is blocked by obstacles such as shrubbery, guardrails, and median strips, Impairment of visibility from other vehicles can be suppressed.
(7) When the vehicle is stopped near an intersection, the lower low beam irradiation device 20 and the upper low beam irradiation device 30 are operated at the same time because there is no possibility of dazzling other vehicles due to the pitching behavior when the vehicle is stopped. By lighting up, the visibility of the own vehicle V1 can be improved more.
(8) By using the lower low beam irradiation device 20 at a low position when waiting for a right turn into the oncoming lane, it is possible to prevent dazzling the oncoming vehicle when it passes the vicinity of the vehicle V1.
When actually starting a right turn, the risk of an oncoming vehicle being present is low. Dazzling due to behavior is also less likely to occur.
(9) By using the upper low-beam irradiation device 30 when traveling in a left corner, which is a turn toward the vehicle's traveling lane, the illumination light from the headlight of the vehicle V1 exists on the road shoulder on the inside of the turning direction, such as a guardrail. It is possible to prevent the visibility of the own vehicle V1 from being impaired due to the obstruction of the vehicle V1.
(10) When the road surface is wet, the upper low-beam irradiation device 30 is used to irradiate the road surface from above at a deep incident angle, so that the reflected light reaches a distance and dazzles other vehicles. can be prevented.
(11) When the road surface is covered with snow, the unevenness of the road surface (snow surface) blocks the irradiation light from a low position, increasing the range of shadows. By illuminating the road surface from above at a deep incident angle, it is possible to improve the visibility of the road surface condition and prevent the reflected light from reaching a distance and dazzling other vehicles.

<Second embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment of a headlight device to which the present invention is applied will be described.
Parts similar to those of the above-described first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, description thereof is omitted, and differences are mainly described.
The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the upper low-beam irradiation device 30 is turned off and the lower low-beam irradiation device 20 is turned on after passing another vehicle.
According to the second embodiment, in addition to the same effects as the effects of the first embodiment described above (excluding the effects described in (5) of paragraph 0064), further After the dazzling of the occupants of the own vehicle V1 by the lights of the vehicle is resolved, the lower low beam irradiation device 20 irradiates the road surface with a shallow irradiation angle, thereby emphasizing the contrast due to unevenness of the road surface, etc., and improving the road surface condition. Visibility can be improved.

(Modification)
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible, and these are also within the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) The configuration of the headlight device, its control system, vehicle, etc. is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate.
For example, in each embodiment, lower and upper low-beam irradiation devices are provided as the first and second irradiation units, but additional low-beam irradiation devices other than these may be provided.
Moreover, the present invention can also be applied to a high beam irradiation device.
Also, the first and second irradiation units may be arranged in a common lamp unit.
(2) In each embodiment, except for simultaneous lighting when the vehicle is stopped at an intersection, when one of the first and second irradiation units is turned on, the other is turned off. 1. You may make it change the ratio of the light quantity of a 2nd irradiation part by intermediate values other than 0:100 and 100:0.
For example, instead of extinguishing the irradiating unit from the lit state, the light may be dimmed to a predetermined value or less, or instead of being lit, the light intensity may be increased from the low light intensity lit state.
(3) In each embodiment, the pitching behavior threshold for switching between lighting and extinguishing of the first and second irradiation units is constant, but this threshold may be changed according to the vehicle speed or the distance to another vehicle. good.
(4) In each embodiment, pitching is detected by detecting the stroke of the front and rear suspensions, but the method of detecting pitching is not limited to this. For example, the acceleration of the vehicle body may be detected by an acceleration sensor. . Alternatively, another method such as detecting the pitching behavior of the vehicle body directly with a gyro sensor may be used.

1 headlight device 10 high beam irradiation device 20 lower low beam irradiation device 30 upper low beam irradiation device 40 levelizer device 50 headlight control unit 60 attitude detection unit 61 front vehicle height sensor 62 rear vehicle height sensor 70 environment recognition unit 71 stereo camera Device 72 millimeter-wave radar device 73 laser scanner device 74 navigation device 75 road-to-vehicle communication device 81 vehicle speed sensor 82 raindrop sensor IH high beam irradiation range IL low beam irradiation range A lower low beam irradiation device B irradiation light from upper low beam irradiation device V1 Own vehicle V2-V4 Other vehicle P1-P23 Position of own vehicle or other vehicle L1 Own vehicle traveling lane L2 Oncoming lane L3 Intersection road back lane L4 Intersection road front lane L5 Right turn lane H Shrubbery (hedge)
G guardrail

Claims (13)

a first irradiation unit that irradiates a predetermined irradiation range in front of the own vehicle;
A second irradiation unit that irradiates an irradiation range similar to the irradiation range of the first irradiation unit and is arranged at a position higher than the first irradiation unit;
a vehicle state recognition unit that recognizes the state of the own vehicle;
A headlight device comprising: a control section that changes a ratio between the light amount of the first irradiation section and the light amount of the second irradiation section according to a recognition result of a vehicle state recognition section. The vehicle state recognition unit has a pitching detection unit that detects the pitching behavior of the own vehicle,
When the pitching behavior is detected, the control unit increases the light amount of the second irradiation unit and decreases the light amount of the first irradiation unit, compared to when the pitching behavior is not detected. The headlamp device according to claim 1, characterized by: The vehicle state recognition unit has an other vehicle detection unit that detects the presence or absence of another vehicle in front of the own vehicle and, if the other vehicle exists, the relative position with respect to the own vehicle,
When there is another vehicle whose distance from the own vehicle is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the control unit increases the amount of light emitted from the second irradiation unit compared to the case where the other vehicle does not exist. 3. The headlamp device according to claim 1, wherein the light amount of the irradiating portion of the is reduced. The control unit increases the amount of light emitted from the first irradiation unit and decreases the amount of light emitted from the second irradiation unit when the other vehicle approaches the host vehicle so that the distance from the own vehicle is less than the threshold value. 4. A headlight device according to claim 3. When the other vehicle is an oncoming vehicle and the other vehicle detection unit detects that the other vehicle has passed each other, the control unit increases the amount of light emitted from the second irradiation unit and reduces the amount of light emitted from the first irradiation unit. 5. A headlamp device according to claim 4, characterized in that it reduces. When the other vehicle is an oncoming vehicle and the other vehicle detection unit detects that the other vehicle has passed each other, the control unit increases the light amount of the first irradiation unit and reduces the light amount of the second irradiation unit. 5. The headlamp device of claim 4, wherein the reduced state is maintained. The vehicle state recognition unit has a road shape detection unit that detects a road shape in front of the vehicle,
7. The controller according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control unit changes a ratio between the light amount of the first irradiation unit and the light amount of the second irradiation unit based on the shape of the road. 1. A headlamp device according to claim 1. The road shape detection unit has a function of detecting joints between a road on which the vehicle travels and other roads,
The headlight device according to claim 7, wherein the control unit turns on the second irradiation unit when the joint portion exists within a predetermined range in front of the vehicle. The vehicle state recognition unit has a stop detection unit that detects the stop of the host vehicle,
The control unit switches the first irradiation unit to the second irradiation unit when a junction between the road on which the vehicle is traveling and another road exists within a predetermined range in front of the vehicle and the vehicle is stopped. 9. The headlamp device according to claim 8, characterized in that it is turned on at the same time as the irradiating part of. The vehicle state recognition unit has a right/left turn standby state detection unit that detects that the host vehicle is in a right/left turn standby state to the oncoming lane,
When the right/left turn waiting state is detected, the control unit turns on the first irradiation unit and reduces or extinguishes the light amount of the second irradiation unit regardless of the presence of the joint. The headlamp device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: 11. The control unit turns on the second irradiation unit when the own vehicle travels on a curved road that turns toward the travel lane of the own vehicle. A headlight device according to any one of the preceding items. The vehicle state recognition unit has a wet state detection unit that detects the wet state of the road surface on which the vehicle travels,
When the wet state is detected, the control unit increases the amount of light emitted from the second irradiation unit and decreases the amount of light emitted from the first irradiation unit compared to when the wet state is not detected. The headlamp device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The vehicle state recognition unit has a snow state detection unit that detects the snow state of the road surface on which the vehicle travels,
When the snow condition is detected, the control unit increases the amount of light emitted from the second irradiation unit and decreases the amount of light emitted from the first irradiation unit compared to when the snow condition is not detected. The headlamp device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that:

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