JPH0239884Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Field of industrial application] The present invention relates to a flasher unit that controls the blinking of turn signal lights of automobiles, and in particular, turns signal lights that are controlled by the connection of a vehicle such as a trailer. The present invention relates to a flasher unit suitable for vehicles with varying numbers (loads).

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a device shown in FIG. 4, for example, is known as a flasher unit for a vehicle, such as a trailer, in which the number of direction indicator lights (load) changes. The device shown in FIG. 4 consists of a first transistor 2 that becomes conductive due to a voltage drop across a microresistance 1 connected in series with the load, a resistor 3 and a capacitor 4 connected to the base circuit of the first transistor 2. a time constant circuit consisting of a second transistor 6 that amplifies the output of the first transistor 2 and intermittently energizes the coil 5a of the normally closed relay 5; and a second transistor 6 that opens and closes in response to the magnetic force of the coil 5a. It is provided with a normally closed contact 5b, and is configured to blink and control the direction indicator light 8L or 8R connected via the contact 5b and the switch 7.

[Problems that this invention attempts to solve]

In the above conventional flasher unit,
The normally-closed relay 5 had to be used based on the operating principle of starting the first transistor 2, and there was a problem that the relay contact 5b, which has a small contact pressure when the load is energized, had poor durability.

In addition, in the conventional flasher unit described above, a change in the number of turn signal lights depending on whether or not a trailer is connected is detected as a voltage drop across the microresistance 1, and this changes the number of times the turn signal lights blink. Although the driver can easily detect the presence or absence of a trailer connection and the disconnection of turn signal lights, when the trailer is connected, the lighting time becomes shorter and the ratio of on and off lights changes, or many turn signal lights are disconnected. There were problems such as the blinking operation stopping due to

[Means to solve the problem]

A blinking means having a normally open relay that blinks the direction indicator light, a detection means for detecting a load current flowing through the direction indicator light, an amplification means for amplifying the output of the detection means, and an output of the detection means as a reference signal. and a comparison means for making a comparison, the blinking period of the blinking means changes in inverse proportion to the load current upon receiving the output signal of the amplification means, and when the load current becomes equal to or less than the reference current upon receiving the output signal of the comparison means. The present invention is characterized in that the flashing period of the flashing means is significantly shortened.

[Effect]

The number of flashes of the turn signal lights changes depending on whether the trailer is connected or not, and the number of flashes changes depending on the disconnection of the turn signal lights. When the light is disconnected, the number of blinks increases significantly.

〔Example〕

First, the overall configuration will be explained with reference to FIG.

The flasher unit 11 of the present invention has a power terminal 12 connected to the anode of the DC power source of the vehicle, and a direction indicator switch 13 that connects the left and right direction indicator lights 14 to the left and right direction indicators.
It has a load terminal 15 connected to L or 14R. The flasher unit 11 also includes a detection means 16 for detecting the load current flowing when the direction indicator lights 14L and 14R are turned on, an amplification means 17 for amplifying the output of the detection means 16, and a comparison of the output of the detection means 16 with a reference signal. and a flashing means 19 having a normally open relay (not shown) that flashes the direction indicator lights 14L and 14R. The blinking means 19 is the amplification means 17
The blinking cycle is configured to change in inverse proportion to the load current in response to the output signal of the comparison means 18, and the blinking cycle is configured to be significantly shortened when the load current becomes equal to or less than the reference current in response to the output signal of the comparing means 18. has been done.

Next, the specific structure of the flasher unit 11 will be explained with reference to FIG. The current detection means 16 is made of a minute resistor, and is connected from the power supply terminal 12 to the load terminal 15 via the current detection means 16 and the normally open contact 20b of the relay 20 of the blinking means 19. The amplifying means 17 has an amplifier 21, one input terminal of the amplifier 21 is connected to the connection point between the current detecting means 16 and the contact 20b via resistors 22 and 23, and the other input terminal is a resistor that divides the power supply voltage. 2
4 and 25, and amplifies the voltage drop across the current detection means 16 to send a voltage signal proportional to the load current to the diode 2.
6. It is designed to be outputted via a resistor 27.
The comparison means 18 has a comparator 28, one input terminal of the comparator 28 is connected to the connection point between the current detection means 16 and the contact 20b via resistors 29 and 30, and the other input terminal is connected to the connection point between the current detection means 16 and the contact 20b. Resistors 31, 32
connected to a reference voltage circuit consisting of The comparator 28 is set to output a high voltage signal via a diode 33 and a resistor 34 when the voltage drop across the detection means 16 becomes less than a reference voltage value.

The blinking means 19 includes a normally open type relay 20, a first,
It consists of second transistors 35, 36, and a time constant circuit consisting of a capacitor 37 and a resistor 38. The base of the first transistor 35 is connected via a resistor 39 to the load terminal 15 and via a resistor 40 to the power supply terminal 12, and the base of the second transistor 36 is connected via a time constant circuit consisting of a capacitor 37 and a resistor 38. connected to the collector. The collector of the first transistor 35 is connected to the base of the second transistor 36, and as the first transistor 35 becomes conductive, the second transistor becomes conductive, and the coil 20a is connected to the collector of the second transistor 36. An excitation current flows through the contact point 20b to close the contact point 20b. Furthermore, the output signals of the amplifying means 17 and comparing means 18 described above are applied to the connection point between the capacitor 37 and the resistor 38 of the time constant circuit.

In addition, in the above blinking means 19, the direction indicator switch 13 is set to the left and right direction indicator lights 14L or 1.
4R, the base current flows to the first transistor 35 via the resistor 39, and the first
Then, the second transistor becomes conductive, and the relay 20 is activated to close the contact 20b, and the turned-on side direction indicator light is turned on. In addition, the contact 20b
When closed, the base current flowing through the resistor 39 is cut off, but the base current continues to flow as a charging current for the capacitor 37, and during this time, the first and second transistors 35 and 36 are conductive, and the direction indicator light is turned on. . Next, when charging of the capacitor 37 is completed, the base current of the first transistor 35 is cut off, and the first and second transistors 35,
36 is cut off, and the relay 20 is deactivated so that the direction indicator light is turned off. Then, the capacitor 37 starts discharging, and the base potential of the first transistor 35 gradually decreases, and during this period, the direction indicator lamp remains off. Furthermore, as the discharge of the capacitor 37 progresses, the base current flows through the first transistor 35 again, and the first and second transistors 35 and 36
becomes conductive and the direction indicator light lights up. Thereafter, by repeating the same procedure, the direction indicator light on the side that has been turned on is blinked.

Next, the operation of the flasher unit 11 constructed as described above will be explained. When the number of direction indicator lights connected changes depending on whether or not the trailer is connected, as shown by the dotted line in Figure 1, the voltage drop value that occurs across the current detection means 16 when the direction indicator lights are turned on changes. , the voltage signal output from the amplifying means 17 changes. Therefore, when the number of direction indicator lights connected by connecting trailers increases, the load current increases, the voltage drop of the current detection means 16 increases, and the voltage output from the amplification means 17 is proportional to this. The voltage of the signal increases. Then, the capacitor 37 of the blinking means 19
The terminal voltage of the first transistor 35 increases, and the time required for charging the capacitor 37 by the base current of the first transistor 35 becomes shorter. In other words, the charging time of the time constant circuit of the blinking means 19 is shortened by the voltage signal of the amplifying means 17, and the time required for discharging is similarly shortened as the charging charge is small, so that the connected turn signal lamp The number of blinks increases in proportion to the load current.

Therefore, for example, as shown in Fig. 3, the load on the turn signal light is 6SW when the trailer is not connected.
When the trailer is connected, the load on the turn signal light is
The output power is 115W, and if the number of flashes in each state is set to 70 times/minute and 110 times/minute, it is possible to easily check whether a trailer is connected or not from the number of times the direction indicator light flashes. Furthermore, when one of the direction indicator lights is disconnected with the trailer connected and the load decreases from 25W to 90W, the current detection means 16, amplification means 17, and blinking means will cause the direction indicator light to become disconnected. The blinking cycle changes, and the number of blinks decreases from 110 times/minute during normal times to 90 times/minute, making it easier to confirm that the turn signal light is disconnected.

In addition, if a turn signal light is disconnected without a trailer connected, or if a large number of turn signal lights are disconnected with a trailer connected, for example, the load may be significantly reduced to 40W as shown in Figure 3. Then, the voltage drop that occurs across the detection means 16 when the direction indicator light is turned on becomes less than the reference value, and the comparison means 1
High voltage signal from 8 to capacitor 3 of flashing means 19
7 terminal. Then, the cycle of the flashing means 19 becomes significantly shorter, and the number of flashes changes greatly to 200 times/minute, for example, as shown in FIG.
It is possible to easily confirm the disconnection of the turn signal light.

The change in the blinking period of the blinking means 19 due to the high voltage signal of the comparing means 18 described above is based on the same operating principle as the change in the blinking period of the blinking means 19 due to the output signal of the amplification means 17 described above.

[Effect of idea]

As is clear from the above description, in the flasher unit of the present invention, a normally open relay can be used as the flashing means, and this has the effect of reducing problems caused by damage to the relay contacts. Further, in the flasher unit of the present invention, the load current is detected by the detection means, this signal is inputted to the blinking means via the amplification means, and the blinking period changes in inverse proportion to the load current, and the detection means The signal is input to the flashing means via the comparison means, and when the load current becomes less than the reference current, the flashing period is significantly shortened, and the connection of the trailer and the disconnection of the direction signal light are detected. It can be easily confirmed by the change in the number of blinks.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 are a block diagram and a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between the load and the number of blinks in the embodiment. Fourth
The figure is a circuit diagram showing a conventional example. Explanation of symbols, 11... flasher unit,
12...Power terminal, 13...Direction switch,
14L, 14R... Turn signal light, 15... Load terminal, 16... Detection means, 17... Amplification means, 18
... Comparison means, 19... Flashing means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] 1. A blinking means for blinking a direction indicator light, a detection means for detecting a load current flowing through the direction indicator light,
The apparatus comprises an amplifying means for amplifying the output of the detecting means and a comparing means for comparing the output of the detecting means with a reference signal, so that the blinking period of the blinking means changes in inverse proportion to the load current in response to the output signal of the amplifying means. 1. A flasher unit characterized in that the flasher unit is configured such that the flashing period of the flashing means becomes shorter when the load current becomes less than a reference value upon receiving the output signal of the comparing means. 2. The flasher unit according to claim 1 of the utility model registration, characterized in that it is equipped with a flashing means having a normally open relay.