JPH09150669A - Burnout detection device of lighting fixture for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To certainly detect burnout of a vehicle lighting fixture without increasing the number of parts. SOLUTION: A control part 2 of a rear ECU 14 puts on stop lamps 4a, 4b, tail lamps 5a, 5b, and backup lamps 6a, 6b by driving drivers 3a, 3b, 3c as a brake switch 7 and lightening switches 8, 9 are put on. When burnout is detected, the control part 2 outputs an alarm signal to a meter ECU 12 through a communication bus 11, informs a driver of an alarm and automatically puts all bulbs of burnt-out lamps on. Consequently, it is possible to easily specify which of the bulbs in burnt out. A state of all the bulbs put on is automatically released by existing switch operation or a timer.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a disconnection detecting device for a vehicle lamp, and more particularly to identifying a disconnection bulb.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various types of disconnection detecting devices for lamps have been known. For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 50-134793, as shown in FIG. 3, in a stop lamp circuit for controlling lighting of a stop lamp 52 by a brake switch 50 interlocking with a brake pedal, a changeover switch 54 capable of on / off switching operation is braked. A structure is disclosed in which the stop lamp is energized to detect a disconnection by connecting the switch 50 in parallel with the switch 50 without passing through the brake switch 50. According to this, since the stop lamp can be turned on without operating the brake pedal, only one operator can easily detect the disconnection.

[0003]

However, in such a structure, since a changeover switch is newly required, there is a problem that the number of parts is increased. Further, there is a possibility that the stop lamp is always turned on because the switch is not turned off or the stick or the like fails to be turned off. The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the above-described conventional art, and an object thereof is to increase the number of parts without unnecessary increase.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disconnection detection device for a vehicular lamp that can reliably prevent a situation where a stop lamp or the like is constantly turned on.

[0004]

To achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention is a switch means for lighting a lamp of a vehicle, and an energizing means for energizing the lamp based on a switch signal from the switch means. And a disconnection detection device for a vehicle lamp, which includes a detection means for detecting disconnection of the lamp, and notifies the disconnection to the alarm means based on the detection signal from the detection means, and all the bulbs of the lamp are turned on. In order to do so, a control means for controlling the energizing means is provided, and when a disconnection is detected, it is possible to identify which bulb of the lamp has the disconnection.

In this way, the control means controls the energizing means to turn on all the valves when a disconnection is detected, so that it is possible to determine which valve is disconnected without providing a changeover switch as in the conventional case. You can check.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, in the second invention, in the first invention, the control means controls the respective valves when the operator inputs a predetermined operation based on the disconnection alarm. It is characterized in that it has a releasing means for releasing the energization to each bulb of the lamp when all the lights are turned on and the identification of the broken bulb is completed.

As described above, when the disconnection alarm is received, the operator inputs a predetermined operation and instructs the control means to turn on all the valves, so that the disconnection valve can be specified at a desired timing. it can. The signal for instructing to turn on all lights can be sent using an existing switch and communication bus. Further, since the control means automatically deenergizes the valve when the specification of the disconnection valve is completed, it is possible to prevent the stop lamp or the like from being constantly lit. It should be noted that the specific termination of the disconnection valve can be detected in various ways, some of which will be elucidated in the embodiments below.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, taking as an example the case of detecting a break in a lamp of a vehicle rear portion.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of this embodiment. The basic configuration is each EC such as a rear ECU 14 that controls a rear lamp on the common communication bus 11, a meter ECU 12 for meter drive control, and a switch ECU 13 that controls various switches such as a door lock and a power window.
It is a multiplex communication system to which a U (electronic control device) is connected and which sends and receives data via the communication bus 11. Where rear E
The CU 14 includes a communication processing unit 1 that transmits and receives data to and from other ECUs via a communication bus 11, a brake switch 7 that interlocks with a brake pedal, and lighting switches 8 and 9 for lighting a tail lamp and a backup lamp.
It is configured to include a control unit 2 to which a switch signal from is input, and a stop lamp, a tail lamp, and drivers 3a, 3b, and 3c for energizing a backup amplifier.
When the brake switch 7 or the lighting switch is turned on, the switch signal is supplied to the control unit 2, and the control unit 2 supplies the control signal to the driver of the lamp to be driven based on the input switch signal. Specifically, when the brake switch is turned on, the control unit 2 supplies a control signal to the driver 3a, and the driver 3a energizes the valves 4a, 4b, ... To do. Similarly, when the switch 8 is turned on, the driver 3b operates to energize the valves 5a, 5b, ... To turn on the tail lamp, and when the switch 9 is turned on, the driver 3c operates to operate the valve 6a. , 6b ... Is energized to turn on the backup lamp. Note that 10 is a battery power source, and in the present embodiment, switches 7, 8, 9 are provided.
Is a switch means, the drivers 3a, 3b, 3c constitute a power supply means and a detection means, and the communication processing section 1 and the control section 2 constitute a control means.

In such a structure, the processing when one of the valves of the stop lamp is broken will be described in detail with reference to a flowchart.

FIG. 2 shows the disconnection detection processing of this embodiment. When the driver (operator) steps on the brake pedal, the brake switch 7 interlocked with this pedal is turned off.
It becomes N (S101), and the stop lamp lights up (S
102). However, if any of the bulbs of the stop lamp is disconnected, the load current of the stop lamp system decreases as compared with the normal time, so the driver 3a determines that the disconnection has occurred (S103), and sends a disconnection signal to the control unit 2. Send.
Upon receiving the disconnection detection signal, the control unit 2 instructs the communication processing unit 1 to send an alarm signal, and the meter ECU 12 sets the communication bus 1
An alarm signal is supplied to the meter ECU 12 via 1. Upon receiving the alarm signal, the meter ECU 12 lights up the alarm indicator on the instrument panel to notify the driver of the disconnection of the stop lamp (S104). This allows the driver to know that the disconnection has occurred.

The driver, who knows the occurrence of the wire breakage, must next identify which valve has the wire breakage. Therefore, a specific switch is operated when the disconnection alarm is output (S10).
5). This specific switch operation is an existing switch operation, for example, a door lock release operation, an on / off operation of the switch 8 or 9, a parking brake on operation, or the like. If such an operation is performed at the time of alarm output,
The operation signal is supplied to the control unit 2 directly or via the communication bus 11, and when the operation signal is input, the control unit 2 outputs a drive signal to the driver 3a to turn on all the valves of the stop lamp. Yes (S106). That is, the control unit 2 forcibly turns on all the valves of the stop lamp regardless of whether the brake switch 7 is turned on or off when a predetermined operation is performed at the time of outputting an alarm. In this way, since all the valves of the stop lamp are turned on without stepping on the brake pedal, the driver can easily identify which valve is open (S107).

After the specification of the disconnection valve is completed, the driver operates the specific switch again (S108). This switch operation is an operation that is usually performed when starting traveling, and is, for example, a door lock operation, an ignition switch on operation, a parking brake off operation, or the like. When such an operation signal is input to the control unit 2, the control unit 2 functions as a releasing unit, determines that the disconnection valve identification is completed, and releases the power supply to the stop lamp (S109). As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent a situation in which the stop lamp is constantly lit after the disconnection is detected. On the other hand, when the stop lamp is normally turned on in S103, the stop lamp is continuously turned on (S110), and when the brake switch 7 is turned off, energization to each valve is stopped and turned off (S111, S112).

As described above, in the present embodiment, when the disconnection is detected, the driver is informed of the alarm, and if the driver operates the existing specific switch during the alarm output, the control unit is operated. Since 2 turns on all the bulbs of the lamp in which the disconnection is detected, the driver can reliably identify the disconnection bulb without stepping on the brake pedal and without increasing the number of parts. Even if the specific switch operation is performed when the alarm is not output, the control unit 2 does not turn on all the bulbs of the lamp. This is because the lighting of all valves is valid only during alarm output. Further, since the release of the all-lit state is automatically performed by a normal switch operation, the always-lit state of the stop lamp can be surely prevented.

In this embodiment, all the bulbs of the burner lamp are turned on by the driver's specific switch operation. However, when the burner is detected, the control unit 2 automatically energizes each bulb of the burner lamp. However, in this case, the driver does not need to operate a specific switch.

Further, in the present embodiment, the release of all the lighted states of the broken valves is performed by the driver's operation of a specific switch. However, a timer is used to automatically switch all the valves to the lighted state after a predetermined time has elapsed. It may be configured to release the energization of.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The disconnection valve can be easily and surely specified without adding a new component or wiring.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a processing flowchart of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 communication control unit, 2 control unit, 3a, 3b driver,
4a, 4b stop lamp, 5a, 5b tail lamp, 6a, 6b backup lamp, 7 brake switch, 8, 9 lightening switch, 10 battery, 11 communication bus, 12 meter ECU, 13 switch ECU, 14 rear ECU.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle lamp comprising: switch means for lighting a vehicle lamp; energizing means for energizing the lamp based on a switch signal from the switch means; and detecting means for detecting disconnection of the lamp. In the disconnection detection device, the disconnection is notified to the alarm means based on the detection signal from the detection means, and the control means controls the energizing means so as to fully turn on each bulb of the lamp. A disconnection detection device for a vehicle lamp, characterized in that it is possible to identify which bulb of the lamp has a disconnection when detecting. 2. The disconnection detection device for a vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the control means fully lights the respective valves when an operator inputs a predetermined operation based on the disconnection alarm, and A disconnection detection device for a vehicular lamp, comprising release means for releasing the power supply to each bulb of the lamp when the specification of the disconnected bulb is completed.