JPH1178675A - Head lamp device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To extend an irradiating region of a head lamp in the cross direction on a mountain pass road, etc., with continuous curves by controlling a head lamp moving means to extend the irradiating region of the head lamp in the both left and right directions in the case when datected gradient and a detected steering angle are more than specified values. SOLUTION: A light distribution controller ECU 10 decides which light distribution state of spot light distribution and wide light distribution to select by inputting and processing road gradient θ computed by a road gradient computing means 11 and a steering angle ϕ detected by a steering angle sensor 12 and outputs an indication signal to a motor driver 15. In the case of discriminating that it can be a curve of a mountain pass road, etc., as an absolute value of the road gradient θ exceeds a specified value ϕ0 and an absolute value of the steering angle ϕ exceeds the specified value ϕ0 it is controlled to be the wide light distribution by driving a motor 88 and oscillating left and right head lamps to the left and right outsides.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to light distribution control of a headlight capable of changing an irradiation area in a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a headlight device of this type, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 64-74133 discloses that a headlight irradiation direction is controlled in the same direction as the steering direction according to the steering angle of the steering. An example in which the irradiation direction is changed to the traveling direction of the vehicle is disclosed, and an attempt is made to maintain good visibility in the traveling direction of the vehicle.

[0003]

However, since the irradiation direction is merely changed in accordance with the steering angle of the steering wheel, the steering wheel is not turned immediately before the vehicle enters the curve, so that the vehicle is irradiated straight ahead of the vehicle. It does not illuminate the direction of the curve going forward.

That is, when making a turn, the direction in which the most visual recognition is to be made will enter the irradiation area later than when it is most needed.
In particular, when the vehicle travels on a continuous road with a continuous curve, the delay in changing the irradiation area of the headlight becomes large, which may give the occupant a sense of discomfort.

If the irradiation area of the headlamp is enlarged in the left-right direction from the beginning, undesired light is given to oncoming vehicles and pedestrians on general roads and urban areas. The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object thereof is to provide a headlight device capable of expanding the irradiation area of a headlight in a left-right direction on a continuous road having a continuous curve. It is in.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a headlight moving means for moving an irradiation area of a headlight for irradiating the front of a vehicle in a left-right direction;
A gradient detecting means for detecting a gradient of a traveling road, a steering angle detecting means for detecting a steering angle, a detection gradient of the gradient detecting means being equal to or more than a predetermined value, and a steering angle detected by the steering angle detecting means being equal to or more than a predetermined value And a control means for controlling the headlight moving means so as to enlarge the irradiation area of the headlight in both the left and right directions.

When the gradient is equal to or more than a predetermined value and the steering angle is equal to or more than a predetermined value, there is a high possibility that the curve will be continuous like a pass. In such a case, the headlight moving means is controlled to control the headlight. By applying a light distribution that expands in both the left and right directions, the irradiation area can be irradiated in the direction that is going to travel before turning the curve, and a continuous curve can be run with good visibility. In other cases, the light distribution is a normal light distribution that does not expand the irradiation area of the headlight in both the left and right directions, and does not give a dazzling light to oncoming vehicles or pedestrians.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle headlight device according to the first aspect, the control means detects the steering angle detection means after expanding the irradiation area of the headlight in both the left and right directions. When the steering angle is continuously less than a predetermined value for a predetermined time, the headlight moving means is controlled to return to the original irradiation area.

If the detected steering angle is continuously smaller than a predetermined value for a predetermined time after expanding the irradiation area of the headlight in both the left and right directions, there is a high possibility that the vehicle has passed a continuous road or the like where a curve is continuous. In this case, by returning to the original irradiation area, the occupant does not feel uncomfortable without switching the light distribution more than necessary.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a headlamp for illuminating the vehicle in front of the vehicle, an auxiliary headlamp for illuminating the vehicle in the left-right direction from an irradiation area of the headlamp, and a gradient detecting means for detecting a gradient of a traveling path. A steering angle detecting means for detecting a steering angle, and turning on the auxiliary headlight when the detected gradient of the gradient detecting means is equal to or more than a predetermined value and the steering angle detected by the steering angle detecting means is equal to or more than a predetermined value. And a control unit for controlling the vehicle.

When the gradient is equal to or more than a predetermined value and the steering angle is equal to or more than a predetermined value, the auxiliary headlight is turned on and the light distribution to expand the irradiation area of the headlight in both the left and right directions is used. Before turning, you can illuminate the direction you are going from now on,
The vehicle can travel on a continuous curve with good visibility. In other cases, the light distribution is a normal light distribution that does not expand the irradiation area of the headlight in both the left and right directions, and does not give a dazzling light to oncoming vehicles or pedestrians.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle headlight device according to the third aspect, after the control means turns on the auxiliary headlight, the steering angle detected by the steering angle detection means is a predetermined time. The auxiliary headlight is turned off when the value is continuously less than a predetermined value.

When the detected steering angle is continuously less than a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time after the auxiliary headlight is turned on, the auxiliary headlight is turned off and returned to the original irradiation area. It does not give the occupants a sense of incompatibility without switching the light.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle headlight device according to the first or third aspect, the gradient detecting means is a road gradient calculating means used in an automatic transmission. Features.

By using the road gradient calculating means used in the automatic transmission as the gradient detecting means in the case of an automatic vehicle, there is no need to newly provide a gradient detecting means dedicated to light distribution control, which is economical.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. An automobile 1 equipped with a vehicle headlight device 10 according to the present embodiment has left and right headlights 2 and 2 as headlights mounted thereon so as to be capable of swinging horizontally in the left and right directions. FIG. 2 shows an irradiation area of a headlight 2 when the automobile 1 is viewed from above.

The irradiation area of the normal headlight 2 is a spot light distribution area S indicated by a solid line, whereas the irradiation area when the left and right headlights 2 and 2 swing outward to each other expands in the left and right direction. Is a wide light distribution area W indicated by a broken line.

The swinging mechanism of the headlight 2 according to the present embodiment is schematically shown in FIG. 2, in which a lamp unit 4 of the headlight 2 is fixed to a rotating shaft 5 and is connected to the rotating shaft 5. A worm gear 7 formed on a drive shaft of a motor 8 meshes with the fitted worm wheel 6.

Therefore, the lamp unit 4 swings in the horizontal direction together with the rotating shaft 5 through the engagement of the worm gear 7 and the worm wheel 6 by driving the motor 8. The drive of the motor 8 is controlled by the light distribution control ECU 10.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a control system for changing the irradiation area, that is, controlling the light distribution in the present embodiment. The vehicle 1 is an automatic vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission, and has road gradient calculating means 11 for calculating a running resistance detected from a vehicle speed and a throttle opening and a gradient of a running road from an engine speed. I have.

Based on the gradient θ of the traveling road calculated by the road gradient calculating means 11, the transmission characteristics such as flat road mode, uphill mode, downhill mode, etc. are selected to automatically change the transmission. . The light distribution control ECU 10 inputs and uses the road gradient θ, which is the calculation result of the road gradient calculation means 11.

The vehicle 1 also has a steering angle sensor 12 for detecting the direction of the front wheels with respect to the vehicle body, that is, the steering angle φ, and the light distribution control ECU 10 also inputs the steering angle φ detected by the steering angle sensor 12. The steering angle φ may be detected from the turning angle of the steering.

As described above, the light distribution control ECU 10 inputs and processes the road gradient θ and the steering angle φ, determines whether the light distribution state is the spot light distribution or the wide light distribution, and issues an instruction. The signal is output to the motor driver 15. Motor driver
15 drives the left and right motors 8, 8 according to the instruction signal.

In the spot light distribution state, the left and right headlights 2 and 2 both illuminate the same direction in front of the vehicle body to form a spot irradiation area S shown by a solid line in FIG. The lights 2 and 2 are swung right and left to each other to form a wide irradiation area W indicated by a broken line in FIG.

The control procedure of the light distribution control will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. First, a road gradient θ and a steering angle φ are input (step 1), and the absolute value of the road gradient θ is set to a predetermined value θ _0.
Is determined (step 2). The predetermined value θ ₀ is a minimum gradient angle at which the traveling road is recognized as an uphill or downhill rather than a flat road, and | θ | ≦
If it is determined that the road is a flat road at θ ₀ , the process jumps to step 10 to control the spot light distribution.

If it is determined that | θ |> θ ₀ and the vehicle is traveling uphill or downhill, the routine proceeds to step 3. In step 3, the steering angle φ
It is determined whether or not the absolute value exceeds a predetermined value φ ₀ , and the predetermined value φ ₀ is a predetermined angle of 15 to 20 degrees corresponding to a steering angle when turning a curve continuously appearing on a pass road or the like. And
| Phi | If it is determined that not the curve, such as pass canal at ≦ phi ₀ jumps to step 10, and the spot light distribution control.

[0027] | theta |> in theta _0, and | φ |> φ ₀ in a by if it is determined that it is the curve, such as roads pass proceeds to step 4, the right and left headlamps to drive the motor 8 and 8 The light sources 2 and 2 are swung right and left to control the light distribution to be wide.

Next, at step 5, it is determined again whether or not the absolute value of the steering angle φ exceeds a predetermined value φ ₀ , and | φ |> φ
If it is ₀ , the process proceeds to step 6 and the timer is reset (t = 0). In step 8, it is determined whether or not the counted time t does not reach the predetermined time T. In this case, t = 0 and t does not reach T. Returning to step 4, steps 4, 5, 6, and 8 are repeated to keep the wide light distribution control.

[0029] and operates the timer proceeds from step 5 to step 7 when the absolute value of the steering angle phi returns the steering becomes a predetermined value phi ₀ hereinafter (t = t + 1). Then, the process proceeds to a step 8, wherein it is determined whether or not the counted time t of the timer has reached a predetermined time T (for example, 60 seconds), and the process returns to the step 4 until the time reaches the predetermined time T.
The steps 5, 7, and 8 are repeated to maintain the wide light distribution control.

If the absolute value of the steering angle φ exceeds the predetermined value φ ₀ again within the predetermined time T, the process proceeds from step 5 to step 6 and the timer is reset. The state becomes the same as when the absolute value exceeds the predetermined value φ ₀ , and the wide control is maintained. Thereafter, when the absolute value of the steering angle φ becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value φ ₀ , the timer operates.

When the timer is operated and the absolute value of the steering angle φ exceeds the predetermined value φ ₀ within the predetermined time T, that is, when the vehicle continuously turns right and left on the curve, the wide light distribution is performed. Control is maintained.

If the absolute value of the steering angle φ does not exceed the predetermined value φ ₀ within the predetermined time T by operating the timer,
At that time, the process exits from step 8 to step 9, resets the timer, switches to slit light distribution control in the next step 10, and returns to step 1.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing an example of the above control.
become that way. The horizontal axis is time t, the upper graph shows the movement of the steering angle φ, and the lower graph shows the light distribution pattern.
The road gradient of the road is, | theta | assumes when it is determined that uphill or downhill> theta _0.

The steering angle φ has an amplitude of φ ₀ or more and vertically crosses the horizontal axis of φ = 0, and the time required to change the steering angle from right to left and from left to right is a predetermined time T (about 60 seconds). Within. Therefore, the change in the steering angle when the vehicle is traveling on a mountain pass where the right curve, the left curve, and the right curve are continuously curved is shown.

When the steering angle φ changes in the first positive direction, a predetermined value φ _{0 is obtained.}
At the point in time, the light distribution pattern is switched from spot light distribution to wide light distribution in which the irradiation area is expanded to the left and right, and the wide light distribution state is maintained as long as the steering angle changes to turn a curve continuously left and right thereafter Therefore, it is possible to irradiate the direction in which the curve is going to proceed, and to maintain good visibility. Also, without switching the light distribution more than necessary,
It does not give the crew any discomfort.

The change of the steering angle φ to the left and right is a predetermined time T
If the value is less than the predetermined value φ ₀ over the above, it is determined that the vehicle has passed the continuous mountain pass, and the light distribution is automatically switched from the wide light distribution to the normal spot light distribution. In this case, the vehicle travels by spot light distribution and does not give dazzling light to oncoming vehicles or pedestrians.

In the above embodiment, switching between spot light distribution and wide light distribution is performed by using the motor 8 as a drive source for the headlight 2.
Although the device itself has been rocked, it is possible to use an electromagnetic solenoid or the like instead of the motor 8 because the state is switched between two states of spot light distribution and wide light distribution.

The car 1 is an automatic car,
Although the road gradient calculating means used in the automatic transmission was used to detect the road gradient of the traveling road, a separate inclination sensor for detecting the inclination of the vehicle body may be mounted and used. Then it can be applied to manual vehicles.

In the above-described embodiment, the light distribution is switched by swinging the headlight itself. However, a cornering light serving as an auxiliary headlight may be used.
FIG. 6 shows a part of an automobile equipped with a cornering light integrally with a headlight.

The vehicle 20 has headlights 21, 21 located on the left and right front sides of the front of the vehicle body, respectively.
22 and 22 are integrally formed at a position where they extend from the front to the side, and can illuminate the front side of the vehicle. Normally, if there is a direction instruction operation in a state where the headlight 21 is lit, the cornering light 22 on the instructed side is turned on at the same time as blinking of the turn signal lamp and irradiates the direction to turn. This cornering light 22 is used.

That is, when the left and right cornering lights 22 and 22 are turned on simultaneously with the headlights 21 and 21, FIG.
As shown in (2), the irradiation area expands in the left-right direction, resulting in a wide light distribution. Turning on only the headlights 21 corresponds to spot light distribution.

Therefore, the switching control of the light distribution uses the control procedure of the flowchart of FIG. 4 of the embodiment as it is, and in the wide light distribution control (step 4), the cornering lights 22 and 22 are turned on to control the spot light distribution. (Step
In 10), the cornering lights 22 and 22 may be turned off.

The cornering light as an auxiliary headlight may not be integrated with the headlight but may be provided separately at the left and right corners of the bumper.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an irradiation area when an automobile including a vehicle headlight device according to an embodiment of the present invention is viewed from above.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a swing mechanism of the headlight according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a control system of light distribution control.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure of light distribution control.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing changes in a steering angle and a light distribution pattern.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a part of an automobile according to another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an irradiation area when the vehicle is viewed from above.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... car, 2 ... headlight, 4 ... lamp unit,
Reference numeral 5: rotating shaft, 6: worm wheel, 7: worm gear, 8: motor, 10: light distribution control ECU, 11: road gradient calculating means, 12: steering angle sensor, 15: motor driver, 20
... cars, 21 ... headlights, 22 ... cornering lights.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A headlight moving means for moving the irradiation area of a headlight irradiating the front of a vehicle in a left-right direction; a gradient detecting means for detecting a gradient of a traveling road; and a steering angle detecting means for detecting a steering angle. And when the detected gradient of the gradient detecting means is equal to or more than a predetermined value and the steering angle detected by the steering angle detecting means is equal to or more than a predetermined value, the headlight is expanded so as to expand the irradiation area of the headlight in both the left and right directions. And a control means for controlling the light moving means. 2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein, when the detected steering angle of the steering angle detecting device is continuously smaller than a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time after expanding the irradiation region of the headlight in both the left and right directions, The vehicle headlight device according to claim 1, wherein the headlight moving means is controlled so as to return to the normal state. 3. A headlight for illuminating the front of the vehicle, an auxiliary headlight for illuminating the vehicle in the left-right direction from an irradiation area of the headlight, a gradient detecting means for detecting a gradient of a traveling road, and a steering angle for detecting a steering angle. Steering angle detection means, and control means for turning on the auxiliary headlight when the detection gradient of the gradient detection means is equal to or more than a predetermined value and the steering angle detected by the steering angle detection means is equal to or more than a predetermined value. A headlight device for a vehicle. 4. The control means turns off the auxiliary headlight when the steering angle detected by the steering angle detection means is continuously less than a predetermined value for a predetermined time after the auxiliary headlight is turned on. The vehicle headlight device according to claim 3, wherein: 5. The vehicle headlight device according to claim 1, wherein said gradient detecting means is a road gradient calculating means used in an automatic transmission.