JPH02270650A - Light distribution controller of automobile front lights - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve a front view recognizability at the nighttime traveling in the case of a vehicle approach to a curved road having been inspected by means of inspecters by providing a light distribution controller which changes the light distribution pattern of the front lights of the vehicle so that the pattern may be widened right and left. CONSTITUTION:As curved road approaching inspection devices, a steering inspection device 12 which inspects that a vehicle steering device 11 has operated more than a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time, and a brake inspection device 14 which inspects that an automobile has been braked by means of a brake 13, are both provided at the automobile 10. The detection signals of these inspection devices 12,14 are inputted into a light distribution controller 16, and the light distribution pattern of front lights 15 is changed so that it may be widened right and left. The light distribution controller 16 is constituted so that the light distribution pattern of front lights 15 may be able to be widened in a car breadth direction by providing cornering lights 28 at the sides of front light main bodies 15a of the automobile 10, and lighting these.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) This invention provides a headlight arrangement for a vehicle that spreads the light distribution of the headlight to the left and right when the vehicle is about to pass through a curved road. This invention relates to a light control device.

[Conventional technology]

As a conventional headlamp light distribution control device, for example, as shown in FIG. 9, when the headlamp 1 is on, the direction indicator 2
In conjunction with the signal, the cornering relay 4 that drives the cornering lamp 3 that illuminates the left front (or right front) of the vehicle is energized, and the cornering lamp 3 is turned on.
There are some that aim to improve visibility and safety. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, a steering angle detection device 5 for detecting the steering angle of the vehicle and a vehicle speed detection device 6 for detecting the vehicle speed are provided. The control device 9 drives the optical axis drive unit 8 of the headlight 7 in the direction of travel of the vehicle.
There is also one that directs the optical axis of the
(see publication).

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

By the way, such conventional headlamp light distribution control devices do not work in conjunction with turn signals; if the turn signals are not used on a curved road, the device does not operate and is ineffective. In addition, since the steering angle detection device was configured to control the optical axis of the headlight according to the steering operation, in normal driving, as shown in Fig. 11, the steering angle is The effect of lateral illumination cannot be obtained until the vehicle V reaches point A just before entering the vehicle. However, in reality, as shown in Fig. 12, it is necessary to know the situation beyond the curved road C near point B, which is just before the car V enters the curved road C. However, there was a problem in that little practical effect was obtained.

This invention was made with attention to such conventional problems, and an object is to obtain a headlamp light distribution control device that can change the light distribution of the headlights from slightly before the curved road. That purpose.

[Means to solve the problem]

As a means for solving the above problems, the present invention includes a curved road approach detection device that detects when a vehicle approaches a curved road, and a curved road approach detection device that detects approach to the curved road by the curved road approach detection device. It was decided to provide a light distribution control device that changes the light distribution pattern of the vehicle's headlights to spread it left and right in response to a signal.

(Function) Next, the present invention will be explained in detail. The curved road approach detection device outputs a curved road approach detection signal, and when it detects that the vehicle approaches the curved road, the light distribution control device spreads the light distribution pattern of the vehicle's headlights to the left and right. change. Furthermore, if the approach detection signal is no longer issued, the light distribution control device operates to return the light distribution pattern of the headlights to their original state.

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of the present invention, in which an automobile 10 is provided with a steering detection device 12 as a curved road approach detection device that detects that the steering device 11 of the vehicle has been operated a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined time. Further, a brake detection device 14 is provided to detect whether the brake device 13 has applied a brake to the automobile 10. And a steering detection device 12 or a braking detection device 14 as a curved road approach detection device.
A light distribution control device L. which changes the light distribution pattern of the headlight 15 of the automobile 10 so as to spread it left and right based on the detection signal of
6 is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the steering detection device 12 has a
A steering angle sensor 19, an information processing circuit 20 having a subroutine for calculating the steering angle and the number of times of steering, and a light distribution control device 16.
and a control circuit 21 that drives the. Information processing circuit 20
is a circuit in a computer and has subroutines 40 and 41.

This subroutine is shown in block diagrams as shown in FIG. 3a and b. As shown in FIG. 4, the control circuit 21 includes an RS flip-flop 2 that drives the light distribution control device 16.
2 is the main element. There is also a circuit for interlocking with the light switch 23 so that the control device is activated only when the light is on.

As shown in FIG. 1, the braking detection device 14 includes two types of detection devices, one of which is a brake relay 25 that detects that the brake device 13 of the vehicle is activated. Another device is an accelerator detection device 26 that detects when the accelerator is turned off in order to know that engine braking has been applied. The brake relay 25 and the accelerator detection device 26 are connected to a brake control device 27 having the functions shown in FIG.
6.

As shown in FIG. 6, the light distribution control device 16 provides a cornering light 28 next to the headlight body 15a of the automobile 10, and controls the light distribution pattern of the headlight 15 in the vehicle width direction by turning on the cornering light 28. A device that spreads out and irradiates in the horizontal direction is used.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the reflector 31 of the headlight 3o
is made of a soft material and supported on the headlight frame 32 by the reflector support part 33, and the solenoid 34 is attached to the reflector 3.
You may use the one attached to the iron core 35 fixed to 1. In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, a linkage 37 is fixed to the headlight 36, and the linkage 37 is connected to the solenoid
8 may also be used.

Next, the operation of the steering detection device 12 will be explained with reference to FIG. When the light switch 23 is turned on, the information processing circuit 2
0, a subroutine 40 for detecting a continuous curved road is activated, and a logical operation is performed based on the operation of the steering angle sensor 19. When the output of the subroutine 40 is output, the flip-flop 22 of the control circuit 21 shown in FIG.
and drives the light distribution control device 16. After that state is reached, a subroutine 41 that detects the completion of the continuous curved road is activated, and when the output of the subroutine 41 is output, the flip-flop 22 of the control circuit 21 is activated.
Re-invert and return to normal state.

A subroutine 40 for detecting continuous curved roads is shown in FIG. 3a. First, the steering angle θ is a predetermined angle θ. Please judge whether it is larger than S 1
), then a timer is started (S2). Next, it is determined whether the steering angle θ has become zero (S3), and when it becomes zero, θ1 becomes θ again. It is determined whether it is larger (S4). When θ5 is small, the timer value T is the predetermined value T. If the time T of the timer is larger than the predetermined value T0, the process returns to before S1, and if it is smaller, the process returns to before S4. If 02 is greater than 0° in S4, it is determined that the curve is a continuous curve.

A subroutine 41 for detecting the end of a continuous curved road is shown in FIG. When the subroutine starts, a timer is started (S6). Next, it is determined whether the steering angle θ is zero (S7), and if it is zero, θ
, is larger than a predetermined angle O6 (S8). If θ is small, it is determined whether the timer value T is larger than twice the previous predetermined value T0 (S9).
When is smaller than the predetermined value 2T, the process returns to before S8, and when it is larger than the predetermined value, it is determined that the continuous curved road has ended. θ in S8
If , is large, it returns to the starting state.

The braking detection device 14 can detect that the vehicle is braked by turning on the brake relay 25. Alternatively, the accelerator detection device 26 detects that the accelerator is turned off, thereby detecting that the engine brake is applied, and detects that the brake is turned on. Then, the brake control device 27 is activated,
The light distribution control device 16 is driven, as shown in FIG.
When the brake relay 25 or the accelerator detection device 26 is turned on and the brake is turned on (SIO), it acts to drive the light distribution control device 16 to widen the light distribution pattern (5ll), and when the brake is turned off (SIO). ), the light distribution pattern is narrowed after a certain period of time T0 (about 10 seconds) (S12).

According to the embodiment with the above configuration, the light distribution pattern can be constantly expanded on a mountain road with continuous curves, so visibility can be improved.

In addition, the light is not only emitted in the direction in which the steering wheel is turned, as in the case of conventional methods, but the light is emitted over the entire width of the steering wheel, improving visibility in this respect as well. Since the situation is predicted, predictive control can be performed and responsiveness can be improved.

To describe the operation of the light distribution control device 16, the cornering light 28 shown in FIG. 6a is turned on by the reversal of the RS flip-flop 22 of the control circuit 21, and irradiates the lateral force direction S as shown in FIG. . In the device shown in FIG. 7, an iron core 35 fixed to a reflector 31 of a headlamp 30 is pushed by applying a current to a solenoid 34. The reflector 31 is made of a soft material such as resin, and is connected to the headlight frame 32 through a reflector support 33, so the iron core 31
5 presses the center of the reflector 31, and the reflector 31 deforms as shown by the dotted line in the figure, changing its curvature and widening the light distribution pattern. Further, in the one shown in FIG. 8, by applying current to the solenoid 38 and pushing the linkage 37, the direction of the optical axis of the headlamp 36 is changed to change the light distribution.

In the above embodiment, the curved road approach detection device is described as having a steering detection device and a braking detection device, but any other device may be used as long as it detects approaching a curved road. A guidance system etc. can also be used.

When the automobile approaches a continuous curved road in this manner, the steering detection device 12 as a curved road approach detection device detects that the steering has been performed continuously within a certain period of time, and the headlights 15 are thereby turned on. An operation is performed to widen the light distribution pattern. In addition, the brake detection device that detects the approach of a curved road automatically switches on the headlights when it detects that the brakes have been applied to the vehicle, or when it detects that the engine is braking after releasing the accelerator. An operation is performed to widen the light distribution pattern. When the completion of the continuous curved road is detected by the various curved road approach detection devices described above, an operation is performed to return the expanded light distribution pattern to its original state.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the present invention, a curved road approach detection device detects when a vehicle approaches a curved road, and a curved road approach detection signal from the curved road approach detection device enables
The system is equipped with a light distribution control device that changes the light distribution pattern of the vehicle's headlights to spread it to the left and right, so that when the car approaches a curved road, the sides of the driver's field of vision are illuminated slightly in front of the curve. This makes it possible to know the situation ahead of the curved road from a little before entering the curved road, improving visibility and safety. Further, when the vehicle exits from a curved road, it is possible to immediately return to the original state.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a steering detection device, FIG. 3 a, b is a flowchart of a subroutine of the steering detection device, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a steering control circuit.
Figure 5 is a flowchart of the brake control circuit, Figure 6 is a diagram showing light distribution control using cornering lights, Figure 7 is a plan view of one embodiment of light distribution control, and Figure 8 is another implementation of light distribution control. A plan view of an example, FIG. 9 is a plan view showing light distribution control using a conventional cornering light, FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing another conventional light distribution control, and FIG. 11 is a conventional light distribution control on a curved road. FIG. 12 is a plan view of a curved road showing points where light distribution control should be performed. 15... Headlight 16... Light distribution control device patent applicant Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Representative Patent attorney Hajime Tsuchihashi: ...
,,, -j Fig. 1゜1゜15--Ichimae q, light 16--Kie◆11 Single ship t Fig. 2 Fig. 3 (CI) Fig. 3 @(b) 14rXJ Fig. 5 Fig. 7 Figure 8\ Figure 9 Figure 10

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A curved road approach detection device that detects when a vehicle approaches a curved road, and a curved road approach detection signal from the curved road approach detection device to spread the light distribution pattern of the vehicle's headlights to the left and right. What is claimed is: 1. A light distribution control device for an automobile headlamp, characterized in that the light distribution control device is provided with a light distribution control device that changes the light distribution as follows. (2) The light distribution control device for an automobile headlamp according to claim 1, wherein the light distribution control device turns on an auxiliary headlamp in order to spread the light distribution pattern of the headlight to the left and right. . (3) The vehicle headlamp according to claim 1, wherein the curved road approach detection device is a steering detection device that detects that a steering device of the vehicle has been operated a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined time. Light distribution control device. (4) The light distribution control device for an automobile headlamp according to claim 1, wherein the curved road approach detection device is a braking detection device that detects that the brakes are applied to the vehicle.