US 5,942,853 AGranted

Automatic high beam headlight device responsive to vehicle operating conditions

AssigneeRobert Bosch GmbH

InventorBernard Piscart

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Abstract

The high beam headlight includes a reflector (10) and a light source (12) containing two or more light emitting bodies (20,22). The reflector (10) and the light emitting bodies (20,22) are formed so that reflected light from one light emitting body (20) forms a concentrated or focused high beam issuing from the light source and reflected light from another light emitting body (22) forms a horizontally widened high beam due to horizontal scattering. A control device is provided so that the light emitting bodies (20,22) can either be operated simultaneously or one at a time according to vehicle operating conditions including the condition of the road in front of the vehicle. For example, the high beam formed by energizing only the one light emitting body (22) can be used to form the widened high beam at low vehicle speed, while the light beam formed by energizing only the other light emitting body (20) can be used to form the narrower high beam at high vehicle speed.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A high beam headlight device for a vehicle comprising:

a light source (12) provided with at least two light emitting bodies (20,22);
means for operating said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) simultaneously;
means for operating said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) alternately;
means (10) for forming different high beams having different high beam characteristics from light emitted from different ones of said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22), wherein said means for forming said different high beams includes a reflector (10), and said reflector (10) and said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) are formed so that each of said different high beams having said different high beam characteristics are generated when said light from each of said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) is reflected by the reflector (10);
and
control means (24) for controlling both of said means for operating said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) so as to either operate said at least two light emitting bodies with said means for operating said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) simultaneously or to operate said at least two light emitting bodies with said means for operating said at least two light emitting bodies alternately,
wherein said control means (24) includes means for automatically controlling both of said means for operating so that said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) are switched between operating states according to at least one control means-detected vehicle operating condition, and
wherein said at least one control means-detected vehicle operating condition is a characteristic of weather conditions in front of the vehicle.

5 more elements

A high beam headlight device for a vehicle comprising:

a light source (12) provided with at least two light emitting bodies (20,22);
means for operating said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) simultaneously;
means for operating said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) alternately;
means (10) for forming different high beams having different high beam characteristics from light emitted from different ones of said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22), wherein said means for forming said different high beams includes a reflector (10), and said reflector (10) and said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) are formed so that each of said different high beams having said different high beam characteristics are generated when said light from each of said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) is reflected by the reflector (10);
and
control means (24) for controlling both of said means for operating said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) so as to either operate said at least two light emitting bodies with said means for operating said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) simultaneously or to operate said at least two light emitting bodies with said means for operating said at least two light emitting bodies alternately,
wherein said control means (24) includes means for automatically controlling both of said means for operating so that said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) are switched between operating states according to at least one control means-detected vehicle operating condition, and
wherein said at least one control means-detected vehicle operating condition is a wetness of a region in front of the vehicle.

5 more elements

A high beam headlight device for a vehicle comprising:

a light source (12) provided with at least two light emitting bodies (20,22);
means for operating said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) simultaneously;
means for operating said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) alternately;
means (10) for forming different high beams having different high beam characteristics from light emitted from different ones of said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22), wherein said means for forming said different high beams includes a reflector (10), and said reflector (10) and said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) are formed so that each of said different high beams having said different high beam characteristics are generated when said light from each of said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) is reflected by the reflector (10);
and
control means (24) for controlling both of said means for operating said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) so as to either operate said at least two light emitting bodies with said means for operating said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) simultaneously or to operate said at least two light emitting bodies with said means for operating said at least two light emitting bodies alternately,
wherein said control means (24) includes means for automatically controlling both of said means for operating so that said at least two light emitting bodies (20,22) are switched between operating states according to at least one control means-detected vehicle operating condition, and
wherein said at least one control means-detected vehicle operating condition is visibility ahead of the vehicle.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/786,435Filed 21 Jan 1997
Priority: DE 196 03 5291 Feb 1996
Granted: 24 Aug 1999
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B60Q 1/085
Automatically: due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers
B60Q 1/143
Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic: combined…
B60Q 2300/21
Indexing codes relating to the driver or the passengers: manual control
B60Q 2300/312
Atmospheric conditions: adverse weather