Vehicle headlamp device
AssigneeStanley Electric Co., Ltd.
InventorsToru Tanabe, Shinji Fukuwa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle headlamp device 10 can be equipped with a discharge lamp 11, a beam switch device 13 that is used to switch between the high beam and low beam, a light distribution switch device 14 which broadens the horizontal light distribution in the forward direction of the vehicle during cornering, and a lighting device 20 which supplies electric power to the discharge lamp. The light distribution switch device 14 can be controlled such that the horizontal light distribution is broadened in the forward direction when the vehicle speed and steering angle exceed specified values. The lighting device 20 can be controlled such that the electric power supplied to the discharge lamp increases only when the horizontal light distribution is broadened by the light distribution switch device 14.
Claims31
A vehicle headlamp device for connection to a vehicle, comprising:
- a light source connectable to a front of the vehicle and configured to produce a light beam;
- means for switching between a high beam and a low beam located adjacent to said light source;
- means for broadening a horizontal light distribution of said light beam in a direction of travel of the vehicle during cornering, said means for broadening a horizontal light distribution located adjacent said light source;
- and
- a lighting device configured to receive a vehicle speed detection signal and a steering angle detection signal, said lighting device controlling electric power to said light source and said means for broadening a horizontal light distribution, such that electric power supplied to said light source increases, and said horizontal light distribution is broadened in the direction of travel of the vehicle, when the vehicle speed detection signal and the steering angle detection signal exceed predetermined values.
A vehicle headlamp device for connection to a vehicle, comprising:
- a light source connectable to a front of the vehicle;
- a vertical light directing structure located adjacent said light source and configured to direct a light beam emitted from said light source in one of a low beam direction in which said light beam is directed away from the front of the vehicle, and a high beam direction in which said light beam is directed away from the front of the vehicle and at a higher vertical angle relative to said low beam direction;
- a horizontal light directing structure located adjacent said light source and configured to direct a light beam emitted from said light source in one of a normal beam direction in which said light beam is directed away from the front of the vehicle, and a wide beam direction in which said light beam is directed away from the front of the vehicle and at a larger horizontal angle relative to said low beam direction;
- and
- a lighting device configured to receive a vehicle steering angle signal and a vehicle speed signal, and to increase electric power to said light source when the vehicle speed signal and steering angle signal exceed predetermined values.
A method of controlling illumination of a headlamp in a vehicle, the headlamp having a light source including light directing structures proximate the headlamp, the method comprising:
- sensing at least one of a vehicle speed signal and a vehicle steering signal;
- supplying electric power to the lightsource at a predetermined electric power;
- and
- increasing electric power to the lightsource whenever the vehicle speed signal and vehicle steering signal reach predetermined values.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.