Vehicle front lamp steering controlled light distribution system

A front lamp steering controlled light distribution system for a vehicle having a steering wheel, comprising:

• light distribution means provided on each of right and left head lamps of a vehicle and having a movable reflector to provide a light distribution pattern at a front area of the vehicle and operative to allow the light distribution pattern to be directed to at least one of right and left maximum limit positions in cornering areas of the vehicle;
• steering wheel condition detecting means for producing a steering direction signal varying according to a steering angle in which the steering wheel is steered;
• blinker condition detecting means producing an indicator direction signal indicative of one of right and left turns in the cornering areas;
• a vehicle speed sensor producing a vehicle speed signal when a vehicle speed is less than a given low level;
• head lamp switch means for turning on or turning off the head lamps;
• and
• control means responsive to a turning on state of the head lamp switch means for actuating the movable reflector to cause the light distribution pattern to be varied at an angle according to the steering direction signal in the absence of the vehicle speed signal and operative to drive the movable reflector to allow the light distribution pattern to be fixedly directed to the right and left maximum limit positions in response to the indicator direction signal in the presence of the vehicle speed signal.

A front lamp steering controlled light distribution system for a vehicle having a steering wheel, comprising:

• a light distributor for changing beam angles in the left and right direction;
• and
• a controller for actuating the light distributor to change the beam angle of the light distributor on a side corresponding to a steering direction of the steering wheel by an amount corresponding to a steering angle,
• wherein the controller actuates the light distributor to change the beam angle on a side corresponding to an indication direction of a blinker to a maximum value when the vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined value, unless a hazard switch is activated in which case the controller does not actuate the light distributor.

A method of controlling light distribution of vehicle headlamps in a vehicle, comprising:

• detecting an indication direction of a blinker;
• detecting activation of a hazard switch;
• detecting vehicle speed;
• detecting a steering angle of a steering wheel;
• and
• changing a beam angle of a light distributor on a side corresponding to the indication direction of the blinker to a maximum value when the vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined value, unless the hazard switch is activated in which case the beam angle is not changed even though the vehicle speed is lower than the predetermined value.