JPH0911792A - Headlight irradiation direction control device for automobiles - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] The output signal of the D / A converter 5 to which a digital signal corresponding to the steering direction and the steering angle of the steering is input is compared with the signals from the irradiation direction detection means 9l, 9r. In a device that controls the irradiation direction control mechanisms 8l, 8r by a non-coincidence signal from the comparator 6 to make the headlight irradiation direction follow the steering direction, the difference in the line of sight of the driver during turning steering is absorbed, and The operability that the type of driver is satisfied with is obtained. [Configuration] The D / A converter 5 is configured by setting a plurality of output signal values corresponding to each bit pattern of the input digital signal in advance, and an arbitrary output signal value among the plurality of output signal values Can be selected by the changeover switch 10,
That is, the irradiation direction movement angle per steering unit steering angle can be selected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle headlamp irradiation direction control device for making the irradiation direction of a headlight (headlamp, fog lamp, etc.) follow the steering direction of a steering wheel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the overall structure of this type of apparatus.
In FIG. 5, reference numeral 51 denotes a steering wheel, 52 denotes a main part of a control device, and 53 denotes a headlight provided with a headlight irradiation direction control mechanism. Here, the headlight 53 has shown the horizontal cross section. Reference numeral 1 denotes a steering sensor attached to the steering wheel 51, which includes a rotating disk having a rotation angle signal slit and an optical sensor (both not shown).

[0003] The headlight 53 has a lens 53b mounted over the front opening of a lamp housing 53a, and a reflector 53c is disposed therein. A planar double-sided mirror 54 is pivotally supported by a support shaft 55 oriented substantially vertically. Reference numeral 56 denotes a drive unit incorporating a motor and a speed reducer (both not shown).
The double-sided mirror 54 can be tilted about a support shaft 55 via a lever / link mechanism 57. The light source bulb (not shown) and the reflector 53c are fixed in position, but when the double-sided mirror 54 tilts left and right, the light projection direction swings right and left. When the double-sided mirror 54 is at the neutral position (the position indicated by the solid line in the drawing), the center of the light is projected in the standard irradiation direction (arrow S).
Direction). Here, the standard irradiation direction generally refers to the front direction of the vehicle, and specifically refers to an irradiation direction that can produce a legal illumination pattern.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a conventional headlight irradiation direction control device for a vehicle. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 1 denotes a steering sensor similar to that of FIG. The steering sensor 1 outputs a pulsed electric signal in which H level and L level alternate in association with steering of the steering wheel, and Up / Dow is output.
It is given to the n switching circuit 2. The Up / Down switching circuit 2 outputs a number of up signals and down signals corresponding to the right steering angle and the left steering angle of the steering wheel, and supplies them to the Up / Down counter 3. Up / Down counter 3 has the above-mentioned up signal,
Count up and down by the number of down signals. The 4-bit signal output from the Up / Down counter 3 is input to the decoder 4 which outputs 7 bits (b1 to b7),
The decoder 4 outputs the H level only for the bit at the position corresponding to the count value. These steering sensors 1, Up /
The Down switching circuit 2, the Up / Down counter 3 and the decoder 4 constitute a steering state digital signal generating means for generating a digital signal according to the steering direction and the steering angle of the steering.

In the D / A converter 5, of the 7-bit signal output from the decoder 4, only the bit for which the H level signal is output is applied with a voltage, and the voltage value divided by the resistance value corresponding to that is applied. The analog signal of is output.

On the other hand, the left and right lamp units 8l and 8r constituting the left and right headlights 53 and 53 (see FIG. 5).
Are provided with angle sensors 9l and 9r, which are irradiation direction detecting means for the left and right headlamps 53 and 53, respectively, and the headlamp irradiation direction (represented by a deflection angle) by each lamp unit 8l and 8r is defined on both sides. The signal voltage F, which is the detection signal detected by tilt angle detection of the mirror 54 (see FIG. 5),
G is fed back to the comparator 6. The comparator 6 compares the analog signal of the voltage value corresponding to the steering angle given from the D / A converter 5 with the signal voltages F and G, and the values of the signal voltages F and G are D / A converter. If it is not equal to the voltage value of the analog signal of 5, the H level is output, and if it is equal, the L level is output separately for the left and right lamp units 8l, 8r. The motor drive circuit 7 which constitutes the headlight irradiation direction control mechanism drive circuit is provided from the comparator 6 on the left,
For each output signal of the right lamp units 8l and 8r, when the output signal is at the H level, the left and right lamp units 8
The motors in 1, 8r are driven.

As described above, the irradiation directions of the left and right lamp units 8l and 8r are controlled in accordance with the value detected by the steering sensor 1. At this time, as described above, the signal voltage F, which indicates the swing angle of the left and right headlights 53, 53,
Since each of G is controlled to be equal to the output signal of the D / A converter 5, the left and right headlights 53, 53 are controlled to have the same deflection angle.

According to such a vehicle headlamp irradiation direction control device, the left and right headlamps 53, 53 (left and right lamp units) are irrespective of whether the steering wheel 51 of the vehicle is steered leftward or rightward. The irradiation directions of 8l and 8r) are controlled so as to follow the steering direction according to the steering angle. Therefore, for example, when the vehicle is turning, the headlights 53, 53 illuminate the steering direction of the driver, that is, the direction in which the vehicle turns to the front after a short time, which is convenient.

[0009]

However, in the conventional device shown in FIG. 6, the D / A converter 5 is common to the resistors R1 to R7 which correspond to the outputs b1 to b7 of the decoder 4 as shown in the drawing. Of the resistor R, and only one output signal (output signal value) can be obtained for a specific input signal (input digital signal bit pattern). In other words, only one headlight irradiation direction moving angle per steering angle is set. For this reason, the tendency of the driver's line of sight during turning steering (individual difference in the driver's line of sight with respect to the vehicle traveling direction), for example, a type that shifts the line of sight earlier toward the turning direction, or the opposite type , Furthermore, I can not cope with those intermediate types etc.,
Conventionally, there has been a demand for improvement in this respect.

The object of the present invention was made in view of the above demands, and absorbs the difference in the line-of-sight direction of the driver at the time of turning steering, and obtains the operability which is satisfied by various types of drivers. Another object of the present invention is to provide a headlamp irradiation direction control device for an automobile.

[0011]

The above-mentioned object is to provide a headlight irradiation direction control mechanism for controlling the headlight irradiation direction, headlight irradiation direction detection means for detecting the headlight irradiation direction, and steering of a steering wheel. A steering state digital signal generating means for generating a digital signal according to a direction and a steering angle, a D / A converter for outputting an analog signal according to the digital signal from the steering state digital signal generating means, and the D / A. The output signal of the converter is compared with the signal from the headlamp irradiation direction detecting means, and when the values are equal, a coincidence signal is output, and when they are not equal, a comparator that outputs a non-coincidence signal, and a non-coincidence signal from the comparator are operated. A vehicle provided with a headlight irradiation direction control mechanism drive circuit that drives and controls the headlight irradiation direction control mechanism until a match signal is output from a comparator. In headlamp irradiation direction control device,
A plurality of output signal values corresponding to each bit pattern of the input digital signal are preset in the D / A converter, and an irradiation direction for selecting an arbitrary output signal value from the plurality of output signal values. This is achieved by providing a movement angle changeover switch.

[0012]

In the D / A converter to which the digital signal corresponding to the steering direction and the steering angle of the steering is input, a plurality of output signal values corresponding to each bit pattern of the input digital signal are set in advance. An arbitrary output signal value among a plurality of output signal values can be selected by operating the changeover switch.

According to this, a plurality of headlight irradiation direction movement angles per steering unit steering angle can be selected by operating the changeover switch. Therefore, by appropriately operating the changeover switch according to the driver, the difference in the line-of-sight direction of the driver at the time of turning steering is absorbed, and operability that is satisfied by various types of drivers can be obtained.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a headlight irradiation direction control device for a vehicle according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1-4, 6-9, F, and G are the same as in FIG. 5 also designates a D / A converter as in FIG.
Among the 7-bit signals output by the, the voltage is applied only to the bit in which the H level signal is output, and the analog signal of the voltage value divided by the resistance value corresponding thereto is output. The differences are as follows. That is, in the present invention, in the D / A converter 5, a plurality of types of correspondence relationships of output signal values corresponding to the respective bit patterns of the input digital signal are preset. Here, there are two types of voltage dividing resistor circuits (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and resistor R
A first voltage dividing resistor circuit consisting of R1 ', R1, R2, R4,
By configuring a second voltage dividing resistance circuit composed of R6, R7, R7 'and a resistor R, two types of correspondence of output signal values corresponding to each bit pattern of the input digital signal are set. Therefore, the outputs of the decoder 4 (inputs of the D / A converter 5) b1 to b7 have a plurality of, here, two types of voltage dividing resistance circuits (first voltage dividing resistance circuit and second voltage dividing resistance circuit). It is provided to the D / A converter 5, and it is possible to obtain one output signal value selected from two output signal values for a certain input digital signal (bit pattern). In other words, it is possible to select and set one of the two types of headlamp irradiation direction movement angles per steering unit steering angle.

Reference numeral 10 denotes an irradiation direction movement angle changeover switch for arbitrarily performing such selection and setting. Reference numeral 11 denotes a relay circuit operated by the changeover switch 10. Here, the first voltage dividing resistor circuit is selected when the changeover switch 10 is OFF, and the second voltage dividing resistor circuit is selected when the changeover switch 10 is ON, respectively.
It is designed to be set.

FIG. 2 is a table showing the relationship between the output B of the decoder 4 and the output voltage A of the D / A converter 5 with respect to the steering direction and the steering angle θ in the device of the present invention. The angle between 30 ° on the left and 30 ° on the right is divided into 10 ° intervals. This FIG. 2 corresponds to the output B of the decoder 4 (each bit pattern of the input digital signal of the D / A converter 5) when focusing on only the output B of the decoder 4 and the output voltage A of the D / A converter 5. Two ways of D
The output voltage A (output signal value corresponding to each bit pattern) is shown.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing the relationship of the output voltage A of the D / A converter 5 with respect to the steering angle .theta. When OFF, the broken line indicates ON. FIG. 4 is a graph showing the relationship between the steering angle θ of the steering wheel and the deflection angle of the left and right headlamps when the irradiation direction movement angle changeover switch 10 is OFF and ON. The solid line is OFF and the broken line is Indicates when ON.

Next, the operation of the device of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure will be described with reference to FIGS. Now, a vehicle equipped with the above-described device of the present invention starts from a stopped state with a headlight turned on, and at this time, the irradiation direction moving angle changeover switch 1
0 is OFF, and the steering angle θ is 10 ° to the right>θ>
It is assumed that the steering wheel is steered within the range of 10 ° to the left. In this case, the count value of the Up / Down counter 3 is zero, and the output of the decoder 4 is in the H level only in b4. Therefore, in the D / A converter 5, the voltage is applied only to the resistor R4, and D / A
The A converter 5 outputs an analog voltage having a value of a4 = Vcc × R / (R + R4). This output voltage a4 is input to the comparator 6, which compares it with the signal voltages F and G from the angle sensors 9l and 9r and outputs an H or L level signal to the motor drive circuit 7. In the present state, since the signal voltages F and G from the angle sensors 9l and 9r are equal to the voltage a4, the comparator 6 outputs an L level signal. For this reason,
An L level signal that means the motor is stopped is input to the motor drive circuit 7, and an L level signal is also output to the motors in the left and right lamp units 8l and 8r. Therefore, the motors in the left and right lamp units 8l and 8r do not operate, the deflection angles of the flat double-sided mirrors in the left and right lamp units 8l and 8r also maintain 0 °, and the left and right headlamps are It is facing the front and stopped.

Next, with the irradiation direction movement angle changeover switch 10 still in the OFF state, the steering wheel starts to be steered to the right, and when the steering angle becomes 10 ° or more, the steering sensor 1 starts to output a pulsed electric signal. An up signal corresponding to the steering angle is input to the Up / Down counter 3 via the Up / Down switching circuit 2.
As a result, the counter 3 starts counting up its count value sequentially from zero, and outputs a 4-bit signal corresponding to the count number to the decoder 4. As you can see from the table in Figure 2,
When the steering angle θ becomes 10 ° or more to the right, only the output b3 of the decoder 4 becomes the H level. At this time, since the irradiation direction movement angle changeover switch SW is OFF,
The relay 11 is not operating, and each relay contact is on the NC side. Therefore, the resistor R3 corresponding to the output of b3
Voltage is applied only to the D / A converter 5, and a3 = V
An analog voltage having a value of cc × R / (R + R3) is output. This output voltage a3 is input to the comparator 6, and is compared with the signal voltages F and G from the angle sensors 9l and 9r. Since the signal voltages F and G are equal to the voltage a4 and lower than the voltage a3, an H level signal is output from the comparator 6 and the motor drive circuit 7
Also outputs a signal of H level, and the motors in the left and right lamp units 8l and 8r are operated and rotated in the direction in which the signal voltages F and G from the angle sensors 9l and 9r approach the voltage a3. When the signal voltages F and G of the angle sensors 9l and 9r become equal to a3, an L level signal is output from the comparator 6 and the motors in the left and right lamp units 8l and 8r stop. And the left and right lamp units 8
The deflection angle of the flat double-sided mirror in l and 8r stops at 10 ° to the right. Therefore, at this time, the left and right headlights respectively illuminate the direction of 10 ° to the right.

Irradiation direction moving angle selector switch 10 is turned off
If the steering angle is changed from 20 ° to 30 ° as the steering wheel is steered further to the right, the D / A
The converter 5 outputs an analog voltage having a value of a2 → a1 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), and the left and right lamp units 8l,
The deflection angle of the plane double-sided mirror in 8r is 20 ° → 30 ° to the right (see FIG. 4), and the left and right headlights are each to the right 2
Irradiation starts from 0 ° → 30 °.

Turning off the irradiation direction moving angle selector switch 10
Even if the steering wheel is steered to the left as it is, the operation is the same as described above, though the direction is different, and the left and right headlights respectively illuminate the directions corresponding to the output of the D / A converter 5 (FIG. 2).
To FIG. 4).

Next, the operation when the irradiation direction movement angle changeover switch 10 is ON will be described. First, when steering is performed in the range where the steering angle θ is 10 ° right>θ> 10 ° left, the same operation as when the irradiation direction movement angle changeover switch 10 is turned off is performed. The lights are facing the front and stopped.

After that, when the steering wheel starts to be steered to the right and the steering angle becomes 10 ° or more, the steering sensor 1 starts to output a pulsed electric signal, and an up signal corresponding to the steering angle is sent to the Up / Down switching circuit. It is input to the Up / Down counter 3 via 2. As a result, the counter 3 starts counting up its count value sequentially from zero, and outputs a 4-bit signal corresponding to the count number to the decoder 4. As can be seen from the table of FIG. 2, when the steering angle θ becomes 10 ° or more to the right, only the output b3 of the decoder 4 becomes the H level. At this time, since the irradiation direction movement angle changeover switch SW is ON,
The relay 11 is operating and each relay contact is on the NO side. Therefore, the voltage is applied only to the resistor R2 corresponding to the output of b3, and from the D / A converter 5, a2 = Vc
An analog voltage having a value of c × R / (R + R2) is output. This output voltage a2 is input to the comparator 6,
The comparator 6 compares the signal voltages F and G from the angle sensors 9l and 9r. Since the signal voltages F and G are equal to the voltage a4 and lower than the voltage a2, the comparator 6 outputs an H level signal, the motor drive circuit 7 also outputs an H level signal, and the left and right lamp units 8 are output.
The motors in 1 and 8r are operated and rotated in the direction in which the signal voltages F and G from the angle sensors 9l and 9r approach the voltage a2. The signal voltages F and G of the angle sensors 9l and 9r are a
When it becomes equal to 2, an L level signal is output from the comparator 6 and the motors in the left and right lamp units 8l and 8r stop. Then, the left and right lamp units 8l,
The deflection angle of the flat double-sided mirror within 8r stops at 20 ° to the right. Therefore, the left and right headlights at this time respectively illuminate the direction of 20 ° to the right.

When the steering angle is changed from 30 ° to 40 ° while the steering direction is further steered to the right while the irradiation direction movement angle changeover switch 10 is still ON, the D / A converter 5 outputs a1 → An analog voltage of a0 is output (see FIGS. 2 and 3), and the left and right lamp units 8l, 8
The deflection angle of the planar double-sided mirror in r is 30 ° → 40 ° to the right (see FIG. 4), and the left and right headlights are respectively to the right 30 °.
I started to irradiate in the direction of ° → 40 °.

Even when the steering wheel is steered to the left with the irradiation direction movement angle changeover switch 10 still turned on, the same operation as described above is performed although the direction is different, and the left and right headlamps are respectively D
The direction corresponding to the output of the A / A converter 5 is irradiated (Fig. 2
(See FIG. 4).

D for each steering angle θ
The bit pattern of the input digital signal of the A / A converter 5 (output B of the decoder 4) and the two output signal values for each bit pattern are not limited to the example shown in FIG. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 2, the D / A converter 5 when the steering angle θ is 10 ° right>θ> 10 ° left
The two output signal values corresponding to the bit pattern "L, L, L, H, L, L, L" of the input digital signal (output B of the decoder 4) are a4 and a4 and are set to the same value. However, the two output signal values do not always have to be different values in this way, and the same value or different values can be set arbitrarily.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, the D / A converter to which the digital signal corresponding to the steering direction and the steering angle of the steering is input corresponds to each bit pattern of the input digital signal. Since a plurality of output signal values are set in advance and any output signal value among the plurality of output signal values can be selected by operating the changeover switch, the headlight per steering unit steering angle is set. A plurality of irradiation direction movement angles can be selected by operating the changeover switch. Therefore, by appropriately switching the changeover switch according to the driver, the difference in the line-of-sight direction of the driver at the time of turning steering is absorbed, and there is an effect that various types of drivers can obtain satisfactory operability. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a table showing a relationship between a decoder output and a D / A converter output with respect to the steering state of the device of the present invention shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a D / A for a steering angle of the same device
It is a graph which shows the relationship of a converter output.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the relationship between the steering angles of the same apparatus and the deflection angles of the left and right headlights.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the overall configuration of a headlight irradiation direction control device for a vehicle.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Steering sensor, 2 ... Up / Down switching circuit, 3 ... Up / Down counter, 4 ... Decoder, 5 ...
D / A converter, 6 ... Comparator, 7 ... Motor drive circuit, 8l ... Left lamp unit, 8r ... Right lamp unit, 9l ... Left lamp angle sensor, 9r ... Right lamp angle sensor, 10 ... Irradiation direction moving angle Changeover switch, 11 ...
Relay circuit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A headlight irradiation direction control mechanism for controlling a headlight irradiation direction, headlight irradiation direction detection means for detecting a headlight irradiation direction, and digital according to a steering direction and a steering angle of a steering wheel. Steering state digital signal generating means for generating a signal, a D / A converter for outputting an analog signal corresponding to the digital signal from the steering state digital signal generating means, an output signal of the D / A converter and the front A signal from the lighting direction detecting means is compared, and when the values are equal, a coincidence signal is output and a non-coincidence signal is output when the values are not equal, and a non-coincidence signal from the comparator is activated to output a coincidence signal from the comparator. A headlight irradiation direction control device for an automobile, comprising: a headlight irradiation direction control mechanism drive circuit for driving and controlling the headlight irradiation direction control mechanism. In the D / A converter, a plurality of output signal values corresponding to each bit pattern of the input digital signal are preset, and an arbitrary output signal value is selected from the plurality of output signal values. An automobile headlamp irradiation direction control device comprising an irradiation direction movement angle changeover switch.