JPH11176208A - Vehicle headlights - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a vehicle headlamp that switches between passing light distribution and traveling light distribution by using a conventional leveling device, since it only gives an elevation angle to a reflecting mirror. The shape of the optical characteristics did not change, causing a problem of low visibility in the distance. According to the present invention, a leveling device is provided with a lever device 6 that responds when switching to a beam switching position S is performed and expands the amount of operation, and a hood 7 provided in a light source 3 passes a low light distribution SB. And a shutter 8 that opens and closes the opening 7a so that a light distribution shape suitable for the traveling light distribution NB can be obtained. By switching to the traveling light distribution by using the headlight 1, the passing light distribution SB that is directed horizontally is switched.
The reflected light H that is horizontal or slightly upward from the opening
B is added to solve the problem by making it possible to improve distant visibility.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a headlight for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a leveling device for correcting a deviation in an irradiation direction due to a change in the attitude of a vehicle caused when a load is loaded. The present invention relates to a headlight configured to switch between passing light distribution and traveling light distribution using the leveling device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 shows an example of the structure of a headlamp 90 provided with a conventional leveling device of this type. It is stopped and the angle can be freely changed in the supine direction. An actuator 94 is connected near the upper end of the reflector 91, and a posture signal from a sensor or the like for detecting the posture of the vehicle is given to the actuator 94 to keep the reflector 91 at a constant angle with respect to the road surface. As a matter of course, a leveling operation for correcting a deviation in the irradiation direction is performed.

Accordingly, the leveling movement range L in which the actuator 94 moves when performing the leveling operation corresponds to a posture signal from a sensor or the like, that is, a change in the posture of the vehicle at the time of loading, starting or stopping the load. Therefore, the amount is not so large. In addition, since the above-mentioned leveling operation is intended to prevent dazzling light from being given to an oncoming vehicle or the like due to a change in the posture of the vehicle, the leveling operation is basically a low-pass light distribution that does not include upward light in the light distribution shape. It is supposed to be carried out.

However, in recent years, a metal halide discharge lamp, in which it is difficult to provide a passing filament and a traveling filament in a single bulb as the light source 92, has been remarkably used. Attempts have been made to switch between passing light distribution and traveling light distribution by utilizing the light distribution. At this time, the beam switching position S, which receives the signal from the beam switching switch or the like provided in the driver's seat and moves to the position outside the leveling movement range L based on the attitude signal from the sensor or the like to the actuator 94, is moved. Is provided, and the reflecting mirror 91 is provided with an upward angle so as to emit light in the horizontal direction, thereby providing a traveling light distribution.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, the light from the headlight 90 is certainly directed toward the front of the vehicle, but is merely reflected by the reflecting mirror 9.
1 only changes the elevation angle, so it does not originally switch the shape of the passing light distribution that irradiates a wide range of short distances. Causing a problem that visibility is not obtained,
The solution of this point has been an issue.

[0006]

According to the present invention, as a specific means for solving the above-mentioned conventional problems, a leveling device for adjusting the elevation angle of a reflecting mirror including a light source in order to correct a change in the attitude of a vehicle body. In a vehicle headlamp which is provided with a beam switching position and switches from passing light distribution to traveling light distribution,
The leveling device is provided with a lever device that responds when switching to the beam switching position is performed and expands the operation amount, and the hood provided on the light source is a light distribution suitable for traveling light distribution by adding to the passing light distribution. An opening for obtaining a shape and a shutter for opening and closing the opening are provided, and the opening is opened by the shutter when the lever device is operated, and the opening is closed by the shutter when the lever device is not operated. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicular headlamp characterized by that.

[0007]

Next, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in the drawings. 1 and FIG.
Is a vehicle headlamp according to the present invention, and the reflector 2 of the vehicle headlamp is fixed to a housing 4 near a lower end with a light source 3 attached thereto and has an angle of inclination in the elevation direction. It is the same as the prior art in that the actuator can be changed freely, and an actuator 5 is connected near the upper end of the reflecting mirror 2, and the leveling operation is performed according to the leveling movement range L of the actuator 5. .

Further, the actuator 5 is provided with a beam switching position S, and the reflecting mirror 2 is operated by an operation from a driver's seat.
Is provided with a higher elevation angle and emits light in the horizontal direction and is switched to the traveling light distribution as in the prior art. However, according to the present invention, the vehicle headlamp 1 is provided with a lever. A device 6 is provided, and a hood 7 provided on the light source 3 is provided with an opening 7 a and a shutter 8.

The lever device 6 is provided at an appropriate position which does not affect the irradiation function of the vehicular headlamp 1 such as, for example, the back of the reflector 2, one end of which is connected to the actuator 5 and the other end of which is provided later. Is also connected to the shutter 8 described
A rotation shaft 6a is provided at an intermediate position, and is capable of seesaw-like movement with respect to the housing 4.

At this time, a spring 6b for generating a tensile force is provided at the other end of the lever device 6 to give the lever device 6 an initial position N, and the connection of the one end with the actuator 5 is performed by the actuator 5 Working part 5a
Through the slit 5b provided in the
In the range of the leveling movement range L of the actuator 5, the lever device 6 does not operate.

The distance L1 from one end of the lever device 6 to the rotating shaft 6a and the distance L2 from the other end to the rotating shaft 6a are set at an appropriate ratio. The shutter 8 is appropriately enlarged so as to satisfy a movement amount necessary for movement of the shutter 8 described later.

On the other hand, the hood 7 is, as described in a typical design example of the vehicle headlamp 1, below the light source 3 disposed in front of the focal point of the reflecting mirror 2 formed as a paraboloid of revolution. The base shape is formed so as to cover the half part and to provide light only to the substantially upper half part of the reflecting mirror 2 so that downward light is obtained as reflected light and suitable for passing light distribution.

At this time, if an opening 7a is provided on the side surface of the hood 7, the light of the light source 3 radiated from the opening 7a at that time is substantially horizontal after being reflected by the reflecting mirror 2. Light can be obtained, and the opening 7
If a is provided, the light of the light source 3 radiated from the opening 7a at that time is reflected by the reflecting mirror 2, and then the light is directed almost upward.

Therefore, the opening 7 is provided at an appropriate position on the hood 7.
a, and in addition to the above-mentioned reflected light from the upper half of the reflecting mirror 2, it is possible to obtain a light distribution shape suitable for traveling light distribution in combination with the action of giving the reflecting mirror 2 an elevation angle. Foreseen. Therefore, in the present invention, the opening 7a is located at an appropriate position.
And a shutter 8 driven by the lever device 6 is provided.

When the lever device 6 is not driven, that is, when the passing light distribution is selected as the vehicular headlamp 1 and the leveling operation is being performed, the shutter 8 is opened by the shutter 8. 7a is closed (see FIG. 1) and the lever device 6 is driven, that is,
When traveling light distribution is selected as the vehicle headlight 1,
The shutter 8 is moved by the operation of the lever device 6 due to the movement of the actuator 5 to the beam switching position S, and the opening 7a is opened (see FIG. 2).

FIG. 3 shows a traveling light distribution MB obtained by the vehicle headlamp 1 of the present invention having the above-described structure.
The horizontal or slightly upward reflected light HB from the opening 7a is superimposed on the passing light distribution SB, which has reached the horizontal direction due to the elevation angle given to the reflecting mirror 2, so that it can be further visually recognized from a distance. Thus, a running light distribution MB having excellent characteristics can be obtained.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, the leveling device is provided with the lever device which responds when the beam is switched to the beam switching position and expands the operation amount, and the hood provided on the light source passes each other. An opening for obtaining a light distribution shape suitable for traveling light distribution by adding to light distribution, and a shutter for opening and closing the opening are provided. When the lever device is operated, the opening is opened by the shutter, and the lever device is not operated. Sometimes, the opening is closed by a shutter, so that the vehicle headlight is switched to the traveling light distribution, so that the passing light directed in the horizontal direction reflects horizontally or slightly upward from the opening. By adding light, a far more visible distance can be obtained, which is extremely effective in improving the performance of this type of vehicle headlamp.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an embodiment of a vehicular headlamp according to the present invention when a passing light distribution is obtained.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which traveling light distribution of the same embodiment is obtained.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a shape of a traveling light distribution obtained by the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Headlight for vehicles 2 ... Reflector 3 ... Light source 4 ... Housing 5 ... Actuator 5a ... Actuating part 5b ... Slit 6 ... Lever device 6a ... Rotating shaft 6b ... Spring 7 ... Hood 7a opening 8 shutter L moving range during leveling S beam switching position N initial position MB traveling light distribution SB passing light distribution HB reflected light from opening

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A headlight for a vehicle comprising a leveling device for adjusting the elevation angle of a reflecting mirror including a light source for correcting a change in attitude of a vehicle body, a beam switching position being provided, and switching from passing light distribution to traveling light distribution. The leveling device is provided with a lever device that responds when switching to the beam switching position is performed and expands the operation amount, and the hood provided in the light source is a distribution suitable for traveling light distribution by adding to the passing light distribution. An opening for obtaining a light shape and a shutter for opening and closing the opening are provided. The opening is opened by the shutter when the lever device is operated, and the opening is closed by the shutter when the lever device is not operated. A headlight for a vehicle, comprising: