The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp.
As a head lamp for a two-wheeled vehicle, there is a high beam and low beam light source (Patent Literature 1).
In a four-wheeled vehicle, a system has been proposed in which a light distribution pattern radiated from a head lamp includes a plurality of regions arranged in parallel in a horizontal direction, and a part of the plurality of regions is not irradiated with light corresponding to an object outside the vehicle, thereby forming a light distribution pattern that does not give a glare to, for example, an oncoming vehicle. In a two-wheeled vehicle, a driver moves the center of gravity when turning right or left, and the vehicle travels at a corner while tilting a vehicle body toward a turn direction to increase a bank angle, and thus a light distribution pattern formed by a head lamp is also tilted from a horizontal direction in accordance with the bank angle. In the light distribution pattern tilted from the horizontal direction, when a system similar to a system of a four-wheeled vehicle is adopted so as not to give a glare to an object such as an oncoming vehicle, a non-irradiation range may have to be enlarged to a range that is originally not necessary to be irradiated with light.
In the light distribution pattern tilted relative to the horizontal direction, a light source is turned off in a case where there is an object such as an oncoming vehicle although light radiation to a region below a reference line does not give a glare to the object (Patent Literature 1). This unnecessary turning-off may give a sense of discomfort to a driver of a motorcycle.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle lamp capable of reducing, as much as possible, a non-irradiation range in which light is not radiated to an object in a light distribution pattern formed in a state in which a vehicle body is tilted.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle lamp for forming a light distribution pattern that does not give a sense of discomfort to a driver of a motorcycle.
In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle lamp according to one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle lamp provided in a vehicle that travels at a corner by tilting a vehicle body toward a turn direction.
The vehicle lamp includes
The controller defines the first non-irradiation range based on a case where the vehicle body is in a straight traveling state.
When the vehicle body is in a cornering state,
In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle lamp according to another aspect of the present invention is a vehicle lamp provided in a vehicle that travels at a corner by tilting a vehicle body toward a turn direction.
The vehicle lamp includes
The light distribution pattern includes a plurality of ranges.
When the internal sensor detects that the tilting of the vehicle body is equal to or larger than a predetermined angle, the light distribution pattern includes a first region below a predetermined reference line and a second region above the reference line.
The reference line is a line that extends in a left-right direction of the vehicle body and is parallel to a horizontal line. The reference line has a predetermined height from the horizontal line.
When one of the plurality of ranges includes only the first region, the controller adjusts the light distribution pattern so as to continue light radiation to the one range regardless of a detection result of the external sensor.
According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle lamp capable of reducing, as much as possible, a non-irradiation range in which light is not radiated to an object in a light distribution pattern formed in a state in which a vehicle body is tilted.
According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle lamp for forming a light distribution pattern that does not give a sense of discomfort to a driver of a motorcycle.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a “left-right direction”, a “front-rear direction”, and an “upper-lower direction” are relative directions set for a vehicle 100 shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The bank angle sensor 6 is a sensor capable of detecting a tilting angle when the vehicle body of the motorcycle 100 is tilted to the left and right relative to a vertical line. The bank angle sensor 6 is implemented by, for example, a gyro sensor. The tilting angle of the vehicle body may be calculated based on, for example, an image captured by a camera mounted on the vehicle body.
The external sensor 7 is a sensor capable of acquiring information about the outside of the host vehicle including a surrounding environment of the motorcycle 100 (for example, information about the outside of the host vehicle including an obstacle, another vehicle (a preceding vehicle, an oncoming vehicle), a pedestrian, a road shape, a traffic sign, and the like). The external sensor 7 includes, for example, at least one of Light Detection and Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), a camera, a radar, and the like.
Information detected by the bank angle sensor 6, the external sensor 7, and the speed sensor 8 is transmitted to the lamp controller 5. The lamp controller 5 controls the low beam lamp unit 2 and the high beam lamp unit 3 based on the information transmitted from the sensors 6 to 8. For example, the lamp controller 5 can control the head lamp 1 (the low beam lamp unit 2 and the high beam lamp unit 3) based on information detected by each sensor to adjust a light distribution pattern (a low beam light distribution pattern and a high beam light distribution pattern) formed in front of the vehicle.
The high beam lamp unit 3 is a so-called projector-type lamp. The high beam lamp unit 3 includes a projection lens 31 (an example of an optical member), a light source unit 32 provided with a high beam light source 33 (an example of a light source), and a holder 34 that holds the projection lens 31 and the light source unit 32. The projection lens 31 is a plano-convex aspherical lens having a convex front surface and a flat rear surface, and is disposed on an optical axis Ax extending in the vehicle front-rear direction. A peripheral edge portion of the projection lens 31 is held at a front end side of the holder 34. The projection lens 31 radiates light from the light source 33 to a front side of the lamp to form a predetermined high beam light distribution pattern.
The light source unit 32 is disposed such that the light source 33 faces forward in a direction of the optical axis Ax, and is held at a rear end side of the holder 34. The light source 33 is electrically connected to the lamp controller 5. The holder 34 is attached to the lamp body 11 via a support member (not shown).
The heat sink 36 is a member for dissipating heat generated from the light source 33, and is held on a surface of the support plate 35 at a vehicle rear side. The light source unit 32 is fixed to the holder 34 via the support plate 35.
Next, a light distribution pattern according to the first embodiment formed by the head lamp 1 mounted on the motorcycle 100 will be described with reference to
As shown in
Next, the ADB mode executed by the lamp controller 5 will be described. For example, the lamp controller 5 detects a situation of an oncoming vehicle including the presence or absence of the oncoming vehicle and a position of the oncoming vehicle (a distance from the motorcycle 100 to the oncoming vehicle, position coordinates of the oncoming vehicle on the virtual vertical screen, and the like) based on the environmental information acquired by the external sensor 7. The lamp controller 5 detects a situation of the host vehicle based on, for example, tilting angle information of the vehicle body acquired by the bank angle sensor 6. The lamp controller 5 detects a situation of the host vehicle including traveling and stopping of the host vehicle based on, for example, speed information acquired by the speed sensor 8. The lamp controller 5 individually controls turning on and off of the individual light sources 30 based on information acquired by the external sensor 7, the bank angle sensor 6, and the speed sensor 8. Among the individual light sources 30, the lamp controller 5 turns on the individual light source 30 corresponding to a region in which an object such as an oncoming vehicle is not present, and turns off the individual light source 30 corresponding to a region in which an object such as an oncoming vehicle is present.
For example, in
In the case of the example of
Accordingly, when the motorcycle 100 is traveling in a straight traveling state, the high beam light distribution pattern PH in which the partial patterns PHg and PHh corresponding to the region in which the oncoming vehicle CV is present are set as the non-irradiation region is formed to include the normal light shielding range A so as not to irradiate the oncoming vehicle CV with light. The “non-irradiation region” may include a region in which light is radiated at a low illuminance to an extent that does not give a glare to a driver of the oncoming vehicle.
Next, as shown in
In the example shown in
For example, the lamp controller 5 converts coordinates for a coordinate value of an upper left point P1 which is an intersection point between the boundary line xa and the boundary line ya in the normal light shielding range B and a coordinate value of a lower right point P2 which is an intersection point between the boundary line xb and the boundary line yb, based on information such as the tilting angle θ of the vehicle body, and calculates the coordinate values as coordinate values in the two-wheeled vehicle coordinate system X1-Y1. At this time, a coordinate value (x01, y01) of the upper left point P1 in the normal light shielding range B in the road coordinate system X0-Y0 is calculated as, for example, a coordinate value (x11, y11) in the two-wheeled vehicle coordinate system X1-Y1. A coordinate value (x02, y02) of the upper left point P2 in the normal light shielding range B in the road coordinate system X0-Y0 is calculated as, for example, a coordinate value (x12, y12) in the two-wheeled vehicle coordinate system X1-Y1. The coordinate values of the upper left point P1 and the lower right point P2 in the two-wheeled vehicle coordinate system X1-Y1 are values that change in accordance with the tilting angle of the vehicle body.
The lamp controller 5 specifies the partial pattern PHe of the high beam light distribution pattern PH including the coordinate value x11 in a region in the X0 axis direction as a region corresponding to the coordinate value (x11, y11) in the two-wheeled vehicle coordinate system X1-Y1. The lamp controller 5 specifies the partial pattern PHh of the high beam light distribution pattern PH including the coordinate value x12 in a region in the X0 axis direction as a region corresponding to the coordinate value (x12, y12) in the two-wheeled vehicle coordinate system X1-Y1. The lamp controller 5 determines the partial patterns PHe, PHf, PHg, and PHh extending from the specified partial pattern PHe to the specified partial pattern PHh as a non-irradiation region. The lamp controller 5 turns off the individual light sources 30e, 30f, 30g, and 30h corresponding to the non-irradiation region (the partial patterns PHe, PHf, PHg, and PHh). On the other hand, the lamp controller 5 determines the partial patterns PHa to PHd and PHi other than the partial patterns PHe, PHf, PHg, and PHh as an irradiation region. The lamp controller 5 turns on the individual light sources 30a to 30d and 30i corresponding to the irradiation region (the partial patterns PHa to PHd and PHi).
In this manner, when the non-irradiation region of the high beam light distribution pattern PH is set with reference to the upper left point P1 and the lower right point P2 in the normal light shielding range B defined when the vehicle body is tilted, for example, a range of the non-irradiation region is larger than the non-irradiation region set when the vehicle body is in the straight traveling state described with reference to
On the other hand, in the head lamp 1 according to the present embodiment, the lamp controller 5 selects a left measurement point P3 which is a point below the upper left point P1 on the boundary line xa, instead of the upper left point P1 which is the intersection point between the boundary line xa and the boundary line ya in the normal light shielding range B. The left measurement point P3 is a point selected based on a size of the oncoming vehicle CV, for example, a vehicle height of the oncoming vehicle CV. For example, a coordinate value of the left measurement point P3 in the Y0 axis direction is set in advance to be a maximum vehicle height value in consideration of a vehicle height of a large vehicle that is assumed as an oncoming vehicle. For example, 3 m is set as the maximum vehicle height value. For example, the left measurement point P3 may be set in consideration of a line-of-sight position of a driver of an oncoming vehicle. The lamp controller 5 defines a reduced light shielding range C (an example of a second non-irradiation range) as a light shielding range for preventing the oncoming vehicle CV from being irradiated with light in the road coordinate system X0-Y0 based on the selected left measurement point P3. The reduced light shielding range C is a light shielding range defined as a region narrower than the normal light shielding range B.
The lamp controller 5 converts coordinates of a coordinate value of the selected left measurement point P3 based on information such as the tilting angle θ of the vehicle body, and calculates the coordinate value as a coordinate value in the two-wheeled vehicle coordinate system X1-Y1. At this time, a coordinate value (x03, y03) of the left measurement point P3 in the normal light shielding range B in the road coordinate system X0-Y0 is calculated as, for example, a coordinate value (x13, y13) in the two-wheeled vehicle coordinate system X1-Y1.
The lamp controller 5 specifies the partial pattern PHf of the high beam light distribution pattern PH including the coordinate value x13 in a region in the X0 axis direction as a region corresponding to the coordinate value (x13, y13) in the two-wheeled vehicle coordinate system X1-Y1. The lamp controller 5 specifies the partial pattern PHh of the high beam light distribution pattern PH as a region corresponding to the coordinate value (x12, y12) in the two-wheeled vehicle coordinate system X1-Y1 at the lower right point P2 in the same manner as described above. The lamp controller 5 determines the partial patterns PHf, PHg, and PHh extending from the specified partial pattern PHf to the specified partial pattern PHh as a non-irradiation region. The lamp controller 5 turns off the individual light sources 30f, 30g, and 30h corresponding to the non-irradiation region (the partial patterns PHf, PHg, and PHh). On the other hand, the lamp controller 5 determines the partial patterns PHa to PHe and PHi other than the partial patterns PHf, PHg and PHh as an irradiation region. The lamp controller 5 turns on the individual light sources 30a to 30e and 30i corresponding to the irradiation region (the partial patterns PHa to PHe and PHi).
That is, when the vehicle body is tilted to the right side, when the non-irradiation region of the high beam light distribution pattern PH is set with reference to the left measurement point P3 and the lower right point P2 in the reduced light shielding range C, a range of the non-irradiation region is smaller than the non-irradiation region set with reference to the upper left point P1 and the lower right point P2 in the normal light shielding range B. Specifically, the non-irradiation region withe reference to the upper left point P1 and the lower right point P2 in the normal light shielding range B are the four partial patterns PHe, PHf, PHg, and PHh, while the non-irradiation region with reference to the left measurement point P3 and the lower right point P2 in the reduced light shielding range C are the three partial patterns PHf, PHg, and PHh.
As the tilting of the vehicle body relative to the road surface increases, the tilting angle θ of the two-wheeled vehicle coordinate system X1-Y1 relative to the road coordinate system X0-Y0 also increases. Therefore, when the coordinate value (x01, y01) of the upper left point P1 in the normal light shielding range B in the road coordinate system X0-Y0 is converted and calculated as the coordinate value (x11, y11) in the two-wheeled vehicle coordinate system X1-Y1, a difference between the coordinate values (x01, y01) and (x11, y11) increases as the tilting of the vehicle body increases. When the difference between the coordinate values (x01, y01) and (x11, y11) increases, a position of a partial pattern of the high beam light distribution pattern PH that is specified as a region corresponding to the coordinate value (x11, y11) changes to the left direction, and a range of the partial pattern determined as the non-irradiation region increases. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the difference between the coordinate values (x03, y03) and (x13, y13) when the coordinate value (x03, y03) of the left measurement point P3 is converted and calculated as the coordinate value (x13, y13) in the two-wheel vehicle coordinate system X1-Y1 and it is possible to reduce a range of the partial pattern determined to be the non-irradiation region, by specifying the coordinate value (x03, y03) of the left measurement point P3 based on the maximum vehicle height value of the oncoming vehicle CV and defining the reduced light shielding range C narrower than the normal light shielding range B.
Although a case where the motorcycle 100 tilts the vehicle body to the right relative to the road surface has been described in the present embodiment, for example, when the motorcycle 100 tilts the vehicle body to the left relative to the road surface, the lamp controller 5 can also set the non-irradiation region of the high beam light distribution pattern PH in the same manner. Specifically, when the vehicle body is tilted to the left, a coordinate value of a right measurement point can be specified based on the maximum vehicle height value of the oncoming vehicle CV, and the reduced light shielding range narrower than the normal light shielding range can be defined.
As described above, the head lamp 1 according to the present embodiment includes the light source 33, the projection lens 31 that radiates the light from the light source 33 toward the front side of the lamp to form the predetermined high beam light distribution pattern PH, and the lamp controller 5 that adjusts the predetermined high beam light distribution pattern PH so as to include the normal light shielding range B (an example of the first non-irradiation range) in which the oncoming vehicle CV (an example of an object) outside the vehicle is not irradiated with light when the oncoming vehicle CV is detected. The lamp controller 5 is configured to define the normal light shielding range B based on a case where the vehicle body is in a straight traveling state, acquire height information of an object according to a tilting state of the vehicle body when the vehicle body is in a cornering state, define the reduced light shielding range C (an example of a second non-irradiation range) narrower than the normal light shielding range B based on the height information, and adjust the predetermined high beam light distribution pattern PH so as to include the reduced light shielding range C instead of the normal light shielding range B. As a result, in the high beam light distribution pattern PH formed in a state in which the vehicle body of the motorcycle 100 is tilted, the non-irradiation range for preventing light from being radiated to a region where the oncoming vehicle CV is present can be reduced to be as small as possible.
In the present embodiment, the light source 33 includes a plurality of individual light sources 30a to 30i arranged in parallel, and the high beam light distribution pattern PH includes a plurality of partial patterns PHa to PHi formed in parallel along the horizontal direction by light from the plurality of individual light sources 30a to 30i. Among the partial patterns PHa to PHi, the lamp controller 5 turns off the individual light source 30 that forms a partial pattern including the reduced light shielding range C based on the height information of the oncoming vehicle CV, thereby forming the predetermined high beam light distribution pattern PH including the reduced light shielding range C. In this manner, the reduced light shielding range C can be formed with a simple configuration using an LED array or the like.
(Modification)
Next, a modification of a control method in which the lamp controller 5 defines the reduced light shielding range C will be described with reference to
For example, as shown in
For example, as shown in
As described above, according to the control method for the lamp controller 5 in the present modification, the reduced light shielding range C (the second non-irradiation range) is changed in accordance with the height of the oncoming vehicle CV, so that the reduced light shielding range C can be further narrowed. An object to be shielded from light is not limited to the oncoming vehicle CV, and the same control may be executed on a preceding vehicle.
Next, a configuration of a high beam lamp unit 103 provided in a head lamp 101 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to
As shown in
The rotation reflector 111 is rotated in one direction about a rotation axis R by a driving source such as a motor (not shown). The rotation reflector 111 includes a reflecting surface configured to reflect light emitted from the LED 113 while being rotated to form a desired light distribution pattern.
As shown in
The blade 111a has a twisted shape such that an angle formed by the optical axis Ax and the reflecting surface changes toward a circumferential direction around the rotation axis R. As a result, it is possible to perform scanning using the light of the LED 113 as shown in
In the second embodiment, the lamp controller 5 defines the normal light shielding range B based on a case where the vehicle body is in a straight traveling state, acquires height information of an object according to a tilting state of the vehicle body when the vehicle body is in a cornering state, defines the reduced light shielding range C (a second non-irradiation range) narrower than the normal light shielding range B based on the height information, and adjusts the predetermined high beam light distribution pattern PH so as to include the reduced light shielding range C instead of the normal light shielding range B. Specifically, based on the information of the tilting angle θ of the vehicle body, the lamp controller 5 converts coordinates for the coordinate value of the left measurement point P3 selected based on the height information of the oncoming vehicle CV, and calculates the coordinate value as a coordinate value in the two-wheeled vehicle coordinate system X1-Y1. Next, the lamp controller 5 specifies a partial pattern of a part of the high beam light distribution pattern PH as a region corresponding to the coordinate value calculated as the coordinate value in the two-wheeled vehicle coordinate system X1-Y1, and determines the specified partial pattern as a non-irradiation region. Next, the lamp controller 5 synchronizes the timing of turning on and off the LED 113 with the rotation of the rotation reflector 111, thereby controlling operations of the LED 113 and the rotation reflector 111 so that the non-irradiation region of the high beam light distribution pattern PH is not irradiated with the light from the LED 113. As described above, similar to the high beam lamp unit 3 according to the first embodiment including the LED array, a non-irradiation range for preventing light from radiating to a region in which the oncoming vehicle CV is present can be reduced as much as possible by defining the reduced light shielding range C instead of the normal light shielding range B based on the height information of the oncoming vehicle CV when the vehicle body is tilted in the high beam lamp unit 103 of a scanning optical system including the rotation reflector 111.
Instead of the rotation reflector 111, a high beam lamp unit of a scanning optical system including a galvanometer mirror or a polygon mirror may be employed. In this case, the same effects as those of the first embodiment and the second embodiment can be achieved by performing the same control as described above.
Next, a light distribution pattern according to the third embodiment formed by the head lamp 1 mounted on the motorcycle 100 will be described with reference to
In
The light emitted from the high beam lamp unit 3 is emitted toward the front side of the vehicle to form the high beam light distribution pattern PH. Specifically, of the high beam lamp unit 3, the individual light source 30a forms the partial pattern PHa, the individual light source 30b forms the partial pattern PHb, the individual light source 30c forms the partial pattern PHc, the individual light source 30d forms the partial pattern PHd, the individual light source 30e forms the partial pattern PHe, the individual light source 30f forms the partial pattern PHf, the individual light source 30g forms the partial pattern PHg, the individual light source 30h forms the partial pattern PHh, and the individual light source 30i forms the partial pattern PHi, and the high beam light distribution pattern PH is formed by combining the partial patterns PHa to PHi. In other words, the high beam light distribution pattern PH includes a plurality of partial patterns PHa to PHi (examples of a range). In the present embodiment, since the high beam lamp unit 3 includes a total of nine individual light sources 30a to 30i as shown in
A case where the motorcycle 100 changes from a state in which the motorcycle 100 travels with the vehicle body being perpendicular to the road surface while forming the high beam light distribution pattern PH to a state in which the motorcycle 100 travels with the vehicle body being tilted relative to the road surface will be described below. When the motorcycle 100 travels with the vehicle body being tilted relative to the road surface, the high beam lamp unit 3 is also tilted relative to the road surface in accordance with the tilting of the vehicle body, and thus the high beam light distribution pattern PH is formed to be tilted relative to the horizontal direction H-H. In
When the lamp controller 5 determines that a bank angle (tilting) of the vehicle body detected by the bank angle sensor 6 is equal to or larger than a predetermined angle, the lamp controller 5 identifies the high beam light distribution pattern PH as a first region S1 that is a region below a predetermined reference line L, and identifies the high beam light distribution pattern PH as a second region S2 serving as a region above the reference line L. The reference line L is a line extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle body and parallel to the horizontal line H, and has a predetermined height from the horizontal line H at a position of an object.
Next, the ADB mode executed by the lamp controller 5 will be described. For example, the lamp controller 5 detects a situation of the oncoming vehicle CV including the presence or absence of the oncoming vehicle CV and a position of the oncoming vehicle CV (a distance from the motorcycle 100 to the oncoming vehicle, position coordinates of the oncoming vehicle on the virtual vertical screen, and the like) based on the environmental information acquired by the external sensor 7. For example, the lamp controller 5 detects the tilting of the vehicle body based on the tilting angle information of the vehicle body acquired by the bank angle sensor 6. The lamp controller 5 detects a situation of the motorcycle 100 including traveling and stopping of the motorcycle 100 based on, for example, speed information acquired by the speed sensor 8. The lamp controller 5 controls a light distribution pattern based on information acquired by the external sensor 7, the bank angle sensor 6, and the speed sensor 8.
When the lamp controller 5 acquires the environmental information from the external sensor 7, the lamp controller 5 individually controls turning on and off of the plurality of individual light sources 30 of the high beam lamp unit 3 based on a detection result. Specifically, the lamp controller 5 controls each of the plurality of individual light sources 30 of the high beam lamp unit 3 such that, among the plurality of individual light sources 30a to 30i, the individual light source 30 for forming a partial pattern that is used for light radiation of the high beam light distribution pattern PH is turned on and the individual light source 30 for forming a partial pattern that is not used for light radiation of the high beam light distribution pattern PH is turned off.
The lamp controller 5 that received the detection result from the external sensor 7 turns on or off the individual light sources 30 of the high beam lamp unit 3. In the related art, in order to prevent a light source from giving a glare to a driver of the oncoming vehicle CV, the lamp controller 5 executes a control to turn off an individual light source corresponding to a partial pattern in which the oncoming vehicle CV is present. In the case of
The lamp controller 5 according to the present embodiment determines whether each of the partial patterns PHa to PHi includes only the first region S1 that is a region below the reference line L, and avoids unnecessary turning-off of an individual light source. In the case of
In this manner, since light is continued to be radiated to the first region S1 that is a region below the reference line L regardless of the detection result of the external sensor 7 in the present embodiment, unnecessary turning-off of the individual light source 30 is not performed, and it is possible to provide a light distribution pattern which does not give a sense of discomfort to the driver of the motorcycle 100.
When a certain partial pattern includes both the first region S1 and the second region S2 and the external sensor 7 detects that the oncoming vehicle CV is present in the partial pattern, the lamp controller 5 may turn off a corresponding individual light source and adjusts a light distribution pattern so as not to radiate light for the partial pattern.
The lamp controller 5 that received the detection result from the external sensor 7 turns off the corresponding individual light source 30f so as not to radiate light for the partial pattern PHf. In this manner, it is possible to prevent the motorcycle 100 from giving a glare to the driver of the oncoming vehicle CV while continuing the light radiation to the first region S1 which is a region below the reference line L in the present embodiment.
When an object is one of the oncoming vehicle CV and a preceding vehicle, the reference line L is preferably lower than window glass of the oncoming vehicle CV or window glass of the preceding vehicle. Examples of the window glass include a front window and a rear window of a four-wheeled vehicle, and a front shield of a two-wheeled vehicle. The window glass is not limited to glass, and may be formed of other materials such as resin and vinyl. When an object is the oncoming vehicle CV, the reference line L is preferably lower than a windshield WS or a front window of the oncoming vehicle CV. That is, the lamp controller 5 may adjust the high beam light distribution pattern PH so as to radiate light to a position lower than the windshield WS or the front window of the oncoming vehicle CV regardless of the detection result of the external sensor 7. In this case, it is possible to prevent the motorcycle 100 from giving a glare to the driver of the oncoming vehicle CV and avoid unnecessary turning off of the individual light sources 30, thereby providing a light distribution pattern that does not give a sense of discomfort to the driver of the motorcycle 100 in the present embodiment. When an object is a preceding vehicle, the reference line L is preferably lower than a rear window or a marker lamp of the preceding vehicle.
The reference line L may be lower than a head lamp of an oncoming automobile. That is, the lamp controller 5 may adjust the high beam light distribution pattern PH so as to radiate light to a position lower than a head lamp of the oncoming automobile. In this case, since the reference line L is lower than the head lamp of the oncoming automobile in the present embodiment, light is not radiated to the face of a driver of the oncoming automobile, and it is possible to prevent the motorcycle 100 from giving a glare to the driver of the oncoming automobile.
In the partial pattern PHf that includes both the first region S1 and the second region S2 and in which the oncoming vehicle CV is present, the lamp controller 5 may control the individual light source 30f so as to turn on the individual light source 30f for the first region S1 below the reference line L in the partial pattern PHf and turn off the individual light source 30f for the second region S2 above the reference line L in the partial pattern PHf. That is, the lamp controller 5 controls one individual light source so that a part of one partial pattern is irradiated with light and the other part is not irradiated with light. In this case, it is preferable that the high beam lamp unit includes a scanning optical system including a rotation reflector and the like.
First, the lamp controller 5 determines whether the tilting of the vehicle body is equal to or larger than a predetermined angle by using the bank angle sensor 6 (STEP 1). When the tilting of the vehicle body is less than the predetermined angle (NO in STEP 1), the lamp controller 5 returns to STEP 1 and continues the detection periodically until the tilting of the vehicle body is equal to or larger than the predetermined angle.
When the tilting of the vehicle body is equal to or larger than the predetermined angle (YES in STEP 1), the lamp controller 5 determines whether each of the partial patterns PHa to PHi includes only the first region S1 (STEP 2). When it is determined that there is a partial pattern including only the first region S1 among the plurality of partial patterns (YES in STEP 2), the lamp controller 5 continues the turning on of the corresponding individual light source 30 so as to continue light radiation for the partial pattern regardless of the detection result of the external sensor 7 (STEP 3).
In
When the lamp controller 5 determines that there is a partial pattern including not only the first region S1 but also the second region S2 among the plurality of partial patterns PHa to PHi (NO in STEP 2), the external sensor 7 detects whether the oncoming vehicle CV is present in the partial pattern (STEP 4).
When the external sensor 7 does not detect the oncoming vehicle CV (NO in STEP 4), the lamp controller 5 continues the turning on of the corresponding individual light source 30 so as to continue the light radiation for the partial pattern (STEP 5).
In
When the external sensor 7 detects the oncoming vehicle CV (YES in STEP 4), it is determined that the partial pattern is a partial pattern that includes not only the first region S1 but also the second region S2, and is a partial pattern in which the oncoming vehicle CV is present. In this case, the lamp controller 5 turns off the corresponding individual light source 30 so as not to radiate light for the partial pattern (STEP 6).
In
After STEP 3, STEP 5, and STEP 6, the lamp controller 5 checks whether all partial patterns are determined (STEP 7). When not all of the partial patterns are determined (NO in STEP 7), the lamp controller 5 repeats STEP 2 to STEP 7 for a partial pattern that is not determined. When all of the partial patterns PHa to PHi are determined (YES in STEP 7), the high beam light distribution pattern PH is formed, and the processing is ended.
Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it is needless to say that the technical scope of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the description of the embodiments. It is to be understood by those skilled in the art that the present embodiment is merely an example and various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention described in the claims. The technical scope of the present invention should be determined based on the scope of the inventions described in the claims and a scope of equivalents thereof.
Although the lamp controller 5, the bank angle sensor 6, and the external sensor 7 are housed in the lamp chamber of the head lamp 1 in the embodiment described above, the present invention is not limited thereto. The lamp controller 5, the bank angle sensor 6, and the external sensor 7 may be disposed separately from the head lamp 1.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application NO. 2019-226553 filed on Dec. 16, 2019 and Japanese Patent Application NO. 2019-226554 filed on Dec. 16, 2019.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2019-226553 | Dec 2019 | JP | national |
2019-226554 | Dec 2019 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP2020/043069 | 11/18/2020 | WO |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2021/124779 | 6/24/2021 | WO | A |
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20230011436 A1 | Jan 2023 | US |