Vehicle lamp system with vertically adjustable optical axis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10399481-B2
Application number	US-201615221853-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2016
Priority date	Jul 31, 2015
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle lamp system includes a high-beam lamp unit that can form a high-beam light-distribution pattern, a leveling mechanism that vertically adjusts an optical axis of the high-beam lamp unit, and a control unit that controls on/off of the high-beam lamp unit and controls the leveling mechanism. Upon the engine being started, the control unit controls the high-beam lamp unit to turn on for a predetermined period of time in a state in which the leveling unit adjusts the optical axis of the lamp unit to aim more vertically downward than in normal operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle lamp system, comprising:
at least one lamp unit that can form a high-beam light-distribution pattern by a light source;
a leveling unit that vertically adjusts an optical axis of the lamp unit; and
a control unit that controls on/off of the lamp unit and controls the leveling unit,
wherein, the control unit is configured to adjust, upon electricity being first supplied to the light source provided in the lamp unit, the optical axis of the lamp unit to aim more vertically downward than in a normal operation by using the leveling unit to set an initial position of the lamp unit, wherein the initial position is a position in which the lamp unit approximately abuts against a stopper, and the control unit controls the lamp unit to turn on for a predetermined period of time in a state in which the control unit adjusts the optical axis of the lamp unit to aim more vertically downward than in a normal operation to set the initial position.

2. The vehicle lamp system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the lamp unit is turned on for a predetermined period of time in a state in which the leveling unit adjusts the optical axis of the lamp unit to aim more vertically downward than in normal operation, the control unit, to form a high-beam light-distribution pattern, controls the lamp unit to turn on at a luminous intensity that is lower than a luminous intensity at which the lamp unit is turned on during the normal operation.

3. The vehicle lamp system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a diagnosis unit that carries out a fault diagnosis of the lamp unit by detecting a lighting state of the lamp unit and that, upon making a fault diagnosis, transmits a signal indicating that the lamp unit is faulty to the control unit.

4. The vehicle lamp system according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle lamp system includes a plurality of the lamp units, and
wherein the control unit controls the plurality of lamp units to turn on at different times.

5. The vehicle lamp system according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit controls the plurality of lamp units to turn on sequentially, from a lamp unit that is located more towards the center of a vehicle, to lamp units more outward.

Assignees

• Koito Mfg Co Ltd
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mochizuki Kiyotaka
• Uesugi Atsushi
• Uchida Hideki
• Takagaki Tatsuya
• Nakagawa Takatoshi

Classifications

• B60Q2300/146

  Abnormalities, e.g. fail-safe · CPC title

• B60Q2300/054

  Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity · CPC title

• B60Q11/00

  Arrangement of monitoring devices for devices provided for in groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q9/00 · CPC title

• B60Q1/10

  due to vehicle inclination, e.g. due to load distribution · CPC title

• F21S41/143

  the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device · CPC title