Headlamp having a circuit assembly for simulating a load current from a vehicle electrical system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10638568-B2
Application number	US-201716098149-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2017
Priority date	May 6, 2016
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

A headlamp for the conversion of an original headlamp of a vehicle, comprising: an input for each light function provided by the headlamp, wherein the input is configured to connect to a line of the on-board network of a vehicle for the associated light function, an output for connecting to an on-board network of the vehicle, a module for simulating a load current for those light functions that require considerably less power in the headlamp than the corresponding light source in the original headlamp, at least one light source with an associated electronic operating device for each light function of the headlamp, and a controller for controlling-the modules for simulating a load current and for controlling the light sources with the associated electronic operating device. The module for simulating a load current for each light source comprises a series circuit arrangement of a resistor and a switch.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A headlamp for a conversion of an original headlamp of a vehicle, the headlamp having one or more light functions, the headlamp comprising:
an input for each respective light function of the one or more light functions, wherein each respective input is configured to connect to a line of an on-board network of the vehicle,
an output configured to connect to the on-board network of the vehicle,
a module for simulating an original load current for each of the one or more light functions that require significantly less power in the headlamp than a corresponding original light source in the original headlamp,
wherein each respective module comprises an electronic converter, a series circuit arrangement of a resistor and a switch, wherein the resistor is rated to a comparable order of magnitude of a resistance of the original load current to be simulated, and the series circuit is connected in parallel with the input,
one or more light sources each having an associated electronic operating device for each of the one or more light functions of the headlamp, and
a controller for controlling each respective module and for controlling the one or more light sources
wherein the module is configured, upon activation of at least one of the one or more light functions, to open the switch and turn on the electronic converter and, upon deactivation of the at least one of the one or more light functions, to close the switch and turn off the electronic converter,
wherein the one or more light sources are configured to be switched on after a specific time interval following closing of the switch.

2. The headlamp as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the module comprises a circuit assembly comprising:
an input for connecting to a line of the light function,
an output for connecting to the light source which replaces the original load current, wherein the light source has a lower current consumption than the original load current,
the electronic converter, wherein an input of the electronic converter is connected in parallel with the input of the module and draws a first current from the line of the light function, wherein the first current from the line is smaller than the original load current,
wherein an output of the electronic converter feeds the first load drawn back into the on-board network of the vehicle.

3. The headlamp as claimed in claim 2 wherein the switching controller is a step-up controller.

4. The headlamp as claimed in claim 2 , wherein in the event of a defect in the light source, the switching controller remains disconnected, and the switch remains open.

5. The headlamp as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the load of the light function is a filament lamp.

6. The headlamp as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the light source is an LED or an LED module with an associated electronic operating device for the LED or the LED module.

7. The headlamp as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the light source is a HID lamp with an associated electronic operating device for the HID lamp.

8. The headlamp as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the electronic operating device for the HID lamp comprises an input for the switchover between a dipped beam light function and a main beam light function connected to the controller.

9. The headlamp as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the light source is an LED retrofit lamp.

10. The headlamp as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a driver circuit configured to draw a light source operating current for one or more light functions from the on-board network, and the module for simulating a load current for the relevant light function is configured to draw the rated load current for the load of the light function which is to be replaced.

11. The headlamp as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the module is configured to control the electronic converter to generate the first current which is equal to the original load current of the original headlamp minus a second load current of the headlamp.

12. A circuit assembly for simulating an original load current comprising:
an input configured to connect to a line of a light function,
an output for connecting a light source which replaces the original load current, wherein the light source has a lower current consumption than the original load current,
a series circuit arrangement of a resistor and a switch, wherein the resistor is rated to a comparable order of magnitude to the resistance of the original load current, and the series circuit is connected in parallel with the input,
an electronic converter, comprising an electronic converter input connected in parallel with the input of the circuit assembly for simulating the original load current, and draws a current from the line of the light function, wherein the current from the line of the light function is smaller than the current of the original load current, wherein the circuit assembly for simulating an original load current is configured, upon the activation of the light function, to open the switch and turn on the electronic converter and, upon the deactivation of the light function, to close the switch and turn off the electronic converter,
wherein an output of electronic converter output feeds the current from the line of the light function back into an on-board network of the vehicle.

13. The circuit assembly of claim 12 , wherein the electronic converter is configured to have a direct line of communication to the on-board network.

Assignees

• Osram Gmbh
• Osram Beteiligungsverwaltung Gmbh

Inventors

• Niedermeier Peter
• Schwenkbeck Marc

Classifications

• B60Q11/00 Primary

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

• F21S41/172

  High-intensity discharge light sources · CPC title

• F21S41/141

  Light emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• B60Q2900/10

  Retrofit arrangements · CPC title

• B60Q1/04

  the devices being headlights · CPC title