Automotive lighting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10670219-B2
Application number	US-201816163183-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2018
Priority date	Oct 17, 2018
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

In an automotive lighting apparatus lighting components generate respective light fields. The lighting components are aligned one with the others such that the light fields combine in a lighting profile having cutoff regions meeting a predetermined cutoff criterion. An actuator is mechanically coupled to a corresponding one of the lighting components to aim that lighting component in a direction other than that in which the lighting component was aligned. A control component operate the actuator to aim the lighting component in the direction other than that in which the lighting component was aligned so that the light fields of the lighting components combine in another lighting profile having cutoff regions meeting another cutoff criterion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automotive lighting apparatus comprising:
a plurality of lighting components to generate respective light fields, the lighting components being aligned one with the others such that the light fields combine in a lighting profile having cutoff regions meeting a predetermined cutoff criterion, wherein one of the lighting components has a horizontal cutoff and another of the lighting components has a stepped cutoff;
at least one actuator mechanically coupled to a corresponding one of the lighting components to aim that lighting component in a direction along a vertical axis of that lighting component other than that in which the lighting component was aligned; and
a control component to operate the actuator to aim the lighting component in the direction other than that in which the lighting component was aligned so that the light fields of the lighting components combine in another lighting profile having cutoff regions meeting another cutoff criterion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cutoff criterion specifies that the cutoff region is located 1°-3° right of the vertical axis of the lighting apparatus and on the horizontal axis of the lighting apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the direction other than that in which the lighting component was aligned is upwards along the vertical axis by 0.2°.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cutoff criterion specifies that the cutoff region is located 1.5°-3.5° left of the headlamp vertical axis and 0.4° below the horizontal axis of the lighting apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the direction other than that in which the lighting component was aligned is upwards along the vertical axis by 0.4°.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the direction other than that in which another lighting component was aligned is downwards along the vertical axis by 0.2°.

7. An automobile comprising:
a plurality of lighting components to generate respective light fields, the lighting components being aligned one with the others such that the light fields combine in a lighting profile having cutoff regions meeting a predetermined cutoff criterion, wherein one of the lighting components has a horizontal cutoff and another of the lighting components has a stepped cutoff;
at least one actuator mechanically coupled to a corresponding one of the lighting components to aim that lighting component in a direction along a vertical axis of that lighting component other than that in which the lighting component was aligned; and
a control component to operate the actuator to aim the lighting component in the direction other than that in which the lighting component was aligned so that the light fields of the lighting components combine in another lighting profile having cutoff regions meeting another cutoff criterion.

8. The automobile of claim 7 , wherein the cutoff criterion specifies that the cutoff region is located 1°-3° right of the vertical axis of the lighting apparatus and on the horizontal axis of the lighting apparatus.

9. The automobile of claim 8 , wherein the direction other than that in which the lighting component was aligned is upwards along the vertical axis by 0.2°.

10. The automobile of claim 7 , wherein the cutoff criterion specifies that the cutoff region is located 1.5°-3.5° left of the headlamp vertical axis and 0.4° below the horizontal axis of the lighting apparatus.

11. The automobile of claim 10 , wherein the direction other than that in which the lighting component was aligned is upwards along the vertical axis by 0.4°.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the direction other than that in which another lighting component was aligned is downwards along the vertical axis by 0.2°.

13. A method of automotive lighting comprising:
statically aiming a plurality of lighting components that generate respective light fields, the lighting components being aligned one with the others such that the light fields combine in a lighting profile having cutoff regions meeting a predetermined cutoff criterion, wherein one of the lighting components has a horizontal cutoff and another of the lighting components has a stepped cutoff; and
dynamically aiming at least one of the lighting components in a direction along a vertical axis of that lighting component other than that in which the lighting component was statically aimed in response to a command issued by a controller so that the light fields of the lighting components combine in another lighting profile having cutoff regions meeting another cutoff criterion.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the cutoff criterion specifies that the cutoff region is located 1°-3° right of the vertical axis of the lighting apparatus and on the horizontal axis of the lighting apparatus.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the direction other than that in which the lighting component was aligned is upwards along the vertical axis by 0.2°.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the cutoff criterion specifies that the cutoff region is located 1.5°-3.5° left of the headlamp vertical axis and 0.4° below the horizontal axis of the lighting apparatus.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the direction other than that in which the lighting component was aligned is upwards along the vertical axis by 0.4°.

Assignees

• Valeo North America Inc

Inventors

• Warner Gavin
• Potter Brant
• Orisich John

Classifications

• 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

• B60Q1/08

  automatically · CPC title

• B60Q1/076

  by electrical means {including means to transmit the movements, e.g. shafts or joints} · CPC title

• F21S41/657 Primary

  by moving light sources · CPC title

• B60Q1/0683

  Adjustable by rotation of a screw · CPC title