Vehicle front headlight device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10953790-B2
Application number	US-202016744765-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2020
Priority date	Jan 17, 2019
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle front headlight device includes: a fixed illumination section configured to shine light toward a first illuminated region at a lower side ahead of a vehicle; a variable illumination section that selectively adopts either an illumination angle from which light is shone toward a second illuminated region further ahead of the vehicle than and at an upper side of the first illuminated region, or a depiction angle from which a depicted pattern is shone toward a depiction region nearer to the vehicle than the first illuminated region; a support member to which the fixed illumination section being attached; a retention section that retains the variable illumination section and is supported by the support member so that it can pivot about an axial direction running along a vehicle width direction; and a drive section that causes the retention section to selectively adopt either the illumination angle or the depiction angle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle front headlight device comprising:
a fixed illumination section configured to shine light toward a first illuminated region at a lower side ahead of a vehicle;
a variable illumination section configured to selectively adopt either an illumination angle from which light is shone toward a second illuminated region further ahead of the vehicle than and at an upper side of the first illuminated region, or a depiction angle from which a depicted pattern is shone toward a depiction region nearer to the vehicle than the first illuminated region;
a support member to which the fixed illumination section being attached;
a retention section that retains the variable illumination section and is supported by the support member so as to be capable of pivoting about an axial direction running along a vehicle width direction; and
a drive section configured to pivot the retention section so as to selectively adopt either the illumination angle or the depiction angle, wherein:
a pivot point of the retention section is provided further toward a vehicle upper side than a center of mass of the variable illumination section; and
the drive section is provided further toward a vehicle lower side than the pivot point of the retention section.

2. The vehicle front headlight device of claim 1 , wherein:
the variable illumination section comprises a reflection device configured to reflect light emitted from a light source; and
the reflection device comprises a plurality of micromirrors with angles that are able to be changed under control of a control device based on information obtained by a surrounding situation detection section configured to detect a situation in surroundings of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle front headlight device of claim 1 , wherein the depicted pattern comprises at least a message addressing a pedestrian.

Assignees

• Mouri Fumihiko
• Hamamoto Takanori
• Takamura Daisuke
• Andre Stephane
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd
• Ichikoh Industries Ltd
• Valeo Vision

Inventors

• Mouri Fumihiko
• Hamamoto Takanori
• Takamura Daisuke
• André Stéphane

Classifications

• F21S41/675 Primary

  by moving reflectors · CPC title

• B60Q1/50

  for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking · CPC title

• B60Q1/076 Primary

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

• B60Q2300/056

  Special anti-blinding beams, e.g. a standard beam is chopped or moved in order not to blind · CPC title

• B60Q2400/50

  Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body · CPC title