Headlights for vehicles and adjustment procedures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12352403-B2
Application number	US-202418617509-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2024
Priority date	Apr 6, 2023
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

A headlamp for vehicles is provided that has an LED light source containing numerous light pixels. The headlamp also includes an optics unit in front of the light source in the main beam direction (H) with which the light pixels are mapped onto a predefined light distribution (LV 1 , LV 2 , LV 2 ′, LV 2 ″). The headlamp also includes a sensor unit for determining at least one vehicle state variable, an adjustment unit for adjusting a part of the headlamp, and a control unit for controlling the light pixels and the adjustment unit. The LED adjustment unit moves the light source in a linear direction transverse to an optical axis (A) of the optics unit, and/or pivoted about the optical axis (A) of the optics unit, from a starting position to an intermediate position and back, on the basis of a change in the vehicle state variable.

First claim

We claim:

1. A headlamp for vehicles, the headlamp comprising:
an LED light source comprising numerous light pixels,
an optics unit in front of the LED light source in a main beam direction (H) with which the light pixels are mapped onto a light distribution (LV 1 , LV 2 , LV 2 ′, LV 2 ″),
a sensor unit for determining at least one vehicle state variable,
an adjustment unit for adjusting a part of the headlamp, and
a control unit for controlling the light pixels and the adjustment unit,
wherein the adjustment unit moves the LED light source in a linear direction transverse to an optical axis (A) of the optics unit, and/or pivoted about the optical axis (A) of the optics unit, between a starting position to an intermediate position, on the basis of a change in the vehicle state variable, and
wherein the control unit comprises a light pixel control that generates a control signal for controlling a brightness of the light pixels individually when the LED light source is moved.

2. The headlamp according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit generates a horizontal movement control signal on the basis of a steering angle sensor signal and/or a lane detection unit signal from the sensor unit, wherein the adjustment unit causes the LED light source to move linearly in a horizontal direction (Y) in response to the horizontal movement control signal.

3. The headlamp according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit generates a vertical movement control signal on the basis of a pitch angle sensor signal from the sensor unit, wherein the adjustment unit causes the LED light source to move linearly in a vertical direction (Δs) in response to the vertical movement control signal.

4. The headlamp according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit generates a tilt angle control signal on the basis of a tilt angle sensor signal from the sensor unit that characterizes a lateral tilting of a vehicle (F), wherein the adjustment unit causes the LED light source to pivot (Δφ) about the optical axis (A) of the optics unit in response to the tilt angle control signal.

5. The headlamp according to claim 1 , wherein the light pixels of the LED light source are arranged in a matrix on a printed circuit board.

6. The headlamp according to claim 1 , wherein the light pixel control is configured such that light pixels that are farthest away from the optical axis (A) of the optics unit when the LED light source is moved are made brighter.

7. The headlamp according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment unit comprises a piezoelectric actuator.

8. A method for adjusting a light distribution (LV 1 ) for a moving vehicle (F) to different situations, the method comprising the steps of:
mechanically moving a part of a headlamp on the basis of sensor data characterizing a driving state of the vehicle (F), thereby altering the light distribution (LV 1 ),
wherein an LED light source is moved in a linear direction transverse to an optical axis (A) of an optics unit, and/or pivoted about the optical axis (A),
wherein a brightness of light pixels of the LED light source is individually controlled when the LED light source is moved and the light distribution (LV 1 ) is altered to compensate for distortion in the altered light distribution.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the LED light source is moved in sequential adjustment increments of micrometers from a starting position, in which the light distribution (LV 1 ) is in a first operating position, to an intermediate position, in which the light distribution is in a second operating position.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein light pixels that are farther away from the optical axis (A) of the optics unit than other light pixels when the light distribution (LV 1 ) is altered are made brighter.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein vehicle state variables obtained from the sensor data are sequentially compared with a series of threshold values (SW 1 , SW 2 , SWn), wherein adjacent threshold values (SW 1 , SW 1 , SWn) are spaced apart equally.

Assignees

• Hella Gmbh & Co Kgaa

Inventors

• Gatsios Sebastian
• Herold Florian
• Kliebisch Dirk
• Möllers Ingo
• Schwan Alexander
• Vogel Patrick

Classifications

• F21S41/153

  arranged in a matrix · CPC title

• F21W2107/10

  for land vehicles · CPC title

• F21W2102/00

  Exterior vehicle lighting devices for illuminating purposes · CPC title

• B60Q2300/132

  Pitch · CPC title

• B60Q2300/122

  Steering angle · CPC title