Vehicle lamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9981595-B2
Application number	US-201715407409-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2017
Priority date	Jan 27, 2016
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

Provided is a vehicle lamp including an optical unit including an optical element and a solenoid that drives the optical element; and a driving circuit configured to receive a voltage from a DC power supply and apply a driving voltage to the solenoid. The driving circuit includes a signal generating circuit that generates a notification signal indicating whether or not the solenoid is open-circuited. The signal generating circuit generates a first signal as the notification signal when the solenoid is normal. The notification signal is set as a second signal that is different from the first signal when open-circuit of the solenoid is detected.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle lamp comprising:
an optical unit including an optical element and a solenoid that drives the optical element; and
a driving circuit configured to receive a voltage from a DC power supply and apply a driving voltage to the solenoid,
wherein the driving circuit is configured to detect whether or not the solenoid is open-circuited and includes a signal generating circuit configured to generate notification signal indicating whether or not the solenoid is open-circuited based on a detection result at the driving circuit,
the signal generating circuit generates a first signal as the notification signal when it is detected that the solenoid is not open-circuited, and
the signal generating circuit generates a second signal as the notification signal when it is detected that the solenoid is open-circuited, and the second signal is different from the first signal.

2. The vehicle lamp of claim 1 , wherein the first signal is an oscillation signal that oscillates in a predetermined cycle, and
the second signal is a non-oscillation signal.

3. The vehicle lamp of claim 2 , wherein a plurality of optical units is provided, and
the driving circuit includes a common feed line to supply the driving voltage to a plurality of solenoids in the plurality of optical units, and performs an open-circuit detection of the plurality of solenoids based on a feeding state of the common feed line.

4. The vehicle lamp of claim 3 , wherein the driving circuit includes:
a common surge absorbing device connected in parallel to the plurality of solenoids; and
a reverse connection stop circuit inserted into the common feed line to the plurality of solenoids.

5. The vehicle lamp of claim 4 , further comprising:
an additional beam irradiation unit configured to irradiate a region above a low beam with light.

6. The vehicle lamp of claim 2 , further comprising:
an additional beam irradiation unit configured to irradiate a region above a low beam with light.

7. The vehicle lamp of claim 3 , further comprising:
an additional beam irradiation unit configured to irradiate a region above a low beam with light.

8. The vehicle lamp of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of optical units is provided, and
the driving circuit includes a common feed line to supply the driving voltage to a plurality of solenoids in the plurality of optical units, and performs an open-circuit detection of the plurality of solenoids based on a feeding state of the common feed line.

9. The vehicle lamp of claim 8 , wherein the driving circuit includes:
a common surge absorbing device connected in parallel to the plurality of solenoids; and
a reverse connection stop circuit inserted into the common feed line to the plurality of solenoids.

10. The vehicle lamp of claim 9 , further comprising:
an additional beam irradiation unit configured to irradiate a region above a low beam with light.

11. The vehicle lamp of claim 8 , further comprising:
an additional beam irradiation unit configured to irradiate a region above a low beam with light.

12. The vehicle lamp of claim 1 , further comprising:
an additional beam irradiation unit configured to irradiate a region above a low beam with light.

13. The vehicle lamp of claim 1 , wherein the optical unit performs switching between a high beam irradiation state and a low beam irradiation state by driving or non-driving of the optical element.

Assignees

• Koito Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sugiyama Yuji
• Muramatsu Teppei
• Daicho Yoshinao
• Mochizuki Kazuma
• Ishida Tetsuya

Classifications

• B60Q2300/146

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

• B60Q1/1423 Primary

  Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic · CPC title

• F21S41/683

  by moving screens · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• B60Q1/1438

  Actuating means for dimming masks or screens · CPC title