FR2755413A1 - VEHICLE PROJECTOR INSTALLATION - Google Patents

Abstract

Projector installation comprising a sub-assembly generating the dipped beam headlights and another sub-assembly generating an additional light beam. The beam of low beam illuminates the area (52) at the front of the vehicle and especially the remote area below the lighting limit (54, 56) with high intensity but the nearby area is only dimly lit or not at all. The additional light beam illuminates at least only the immediate area in front of the vehicle. The additional light beam improves the visibility conditions for the driver when the road is wet, lighting by the beam of low beam is not sufficient. This other headlamp sub-assembly can be combined with the dipped beam or fog light sub-assembly to form only one headlamp unit.

Description

STATE OF THE ART The present invention relates to an installation

  headlamp for a vehicle comprising at least one under-

  headlight seems to generate a beam of dipped beam

  and at least one other sub-assembly of the spotlight generating an additional beam of light which can be

  connected at least to a projector sub-assembly.

  Such a projector installation is known

  according to document DE-OS 15 97 977. This installation of pro-

  jector comprises at least one sub-assembly of headlight

  mant a beam of low beam. In addition, at least one other projector sub-assembly is provided which can be connected in addition to the previous sub-assembly, to create an additional light beam. This other subset of

  headlamp is used to form a beam of additional main beam

  or an additional highway beam which

  illuminates the remote area upstream of the vehicle more intensely

  to improve the visibility conditions of the conduc-

  particularly at high speeds. However, this improvement in visibility conditions for the driver

  of the vehicle is not sufficient when the climatic conditions

materials are unfavorable.

  Advantages of the invention The present invention relates to an installation

  headlamp for vehicle of the type defined above, charac-

  tered in that the additional light beam is illuminated at least in the vicinity only of the near area 58 at the front of the vehicle, which is not illuminated by the beam

  or only very weakly.

  This projector installation offers the advantage over the prior art that the light beam

  additional provided by this other subset of projectors

  improves the visibility conditions for the driver

  especially when the roadway is wet thanks to the light-

  more intense rage from the nearby area. It has been found, under these conditions, that a wet roadway somehow absorbs or swallows the lighting light so that when the roadway is illuminated with the beam of dipped beams, it appears as insufficiently lit in the zoned

  close. This can be compensated for by the light beam

  additional, issued by this other projector sub-assembly.

  Even when the road surface is dark, this illumination of the nearby area by the complete light beam

can be beneficial.

  According to other advantageous characteristics:

  - at least one projector sub-assembly generating the

  dipped beam headlamp and at least one other sub

  headlamp assembly generating the upper light beam

  are gathered in the form of a subset of

common projector.

  - It includes at least one sub-assembly of general projector

  rant a fog light and - at least one other sub-assembly of the headlamp generates the additional light beam with the sub-assembly of the headlamp generating the beam of fog lights, these

  sub-assemblies being combined into a projector unit comprising

  mune. This allows by a single other sub-assembly of the projector to generate the additional light beam which illuminates the near area as well as the beam of fog lights, which improves the visibility conditions for the driver in particular in the event of fog, heavy rain or falling snow. Usually, to form the fog lamp beam, a fog lamp is used which, thanks to the above characteristics, ensures the function

  complementary consisting in forming the light beam sup-

  light illuminating the nearby area without it being necessary

  Please use an additional projector sub-assembly. In practice, a vehicle fog light is used only very rarely so that the

  selective function consisting in generating the beam of

  additional light illuminating the nearby area increases considerably

  the utility of such another projector sub-assembly. According to another advantageous characteristic, it comprises at least one headlamp sub-assembly forming a driving beam and at least one other headlamp sub-assembly generating the additional light beam with the headlamp sub-assembly for the main beam,

  are combined into a common projector unit.

  According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, it comprises at least one projector unit

  with a light source with two light elements with

  independent operation and a reflector and the light emitted

  by the light element generates a beam of anti-

  fog and the other light element generates a bright beam

additional miner.

  This characteristic offers the advantage that the connection of at least one other subassembly of the projector to generate the additional light beam illuminating the

  near area, is done automatically depending on the conditions

meteorological information.

  According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the light source is an incandescent lamp

of the H4 type.

  Thus, the automatic connection of this other sub-assembly of the projector is done when the humidity is high. According to another characteristic of the invention, a sensor installation detecting the conditions

  of weather in the vehicle environment and which is re-

  linked to a control installation processing the signals and controlling the connection of at least one other sub-assembly

projector.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the sensor installation detects as conditions

  at least humidity in the environment of the vehicle

  vehicle and the control system ensures the connection of at least one other sub-assembly of the projector under strong

  humidity, especially when the roadway is wet.

  According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the sensor installation comprises a humidity sensor provided on the vehicle at least near the road. This detection installation can use a

  rain sensor already mounted on the vehicle which also controls

  The operation of the vehicle's wiper system. According to another advantageous characteristic of

  the invention, the sensor installation comprises an installation

  tion to detect humidity on an exterior surface

  a window provided in the front area of the vehicle.

  This embodiment offers the advantage that the cutting of this other subassembly of the projector is done according to a

  subjective driver perception.

  Drawings The present invention will be described below from

  in more detail using four examples of reali-

  sation shown schematically in the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 shows a vehicle equipped with a projector installation, - Figure 2 shows a projector unit of the installation according to a first embodiment, - Figure 3 shows the projector unit according to a second embodiment, - Figure 4 shows the projector unit according to a third embodiment, - Figure 5 shows the projector unit according to a fourth embodiment, - Figure 6 shows a measurement screen placed in front of the projector unit for lighting the emitted light beam

by the projector unit.

  Description of the exemplary embodiments

  According to FIG. 1, the vehicle shown, in particular

  ment the motor vehicle, comprises a headlamp installation comprising at least one headlamp unit 10 provided at the front end of the vehicle. Usually, there are at least two such headlamp units 10 each mounted, like the usual headlamps, on the side at the front end of the vehicle, to generate at least one beam of dipped beams and if necessary in addition a beam of Redlights. It is also possible to provide two projector units

  12 additional, used to generate a beam of an-

tibrouillard.

  The projector unit 10 emits when operating

  tion, a beam of low beam meeting the legal requirements for low beam. FIG. 6 shows a measurement screen 50 placed in front of the projector unit 10. This screen is illuminated by the light emitted by the projector unit 10. The measurement screen 50 represents the projection of a roadway at the front of the projector unit

  , and which would be appropriately lit. The plan

  horizontal dian of the measurement screen 50 bears the reference HH; its vertical median plane carries the reference VV. The horizontal median plane HH and the vertical median plane WVV intersect

  at point HV. The projector unit 10 is provided for the

  culation to the right; the beam of dipped beam emitted by this unit illuminates the measurement screen 50 in a zone 52. The zone 52 is delimited upwards by the lighting limit which presents to the left of the vertical median plane W, that is to say i.e. on the side of the opposite circulation, a horizontal segment 54 passing substantially below the median plane

  horizontal HH. To the right of the vertical median plane VV, i.e.

  say on the traffic side of the vehicle, the limit

  of illumination has a rising segment 56, starting from the seg-

  horizontal ment 54; this segment 56 goes up to the right side

  of the measurement screen 50 beyond the horizontal median plane HH.

  Alternatively, the lighting limit can also

  present on the traffic side of the vehicle a seg-

  ment 57 horizontal, located higher than the horizontal segment 54; this segment 57 is shown in broken lines at the

figure 6.

  In the embodiment of the headlight unit 10 for left-hand traffic, it is necessary to reverse the arrangement of the segments 54, 56 of the lighting limit relative to the

  vertical median plane W. In zone 52, substantially above

  below and to the right of point HV, we have the greatest intensity

  lighting head so that the remote area in front of the headlamp unit 10 or the vehicle is sufficiently lit. Towards the edges of zone 52, the intensity of illumination decreases. Starting from the lighting limit 54, 56, downwards, there is the area 52 which extends in a manner ensuring sufficient lighting of the area near the front of the headlight unit 10 or of the vehicle. . The lighting of the nearby area is then limited, because intense lighting of the

  nearby area would give the subjective impression of deterioration

  ration of lighting in the remote area. The lighting of the near area by the beam of low beam is chosen

  to be sufficient for dry pavement.

  It was noted in particular when the roadway is wet, that the lighting of the near area provided by the beam of low beams was no longer sufficient because the

  light is absorbed by the roadway and the near area appears

  rait as dark. This is why the invention proposes to use at least one other subassembly of a projector 20 emitting an additional beam of light which illuminates

  exclusively the nearby area. This beam of light

  light illuminates the measurement screen 50 according to FIG. 6 in an area 58 located mainly below the area

  52. Zones 52 and 58 can overlap at least partially

  tial according to Figure 6, that is to say that the upper edge

  zone 58 can be located above the lower edge of zone 52. Zone 58 has a dimension

  horizontal lower than that of zone 52.

  Several examples of realization of at least one

  other projector sub-assembly giving the light beam

  complementary lights illuminating the nearby area will be described below. In a first exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, the other projector sub-assembly 20 is part

  of the projector unit 10 which thus comprises a sub-

  headlamp assembly 21 giving the beam of dipped beams and a headlamp sub-assembly 20 giving the additional light beam, these two sub-assemblies being combined in a unit 10. The headlamp sub-assembly 21 may include a reflector 22 in which a light source 23 is placed and the other spotlight sub-assembly 20 can also include a reflector 24 equipped with a source

  light source 25. As light sources 23, 25 it is possible to use

  use incandescent or discharge lamps

  gas. The two reflectors 22, 24 can be separate parts.

  trimmed or in one piece and be placed in a common housing 26. The light outlet orifice of the housing 26 can be

  closed by a cover glass 27 transparent to the light

  miere, which is essentially smooth; it can also be optical elements provided by zones which deflect the light passing through them. The cover glass 27 can

  be done differently in areas across which

  the light passes forming the beam of cross lights-

  ment and the light forming the additional beam.

  Figure 3 shows the other subset of pro-

  nozzle 20 corresponding to a second embodiment; a part forms the headlamp unit 12 which thus comprises a headlamp sub-assembly 28 forming the fog light beam and the sub-assembly 20 forming the additional light beam, these two sub-assemblies being combined

in unit 12, common.

  The sub-assembly 28 forming the anti-beam

  fog may include a reflector 29 fitted with a light source 30 and the other spotlight sub-assembly 20 may also include a reflector 31 fitted with a light source 32. The light sources 30, 32 may be incandescent lamps or gas discharge lamps; the two reflectors 29, 31 can be made in one piece or as a separate piece. The projector unit 12 may comprise a housing 33 provided with reflectors 29, 31 and the light exit orifice of which is closed by a window 34

transparent to light.

  Figure 4 shows the projector sub-assembly according to a third embodiment; as in the second example of embodiment, this subset is part

  of the projector unit 12. The projector unit 12 does not

  carries a reflector 36 provided with a light source 37 with two light elements 38, 39, operating independently of one another. As light source 37, it is possible to use

  for example an incandescent lamp with two incandescent turns-

  centes; however you can also have a lamp

  gas charge specific to several electrodes between

  which establish different electric arcs. Befor-

  ference, the light source may be an incandescent lamp of the H4 type, the coil 38 of which is fitted with a cap forming a screen 40, for example placed below the incandescent coil 38. The reflector 36 has several partial zones 36a, b placed one above the other. For

  the operation of the projector unit 12 as a projection

  anti-fog, using the incandescent coil 39; the light emitted by this turn arrives on the two zones

  parts 36a, b of the reflector 36 which reflect the light

  and form the fog beam having a

  strong horizontal dispersion. The anti-light beam

  fog lights up the measurement screen 50 according to FIG. 6 in an area marked as 60; this zone has a larger horizontal dimension than zone 52 illuminated by the beam of low beams; this area is limited to

  the top by a horizontal lighting limit 62.

  For the operation of the projector unit

  12, to generate the additional beam of light

  In the nearby area, we operate the incandescent coil

  cente 38; due to the protective cap 40, the light emitted by this turn arrives only on the upper reflector zone 36a which reflects it and also forms the beam

  luminous illuminating the near area 58. As a variant, the capu-

  chon 40 can also provided above the incandescent turn-

  cente 38 so that the light illuminated by it can only arrive on the lower zone of the reflector which reflects it and forms the additional beam of light illuminating the near zone 58. The embodiment of the projector unit 12 according to the third example, has the advantage that without another separate headlamp unit, the function of a fog light can be achieved alternately and

  that of the lighting of the nearby area.

  Figure 5 shows a projector sub-assembly according to a fourth embodiment which forms a separate projector unit 41. This unit includes a

  reflector 42 and a light source 43 placed in the reflector

  flector. The source is an incandescent lamp or a gas discharge lamp. The reflector 42 can be placed in a housing 44 and the light exit orifice of the housing 44 can be closed by a cover glass 45 transparent to light. The glass may be smooth. It can also be an optical element which deflects the light passing through it.

  In all the exemplary embodiments described below

  above, one or more projection units can be produced

  projectors or sub-assemblies of projectors according to the principle of

  projection; the corresponding reflector reflects the

  light emitted by the light source in the form of a beam

  beam of converging light passing through a lens placed at a distance from the reflector. The lens groups the light to emit the necessary light beam. Between the reflector and the lens, it is also possible to provide an opaque diaphragm generating the lighting limit of the light beam. Finally,

  the projector sub-assembly 20 can be combined to manage

  dim the additional light beam illuminating the near area 58 also with a high beam projector: Connection of at least one other sub-assembly

  headlamp 20 which generates the additional light beam

  keep quiet in addition to the spotlight unit 10 generating the

  dipped beam, can be done manually by the

  driver of the vehicle according to his subjective perception

  tive. Advantageously, the connection of the other headlamp sub-assembly is however done automatically according to the weather conditions in the environment of the vehicle, preferably as a function of the humidity of the roadway in front of the vehicle. The headlight installation may include a sensor installation 70 detecting humidity in the environment of the vehicle and connected to a control installation 72 which uses the signals from the sensor installation 70; in case of high humidity, the installation connects the other sub-assembly of the projector 20. The sensor installation 70 can comprise for example

  a humidity sensor 74 provided at the vehicle near

  down the road, for example in one of the vehicle's wheel wells. When the roadway is wet, the wheel creates a vortex of water which also arrives on the humidity sensor 74 so that the latter detects that the roadway is wet. As a variant or in addition, the sensor installation 70 can also include a sensor 75 under the

  form of a photosensitive element for example a photocell

  toelectric or a photodiode directed towards the near area

  58 and detecting the light reflected in the near area 58.

  If the control installation 72 finds that in the near area 58, the signals from the sensor 75 indicate that

  there is insufficient lighting, the sub-assembly of

tor 20 is additionally connected.

  As a variant or in addition to the humidity sensor 74 described above, the sensor installation 70 can also include an installation 76 for detecting humidity on the external surface of a disc provided in the front region of the vehicle. The installation 76 can be located, for example, on the windshield of the vehicle or in a window covering one of the headlight units described above. Such an installation 76 is known as a rain sensor which

  controls the vehicle's wiper installation. The instal-

  lation 76 has a light source emitting light

  coupled in ice to be transmitted by reflection to-

  tale at a place where the light is again decoupled to be directed on a photosensitive element for example a photodiode or a photoelectric cell. When the exterior surface of the glass is dry, a determined part of the injected light is transmitted and this intensity generates a

  signal of a certain intensity in the photosensitive element.

  If there is moisture on the exterior surface of the glass, the

  water droplets present decouple part of the lu-

  material injected through the glass so that light comes in

  on the photosensitive element, has an intensity

  less and so on the photosensitive element we have an inten-

  less signal strength; the photosensitive element signals

  1! ble are used in the control installation 72 which applies them to the other sub-assembly of the headlamp 20. The switching off of the other sub-assembly of the headlamp is preferably made manually by the driver, because when the external surface of the glass is dry, the roadway can still be wet and it can be

  geux to illuminate the nearby area with the additional beam of light. When the headlamp unit 10 cutting the beam of the dipped beam is cut, the other headlamp sub-assembly 20 is preferably also cut.

Claims (7)

R E V E N D I C A T IONS   1) Headlight installation for a vehicle comprising at least one headlight subassembly (10, 21) generating a   beam of low beam and at least one other sub   projector assembly (20) generating a light beam   additional which can be connected at least to a sub-   headlamp assembly (10, 21), characterized in that the additional light beam is illuminated at least at   proximity only to near area 58 at the front of the vehicle   cule, which is not illuminated by the low beam   or is only very weakly.   2) projector installation according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one projector sub-assembly (21) generating the   beam of low beam and at least one other sub   projector assembly (20) generating the additional light beam are combined in the form of a sub-assembly common projector (10).   3) projector installation according to claim 1, characterized in that - it comprises at least one projector sub-assembly (28) generating a fog light and - at least one other projector sub-assembly (20) generates the beam additional light with the sub-assembly   headlamp (28) generating the anti-light beam   fog, these subsets being united in a unit of projector (12) common.   4) Projector installation according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one projector sub-assembly forming   a main beam and at least one further headlight subassembly (20) generating the additional light beam   shutter with the headlight sub-assembly, are combined into a common headlamp unit.    ) Projector installation according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one projector unit (12) with a light source (37) with two light elements (38, 39) with independent operation and a reflector (36) and the light emitted by the light element (39) generates a beam of fog lights and the other light element (38) generates   an additional light beam.   6) Projector installation according to claim 5, characterized in that the light source (37) is an incandescent lamp of the H4 type.   7) Projector installation according to any of the re-   previous sales, characterized by a sensor installation (70) detecting the conditions   of weather in the vehicle environment and which is re-   linked to a control installation (72) exploiting the   and which controls the connection of at least one other projector sub-assembly (20).   8) projector installation according to claim 7, characterized in that the sensor installation (70) detects as conditions   at least humidity in the environment of the vehicle   vehicle and the control installation (72) ensures the connection   ment of at least one other headlight subassembly (20) under high humidity, especially when the roadway is wet. 9) projector installation according to claim 8, characterized in that the sensor installation (70) comprises a humidity sensor   (74) provided on the vehicle at least near the shoe   see. ) Projector installation according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the sensor installation (70) comprises an installation for detecting humidity on an external surface of a window provided in the front area of the vehicle. 11) Projector installation according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that at least one other projector sub-assembly (20) is cut, manually, by the driver.