Abstract: A lamp apparatus or a vehicle headlamp having first and second lamp units that are provided adjacent to each other in the lateral direction so as to tilt in a lamp body by first and second aiming mechanisms, respectively. First supporting portions for supporting a fulcrum pin and aiming screws of the fast aiming mechanism are provided behind the first lamp unit in the lamp body, and second supporting portions for supporting a fulcrum pin and aiming screws of the second aiming mechanism are provided behind the second lamp unit in the lamp body; and at least one of the plurality of first supporting portions and at least one of the plurality of second supporting portions are provided so as to overlap each other in a direction in which the lamp units are disposed when the headlamp is viewed from front.

Abstract: The headlight, especially for a motor vehicle, includes at least two separately adjustable reflectors and a reflector height adjusting mechanism for adjusting the reflector heights separately or synchronously. The reflectors include a first reflector for high beam light and/or fog light and a second reflector associated with a low beam light module. The reflector height adjusting device includes separate adjusting devices for individually adjusting the respective heights for the at least two separately adjustable reflectors and a coupling member for the separate adjusting devices. When the separate adjusting devices are put in a coupled state by the coupling member the heights of the at least two reflectors are synchronously adjusted by operation of only one of the separate coupling devices. The method for adjusting light radiated from the headlight includes performing a pre-adjustment in which each of the reflectors is separately adjusted by the separate adjusting devices.

Abstract: There are provided a method of evaluating a basic curved surface for a reflecting mirror, an evaluation system for evaluating a basic curved surface for a reflecting mirror, and a computer-readable storage medium on which a program is recorded. There are provided a step (105a) of entering light source information on a light source and design information representative of a basic curved surface, and a step (105e) of displaying closed curved lines on a display device. The closed curved line data represents one or more closed curved lines which are included in one or more planes intersecting an axis Ax as well as in the basic curved surface. The axis Ax is determined to extend in a direction in which light from a light source is to be reflected by a reflecting mirror and to pass through a light source position defined by the light source information. The closed curved line data can be generated by obtaining lines of intersections of the plains and the basic curved surface.

Abstract: A sliding adjuster includes a base housing with a slide positioned at least partially therein. The base housing includes mounting tabs so that the adjuster can be secured to the back of a headlamp assembly support frame. The base housing includes channels along its sides in which rails extending from the slide are disposed. A ball stud extends from the slide, the ball of which is engaged in a reflector within the headlamp assembly such that axial movement of the ball stud causes movement of the reflector. Movement of the slide is caused by rotation of an adjustment screw that is threaded into the slide but held in axial position with respect to the base housing. The adjuster may include a vehicle headlamp aiming device (“VHAD”) if required for the particular application.

Abstract: A headlamp and method for illumination of the headlamp in which during low beam irradiation, a light distribution pattern P(L) for a low beam is formed by turning on a lighting unit for a low beam and during high beam irradiation, a lighting unit for a high beam is also turned on at the same time to superpose an additional light distribution pattern P(H1) for a high beam thereon, thereby forming a light distribution pattern P(H) for a high beam. During the high beam irradiation, furthermore, a tilting unit of the headlamp is tilted upward by approximately 1.5 degrees and a hot zone HZ(L) of the light distribution pattern P(L) for a low beam is moved to a long distance region in a road placed ahead of a vehicle, thereby enhancing a distance visibility.

Abstract: A system for automatic headlight leveling control in a motor vehicle has two level sensors which are offset in the longitudinal direction for measuring the vehicle body pitch angle in the form of a level difference. An electronic control unit determines a desired value for the headlight adjustment as a function of the first derivative of the directly measured or further processed level difference. In one embodiment of the invention, electronic control unit determines a static level difference and a dynamic level difference, and the desired value is determined as a function of the first derivative or the second derivative of the dynamic level difference.

Abstract: A headlamp adjuster for adjusting the position of a reflector includes a base housing with a slide positioned at least partially therein. The base housing has mounting tabs so that the adjuster can be secured to the back of a headlamp assembly support frame. The base housing has channels along its sides in which rails extending from the slide are disposed. A ball stud extends from the slide, the ball of which engages the reflector within the headlamp assembly such that axial movement of the ball stud causes movement of the reflector. Movement of the slide is caused by rotation of an adjustment screw that is threaded into the slide but held in axial position with respect to the base housing. The adjuster may include a vehicle headlamp aiming device (“VHAD”) if required for the particular application.

Abstract: A vehicle lighting apparatus is provided with a travel environment detecting means (2) for acquiring information indicative of a travel environment related to a travel path of a vehicle; a travel region judging means (3) for judging a travel region where the vehicle is presently traveling based upon the information acquired by the travel environment detecting means (2); and a lighting control means (4) for lighting control of a vehicle lighting member (6) in response to a judgement signal derived from the travel region judging means (3). For example, in response to a link number of nodes of a vehicle traveling path, which is obtained from a navigation apparatus (2a) constituting the travel environment detecting means (2), a travel region is judged based upon either a total value of the link numbers or an average value thereof, and an increase/decrease trend thereof. Thus, a travel region where a vehicle is traveling is judged to realize a vehicle lighting control suitable for this travel region.

Abstract: A motor-controlling circuit for an optical-axis-adjusting unit of an illuminating device. The motor-controlling circuit ensures smooth control of a motor, which adjusts an optical axis, and ensures accurate repetition of a motor-stop position by way of PID and PWM control. The motor-controlling circuit 9 includes a motor 7 and a position detecting portion 6b. Feedback control is performed whereby an error between the motor's present position information, and the target value of position control, becomes zero. The motor-controlling circuit also includes a calculation portion 14 including a proportional-calculation portion 11, an integration-calculation portion 12, a differential-calculation portion 13, and a PID-calculation-processing portion 15 that calculates control by adding weighted respective outputs of the calculation portion 14.

Abstract: A pivot structure of a vehicle lamp that is tiltably mounted on a vehicle body. The pivot structure includes: a fulcrum member that comprises a threaded shaft portion, a spherical portion and an operating portion; a screw receiving portion formed on the vehicle body so that the threaded shaft portion of the fulcrum member is screwed to the screw receiving portion; a pivot receiving member formed on a vehicle lamp so as to rotatably house the spherical portion of the fulcrum member; and a projecting wall that covers the operation portion of the fulcrum member and prevents the user from making an access to the operating portion with a rotating tool.

Abstract: Output of each sensor arrangement is supplied to an ECU through a communication bus line. A value of a turning radius of a vehicle, which is used for adjusting directions of optical axes of swivel lights, is computed based on the output of each sensor arrangement in the ECU. When a majority of the computed values fall within a predetermined allowable range, the majority of the computed values are determined as normal, and the remaining of the computed values is determined as abnormal. The communication bus line is determined as abnormal when none of the output from the sensor arrangements is obtained. An optical axis control angle is computed based on the normal computed values and is used to drive actuators to adjust directions of the optical axes of the swivel lights.

Abstract: The rear vehicle height HR is detected by the vehicle height sensor as vehicle inclination information by a CPU. Based on the rear vehicle height HR, the inclination angle of the headlight optical axis direction is computed with an inherent control constant corresponding to vehicle specifications preset by a specification discrimination signal. Then, the headlight optical axis direction is adjusted with reference to the pitch angle.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a proximity switch comprises a radiation emitter for emitting radiation, at least one photosensor for detecting light levels near the radiation emitter, and an electronic circuit for energizing the radiation emitter and for receiving and processing signals from the photosensor so as to perform a specified function upon detecting an object that causes the radiation emitted from the radiation emitter to be reflected back to the photosensor. According to another embodiment, a rearview assembly for a vehicle comprises a transparent housing.

Abstract: An automatic automobile headlamp leveling device is provided for a headlamp which is driven by an actuator so that a light axis of the headlamp can be tilted up or down relative to a vehicle body. A vehicle speed detection sensor is provided for detecting the vehicle speed, a pitch angle detection sensor is provided for detecting a pitch angle of the vehicle, a storage section is provided for storing a plurality of pitch angle data of the vehicle detected by the pitch angle detection sensor, and a control section is provided for controlling the driving of the actuators. The control section controls the driving of the actuators based on the pitch angle data so that the light axes of the headlamps always stay in a certain tilted state relative to the surface of a road.

Abstract: A vehicular lamp in which a spherical leading end portion of a tilting actuator is prevented from dropping out of a reflector-side groove-type ball bearing body in a reflector tilting device for tilting a reflector mounted within a lamp body. A reflector tilting device capable of tiltably adjusting a reflector contained in a lamp body includes a tilting actuator disposed in the lamp body having an actuator rod displaceable in the direction of the optical axis of the reflector. A groove-type ball bearing body is mounted to the reflector and fitted into a spherical leading end portion disposed at a leading end of the actuator rod. The groove-type ball bearing body has, at each end of a groove portion which has opposed open ends and into which the spherical leading end portion is fitted, a dropout-preventing strip portion protruding towards the interior of the groove portion.

Abstract: A vehicular headlamp with a movable reflector in which suitable aiming is possible using an aiming screw made from synthetic resin. The headlamp includes a synthetic resin lamp body and synthetic resin front lens that define a lamp compartment is which a reflector carrying a light source is housed. An aiming mechanism is disposed between the lamp body and the reflector and that supports the reflector such that it may be tilted relative to the lamp body. The aiming mechanism includes an aiming fulcrum that forms a tilt fulcrum for the reflector, a synthetic resin screw that extends forward and is rotatably supported in the screw insertion hole of the lamp body, and a synthetic resin nut member attached to a bracket formed on the reflector that meshes with the screw and is moved forward or backward in connection with the rotation of the screw. A nut slide guide carrying the nut member and supporting it so that it can slide forward and backward is integrally formed with the lamp body.

Abstract: A pitch angle calculating device includes a height sensor 11 arranged in either one of a front position Pf and the rear position Pr separated from the front position Pf by a predetermined distance w, detecting either one of a front vehicle height hf and a rear vehicle height hr and a controller 7 calculating a pitch angle of the vehicle on the basis of the detected vehicle height hr, the predetermined distance w and a designated virtual height hfk established as the other vehicle height hr which is not detected by the height sensor 11. The designated virtual height hfk is corrected into a corrected height (hfk+&agr;) by both number and positions of passengers on the vehicle and both weight and position of loads on the vehicle in advance of calculating the pitch angle by the controller 7.

Abstract: A vehicle headlamp including: a reference member mounted on and fixed to a vehicle body; an inclinable member including a light source mounted thereon, and disposed in the reference member inclinably with respect to the reference member for setting an optical axis of the headlamp; an aiming mechanism for adjusting the inclination of the inclinable member in the vertical direction thereof as well as in the right and direction thereof with respect to the reference member; and an inclination measuring device interposed between the reference member and the inclinable member for measuring the inclination of said optical axis of the headlamp in the right and left direction thereof, while a zero point adjustment operation portion of a zero point adjust mechanism disposed in the inclination measuring device is exposed outwardly of the reference member, the headlamp being characterized in that a hide member is mounted directly on the zero point adjustment operation portion or on a vertical wall formed integrally with

Abstract: In a vehicle headlight optical axis automatic adjusting system, a pitch angle in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle is calculated from a signal of a height sensor. Filtering corresponding to a control mode according to the acceleration is fixed and is not frequently switched unless the constant speed state of the vehicle continues for a predetermined time. The pitch angle may be calculated on the basis of the vehicle rear height value by using a prediction expression which is divided into a plurality of regions of vehicle postures according to loading conditions of an occupant load and a trunk load in correspondence with the vehicle type. The pitch angle may be updated when the vehicle enters a constant speed driving mode, i.e., stable driving mode, so that even when one trip is not finished the error is cancelled.

Abstract: An automobile headlamp automatic leveling apparatus is provided. A headlamp whose light axis is tilted upward and downward in relation to a vehicle body by means of an actuator, a control unit for controlling the operation of the actuator, vehicle speed detection means for detection of the speed of the vehicle; and pitch angle detection means for detecting a pitch angle of the vehicle are included in the leveling apparatus. The control unit controls the operation of the actuator on the basis of a detected pitch angle such that the light axis of the headlamp maintains a constant, predetermined angle in relation to the road surface. While the vehicle is stationary, the control unit controls operation of the actuator at the time of illumination of the headlamp. Subsequently, while the vehicle remains stationary, the operation of the actuator is controlled at given time intervals which are counted by an interval timer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing evidence of tampering with a vehicle headlamp position adjusting assembly. An indicator 30 is designed to simply slip over a drive member 2. Protrusions 38 engage a groove 44 in an enlarged portion 42 of the drive member 2 on a vehicle headlamp adjusting assembly 100. Projections 36 at an upper edge angle inwardly and are constructed to snap or break off if engaged with a rim 52 on the drive member 2, if one attempts to remove apparatus 30 from the assembly 100.

Abstract: A vehicle light assembly includes: a lamp body having a mounting groove; and a plastic lens having a fitting part to be fitted into the mounting groove of the lamp body; and a flange portion protruding outwardly on a fore side of the fitting part; and a hard coat film formed over the outer surface of the lens except the rear face of the flange portion and the fitting part.

Abstract: A head lamp device for a vehicle capable of moving a lighting region of a head lamp in front of the vehicle in rightward and leftward directions.

Abstract: A device for adjusting an automotive headlamp reflector to a desired position and indicating a variance in the actual position of the headlamp reflector from the desired zero position. The device includes a directing member which can be operatively engaged with the reflector. An input shaft is provided in operative communication with the directing member, and the shaft, when rotated, can move the directing member in order to move the reflector to the desired position. A rotatable platform is disposed about the shaft. A planetary gear arrangement is provided which engages a gear on the shaft and includes an outer ring gear. Indicia is provided for indicating a position of the ring gear with relation to a position of the platform in order to indicate variance in the actual position of the headlamp reflector from the desired position.