Lighting control device

Abstract

This system prevents the turn signals from automatically shutting off when the driver forgets to turn them off, thus preventing them from dazzling other drivers and pedestrians. [Solution] The lighting control device 20 includes a road marking light that enters a first light-emitting state indicating that the vehicle is turning left and a second light-emitting state indicating that the vehicle is turning right in response to the operation of the passenger, a tilt sensor 22 that outputs a first signal 23 when it detects that the vehicle is tilted to the left and outputs a second signal 24 when it detects that the vehicle is tilted to the right, and a control unit 25. The control unit 25 stops supplying power to the road marking light when it receives the second signal 24 output from the tilt sensor 22 when the road marking light is in the first light-emitting state, or when it receives the first signal 23 output from the tilt sensor 22 when the road marking light is in the second light-emitting state.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lamp control device provided in a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a vehicle capable of traveling around a corner by tilting the vehicle body in the turning direction. As an illumination system provided in this vehicle, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle illumination system including a headlamp, a communication lamp disposed on the vehicle body adjacent to the headlamp so as to be visible from the front of the vehicle, and an illumination control unit that controls the illumination state of the communication lamp.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Among the illumination systems provided in vehicles as described above, some are provided with a road surface drawing lamp that projects a drawing pattern onto the road surface in conjunction with a direction indicator that blinks when the vehicle turns right or left.

[0005] In the use of the above-mentioned road surface drawing lamp, after the vehicle turns right or left, if the passenger forgets to turn off the switch of the direction indicator, the road surface drawing lamp that is interlocked with the direction indicator will also be forgotten to be turned off. When driving in a state where the road surface drawing lamp is projected due to forgetting to turn off the road surface drawing lamp, if the vehicle body is tilted and driven in the direction opposite to the projection direction of the drawing pattern by the road surface drawing lamp, since the projection of the drawing pattern by the road surface drawing lamp faces above the road surface, there is a concern that the drawing pattern will be directly projected onto other surrounding traffic users or pedestrians, confusing other traffic users and pedestrians.

[0006] Furthermore, Patent Document 1 describes that the vehicle lighting system includes a road surface drawing lamp (road surface drawing light fixture), and the road surface drawing lamp is capable of projecting a drawing pattern onto the road surface.

[0007] However, Patent Document 1 does not mention anything about forgetting to turn off the road marking lamps.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a lighting control device that automatically turns off turn signals, such as road marking lights, when the driver forgets to turn them off while driving, thereby preventing the glare of other road users and pedestrians. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] One aspect of the present invention is a lighting control device provided for a vehicle capable of leaning its body to travel around corners, comprising: a turn signal switch operated by the occupant of the vehicle; a turn signal lamp that, in response to the operation of the turn signal switch, enters a first light-emitting state indicating that the vehicle is turning left and a second light-emitting state indicating that the vehicle is turning right; a vehicle state detection unit that outputs a first signal when it detects that the vehicle is tilted to the left and outputs a second signal when it detects that the vehicle is tilted to the right; and a control unit electrically connected to the turn signal switch, the turn signal lamp and the vehicle state detection unit, wherein the control unit stops supplying power to the turn signal lamp when it receives the second signal output from the vehicle state detection unit while the turn signal lamp is in the first light-emitting state, or when it receives the first signal output from the vehicle state detection unit while the turn signal lamp is in the second light-emitting state.

[0010] Another aspect of the present invention is a lighting control device provided on a vehicle capable of leaning its body to travel around corners, comprising: a direction indicator switch operated by the occupant of the vehicle; a road surface drawing light that projects a drawing pattern onto the road surface to the left or right of the vehicle in response to the operation of the direction indicator switch; a control unit that drives or stops the road surface drawing light in response to the operation of the direction indicator switch by the occupant of the vehicle; and a vehicle state detection unit that detects the direction of tilt of the vehicle body to the left or right and outputs a signal indicating the detected tilt direction of the vehicle body to the control unit, wherein the control unit compares the projection direction of the drawing pattern by the road surface drawing light with the tilt direction of the vehicle body detected by the vehicle state detection unit, and stops the projection of the drawing pattern by the road surface drawing light if the projection direction of the drawing pattern and the tilt direction of the vehicle body do not match. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, a lighting control device can automatically turn off the turn signal lights when the driver forgets to turn them off while driving, thereby preventing the glare of other road users and pedestrians. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing the structure of a vehicle equipped with a lighting control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a front view showing the structure of the vehicle. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a plan view showing the structure of the vehicle. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the control system of the lighting device control unit. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a plan view showing the situation of the vehicle in the first scenario before turning left. [Figure 6] This is a front view showing the state of the vehicle in the situation shown in Figure 5. [Figure 7] This is a plan view showing the situation of the vehicle shown in Figure 1 during a left turn in the first scenario. [Figure 8] It is a front view showing the state of the vehicle in the situation shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] It is a plan view showing the situation before a right turn in the first situation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 10] It is a front view showing the state of the vehicle in the situation shown in FIG. 9. [Figure 11] It is a plan view showing the situation during a right turn in the first situation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 12] It is a front view showing the state of the vehicle in the situation shown in FIG. 11. [Figure 13] It is a flowchart showing the lighting state of the road surface drawing lamp of the lamp control device in the first situation shown in FIGS. 5 to 12. [Figure 14] It is a plan view showing the situation before a right turn in the second situation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 15] It is a front view showing the state of the vehicle in the situation shown in FIG. 14. [Figure 16] It is a plan view showing the situation before a right turn in the third situation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 17] It is a front view showing the state of the vehicle in the situation shown in FIG. 16. [Figure 18] It is a side view showing the situation during undulating travel in the fourth situation of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 19] It is a diagram showing the relationship of necessity or non-necessity of stop control in the vehicle tilt direction with respect to the lighting operation direction of the road surface drawing lamp of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0014] The vehicle 10 of the present embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, as an example of the vehicle 10, a motorcycle will be taken up and described.

[0015] The vehicle 10 shown in Figures 1 to 3 is a motorcycle capable of leaning its body 11 to travel around corners 53 (see Figure 5). The motorcycle has a front wheel 29 and a rear wheel 30 attached to its body 11, and for example, the rear wheel 30 is driven to move forward or backward. Therefore, when the vehicle 10 travels around corners 53, it leans its body 11 relative to the road surface 51.

[0016] In this embodiment, the vehicle 10 has headlights 16 mounted on the front of its body 11, as shown in Figure 2. The body 11 is also equipped with a steering wheel 14. The steering wheel 14 controls the direction of the front wheels 29, and the steering wheel 14 is used to steer the vehicle 10 in the direction of travel. On each side of the steering wheel 14, there are rearview mirrors 15 that show the area behind the vehicle 10.

[0017] Furthermore, the vehicle body 11 is equipped with a power source, such as an engine or motor (not shown), and the rear wheels 30 are driven by the power from this power source.

[0018] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the vehicle body 11 is equipped with turn signals (turn signal lights) 28 on the left and right sides of its front section, and on the left and right sides of its rear section. In the vehicle 10 of this embodiment, turn signal 28a is mounted on the front section, while turn signal 28b is mounted on the rear section.

[0019] The turn signals 28, also known as indicator lights, flash when, for example, vehicle 10 turns left, the turn signals 28a and 28b located on the left side of vehicle body 11 flash. Conversely, when vehicle 10 turns right, the turn signals 28a and 28b located on the right side of vehicle body 11 flash. In other words, the turn signals 28 are turn signal lights that are operated by the occupant 17 when vehicle 10 turns left or right.

[0020] Furthermore, the vehicle 10 of this embodiment is equipped with a lighting control device 20 on its body 11, as shown in Figure 4. The lighting control device 20 includes a turn switch L / R (direction indicator switch) 18 operated by a passenger 17 (see Figure 6) riding in the vehicle 10, and a road marking light (direction indicator light) 21 that, in response to the operation of the turn switch L / R 18, enters a first illumination state indicating that the vehicle 10 is turning left and a second illumination state indicating that the vehicle 10 is turning right.

[0021] Furthermore, the lighting control device 20 includes a vehicle state detection unit that outputs a first signal 23 when it detects that the vehicle body 11 is tilted to the left, and a second signal 24 when it detects that the vehicle body 11 is tilted to the right, and a control unit 25 that is electrically connected to a turn switch L / R 18, a road surface marking light 21, and the vehicle state detection unit. In other words, the lighting control device 20 includes a turn switch L / R 18, a road surface marking light 21, the vehicle state detection unit, and a control unit 25.

[0022] Here, the turn switch L / R18 is mounted, for example, on the steering wheel 14 in a location easily operated with the right hand, and when operated by the passenger 17, it indicates to other traffic users and pedestrians around the vehicle 10 whether it is turning left or right. Specifically, when the turn switch L / R18 is operated by the passenger 17, the left turn or right turn indicator 28a, 28b flashes 28c, indicating whether the vehicle 10 is turning left or right.

[0023] Furthermore, the road marking lights 21, as shown in Figure 1, are direction indicator lights that project a drawing pattern 21c onto the road surface 51, and as shown in Figure 3, they include left-turn road marking lights 21a, 21b provided on the left side of the vehicle body 11, and right-turn road marking lights 21a, 21b provided on the right side of the vehicle body 11. In other words, the road marking lights 21, like the direction indicators 28, are direction indicator lights that indicate whether the vehicle 10 is turning left or right, and they project a drawing pattern 21c onto the road surface 51 to indicate whether the vehicle 10 is turning left or right.

[0024] Furthermore, the projection 21c of the road marking light 21 onto the road surface 51 is performed in conjunction with the flashing 28c of the turn signal 28. That is, the road marking light 21 is driven in conjunction with the operation of the turn switch L / R 18 by the passenger 17, which causes the turn signal 28 to flash 28c, thereby projecting the drawing pattern 21c onto the road surface 51.

[0025] Specifically, when the turn switch L / R18 is operated by the passenger 17, causing the left turn indicators 28a and 28b to flash 28c, the left turn road marking lights 21a and 21b project a drawing pattern 21c onto the road surface 51 in conjunction with the flashing 28c of the left turn indicators 28a and 28b on the left side of the vehicle body 11. In other words, the road marking lights 21a and 21b enter a first illumination state indicating that the vehicle 10 is turning left. Similarly, when the turn switch L / R18 is operated by the passenger 17, causing the right turn indicators 28a and 28b to flash 28c, the right turn road marking lights 21a and 21b project a drawing pattern 21c onto the road surface 51 in conjunction with the flashing 28c of the right turn indicators 28a and 28b on the right side of the vehicle body 11. In other words, the road marking lights 21a and 21b enter a second illumination state that indicates vehicle 10 is turning right.

[0026] Therefore, the road surface drawing lights 21a and 21b project onto the road surface 51 to the left of the vehicle 10 when in the first light-emitting state, and onto the road surface 51 to the right of the vehicle 10 when in the second light-emitting state. In this embodiment, the road surface drawing lights 21a and 21b are, for example, projectors, but the road surface drawing lights 21a and 21b are not limited to projectors.

[0027] Then, when the second signal 24 output from the vehicle state detection unit is input when the road marking light 21 is in the first light-emitting state, or when the first signal 23 output from the vehicle state detection unit is input when the road marking light 21 is in the second light-emitting state, the control unit 25 stops supplying power to the road marking lights 21a and 21b and turns off the road marking lights 21a and 21b. In other words, when the projection 21c of the road marking lights 21a and 21b indicates that the vehicle 10 is turning left (first light-emitting state), the control unit 25 stops the projection 21c of the road marking lights 21a and 21b and turns off the road marking lights 21a and 21b when the second signal 24 output from the vehicle state detection unit (a signal output when it is detected that the vehicle 10 is driving with a rightward tilt) is input from the vehicle state detection unit.

[0028] Similarly, when the projection 21c of the road marking lights 21a and 21b indicates that the vehicle 10 is turning right (second illumination state), the control unit 25 stops the projection 21c of the road marking lights 21a and 21b and turns off the road marking lights 21a and 21b when it receives the first signal 23 output from the vehicle state detection unit (a signal output when it detects that the vehicle 10 is traveling at a leftward tilt).

[0029] In other words, the control unit 25 drives or stops the road marking lights 21 in response to the operation of the turn switch L / R18 by the passenger 17. The control unit 25 is, for example, a circuit board on which electronic components such as ICs are mounted.

[0030] The vehicle state detection unit is, for example, a tilt sensor (first sensor) 22 that detects the tilt direction of the vehicle body 11 to the left or right, and outputs a signal indicating the detected tilt direction of the vehicle body 11 to the control unit 25. As a result, the control unit 25 stops supplying power to the road surface marking lights 21a and 21b if the tilt direction of the vehicle body 11 indicated by the first signal 23 or second signal 24 output from the tilt sensor 22 differs from the projection direction of the drawing patterns of the road surface marking lights 21a and 21b. In other words, the control unit 25 stops supplying power to the road surface marking lights 21a and 21b and turns off the road surface marking lights 21a and 21b (stops the projection of the drawing patterns by the road surface marking lights 21a and 21b) if the tilt direction of the vehicle body 11 detected by the tilt sensor 22 differs from the projection direction of the drawing patterns of the road surface marking lights 21a and 21b.

[0031] Furthermore, regarding the illumination control of the road marking lights 21, since the left-turn indicators 28a and 28b and the left-turn road marking lights 21a and 21b are linked, the left-turn indicators 28a and 28b and the left-turn road marking lights 21a and 21b are illuminated and controlled by the control unit 25 as illumination unit L12, as shown in Figure 4. Similarly, since the right-turn indicators 28a and 28b and the right-turn road marking lights 21a and 21b are linked, the right-turn indicators 28a and 28b and the right-turn road marking lights 21a and 21b are illuminated and controlled by the control unit 25 as illumination unit R13.

[0032] Specifically, by turning ON the floodlight switch 27 attached to the handle 14 and operating the turn switch L / R18 in this state, the floodlight control unit 25 causes the left-turn indicators 28a and 28b of the floodlight unit L12 to flash 28c, and in conjunction with this, the left-turn road marking lights 21a and 21b project 21c onto the road surface 51. Alternatively, by operating the turn switch L / R18 with the floodlight switch 27 ON, the floodlight control unit 25 causes the right-turn indicators 28a and 28b of the floodlight unit R13 to flash 28c, and in conjunction with this, the right-turn road marking lights 21a and 21b project 21c onto the road surface 51. The floodlight switch 27 can be switched ON and OFF as desired.

[0033] Furthermore, by turning on the floodlight switch 27 attached to the handle 14 and then turning on the hazard switch 19, the floodlight control unit 25 can control the left-turn indicators 28a and 28b of the floodlight unit L12 to flash, and also control the right-turn indicators 28a and 28b of the floodlight unit R13 to flash. The floodlight switch 27 can be switched ON and OFF at will, similar to the turn switches L / R18.

[0034] Next, a first driving scenario of the vehicle 10 of this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the vehicle 10, which is traveling on the road 50, approaches an intersection 52, and before reaching the intersection 52, the occupant 17 operates the left-turn road marking light 21c in preparation for a left turn. That is, the left-turn road marking light 21 is illuminated. In detail, the left-turn road marking light 21 is illuminated in conjunction with the illumination of the left-turn indicator 28 operated by the occupant 17 (the "illumination of the road marking light" in step S1 shown in Figure 13). Here, as shown in Figure 6, the vehicle body 11 is not tilted because it is before the left-turn operation.

[0035] Next, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, vehicle 10 makes a left turn at corner 53 of intersection 52. Here, the vehicle body 11 tilts to the left as it turns left. As a result, the angle change of the optical axis 21d of the road marking light 21 approaches vertical, so it does not cause dazzling surrounding traffic (pedestrians, cyclists, etc.). In other words, when vehicle 10 turns left, the vehicle body 11 tilts to the left, so the projection 21c of the road marking light 21 is projected to the left front of vehicle 10. Therefore, the projection 21c of the road marking light 21 does not cause dazzling surrounding traffic (pedestrians, cyclists, etc.).

[0036] When turning left, the determination of "Does the direction of the inclination signal and the projection direction of the road marking light coincide?" in step S2 of Figure 13 is performed. Here, the vehicle body 11 is tilted to the left as it turns left. On the other hand, the projection 21c of the road marking light 21 is also projected to the left front of the vehicle 10, and the projection direction is also to the left. In other words, the direction of the inclination signal (the direction of the inclination of the vehicle body 11 indicated by the first signal 23 or the second signal 24) and the projection direction of the road marking light coincide, so the determination is YES.

[0037] As a result, vehicle 10 remains in the state of step S3, "lighting of road marking lights." That is, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, it continues to travel along the road 50 after the left turn with the projection 21c of the left road marking light 21 activated.

[0038] Specifically, because the passenger 17 has forgotten to turn off the road marking light 21, the projection 21c of the road marking light 21 onto the road surface 51 during a left turn continues. In other words, the road marking light 21 remains lit during a left turn. Here, since the vehicle is traveling straight, the vehicle body 11 is not tilted, as shown in Figure 10. Therefore, at this point, there is no risk of dazzling surrounding traffic (pedestrians, cyclists, etc.), and no control is performed to stop the projection 21c of the left-side road marking light 21.

[0039] However, if the tilt direction of the vehicle body 11, indicated by the tilt signal (first signal 23 or second signal 24) output from the tilt sensor (vehicle state detection unit) 22, does not match the projection direction of the road surface marking light fixture 21 (i.e., if the determination in step S2 is NO), the control unit 25 immediately executes a control to stop the power supply to the road surface marking light fixture 21, thereby turning off the road surface marking light fixture 21 as shown in step S4.

[0040] Next, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, vehicle 10 passes through a gently curving corner 53. Here, because it is a gently curving corner 53, the vehicle body 11 is tilted to the right, as shown in Figure 12. At this time, the optical axis 21d of the road marking light 21 becomes closer to horizontal. That is, the projection direction of the road marking light 21 becomes closer to parallel with the road surface 51. In this case, the projection direction of the road marking light 21 will be directed upwards more than usual. Specifically, if the vehicle body 11 is tilted in the opposite direction to the projection direction of the drawing pattern by the road marking light 21, the projection direction of the drawing pattern of the road marking light 21 will be directed upwards from the road surface. As a result, the drawing pattern may be projected directly onto other road users and pedestrians, potentially dazzling them.

[0041] Therefore, in vehicle 10, when the projection direction of the road marking light 21 is in a left-turn state (first light emission state), the control unit 25 receives a second signal (a signal output when it detects that the vehicle body 11 is tilted to the right) output from the tilt sensor (vehicle state detection unit) 22, and stops supplying power to the road marking light 21. In other words, the control unit 25 controls the power supply to the road marking light 21 and turns it off when the tilt direction of the vehicle body 11 indicated by the tilt signal from the tilt sensor 22 (first signal 23 or second signal 24) differs from the projection direction of the road marking light 21, as this could dazzle other traffic users and pedestrians in the surrounding area.

[0042] Similarly, when the projection direction of the road marking light 21 is in the right-turn state (second illumination state), the control unit 25 receives a first signal output from the tilt sensor 22 (a signal output when it detects that the vehicle body 11 is traveling tilted to the left) and stops supplying power to the road marking light 21. In other words, if the tilt direction of the vehicle body 11 indicated by the tilt signal from the tilt sensor 22 (first signal 23 or second signal 24) differs from the projection direction of the road marking light 21, the control unit 25 controls the power supply to the road marking light 21 to stop supplying power and turns off the road marking light 21, as this could lead to dazzling other traffic users and pedestrians in the surrounding area.

[0043] In other words, when vehicle 10 turns left (to the left) or right (to the right), the control unit 25 performs the determination in step S5 of Figure 13, "Do the inclination direction of the inclination signal (first signal 23 or second signal 24) and the projection direction of the road marking light match?". If the determination result does not match (the determination in step S5 is NO), the control unit 25 immediately performs control to stop the power supply to the road marking light 21, and turns off the road marking light 21 as shown in step S6.

[0044] As described above, by equipping the vehicle 10 with a lighting control device 20, it becomes possible to automatically turn off the road marking lights (direction indicator lights) 21 if the vehicle is driven without turning them off. As a result, it is possible to prevent dazzling other road users and pedestrians in the vicinity.

[0045] Next, a second driving scenario of the vehicle 10 of this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figures 14 and 15, at an intersection 52 equipped with a traffic light 54 that enables the illumination of red 54a, blue 54b, and yellow 54c, the red 54a signal is illuminated, and the vehicle 10 is waiting at the signal in preparation for turning right. Here, the road marking light 21 is projected 21c toward the right by the operation of the occupant 17. In detail, the road marking light 21 for right turns is projected 21c toward the right in conjunction with the flashing 28c of the right turn indicator 28 operated by the occupant 17.

[0046] At this time, vehicle 10 is stopped before proceeding to the right turn, but as shown in Figure 15, the vehicle body 11 is tilted to the left due to waiting at the traffic light. In this case, the condition of "a discrepancy between the tilt direction of the vehicle body 11 and the projection direction of the illuminated road marking light 21" is met, which is the trigger for stopping the projection 21c of the road marking light 21, and the projection 21c of the road marking light 21 is stopped.

[0047] However, the above situation is appropriate for the use of the road marking light 21, and furthermore, since the projection 21c of the road marking light 21 is directed onto the road surface 51, the risk of dazzling other traffic users or pedestrians in the surrounding area is considered low. Therefore, it is desirable not to implement the stop control of the projection 21c of the road marking light 21.

[0048] Therefore, as a countermeasure to the above situation, the control unit 25 executes control such that it does not stop the projection 21c of the road marking light fixture 21 if the tilt angle of the vehicle body 11 is less than a predetermined threshold. Specifically, the light fixture control device 20 shown in Figure 4 has an angle sensor (second sensor) 26 as a vehicle state detection unit that detects the tilt angle θ of the vehicle body 11 to the left and right as shown in Figure 15. The control unit 25 then compares the tilt angle of the vehicle body 11 detected by the angle sensor 26 with a predetermined tilt angle threshold, and continues to supply power to the road marking light fixture 21 if the tilt angle of the vehicle body 11 is less than the tilt angle threshold.

[0049] In other words, even if the projection direction of the road surface lighting fixture 21 does not match the tilt direction of the vehicle body 11, if the tilt angle of the vehicle body 11 detected by the angle sensor 26 is less than a predetermined tilt angle threshold, the control unit 25 executes control to continue the projection 21c of the road surface lighting fixture 21.

[0050] As a result, when the vehicle 10 is waiting at a traffic light or similar and projecting the road marking light 21 in a predetermined direction, even if the vehicle body 11 is tilted in the opposite direction to the projection direction of the road marking light 21, the projection 21c of the road marking light 21 will not stop, and the road marking light 21 can continue to project in the predetermined direction. In this case, since the road marking light 21 is projecting 21c onto the road surface 51 in the predetermined direction, the projection 21c of the road marking light 21 will not cause dazzling surrounding traffic (pedestrians, cyclists, etc.).

[0051] However, the control unit 25 compares the inclination angle of the vehicle body 11 detected by the angle sensor 26 with a predetermined inclination angle threshold, and when the inclination angle of the vehicle body 11 changes from a state where it is less than the inclination angle threshold to a state where it satisfies the inclination angle threshold, it stops supplying power to the road surface marking light 21 and turns off the road surface marking light 21.

[0052] Next, a third driving scenario of the vehicle 10 of this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figures 16 and 17, the vehicle 10, which is traveling on the road 50, approaches an intersection 52, and before reaching the intersection 52, the occupant 17 operates the right-turn road marking light 21c in preparation for turning right. Specifically, the right-turn road marking light 21 is projected to the right in conjunction with the flashing 28c of the right-turn indicator 28 operated by the occupant 17.

[0053] Here, we consider a scenario where the vehicle is traveling on a rough road with undulations 55, before proceeding to a right turn. In this case, as shown in Figure 17, it is conceivable that the vehicle body 11 will tilt slightly to the left due to the undulations 55.

[0054] In this case, the condition of "a discrepancy between the tilt direction of the vehicle body 11 and the projection direction of the illuminated road surface lighting fixture 21," which is the trigger for stopping the projection 21c of the road surface lighting fixture 21, is met, and the projection 21c of the road surface lighting fixture 21 is stopped.

[0055] However, the above situation is appropriate for the use of the road marking light 21, and furthermore, since the projection 21c of the road marking light 21 is directed onto the road surface 51, the risk of dazzling other traffic users or pedestrians in the surrounding area is considered low. Therefore, it is desirable not to implement the stop control of the projection 21c of the road marking light 21.

[0056] Therefore, as a countermeasure to the above situation, the control unit 25 executes control such that it does not stop the projection 21c of the road marking light fixture 21 if the tilt angle of the vehicle body 11 is less than a predetermined threshold. Specifically, the light fixture control device 20 shown in Figure 4 has an angle sensor (second sensor) 26 as a vehicle state detection unit that detects the tilt angle θ of the vehicle body 11 to the left and right as shown in Figure 15. The control unit 25 then compares the tilt angle of the vehicle body 11 detected by the angle sensor 26 with a predetermined tilt angle threshold, and continues to supply power to the road marking light fixture 21 if the tilt angle of the vehicle body 11 is less than the tilt angle threshold.

[0057] In other words, even if the projection direction of the road surface lighting fixture 21 does not match the tilt direction of the vehicle body 11, if the tilt angle of the vehicle body 11 detected by the angle sensor 26 is less than a predetermined tilt angle threshold, the control unit 25 executes control to continue the projection 21c of the road surface lighting fixture 21.

[0058] As a result, when the vehicle 10 is waiting to turn left or right and projecting the road marking light 21 in a predetermined direction, even if the vehicle body 11 is tilted in the opposite direction to the projection direction of the road marking light 21, the projection 21c of the road marking light 21 will not stop, and the road marking light 21 can continue to project in the predetermined direction. In this case, since the road marking light 21 is projecting 21c onto the road surface 51 in the predetermined direction, the projection 21c of the road marking light 21 will not cause dazzling surrounding traffic (pedestrians, cyclists, etc.).

[0059] However, the control unit 25 compares the tilt angle of the vehicle body 11 detected by the angle sensor 26 with a predetermined tilt angle threshold, and when the tilt angle of the vehicle body 11 changes from a state where it is less than the tilt angle threshold to a state where it satisfies the tilt angle threshold, it stops supplying power to the road surface drawing light 21 and turns off the road surface drawing light 21. For example, if the tilt angle of the vehicle body 11 detected by the angle sensor 26 is less than the tilt angle threshold, the control unit 25 determines that the vehicle 10 is in an upright state, and if the tilt angle of the vehicle body 11 detected by the angle sensor 26 is greater than or equal to the tilt angle threshold, it determines that the vehicle is in a tilted state. Then, when the vehicle 10 changes from the upright state to the tilted state, the control unit 25 stops projecting the drawing pattern by the road surface drawing light 21.

[0060] Next, a fourth driving scenario of the vehicle 10 of this embodiment will be described. For example, while driving with the road marking lights 21 turned on by the operation of the passenger 17, as shown in Figure 18, a scenario is set in which the vehicle lifts its front wheels 29 (nose lift, wheelie) or drives over the bumps or obstacles 55 ahead in order to overcome uneven surfaces 55. In this case, the optical axis direction of the road marking lights 21 is also raised from the normal optical axis direction.

[0061] At this time, the condition for stopping the projection 21c of the road marking light 21, which is "a discrepancy between the tilt direction of the vehicle body 11 and the projection direction of the illuminated road marking light 21," is not met. However, since there is a risk of dazzling other vehicles 10 and pedestrians ahead, it is desirable to stop the projection 21c of the road marking light 21 even in this situation.

[0062] To address this situation, the tilt angle of the vehicle body 11 is detected not only left and right but also front and rear. If the vehicle body 11 tilts in a direction different from the projection direction of the road marking light 21 operated by the occupant 17 in the front, rear, left, or right tilt directions by a predetermined threshold or more, the projection 21c of the road marking light 21 is stopped.

[0063] In other words, the control unit 25 compares the longitudinal tilt angle of the vehicle body 11 detected by the angle sensor 26 with a predetermined tilt angle threshold. If the longitudinal tilt angle of the vehicle body 11 exceeds the tilt angle threshold, the control unit stops supplying power to the road marking light fixture 21 and turns off the road marking light fixture 21, as shown in Figure 18.

[0064] This makes it possible to automatically turn off the road marking lights 21 even when driving with the road marking lights 21 illuminated, if the vehicle lifts its front wheels 29 (nose lift, wheelie) to overcome bumps or obstacles 55 ahead, or if it drives over bumps or obstacles 55 ahead. As a result, it is possible to reduce the risk of dazzling other road users and pedestrians.

[0065] The conditions for controlling the illumination or deactivation of the road marking lights 21 of the vehicle 10 in this embodiment are summarized in Figure 19. For example, when the illumination direction of the road marking lights 21 is to the front left, deactivation control of the road marking lights 21 is necessary when the vehicle body 11 is tilted backward or to the right. Also, when the illumination direction of the road marking lights 21 is to the front right, deactivation control of the road marking lights 21 is necessary when the vehicle body 11 is tilted backward or to the left. Furthermore, when the illumination direction of the road marking lights 21 is to the rear left, deactivation control of the road marking lights 21 is necessary when the vehicle body 11 is tilted forward or to the right. Also, when the illumination direction of the road marking lights 21 is to the rear right, deactivation control of the road marking lights 21 is necessary when the vehicle body 11 is tilted forward or to the left. To enable the determination of the above conditions, the angle sensor 26 detects the tilt angles of the vehicle body 11 in the front, rear, left, and right directions, and a threshold value for the tilt angle is set and compared. Based on this comparison result, the road marking light 21 is controlled to stop or to drive.

[0066] Furthermore, according to the vehicle 10 of this embodiment, the vehicle body 11 can detect its tilt direction and tilt angle, and based on the detection results, it can stop supplying power to the road marking lights 21 and turn off the road marking lights 21, thereby reducing the power consumption of the vehicle 10. In other words, it is possible to conserve the electrical energy of the vehicle 10. Therefore, it is possible to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 7 (Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all) and Goal 13 (Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts).

[0067] Next, a modified example of this embodiment will be described.

[0068] For example, the vehicle state detection unit may include an angle sensor (third sensor) 33 as shown in Figure 4, which detects the steering angle of the steering wheel 14 to the left and right of the vehicle body 11, and the vehicle 10 may have a lighting control device 20 equipped with the angle sensor 33.

[0069] In this case, the angle sensor 33 detects the steering angle of the steering wheel 14 to the left and right of the vehicle body 11. If the tilt direction of the vehicle body 11, which corresponds to the tilt signal (first signal 23 or second signal 24) output from the angle sensor 33, does not match the projection direction of the road surface marking light 21, the control unit 25 immediately executes a control to stop the power supply to the road surface marking light 21, thereby turning off the road surface marking light 21.

[0070] This makes it possible to automatically turn off the road marking lights (direction indicator lights) 21 if the driver forgets to turn them off while driving. As a result, it is possible to reduce the risk of dazzling other road users and pedestrians.

[0071] Similarly, the vehicle state detection unit may include an angle sensor (fourth sensor) 34 as shown in Figure 4, which detects the rotation angle with the vehicle width direction of the vehicle 10 as the axis 32 (see Figure 2), and the vehicle 10 may have a lighting control device 20 equipped with the angle sensor 34.

[0072] In this case, the angle sensor 34 detects the rotation angle of the axis 32 in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle 10, and the control unit 25 compares the rotation angle of the axis 32 in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle 10 detected by the angle sensor 34 with a predetermined rotation angle threshold. If the rotation angle of the axis 32 in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle 10 is less than the rotation angle threshold, the control unit 25 continues to supply power to the road surface marking light fixture 21.

[0073] As a result, when the angle sensor 34 detects a significant change in the rotation angle of the axis 32 in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle 10, the road marking light 21 can be automatically turned off, thereby preventing the lights from dazzling other road users and pedestrians in the vicinity.

[0074] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiments, a case was described in which the road marking light 21 and the turn signal 28 are separately provided on the left and right sides of the vehicle body 11, respectively. However, the road marking light 21 and the turn signal 28 may be housed as a unit in the same case, etc., on the left and right sides of the vehicle body 11, and the case may be installed on the left and right sides of the vehicle body 11, respectively. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0075] 10: Vehicle, 11: Body, 12: Floodlight Unit L, 13: Floodlight Unit R, 14: Steering Wheel, 15: Rearview Mirror, 16: Headlight, 17: Passenger, 18: Turn Switch L / R (Direction Indicator Switch), 19: Hazard Switch, 20: Lighting Control Device, 21, 21a, 21b: Road Marking Lights (Direction Indicator Lights), 21c: Projection, 21d: Optical Axis, 22: Tilt Sensor (First Sensor, Vehicle State Detection Unit), 23: First Signal, 24: Second Signal, 25: Control Unit, 26: Angle Sensor (Second Sensor, Vehicle State Detection Unit), 27: Floodlight Switch, 28, 28a, 28b: Direction Indicator (Direction Indicator Lights), 28c: Flashing, 29: Front Wheel, 30: Rear Wheel, 31, 32: Axle, 33: Angle Sensor (Third Sensor, Vehicle State Detection Unit), 34: Angle sensor (4th sensor, vehicle state detection unit), 50: road, 51: road surface, 52: intersection, 53: corner, 54: traffic light, 54a: red, 54b: blue, 54c: yellow, 55: elevation, θ: inclination angle

Claims

1. A lighting control device installed on a vehicle capable of leaning its body to travel around corners, A turn signal switch operated by the occupant of the vehicle, A turn signal lamp that, in response to the operation of the turn signal switch, enters a first illumination state indicating that the vehicle is turning left and a second illumination state indicating that the vehicle is turning right, A vehicle state detection unit that outputs a first signal when it detects that the vehicle is tilted to the left, and outputs a second signal when it detects that the vehicle is tilted to the right, The control unit is electrically connected to the turn signal switch, the turn signal lamp, and the vehicle status detection unit. It has, The control unit, A lighting control device that stops supplying power to a turn signal lamp when the second signal output from the vehicle state detection unit is input while the turn signal lamp is in the first light-emitting state, or when the first signal output from the vehicle state detection unit is input while the turn signal lamp is in the second light-emitting state.

2. The lighting device control device according to claim 1, wherein the turn signal light is a road surface drawing light that projects onto the road surface to the left of the vehicle when in the first light-emitting state and projects onto the road surface to the right of the vehicle when in the second light-emitting state.

3. The vehicle state detection unit is provided with a first sensor that detects the tilt direction of the vehicle body to the left or right. The lighting device control device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit stops supplying power to the turn signal light when the tilt direction of the vehicle body indicated by the first signal or second signal output from the first sensor is different from the projection direction of the turn signal light.

4. The vehicle state detection unit is provided with a second sensor that detects the tilt angle of the vehicle body to the left and right. The control unit compares the inclination angle of the vehicle body detected by the second sensor with a predetermined inclination angle threshold, and continues to supply power to the turn signal lamp if the inclination angle of the vehicle body is less than the inclination angle threshold, as described in claim 2.

5. The lamp control device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit stops supplying power to the turn signal lamp when the inclination angle of the vehicle body changes from a state in which it is less than the inclination angle threshold to a state in which it satisfies the inclination angle threshold.

6. The vehicle state detection unit is provided with a third sensor that detects the steering angle of the steering wheel to the left and right sides of the vehicle body. The control unit compares the steering angle of the steering wheel detected by the third sensor with a predetermined steering angle threshold, and continues to supply power to the turn signal lamp if the steering angle of the steering wheel is less than the steering angle threshold, as described in claim 2.

7. The vehicle state detection unit is provided with a fourth sensor that detects the rotation angle of the vehicle's axis in the longitudinal direction or the vehicle width direction. The control unit compares the rotation angle of the shaft detected by the fourth sensor with a predetermined rotation angle threshold, and continues to supply power to the direction indicator lamp if the rotation angle of the shaft is less than the rotation angle threshold, as described in claim 2.

8. A lighting control device installed on a vehicle capable of leaning its body to travel around corners, A turn signal switch operated by the occupant of the vehicle, A road marking light that projects a drawing pattern onto the road surface on the left or right side of the vehicle in response to the operation of the turn signal switch, A control unit that drives or stops the road marking light in response to the operation of the turn signal switch by the occupant of the vehicle, A vehicle state detection unit detects the direction of tilt of the vehicle body to the left or right, and outputs a signal indicating the detected tilt direction of the vehicle body to the control unit, It has, The control unit, A lighting control device that compares the projection direction of the drawing pattern by the road surface drawing light with the tilt direction of the vehicle body detected by the vehicle state detection unit, and stops the projection of the drawing pattern by the road surface drawing light if the projection direction of the drawing pattern and the tilt direction of the vehicle body do not match.

9. The vehicle state detection unit is provided with sensors that detect the tilt angle of the vehicle body to the left and to the right. The control unit compares the inclination angle of the vehicle body detected by the sensor with a predetermined inclination angle threshold, and if the inclination angle of the vehicle body is less than the inclination angle threshold, it continues to project the drawing pattern by the road surface drawing light even if the projection direction of the drawing pattern does not match the inclination direction of the vehicle body, as described in claim 8.

10. The control unit determines that the vehicle is upright if the inclination angle of the vehicle body detected by the sensor is less than the inclination angle threshold, and determines that the vehicle is tilted if the inclination angle of the vehicle body detected by the sensor is equal to or greater than the inclination angle threshold. The lighting device control device according to claim 9, wherein the control unit stops projecting the drawing pattern by the road surface drawing light when the vehicle changes from the upright state to the tilted state.

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