Lighting used in saddle-type vehicles

Abstract

This vehicle lamp fitting, provided on a motorcycle which travels around corners by tilting a vehicle body in a turning direction, is integrally provided with: at least one low-beam light source (30 (30a to 30d)) for forming a low-beam light distribution pattern; at least one high-beam light source (40 (40a to 40e)) for forming a high-beam light distribution pattern; and at least one sideways light source (50 (50a, 50b)) for forming a sideways light distribution pattern at the side of the high-beam light distribution pattern in conjunction with the high-beam light distribution pattern.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lamp mounted on a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] As a headlamp for a two-wheeled vehicle, there are high-beam and low-beam light sources (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] As an auxiliary headlamp for illuminating the turning direction of a vehicle, a cornering lamp, which is a side irradiation lamp, may be mounted at the front of the vehicle. In a two-wheeled vehicle, when turning right or left, the driver moves the center of gravity, tilts the vehicle body in the direction of the turn, and increases the bank angle while cornering. Therefore, the role of the cornering lamp is particularly important.

[0005] Also, in a motorcycle, when turning right or left, the driver moves the center of gravity, tilts the vehicle body in the direction of the turn, and increases the bank angle while cornering. There is room for improvement in the configuration for forming an appropriate light distribution pattern when the vehicle banks.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a small and inexpensive vehicle lamp in which a side light distribution function is integrated in addition to a low-beam function and a high-beam function.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle lamp that has both a high-beam function and a side light distribution function and forms a light distribution pattern that can improve forward visibility when the vehicle body banks while reducing glare and power consumption. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve one of the above objectives, a vehicle lighting device relating to one aspect of the present invention is: A vehicle light fixture installed on a vehicle that leans its body in the direction of the turn to navigate a corner, A low-beam light source that forms a low-beam light distribution pattern, A high-beam light source that forms a high-beam light distribution pattern, The system integrally includes, along with the high beam light distribution pattern, at least one side light source that forms a side light distribution pattern to the side of the high beam light distribution pattern.

[0009] To achieve one of the above objectives, a vehicle lighting device relating to one aspect of the present invention is: A vehicle light fixture installed on a vehicle that leans its body in the direction of the turn to navigate a corner, A high-beam light source that forms a high-beam light distribution pattern, Along with the high beam light distribution pattern, at least one side light source that forms a side light distribution pattern to the side of the high beam light distribution pattern, A control unit that controls the side light source according to the bank state of the vehicle body, Equipped with, The side light source includes a left-side illuminating light source that forms a left-side lateral light distribution pattern to the left of the high beam light distribution pattern, and a right-side illuminating light source that forms a right-side lateral light distribution pattern to the right of the high beam light distribution pattern. When the vehicle body is banked in either the left or right direction, the control unit increases the light intensity of the first lateral light source, which forms the first lateral light distribution pattern on the same side as the banking direction of the vehicle body, and decreases the light intensity of the second lateral light source, which forms the second lateral light distribution pattern on the opposite side of the banking direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a small and inexpensive vehicle lamp in which a side lighting function is integrated in addition to a low beam function and a high beam function.

[0011] Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle lamp that has both a high beam function and a side lighting function, forms a light distribution pattern capable of improving forward visibility when the vehicle body banks, and reducing glare and power consumption.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram of the vehicle lamp of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle lamp. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view of an integrated lamp unit housed in the vehicle lamp. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing a light source mounted on a substrate of a light source unit included in the integrated lamp unit of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing a light distribution pattern formed when all the light sources of FIG. 5 are irradiated. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing a light distribution pattern formed when the vehicle is moving straight ahead. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing a light distribution pattern formed when the vehicle body is slightly tilted to the right. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing a light distribution pattern formed when the vehicle body is greatly tilted to the right.

Embodiments of the Invention

[0013] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, the “left - right direction”, “front - rear direction”, and “up - down direction” are relative directions set for convenience of explanation with respect to the vehicle shown in FIG. 1.

[0014] FIG. 1 shows a motorcycle 100 which is an example of a vehicle equipped with a headlamp 1 which is an example of a vehicle lamp for a vehicle according to the present embodiment. The motorcycle 100 is a vehicle capable of traveling along a road corner (curve) by tilting the vehicle body in the turning direction. The vehicle on which the vehicle lamp 1 of the present embodiment is mounted may be any vehicle capable of traveling a corner by tilting the vehicle body in the turning direction like this motorcycle 100, and the number of wheels is not limited. Therefore, for example, even if it is a three-wheeled vehicle, a four-wheeled vehicle, etc., if it can travel a corner by tilting the vehicle body in the turning direction like this motorcycle 100, it is included in the vehicle on which the vehicle lamp for a vehicle of the present embodiment is mounted.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, a headlamp 1 is mounted on the front part of the motorcycle 100. The headlamp 1 is a lamp capable of irradiating the front of the vehicle. In the present embodiment, a motorcycle 100 having one headlamp 1 in the front part is illustrated, but it is not limited to this. For example, a motorcycle having one headlamp on each of the left and right sides of the front part may be used.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the headlamp 1 mounted on the motorcycle 100. As shown in FIG. 2, the headlamp 1 includes an integrated lamp unit 2 and a lamp control unit 5 that controls the operation of the integrated lamp unit 2. A bank angle sensor ⑥ that detects the tilt state of the motorcycle 100, an external sensor ⑦ that detects environmental information outside the vehicle, a speed sensor ⑧ that detects the speed of the motorcycle 100, etc. are connected to the lamp control unit 5.

[0017] The integrated lamp unit 2 is a lamp unit that integrates the functions of a low beam lamp capable of forming a low beam light distribution pattern, a high beam lamp capable of forming a high beam light distribution pattern, and a side beam lamp capable of forming a side light distribution pattern formed on the side of the high beam light distribution pattern.

[0018] The bank angle sensor 6 is a sensor capable of detecting the tilt angle when the body of the motorcycle 100 is tilted to the left or right with respect to a vertical line. The bank angle sensor 6 is composed of, for example, a gyro sensor. The tilt angle of the vehicle body may also be calculated based on images taken by a camera mounted on the vehicle body, for example.

[0019] The external sensor 7 is a sensor capable of acquiring information about the outside of the motorcycle 100, including the surrounding environment (e.g., obstacles, other vehicles (vehicles in front, vehicles coming from the opposite direction), pedestrians, road shape, traffic signs, etc.). The external sensor 7 consists of at least one of the following: LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging), camera, radar, etc.

[0020] The information detected by the bank angle sensor 6, the external sensor 7, and the speed sensor 8 is transmitted to the lamp control unit 5. The lamp control unit 5 controls the operation of the integrated lighting unit 2 based on the information transmitted from each of the sensors 6 to 8. For example, the lamp control unit 5 can control the integrated lighting unit 2 based on the detection information from each sensor and adjust the light distribution pattern formed in front of the vehicle (light distribution pattern for low beam, light distribution pattern for high beam, and lateral light distribution pattern).

[0021] Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the schematic configuration of the headlamp 1. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the integrated lighting unit 2 housed in the headlamp 1. As shown in Figure 3, the headlamp 1 comprises a lamp body 11 having an opening on the front side of the vehicle, and a transparent front cover 12 fitted to cover the opening of the lamp body 11. An integrated lighting unit 2, a lamp control unit 5, a bank angle sensor 6, and an external sensor (e.g., LiDAR) 7 are housed inside the lamp chamber 13 formed by the lamp body 11 and the front cover 12.

[0022] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the integrated lighting unit 2 is a so-called projector-type lighting fixture and comprises a projection lens 21 (an example of an optical component), a light source unit 22 on which a light source 24 is mounted, and a holder 23 that holds the projection lens 21 and the light source unit 22.

[0023] The projection lens 21 is a biconvex aspherical lens with convex front and rear surfaces, and is mounted on the optical axis Ax extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The peripheral edge of the projection lens 21 is held at the front end of the holder 23. The projection lens 21 projects light from the light source 24 forward, forming a predetermined light distribution pattern for illuminating the area in front of the motorcycle 100 as it travels.

[0024] The light source unit 22 includes a plurality of light sources 24, a substrate 25 on which the light sources 24 are mounted, a reflector 26 provided at the front of the substrate 25, and a heat sink 27 attached to the back of the substrate 25. The light source unit 22 is held at the rear end of the holder 23, with the light sources 24 facing forward in the optical axis Ax direction. Light emitted from the light sources 24 passes through the opening of the reflector 26 and enters the projection lens 21. The substrate 25 is connected to the lamp control unit 5 via a wire harness 28. Thus, each light source 24 mounted on the substrate 25 is electrically connected to the lamp control unit 5. The holder 23 is attached to the lamp body 11 via a support member (not shown).

[0025] Figure 5 is a view of the light source 24 mounted on the substrate 25 of the light source unit 22, as seen from the front of the headlamp 1. As shown in Figure 5, the light source 24 includes a low-beam light source 30 that forms a low-beam light distribution pattern, a high-beam light source 40 that forms a high-beam light distribution pattern, and a side light source 50 and an additional light source 60 that form a side light distribution pattern.

[0026] In this example, the low-beam light source 30 is composed of, for example, four light sources: low-beam light sources 30a to 30d. The low-beam light sources 30a to 30d are arranged in parallel in the left-right direction (direction perpendicular to the optical axis Ax). The high-beam light source 40 is composed of, for example, five light sources: high-beam light sources 40a to 40e. The high-beam light sources 40a to 40e are arranged in parallel in the left-right direction below the low-beam light sources 30a to 30d. The lateral light source 50 is composed of, for example, two light sources: a right-side lateral light source 50a located to the right outside of the high-beam light source 40a, and a left-side lateral light source 50b located to the left outside of the high-beam light source 40e. The additional light source 60 is composed of, for example, four light sources: right-side additional light sources 60a and 60b located below the right-side lateral light source 50a, and left-side additional light sources 60c and 60d located below the left-side lateral light source 50b.

[0027] The low-beam light sources 30a-30d, high-beam light sources 40a-40e, right-side light source 50a, left-side light source 50b, right-side additional light sources 60a, 60b, and left-side additional light sources 60c, 60d are each composed of rectangular chip-type light-emitting elements. For example, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are used as light-emitting elements.

[0028] The low-beam light sources 30a-30d, high-beam light sources 40a-40e, right-side light source 50a, left-side light source 50b, right-side additional light sources 60a, 60b, and left-side additional light sources 60c, 60d are integrally mounted on a single substrate 25. Of these light sources, the side light sources 50a, 50b and the additional light sources 60a-60d are mounted on the substrate 25 in a orientation different from that of the high-beam light sources 40a-40e. For example, the high-beam light sources 40a-40e are mounted with two adjacent sides in a rectangular shape aligned with the left-right and up-down directions of the motorcycle 100 body, respectively, while the side light sources 50a, 50b and the additional light sources 60a-60d are mounted rotated by a predetermined angle around the front-rear axis (optical axis Ax direction).

[0029] Specifically, the right-side light source 50a and the right-side additional light sources 60a and 60b are mounted in a state where they are rotated by a predetermined angle clockwise with respect to the front-rear axis compared to the state of the high-beam light sources 40a to 40e when viewed from the front of the substrate 25 as shown in Figure 5. The left-side light source 50b and the left-side additional light sources 60c and 60d are mounted in a state where they are rotated by a predetermined angle counterclockwise with respect to the front-rear axis compared to the state of the high-beam light sources 40a to 40e when viewed from the front of the substrate 25 as shown in Figure 5. Therefore, when the body of the motorcycle 100 is tilted to the right, the right-side light source 50a and the right-side additional light sources 60a and 60b approach a state where two adjacent sides of the rectangular shape are aligned with the left-right and up-down directions of the vehicle body, and when the vehicle body is tilted to the left, the left-side light source 50b and the left-side additional light sources 60c and 60d approach a state where two adjacent sides of the rectangular shape are aligned with the left-right and up-down directions.

[0030] Each of the light sources 30, 40, 50, and 60 is independently controlled by the lamp control unit 5 in the ADB (Adaptive Driving Beam) mode described later.

[0031] Light emitted from the low beam light sources 30a-30d, high beam light sources 40a-40e, right-side light source 50a, left-side light source 50b, right-side additional light sources 60a, 60b, and left-side additional light sources 60c, 60d is transmitted through a single projection lens 21 and projected in front of the lamp (outside the vehicle).

[0032] Next, the light distribution pattern formed by the headlamp 1 mounted on the motorcycle 100 will be explained with reference to Figures 6 to 9.

[0033] Figure 6 shows the light distribution pattern P0 formed when all of the light sources 24 (30, 40, 50, 60) mounted on the headlamp 1 are illuminated. The light distribution pattern P0 shows the light distribution pattern formed on a virtual vertical screen placed at a predetermined position in front of the headlamp 1, for example, 25 m in front of the headlamp 1. In the figure, HH represents the horizontal direction of the road on which the motorcycle 100 is traveling. The light distribution pattern P0 includes the low beam light distribution pattern PL, the high beam light distribution pattern PH, and the lateral light distribution pattern PS.

[0034] In the light distribution pattern P0, the low beam light distribution pattern PL is the light distribution pattern formed by the low beam light source 30 (30a to 30d).

[0035] In the light distribution pattern P0, the high beam light distribution pattern PH is a light distribution pattern formed by a high beam light source 40 (40a to 40e) and a side light source 50 (right side light source 50a, left side light source 50b). The high beam light distribution pattern PH consists of horizontally parallel high beam partial patterns PHa to PHe and side partial patterns PS1 (PS1a, PS1b) of the side patterns PS which are parallel on both sides of the high beam partial patterns PHa to PHe. The high beam partial patterns PHa to PHe are each formed by high beam light sources 40a to 40e. The side partial pattern PS1a, located to the left of the high beam partial pattern PHa, is formed by the right side light source 50a. The side partial pattern PS1b, located to the right of the high beam partial pattern PHe, is formed by the left side light source 50b.

[0036] In the light distribution pattern P0, the lateral light distribution pattern PS is a light distribution pattern formed by a lateral light source 50 (right lateral light source 50a, left lateral light source 50b) and an additional light source 60 (right additional light source 60a, 60b, left additional light source 60c, 60d). The lateral light distribution pattern PS is composed of a lateral partial pattern PS1 and an additional light distribution pattern PS2 formed above the lateral partial pattern PS1. Specifically, of the lateral light distribution patterns PS formed on the left and right sides of the high beam light distribution pattern PH, the left lateral light distribution pattern PSL is composed of additional light distribution patterns PS2a, PS2b which are parallel in the vertical direction, and a lateral partial pattern PS1a which is parallel below the additional light distribution patterns PS2a, PS2b. The right lateral light distribution pattern PSR is composed of additional light distribution patterns PS2c, PS2d which are parallel in the vertical direction, and a lateral partial pattern PS1b which is parallel below the additional light distribution patterns PS2c, PS2d. The additional light distribution patterns PS2a and PS2b on the left side are formed by the additional light sources 60a and 60b on the right side, respectively. The additional light distribution patterns PS2c and PS2d on the right side are formed by the additional light sources 60c and 60d on the left side, respectively. Of the lateral light distribution patterns PS, the additional light distribution patterns PS2a, PS2b, PS2c, and PS2d are light distribution patterns formed to the side of the high beam light distribution pattern PH when the body of the motorcycle 100 is banked in either the left or right direction.

[0037] As described above, in the light distribution pattern P0, the lateral portion pattern PS1 (PS1a, PS1b) is a light distribution pattern formed by the lateral light source 50 (right lateral light source 50a, left lateral light source 50b). The lateral portion pattern PS1 (PS1a, PS1b) is a light distribution pattern that serves as both a part of the high beam light distribution pattern PH and a part of the lateral light distribution pattern PS. The left lateral portion pattern PS1a works in cooperation with the high beam portion patterns PHa to PHe to form the high beam light distribution pattern PH, and also works in cooperation with the additional light distribution patterns PS2a and PS2b to form the left lateral light distribution pattern PSL. The lateral portion pattern PS1b works in cooperation with the high beam portion patterns PHa to PHe to form the high beam light distribution pattern PH, and also works in cooperation with the lateral portion patterns PS2c and PS2d to form the right lateral light distribution pattern PSR. In other words, the side light sources 50 (right side light source 50a, left side light source 50b) together with the high beam light distribution pattern PH form the side light distribution pattern PS (PSL, PSR).

[0038] Furthermore, the lateral partial patterns PS1 (PS1a, PS1b) are formed such that a portion of them (for example, the lower part of the light distribution pattern) overlaps with the low beam light distribution pattern PL. In other words, the lateral light sources 50 (right lateral light source 50a, left lateral light source 50b) are mounted on the substrate 25 so as to emit light formed by the lateral partial patterns PS1 (PS1a, PS1b), which are part of the lateral light distribution pattern PS, partially overlapping with the low beam light distribution pattern PL.

[0039] In the ADB mode executed by the lamp control unit 5, the light distribution pattern P0 can be formed in different forms depending on the situation of the vehicle itself, oncoming vehicles, vehicles ahead, or pedestrians, by combining the formation and non-formation of various light distribution patterns PL, PH, and PS.

[0040] For example, in ADB mode, the lamp control unit 5 detects the status of oncoming vehicles, including their presence and location (distance from the motorcycle 100 to the oncoming vehicle, position coordinates of the oncoming vehicle on a virtual vertical screen, etc.) based on environmental information acquired by the external sensor 7. The lamp control unit 5 also detects the status of the vehicle itself, for example, based on the vehicle's tilt angle information acquired by the bank angle sensor 6. Furthermore, the lamp control unit 5 detects the status of the vehicle itself, including whether it is moving or stopped, based on speed information acquired by the speed sensor 8. Based on the information acquired by the external sensor 7, the bank angle sensor 6, and the speed sensor 8, the lamp control unit 5 individually controls the on / off or increase / decrease of the light intensity of various light sources 24 (30, 40, 50, 60), forming a light distribution pattern according to each situation.

[0041] Figure 7 shows the light distribution pattern P1 formed in front of the headlamp 1 when the motorcycle 100 is moving straight, that is, when the motorcycle 100 is traveling with its body approximately perpendicular to the road surface. Note that when the motorcycle 100 is traveling with its body approximately perpendicular to the road surface, this includes, for example, when the tilt of the vehicle body is less than ±10 degrees relative to the vertical position of the vehicle body.

[0042] As shown in Figure 7, the light distribution pattern P1 of the motorcycle 100 when moving straight is formed by the low beam light distribution pattern PL and the high beam light distribution pattern PH (high beam partial patterns PHa to PHe, lateral partial patterns PS1a, PS1b). When the motorcycle 100 is moving straight, the lateral partial patterns PS2a, PS2b in the left lateral light distribution pattern PSL and the lateral partial patterns PS2c, PS2d in the right lateral light distribution pattern PSR are not formed. In the light distribution pattern P1, the lamp control unit 5 controls the high beam light sources 40a to 40e so that their light intensity reaches the maximum light intensity (100%). In addition, in the light distribution pattern P1, the lamp control unit 5 controls the right lateral light source 50a and the left lateral light source 50b, which together form the lateral partial pattern PS1 (PS1a, PS1b) with the high beam light distribution pattern PH, so that their light intensity reaches approximately 30% of the maximum light intensity.

[0043] Figures 8 and 9 show the light distribution patterns P2 and P3 formed in front of the headlamp 1 when the motorcycle 100 is in a cornering state, in this example, when the motorcycle is leaning to the right relative to the road surface in order to travel through a right-hand corner. Light distribution pattern P2 in Figure 8 is the light distribution pattern formed when the motorcycle is leaning slightly to the right (e.g., 10 degrees) relative to the road surface. Light distribution pattern P3 in Figure 9 is the light distribution pattern formed when the motorcycle is leaning significantly to the right (e.g., 20 degrees) relative to the road surface.

[0044] As shown in Figure 8, when the vehicle is banked 10 degrees to the right, the light distribution pattern P2 is formed by the low beam light distribution pattern PL, the high beam light distribution pattern PH (high beam partial patterns PHa~PHe, lateral partial patterns PS1a,PS1b), and the lateral light distribution pattern PSR (lateral partial pattern PS1b, additional light distribution pattern PSd).

[0045] When the vehicle is banked 10 degrees to the right, the lamp control unit 5 controls the left-side light source 50b, which forms the lateral portion pattern PS1b on the same side (right side) as the bank direction in the high beam light distribution pattern PH of the light distribution pattern P2, so that its light intensity is approximately 50% of the maximum light intensity. In other words, the lamp control unit 5 increases the light intensity of the left-side light source 50b compared to the light intensity of the left-side light source 50b when the vehicle is moving straight (approximately 30% of the maximum light intensity). On the other hand, the lamp control unit 5 controls the right-side light source 50a, which forms the lateral portion pattern PS1a on the opposite side (left side) of the bank direction, so that its light intensity is approximately 15% of the maximum light intensity. In other words, the lamp control unit 5 decreases the light intensity of the right-side light source 50a compared to the light intensity of the right-side light source 50a when the vehicle is moving straight (approximately 30% of the maximum light intensity).

[0046] Furthermore, in the light distribution pattern P2 when the vehicle is banked 10 degrees to the right, the lamp control unit 5 controls the high beam light source 40a that forms the high beam portion pattern PHa on the opposite side (left side) from the banking direction among the high beam portion patterns PHa to PHe so that its light intensity is approximately 50% of the maximum light intensity. In light distribution pattern P2, the light intensity of the high beam light sources 40b to 40e that form the high beam portion patterns PHb to PHe is kept at the maximum light intensity (100%), similar to the light distribution pattern P1 when the motorcycle 100 is moving straight.

[0047] Furthermore, in the light distribution pattern P2, the lamp control unit 5 lights the left-side additional light source 60d so that the additional light distribution pattern PS2d, which is close to the lateral portion pattern PS1b, is formed among the additional light distribution patterns PS2c and PS2d that constitute a part of the lateral light distribution pattern PSR on the same side as the bank direction (right side). When the vehicle body is banked 10 degrees to the right, the additional light distribution pattern PSc, which is far from the lateral portion pattern PS1b, and the additional light distribution patterns PSa and PSb, which constitute a part of the lateral light distribution pattern PSL on the opposite side of the bank direction (left side), are not formed.

[0048] As shown in Figure 9, when the vehicle is banked 20 degrees to the right, the light distribution pattern P3 is formed by the low beam light distribution pattern PL, the high beam light distribution pattern PH (high beam partial pattern PHb~PHe, lateral partial pattern PS1b), and the lateral light distribution pattern PSR (lateral partial pattern PS1b, additional light distribution patterns PS2c, PS2d).

[0049] In the light distribution pattern P3 when the vehicle is banked 20 degrees to the right, the lamp control unit 5 controls the light output of the left-side light source 50b, which forms the lateral portion pattern PS1b on the same side (right side) as the bank direction in the high beam light distribution pattern PH of light distribution pattern P3, so that its light output reaches the maximum light output (100%). In other words, the lamp control unit 5 further increases the light output of the left-side light source 50b compared to the light output of the left-side light source 50b in the case of light distribution pattern P2 when the vehicle bank angle is 10 degrees (approximately 50% of the maximum light output). On the other hand, the lamp control unit 5 controls the light output of the right-side light source 50a, which forms the lateral portion pattern PS1a on the opposite side (left side) of the bank direction, so that its light output reaches 0% (off). In other words, the lamp control unit 5 further decreases the light output of the right-side light source 50a compared to the light output of the right-side light source 50a in the case of pattern P2 (approximately 15% of the maximum light output).

[0050] Furthermore, in the light distribution pattern P3, the lamp control unit 5 controls the high beam light source 40a that forms the high beam portion pattern PHa on the opposite side (left side) from the bank direction among the high beam portion patterns PHa to PHe, so that its light output becomes 0% (off). In other words, the lamp control unit 5 further reduces the light output of the high beam light source 40a compared to the light output of the high beam light source 40a in the case of pattern P2 (approximately 50% of the maximum light output).

[0051] Furthermore, in the light distribution pattern P3, the lamp control unit 5 lights the left-side additional light source 60c so that not only the additional light distribution pattern PS2d, which is closest to the lateral portion pattern PS1b, but also the next closest additional light distribution pattern PS2c is formed on the same side (right side) as the bank direction. Also, in the case of light distribution pattern P3, the additional light distribution patterns PS2a, PS2b) on the opposite side (left side) from the bank direction are not formed. Note that in light distribution pattern P3, the light intensity of the left-side additional light source 60d that forms the additional light distribution pattern PS2d, which is closest to the lateral portion pattern PS1b, may be increased compared to the light intensity of the left-side additional light source 60d in the case of pattern P2.

[0052] In this example, the case where the vehicle body bankes to the right has been described, but when the vehicle body bankes to the left, the lamp control unit 5 controls the light intensity of the light sources on the same side as the banking direction and on the opposite side in the same manner as described above. Also, in this example, the cases where the vehicle body is moving straight, banked by 10 degrees, and banked by 20 degrees have been described, but for example, between the straight state and the 10-degree bank, and between the 10-degree and 20-degree bank, the light intensity of each light source may be gradually increased or decreased according to the amount of banking. Alternatively, the light intensity of each light source may be increased or decreased in stages so that the light intensity of the light sources from the straight state to the 10-degree bank is the same, and the light intensity of the light sources from the 10-degree bank to the 20-degree bank is the same.

[0053] As described above, the headlamp (vehicle light fixture) 1 according to this embodiment is installed on a motorcycle 100 that travels around corners by tilting the vehicle body in the direction of the turn. The headlamp 1 integrally includes a low beam light source 30 (30a to 30d) that forms a low beam light distribution pattern PL, a high beam light source 40 (40a to 40e) that forms a high beam light distribution pattern PH (high beam partial pattern PHa to PHe), and a lateral light source 50 (50a, 50b) that, together with the high beam light distribution pattern PH, forms lateral partial patterns PS1a, PS1b, which are part of the lateral light distribution pattern PS, to the side of the high beam light distribution pattern PH. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a headlamp 1 that integrates a lateral light distribution function in addition to the low beam function and the high beam function. Therefore, compared to conventional headlamps in which at least one of the low-beam light source, high-beam light source, and side light source is mounted separately, it is possible to provide a smaller and less expensive headlamp 1 for vehicles that lean their body in the direction of turning to navigate corners (for example, saddle-type vehicles). As a result, it becomes easier to install the headlamp 1 in new vehicle models.

[0054] Furthermore, the headlamp 1 is equipped with a single projection lens 21 that transmits light emitted from the low-beam light source 30 (30a to 30d), the high-beam light source 40 (40a to 40e), and the side light source 50 (50a, 50b) to project each light onto the outside of the vehicle. In this way, by using a single projection lens 21 in common for the low-beam light source 30, the high-beam light source 40, and the side light source 50, the headlamp 1 can be further miniaturized and its cost reduced.

[0055] Furthermore, according to the headlamp 1, the high beam light source 40 includes a plurality of high beam light sources 40a to 40e (an example of a first light-emitting element) arranged in parallel in the left-right direction, and the side light source 50 includes side light sources 50a and 50b (an example of a second light-emitting element) respectively, which are arranged on both outer sides in the left-right direction of the plurality of high beam light sources 40a to 40e. In this way, the side light sources 50 (50a, 50b) can be positioned at appropriate locations for forming the high beam light distribution pattern PH and the side light distribution pattern PS.

[0056] Furthermore, in the headlamp 1, the high beam light sources 40a to 40e and the side light sources 50a and 50b are each composed of rectangular chip-type light-emitting elements, and the side light sources 50a and 50b are mounted on the substrate 25 in a different orientation from the high beam light sources 40a to 40e. The side light distribution pattern PS is a light distribution pattern formed to supplementally illuminate the sides of the high beam light distribution pattern PH when the vehicle body is banked. Therefore, by mounting the side light sources 50a and 50b on the substrate 25 in a different orientation from the high beam light sources 40a to 40e (for example, rotated by a predetermined angle), the shape of the side light distribution pattern PS visible to the driver of the motorcycle 100 when the vehicle body is banked can be made good.

[0057] Furthermore, in the headlamp 1, the side light sources 50a and 50b are positioned such that a portion of the side light distribution pattern PS (side partial patterns PS1a and PS1b) overlaps with the low beam light distribution pattern PL. In this example, since the orientation of the side light sources 50a and 50b is rotated and mounted on the substrate 25, if the low beam light distribution pattern PL and the side partial patterns PS1a and PS1b are not made to overlap, there is a possibility that an unilluminated area will occur between the two light distribution patterns. By positioning the side light sources 50a and 50b such that a portion of the side partial patterns PS1a and PS1b overlaps with the low beam light distribution pattern PL, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of an unilluminated area between the low beam light distribution pattern PL and the side partial patterns PS1a and PS1b when the orientation of the side light sources 50a and 50b is rotated and mounted on the substrate 25.

[0058] Furthermore, the headlamp 1 is further equipped with an additional light source 60 that forms a lateral light distribution pattern PS together with the lateral light sources 50a and 50b. The lateral light sources 50a and 50b and the additional light source 60 (right-side additional light sources 60a and 60b, left-side additional light sources 60c and 60d) are arranged in parallel in the vertical direction. In vehicles such as motorcycles 100 that lean into corners, the high beam light distribution pattern PH also tilts with respect to the horizontal direction as the bank angle of the vehicle body increases, which can result in insufficient light output from the high beam in the direction of the turn, reducing long-distance visibility. In contrast, with the configuration of this embodiment, by using the additional light source 60 to form the additional light distribution patterns PS2a, PS2b, PS2c, and PS2d within the lateral light distribution pattern PS, forward visibility when the vehicle body is banked can be maintained.

[0059] Furthermore, the headlamp 1 further includes a lamp control unit 5 that controls at least the side light source 50 according to the banking state of the motorcycle 100's body. The side light source 50 includes a left side light source 50b positioned to the left of the high beam light source 40 (40a to 40e) and a right side light source 50a positioned to the right of the high beam light source 40 (40a to 40e). In this example, the right side light source 50a is a light source that forms a left-sided lateral light distribution pattern to the left of the high beam light distribution pattern PH (an example of a left-side illuminating light source), and the left side light source 50b is a light source that forms a right-sided lateral light distribution pattern to the right of the high beam light distribution pattern PH (an example of a right-side illuminating light source). When the vehicle body is banked to either the left or right, the lamp control unit 5 increases the light intensity of the lateral light source (an example of the first lateral light source) that forms the lateral light distribution pattern PS (an example of the first lateral light distribution pattern) on the same side as the vehicle's banking direction, and decreases the light intensity of the lateral light source (an example of the second lateral light source) that forms the lateral light distribution pattern PS (an example of the second lateral light distribution pattern) on the opposite side of the banking direction. This configuration improves forward visibility on the banking direction side when the vehicle is banked. Furthermore, by cutting (turning off / dimming) unnecessary light distribution on the opposite side of the banking direction, it is possible to reduce glare and power consumption. In this way, a novel light distribution pattern can be formed in a headlamp 1 that combines high beam and lateral light distribution functions, which can simultaneously improve forward visibility and reduce glare and power consumption.

[0060] Furthermore, according to the headlamp 1, the lamp control unit 5 increases the light intensity of the lateral light source on the same side as the banking direction as the banking angle of the vehicle body increases, while decreasing the light intensity of the lateral light source on the opposite side as the banking angle increases. By gradually increasing the light intensity of the lateral light source 50 that forms the lateral light distribution pattern PS on the banking direction side, and gradually decreasing the light intensity of the lateral light source 50 that forms the lateral light distribution pattern PS on the opposite side as the banking angle of the vehicle body increases, the brightness of the light distribution pattern can be smoothly changed, further improving forward visibility on the banking direction side.

[0061] Furthermore, according to the headlamp 1, the lamp control unit 5 lights up the additional light sources 60 that form the lateral light distribution pattern PS on the same side as the vehicle's banking direction, from among the multiple left-side additional light sources 60c, 60d and multiple right-side additional light sources 60a, 60b, in order from the side closest to the lateral light source 50, in accordance with the increase in the vehicle's banking angle. When the vehicle banks, the high beam light distribution pattern and the lateral light distribution pattern also tilt with respect to the horizontal direction as the banking angle increases, which can result in insufficient light in the direction of the turn and a decrease in long-distance visibility. With the above configuration, by sequentially lighting up the multiple additional light sources 60 (right-side additional light sources 60a, 60b, left-side additional light sources 60c, 60d) in accordance with the change in the vehicle's banking state, the decrease in long-distance visibility associated with an increase in banking angle can be suppressed.

[0062] Furthermore, according to the headlamp 1, when the vehicle body is banked to either the left or right, the lamp control unit 5 reduces the light intensity of the high beam light source 40 (40a to 40e), which consists of multiple light-emitting elements arranged in parallel in the left and right directions, and which forms the high beam light distribution pattern PH (high beam partial pattern PHa to PHe) on the opposite side of the banking direction. With this configuration, the light intensity of the high beam light source 40 (40a to 40e) can be changed in response to changes in the banking state of the vehicle body, so that a high beam light distribution pattern PH can be formed that further reduces glare and power consumption.

[0063] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it goes without saying that the technical scope of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited by the description of these embodiments. These embodiments are merely examples, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications to the embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention as described in the claims. The technical scope of the present invention should be determined based on the scope of the invention as described in the claims and the scope of its equivalents.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the low-beam light source 30 (30a to 30d), high-beam light source 40 (40a to 40e), side light source 50 (right-side light source 50a, left-side light source 50b), and additional light source 60 (right-side additional light sources 60a, 60b, left-side additional light sources 60c, 60d) are integrally mounted on a single substrate 25, but this is not the only example. For example, they may be appropriately distributed and mounted on multiple substrates.

[0065] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the light emitted from the low-beam light source 30, the high-beam light source 40, the side light source 50, and the additional light source 60 passes through the projection lens 21 and is inverted vertically to form a predetermined light distribution pattern on a virtual vertical screen in front of the vehicle. For this reason, on the substrate 25, the high-beam light source 40 is positioned below the low-beam light source 30, the right-side light source 50a, which forms the left-side light distribution pattern PSL, is positioned to the right and outside of the high-beam light source 40, and the left-side light source 50b, which forms the right-side light distribution pattern PSR, is positioned to the left and outside of the high-beam light source 40. In addition, the additional light source 60 is positioned below the left and right side light sources 50a and 50b. However, the mounting position of each light source on the substrate 25 is not limited to the above configuration. For example, by changing the configuration of the reflector 26 and projection lens 21, if the light emitted from the low-beam light source 30, high-beam light source 40, side light source 50 and additional light source 60 passes through the projection lens 21 and forms a light distribution pattern on a virtual vertical screen without being inverted vertically, the substrate 25 may be configured such that the high-beam light source is placed above the low-beam light source, the side light sources are placed to the left and right of the high-beam light source 40, and the additional light sources are placed above the left and right side light sources. In other words, as long as the low-beam light source 30, high-beam light source 40, side light source 50, and more preferably the additional light source 60 are integrally provided, the specific arrangement configuration of the various light sources on the substrate 25 can be changed as appropriate.

[0066] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the low-beam light source 30, high-beam light source 40, side light source 50, and additional light source 60 are controlled by a single lamp control unit 5, but each light source may be controlled by a separate lamp control unit. In addition, the headlamp 1 may include an integrated lighting unit provided on the left side of the vehicle body 100 and an integrated lighting unit provided on the right side of the vehicle body. These two integrated lighting units may be controlled by a single lamp control unit 5. Alternatively, the headlamp 1 may have two lamp control units 5, and each integrated lighting unit may be controlled by a corresponding individual lamp control unit 5. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the number of each light source was set to four low beams 30, five high beams 40, one side light source 50 on each side, and two additional light sources 60 on each side. However, the number of each light source is not limited to this and may be increased or decreased.

[0067] Furthermore, although the above embodiment discloses a configuration in which the lamp control unit 5, bank angle sensor 6, and external sensor 7 are housed within the lamp chamber of the headlamp 1, the invention is not limited to this example. The lamp control unit 5, bank angle sensor 6, and external sensor 7 may be arranged separately from the headlamp 1. Moreover, the integrated lighting unit 2 may be directly attached to the front of the motorcycle 100 without the provision of the lamp body 11 or front cover 12 of the headlamp 1.

[0068] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-035681 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-035682, both filed on March 5, 2021, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A lighting device used in saddle-type vehicles that lean their bodies in the direction of the turn to navigate corners, A low-beam light source that forms a low-beam light distribution pattern, A high-beam light source that forms a high-beam light distribution pattern, At least one side light source that forms a side light distribution pattern to the side of the high beam light distribution pattern, The vehicle comprises a control unit that controls at least the side light source according to the bank state of the vehicle body, The high beam light distribution pattern includes a plurality of high beam sub-patterns arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction. The high-beam light source includes a plurality of first light-emitting elements arranged in parallel in the left-right direction, The plurality of first light-emitting elements include a left-end first light-emitting element provided at the left end of the plurality of first light-emitting elements, a right-end first light-emitting element provided at the right end of the plurality of first light-emitting elements, and a central first light-emitting element positioned between the left-end first light-emitting element and the right-end first light-emitting element. The side light source includes at least one second light-emitting element, each positioned on the left and right outer sides of the plurality of first light-emitting elements. The second light-emitting element of the side light source includes a left-side illuminating light source that forms a left-side lateral light distribution pattern to the left of the high beam light distribution pattern, and a right-side illuminating light source that forms a right-side lateral light distribution pattern to the right of the high beam light distribution pattern. The control unit, when the vehicle body is banked in either the left or right direction, increases the light intensity of the first lateral light source that forms the first lateral light distribution pattern on the same side as the banking direction of the vehicle body, decreases the light intensity of the second lateral light source that forms the second lateral light distribution pattern on the opposite side of the banking direction, and further decreases the light intensity of the light-emitting elements that form the high beam portion pattern on the opposite side of the banking direction, among the leftmost first light-emitting element and the rightmost first light-emitting element. This is a lighting device used in a saddle-type vehicle.

2. The low-beam light source, the high-beam light source, and the side light source are provided integrally. A lighting device for a saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a single optical member that transmits light emitted from at least one low-beam light source, light emitted from at least one high-beam light source, and light emitted from at least one side light source, respectively, and illuminates each light to the outside of the vehicle.

3. The plurality of first light-emitting elements and the second light-emitting elements are each composed of rectangular chip-type light-emitting elements and are mounted on a substrate. The lighting device used in a saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the second light-emitting element is arranged to face a different orientation from the plurality of first light-emitting elements.

4. The lamp used in a saddle-type vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the second light-emitting element is arranged such that a portion of the lateral light distribution pattern overlaps with the low beam light distribution pattern.

5. The system further comprises at least one additional light source that forms the lateral light distribution pattern together with at least one of the lateral light sources, A lighting fixture used in a saddle-type vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one of the side light sources and at least one of the additional light sources are arranged in parallel in the vertical direction.

6. The control unit, When the vehicle body is banked in either the left or right direction, the light intensity of the central first light-emitting element is maintained. Furthermore, a lighting device used in a saddle-type vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, among the left-side illuminating light source and the right-side illuminating light source, the light intensity of the first lateral light source is increased as the bank angle of the vehicle body increases, while the light intensity of the second lateral light source is decreased as the bank angle increases.

7. The aforementioned additional light source is Multiple left-side additional light sources are arranged in parallel in the vertical direction with the left-side illuminating light source to form the lateral light distribution pattern together with the left-side illuminating light source, It includes a plurality of right-side additional light sources arranged in parallel in the vertical direction with the right-side illuminating light source, which together form the lateral light distribution pattern with the right-side illuminating light source, The control unit, A lighting device used in a saddle-type vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the additional light sources that form the first lateral light distribution pattern among the plurality of left-side additional light sources and the plurality of right-side additional light sources are illuminated sequentially from the side closest to the first lateral light source in accordance with the increase in the bank angle of the vehicle body.

8. The side light source includes a left side light source positioned to the left of the high beam light source and a right side light source positioned to the right of the high beam light source. A lighting device used in a saddle-type vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the left-side light source is one of the left-side illuminating light source and the right-side illuminating light source, and the right-side light source is the other of the left-side illuminating light source and the right-side illuminating light source.

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