Vehicle lamp

Abstract

A vehicle lamp (10) comprises: a housing (16); a lamp unit (18) that is disposed inside the housing (16); a fulcrum part (20) that tiltably supports the lamp unit (18) with respect to the housing (16); a first actuator (21) provided with a first operating body that tilts the lamp unit (18) around the fulcrum part (20) in a first direction through linear advancement and retraction; and a second actuator (22) provided with a second operating body that tilts the lamp unit (18) around the fulcrum part (20) in a second direction different from the first direction through linear advancement and retraction.

Description

Vehicle lamp

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile.

[0002] Generally, a vehicle lamp such as a headlamp has an aiming mechanism for adjusting the optical axis direction. A typical aiming mechanism includes an aiming screw and a nut member screwed onto the aiming screw. The aiming screw is rotatably attached to the lamp body around the shaft portion of the aiming screw. The nut member is connected to a lamp unit on which a light source is mounted. By rotating the aiming screw, the nut member moves forward and backward in the extending direction of the shaft portion, and at the same time, the lamp unit is tilted to adjust the optical axis direction (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-55600

[0004] The inventor of the present invention has studied the aiming operation in a vehicle lamp having the above-described aiming mechanism and recognized the following problems. The above-described aiming mechanism is provided with a pair of aiming screws arranged side by side in the horizontal direction and an aiming fulcrum arranged directly below one of the aiming screws. This configuration enables adjustment of the optical axis direction in two directions, the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. By rotating the two aiming screws in the same direction, the lamp unit can be tilted around a horizontal axis passing through the aiming fulcrum to adjust the optical axis in the vertical direction. Further, by rotating the other aiming screw that does not have the aiming fulcrum directly below it, the lamp unit can be tilted around a vertical axis passing through the aiming fulcrum and one of the aiming screws to adjust the optical axis in the horizontal direction. These adjustment operations are manually performed in order by using a tool for rotating the aiming screw, such as a driver, during the vehicle manufacturing process or vehicle inspection. There is room for improvement in order to reduce the labor and time of the operator involved in a series of operations.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an exemplary object of one aspect thereof is to provide a vehicle lamp that enables two-way aiming using an actuator.

[0006] A vehicle lighting fixture according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a housing, a lamp unit disposed within the housing, a pivot point that tiltably supports the lamp unit relative to the housing, a first actuator having a first actuation body that tilts the lamp unit in a first direction around the pivot point by linear movement, and a second actuator having a second actuation body that tilts the lamp unit in a second direction different from the first direction around the pivot point by linear movement.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle lighting device that enables two-way aiming using an actuator.

[0008] This is a schematic front view showing a vehicle light fixture according to an embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing a vertical cross-section of the vehicle light fixture shown in Figure 1 along the line A-A. This is a schematic diagram showing a horizontal cross-section of the vehicle light fixture shown in Figure 1 along the line B-B. Figures 4(a) and 4(b) are schematic diagrams illustrating the action of the center of gravity of the lamp unit according to an embodiment. This is a schematic diagram illustrating the rotation axis of the lamp unit formed by the pivot point, first actuator and second actuator of the vehicle light fixture according to an embodiment. This is a schematic front view showing a modified vehicle light fixture. This is a schematic block diagram showing a vehicle light fixture according to an embodiment.

[0009] The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, based on preferred embodiments. The embodiments are illustrative and not limiting, and not all features or combinations thereof described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. The same or equivalent components, members, and processes shown in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the scale and shape of each part shown in each drawing are set for convenience to facilitate explanation and are not to be interpreted restrictively unless otherwise specified. In addition, terms such as "first," "second," etc., used in this specification or claims do not indicate any order or importance, but are used to distinguish one configuration from another. Furthermore, some components that are not important for explaining the embodiments are omitted in each drawing.

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic front view showing a vehicle light fixture 10 according to an embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a vertical cross-section of the vehicle light fixture 10 shown in Figure 1 along the line A-A. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing a horizontal cross-section of the vehicle light fixture 10 shown in Figure 1 along the line B-B.

[0011] The vehicle lighting device 10 is a vehicle headlight system having a pair of headlight units positioned on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle. The pair of headlight units have a generally symmetrical structure and are substantially identical in configuration, so Figure 1 shows the vehicle lighting device located on the left side when viewed from the front of the vehicle. Therefore, in Figure 1, the left side is on the outside in the vehicle width direction, and the right side is on the inside in the vehicle width direction.

[0012] For the sake of clarity, the terms "up / down direction," "front / back direction," and "left / right direction" may be used below to facilitate understanding of the positional relationships and operation of the components of the vehicle lighting fixture 10. The up / down direction refers to the vertical direction, that is, the direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The front / back direction and left / right direction refer to the front / back direction and left / right direction of the vehicle on which the vehicle lighting fixture 10 is mounted, respectively. Typically, the front / back direction and left / right direction are perpendicular to the up / down direction (parallel to the horizontal plane) and are orthogonal to each other. The front / back direction of the vehicle lighting fixture 10 corresponds to the left / right direction in Figure 2. In Figure 2, the left side is the front of the vehicle lighting fixture 10, and the right side is the rear of the vehicle lighting fixture 10.

[0013] The vehicle light fixture 10 comprises a lamp body 12 having a front opening 13, and a front cover 14 attached to the lamp body 12 so as to cover the front opening 13. The lamp body 12 is configured to be attachable to the vehicle body, and the front cover 14 is attached to the vehicle body via the lamp body 12. The lamp body 12 and the front cover 14 constitute the housing 16 of the vehicle light fixture 10, and the internal space of the housing 16 is formed as a light chamber 17. The lamp body 12 is made of a suitable synthetic resin material, such as a general-purpose resin material. The front opening 13 opens towards the front of the vehicle. The front cover 14 is made of a suitable translucent material, such as a translucent synthetic resin material or glass. The front cover 14 is also called an outer lens.

[0014] The vehicle lighting fixture 10 includes a lamp unit 18 located within the housing 16. When the lamp unit 18 is illuminated, the vehicle lighting fixture 10 functions as a headlight. The lamp unit 18 includes a light source 18a and at least one optical element (e.g., a reflector 18b, a projection lens 18c) for directing the light emitted by the light source 18a toward the front cover 14.

[0015] The light source 18a has a semiconductor light-emitting element such as a light-emitting diode (LED) or other light-emitting element. The reflector 18b has a reflective surface facing the light source 18a and is configured to reflect the light emitted from the light source 18a to the projection lens 18c. The reflective surface may be composed of, for example, a part of a spheroid or other suitable curved surface. The projection lens 18c is positioned in front of the light source 18a so as to project the reflected light from the reflector 18b forward onto the front of the lamp. The projection lens 18c is, for example, a plano-convex aspherical lens with a convex front surface and a flat rear surface, and is made of a suitable translucent material such as a translucent synthetic resin or glass. Therefore, the light emitted from the light source 18a is reflected by the reflective surface of the reflector 18b and directed towards the projection lens 18c. The light is emitted out of the vehicle lamp 10 through the projection lens 18c and the front cover 14.

[0016] The lamp unit 18 also includes a heat sink 18d. The heat sink 18d supports the light source 18a and is configured to dissipate the heat generated by the light source 18a. The heat sink 18d provides a support surface for supporting the light source 18a and may include at least one heat dissipation fin extending from this support surface toward the lamp body 12. The heat sink 18d is made of a metal material with high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and may be manufactured, for example, by die casting. The heat sink 18d also functions as a support member for supporting the optical components of the lamp unit 18. The optical components may be directly fixed to the heat sink 18d or attached to the heat sink 18d via appropriate mounting members such as brackets. For example, the reflector 18b may be directly fixed to the heat sink 18d by an appropriate fixing method, such as screwing. The projection lens 18c may be attached to the heat sink 18d via a lens mounting member 18e.

[0017] In this embodiment, for example, the lamp unit 18 may be an optical unit for a so-called projector-type headlamp, also known as a PES (Polyellipsoid System) type. The lamp unit 18 may also be an optical unit for other types of headlamps, such as a parabolic headlamp or a so-called blade-scan type headlamp that enables adaptive light distribution control using a high-speed rotating reflector. Since the lamp unit 18 can appropriately employ various known configurations, further details will not be described here.

[0018] The lamp unit 18 also includes a pivot point 20, a first actuator 21, and a second actuator 22. The pivot point 20, the first actuator 21, and the second actuator 22 are located at the rear of the lamp unit 18. The first actuator 21 and the second actuator 22 are located above the pivot point 20. As will be described later, the lamp unit 18 is tiltable relative to the housing 16 by the pivot point 20, the first actuator 21, and the second actuator 22.

[0019] The lamp unit 18 may include a first support 24 and a second support 26 positioned in front of the lamp body 12 within the lamp chamber 17. The first support 24 is positioned on the lamp unit 18 side, and the second support 26 is positioned on the lamp body 12 side. The first support 24 and the second support 26 can also be called the first bracket and the second bracket, respectively. The first support 24 and the second support 26 may be formed from a suitable synthetic resin material such as a general-purpose resin material, or a suitable metal material.

[0020] The first support 24 is attached to the rear of the lamp unit 18 (e.g., the heat sink 18d) by an appropriate mounting method, such as screw fastening, and is fixed to the lamp unit 18. The first support 24 is connected to the second support 26 by a pivot point 20, a first actuator 21, and a second actuator 22 so as to be tiltable relative to the second support 26. The second support 26 is connected to the lamp body 12. The second support 26 may be fixed immovably to the lamp body 12 by an appropriate mounting method, such as screw fastening.

[0021] The pivot point 20 supports the lamp unit 18 so that it can tilt relative to the housing 16. The pivot point 20 has a pivot member 28 and a pivot support part 30 which are connected to form a so-called ball joint structure.

[0022] The pivot member 28 has a spherical body 28a and a mounting portion 28b. The spherical body 28a is fixed to the housing 16 and connected to the lamp unit 18 to allow tilting of the lamp unit 18. The spherical body 28a is a spherical portion formed at the tip of the mounting portion 28b and may have a diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of the mounting portion 28b. The spherical body 28a is fixed to the second support 26 by the mounting portion 28b. The mounting portion 28b may be a shaft portion extending from the spherical body 28a, having a threaded portion on its outer circumference and being screwed into a corresponding mounting hole 26a of the second support 26.

[0023] The pivot support portion 30 is a bearing that supports the spherical body 28a of the pivot member 28. The pivot support portion 30 has a fitting hole into which the spherical body 28a of the pivot member 28 is fitted. When the spherical body 28a is fitted into this fitting hole, the spherical body 28a makes slidable contact with the fitting hole. The pivot support portion 30 is fixed to the first support 24. Therefore, when the pivot support portion 30 slides against the spherical body 28a, the first support 24 and thus the lamp unit 18 can tilt relative to the second support 26.

[0024] The pivot member 28 may be made of a suitable metal material, such as stainless steel. The pivot support portion 30 may be made of a synthetic resin material with excellent sliding properties, such as engineering plastic.

[0025] Note that the relative positions of the pivot member 28 and the pivot support portion 30 may be reversed. In other words, the pivot member 28 may be provided on the lamp unit 18 side (for example, the first support 24), and the pivot support portion 30 may be provided on the housing 16 side (for example, the second support 26).

[0026] The first actuator 21 comprises a first actuator 21a, a first housing 21b, a first transmission mechanism 21c, and a first drive source 21d. The first actuator 21 is a linear actuator that outputs the linear motion of the first actuator 21a.

[0027] The first actuator 21a is configured to tilt the ramp unit 18 in a first direction around the pivot point 20 by moving linearly back and forth. The first housing 21b supports the first actuator 21a so that it can move back and forth, and also houses the first transmission mechanism 21c and the first drive source 21d.

[0028] The first actuator 21a has a first spherical tip portion 32a formed at one end and a first shaft portion 34a extending from the first spherical tip portion 32a to the first housing 21b. The first spherical tip portion 32a is connected to the lamp unit 18 so as to allow tilting of the lamp unit 18 relative to the first actuator 21a. The first spherical tip portion 32a is a spherical portion formed at the tip of the first shaft portion 34a and may have a diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of the first shaft portion 34a. The first spherical tip portion 32a is connected to a mating member 38 so as to constitute a so-called ball joint structure. The mating member 38 is a bearing that supports the first spherical tip portion 32a. The mating member 38 has a fitting hole into which the first spherical tip portion 32a is fitted. When the first spherical tip portion 32a is fitted into this fitting hole, the first spherical tip portion 32a slidably contacts the fitting hole. The mating member 38 is fixed to the first support 24.

[0029] The first actuator 21a may be made of a suitable metal material such as stainless steel. The mating member 38 may be made of a synthetic resin material with excellent sliding properties, such as engineering plastic.

[0030] In the illustrated example, the first spherical tip portion 32a is aligned with the spherical body 28a of the pivot portion 20 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle light fixture 10. Alternatively, the first spherical tip portion 32a may be positioned away from the spherical body 28a of the pivot portion 20 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle light fixture 10.

[0031] The first housing 21b is attached to the back of the second support 26 and is positioned in the space between the second support 26 and the lamp body 12. The second support 26 is provided with an opening 26b, and the first actuator 21a extends from the opening 26b toward the mating member 38 of the first support 24 along the front-rear direction (left-right direction in Figure 2) of the vehicle light fixture 10. The first actuator 21a is positioned in the space between the first support 24 and the second support 26.

[0032] The first transmission mechanism 21c is configured to transmit the driving force generated by the first drive source 21d to the first actuator 21a. The first drive source 21d may be, for example, an electric motor that outputs rotational motion. The first transmission mechanism 21c may connect the first drive source 21d to the first actuator 21a so as to decelerate the rotational motion from the first drive source 21d and convert it into linear motion, and then operate the first actuator 21a with this linear motion. The first transmission mechanism 21c may include one or more gears for deceleration and motion conversion.

[0033] Therefore, when the first drive source 21d is driven, the first actuator 21 moves the first actuator 21a linearly along the front-rear direction of the vehicle light fixture 10 via the first transmission mechanism 21c. When the first actuator 21a moves forward and backward, the mating member 38 slides against the first spherical tip portion 32a, thereby causing the first support 24 and, consequently the lamp unit 18, to tilt in a first direction around the pivot point 20 relative to the lamp body 12, i.e., the housing 16.

[0034] The second actuator 22 has the same configuration as the first actuator 21. Therefore, the second actuator 22 comprises a second actuator 22a, a second housing 22b, a second transmission mechanism 22c, and a second drive source 22d. The second actuator 22 is a linear actuator that outputs the linear motion of the second actuator 22a. The second actuator 22a is configured to tilt the ramp unit 18 around the pivot point 20 in a second direction different from the first direction by linear advance and retraction. The second actuator 22a comprises a second spherical tip 32b and a second shaft 34b. The second spherical tip 32b is connected to the ramp unit 18 so as to allow the ramp unit 18 to tilt relative to the second actuator 22a. The second transmission mechanism 22c is configured to transmit the driving force generated by the second drive source 22d to the second actuator 22a. The second transmission mechanism 22c may include one or more gears for reduction and motion conversion.

[0035] Similar to the first actuator 21, when the second drive source 22d is driven, the second actuator 22 moves the second actuator 22a linearly along the front-rear direction of the vehicle light fixture 10 via the second transmission mechanism 22c. When the second actuator 22a moves forward and backward, the mating member 38 slides against the second spherical tip portion 32b, thereby causing the first support 24 and, consequently the lamp unit 18, to tilt in a second direction around the pivot point 20 relative to the lamp body 12, i.e., the housing 16.

[0036] Incidentally, due to various factors such as manufacturing tolerances, backlash may exist between the meshing gears inside the first actuator 21 and the second actuator 22. Backlash can exist in each actuator, for example, between the actuator and the transmission mechanism, within the transmission mechanism, or between the transmission mechanism and the drive source. Ideally, backlash can be ignored, so the entire amount of drive generated by the drive source is transmitted to the actuator via the transmission mechanism, causing the actuator to move linearly. However, if the backlash is of a magnitude that cannot be ignored, a portion of the amount of drive generated by the drive source will be canceled out by the backlash. As a result, the amount of linear movement of the actuator will not reach the original magnitude corresponding to the amount of drive from the drive source, and the intended tilting of the lamp unit 18 will not be produced, and consequently, the desired optical axis adjustment will not be achieved.

[0037] To address these concerns, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the center of gravity 19 of the lamp unit 18 is positioned away from the vertical line 29 passing through the spherical body 28a of the pivot point 20. For example, the spherical body 28a is positioned behind the center of gravity 19 of the lamp unit 18 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle light fixture 10. Typically, among the various parts constituting the lamp unit 18, the heat sink 18d is the heaviest and accounts for the majority of the weight of the lamp unit 18. Therefore, the center of gravity 19 of the lamp unit 18 is determined by the design of the heat sink 18d and is typically located within the heat sink 18d, as shown in the figure.

[0038] Figures 4(a) and 4(b) schematically illustrate the operation of the center of gravity 19 of the lamp unit 18 according to an embodiment.

[0039] Figure 4(a) schematically shows the positional relationship shown in Figure 2 between the center of gravity 19 of the lamp unit 18, the spherical body 28a of the pivot point 20, and the first spherical tip 32a of the first actuator 21. Gravity 40 acts on the center of gravity 19 of the lamp unit 18. As described above, the first spherical tip 32a is connected to the lamp unit 18 via the first support 24 and the mating member 38, so a moment 42 acts on the first spherical tip 32a around the pivot point 20 due to gravity 40. Since the spherical body 28a of the pivot point 20 is positioned behind and below the center of gravity 19, the moment 42 is generated counterclockwise in the figure and acts to pull the first actuator 21a out of the first housing 21b. The pulling of the first actuator 21a by the moment 42 can reduce or eliminate any backlash that may exist in the first actuator 21. This can improve the accuracy of optical axis adjustment.

[0040] It will be understood that the moment 42 acts similarly on the second actuator 22. That is, the moment 42 acts to pull the second actuator 22a of the second actuator 22 away from the second housing 22b. By pulling the second actuator 22a due to the moment 42, any backlash that may exist within the second actuator 22 can be reduced or eliminated.

[0041] Such backlash reduction effects are not limited to the specific arrangements illustrated. For example, as shown in Figure 4(b), the spherical body 28a of the pivot 20 may be positioned above the center of gravity 19, and the first actuator 21 (and the second actuator 22) may be positioned below the center of gravity 19. The pivot 20, the first actuator 21, and the second actuator 22 may be positioned behind the center of gravity 19. In this case, the moment 42 acts to push the first actuator 21a into the first housing 21b. The pressure on the first actuator 21a by the moment 42 can reduce or eliminate any backlash that may exist within the first actuator 21. Similarly, backlash can be reduced or eliminated in the second actuator 22.

[0042] Similarly, even when the fulcrum portion 20, the first actuator 21, and the second actuator 22 are arranged in front of the center of gravity 19 of the lamp unit 18, the moment 42 about the fulcrum portion 20 caused by the gravity 40 acts to pull out the actuator body of each actuator from the housing or push it into the housing. Therefore, backlash that may exist in each actuator can be reduced or eliminated.

[0043] On the other hand, when the center of gravity 19 of the lamp unit 18 is located on the vertical line 29 passing through the spherical body 28a of the fulcrum portion 20, it will be understood that the gravity 40 does not generate a moment 42 about the fulcrum portion 20.

[0044] Therefore, by setting the center of gravity 19 of the lamp unit 18 at a position deviated from the vertical line 29, the moment 42 about the fulcrum portion 20 due to the gravity 40 can be made to act on the actuator body of each actuator, and the backlash in the actuator can be reduced or eliminated.

[0045] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the rotation axis of the lamp unit 18 formed by the fulcrum portion 20, the first actuator 21, and the second actuator 22 according to the embodiment. As understood from FIGS. 1 and 5, as an exemplary arrangement, the first spherical tip 32a of the first actuator 21 and the second spherical tip 32b of the second actuator 22 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction (i.e., the horizontal direction) of the vehicle lamp 10. The first spherical tip 32a is located on one side (the left side in FIG. 5) of the lamp unit 18, the second spherical tip 32b is located on the other side (the right side in FIG. 5) of the lamp unit 18, and the two spherical tips are at the same height in the vertical direction.

[0046] The spherical body 28a of the fulcrum portion 20 is arranged at a height different from that of the first spherical tip portion 32a and the second spherical tip portion 32b in the vertical direction, for example, below the first spherical tip portion 32a and the second spherical tip portion 32b. In the horizontal direction, the spherical body 28a is located at a position different from that of the first spherical tip portion 32a and the second spherical tip portion 32b. In this example, it is arranged in the middle between the first spherical tip portion 32a and the second spherical tip portion 32b. In other words, the spherical body 28a is arranged so as to form an isosceles triangle 44 having a line segment connecting the first spherical tip portion 32a and the second spherical tip portion 32b as the base 44a.

[0047] The first rotation axis 46a is set to pass through the first spherical tip portion 32a and the spherical body 28a, and the second rotation axis 46b is set to pass through the second spherical tip portion 32b and the spherical body 28a. Both the first rotation axis 46a and the second rotation axis 46b extend obliquely with respect to the horizontal line and the vertical line. The first rotation axis 46a and the second rotation axis 46b may be orthogonal to each other at the spherical body 28a, or may be non-orthogonal.

[0048] When the first actuator 21 is driven, the lamp unit 18 is tilted around the second rotation axis 46b by the linear movement of the first spherical tip portion 32a. At this time, since the second rotation axis 46b extends obliquely, the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 will move in both the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. Also, when the second actuator 22 is driven, the lamp unit 18 is tilted around the first rotation axis 46a by the linear movement of the second spherical tip portion 32b. At this time, since the first rotation axis 46a extends obliquely, the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 will move in both the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.

[0049] Therefore, by combining the movements of the first actuator 21 and the second actuator 22, the lamp unit 18 can be tilted around an arbitrary rotation axis passing through the spherical body 28a within the plane determined by the three points of the spherical body 28a, the first spherical tip portion 32a, and the second spherical tip portion 32b, and the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 can be adjusted in an arbitrary direction.

[0050] For example, when tilting the lamp unit 18 around the vertical bisector 44b of the base 44a, the first actuator 21a and the second actuator 22 may be operated so that the first actuator 21a and the second actuator 22a move in opposite directions to each other. As illustrated in Figure 3 by a pair of arrows 48 pointing in opposite directions, by operating the first actuator 21a and the second actuator 22a in opposite directions by the same magnitude, the lamp unit 18 can be tilted around the vertical axis (i.e., the vertical bisector 44b) passing through the pivot point 20, and the optical axis can be adjusted in the left-right direction.

[0051] This also has the advantage of reducing the amount of movement of the actuators of each actuator when changing the optical axis by a predetermined angle. Since the first actuator 21 is responsible for half of the angle change of the optical axis and the second actuator 22 is responsible for the other half, the amount of movement of the actuators of each actuator is halved compared to when the same angle change is achieved with a single actuator. This can be useful for miniaturizing the actuators.

[0052] Furthermore, when tilting the lamp unit 18 around the horizontal axis 47 passing through the pivot point 20, the first actuator 21a and the second actuator 22a may be operated to move forward and backward in the same direction. By operating the first actuator 21a and the second actuator 22a in the same direction and by the same magnitude, the lamp unit 18 can be tilted around the horizontal axis 47, and the optical axis can be adjusted in the vertical direction.

[0053] By determining various directions and magnitudes for moving the first actuator 21a and the second actuator 22a forward and backward, the lamp unit 18 can be tilted in any direction, and the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 can be adjusted to a desired direction.

[0054] Thus, according to this embodiment, a vehicle lighting device 10 that enables bidirectional aiming using two linear actuators can be provided. Unlike existing aiming systems, there is no need for the operator to operate the aiming screw with a tool. Therefore, the workload for aiming is reduced.

[0055] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, by operating the first actuator 21 and the second actuator 22 together, aiming in two directions can be performed simultaneously. Unlike existing aiming methods, there is no need for the operator to perform vertical aiming and horizontal aiming separately in sequence. Also, as will be described later, if the vehicle lighting device 10 can determine the direction of the optical axis, there is no need for the operator to check the light distribution pattern of the headlamp in advance and individually determine the amount of optical axis adjustment for the vertical and horizontal directions. Therefore, the working time for aiming can be shortened.

[0056] The first actuator 21 and the second actuator 22 can be used not only for aiming but also for controlling the optical axis direction in vehicle usage scenarios such as leveling. Therefore, the vehicle lighting fixture 10 does not need to be equipped with separate aiming and leveling mechanisms. A manual aiming screw is no longer necessary. This can lead to a simplification and cost reduction of the structure of the vehicle lighting fixture 10.

[0057] Furthermore, the pivot point 20, the first actuator 21, and the second actuator 22 are not limited to the exemplary arrangement described above, and other arrangements are also possible. The pivot point 20, the first actuator 21, and the second actuator 22 may be arranged such that a plane passing through the three points of the spherical body 28a, the first spherical tip 32a, and the second spherical tip 32b is defined. In other words, a specific positional relationship, such as directly above or directly beside the pivot point, as in existing aiming screws, is not essential. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the degree of freedom in designing the vehicle lighting device 10 with respect to the arrangement of the pivot point 20, the first actuator 21, and the second actuator 22 is improved. For example, as described below with reference to Figure 6, the first actuator 21 and the second actuator 22 may be aligned vertically, and the pivot point 20 may be positioned horizontally different from these actuators.

[0058] Figure 6 is a schematic front view showing a modified vehicle light fixture 10. As shown, the first spherical tip 32a of the first actuator 21 and the second spherical tip 32b of the second actuator 22 are aligned vertically on the vehicle light fixture 10. The first spherical tip 32a is positioned above the spherical body 28a of the pivot point 20, and the second spherical tip 32b is positioned below the spherical body 28a, with the two spherical tips being in the same position horizontally. In this example, the spherical body 28a is positioned between the first spherical tip 32a and the second spherical tip 32b in the vertical direction. Also, the spherical body 28a is positioned horizontally at a different position from the first spherical tip 32a and the second spherical tip 32b. Thus, the spherical body 28a is arranged to form an isosceles triangle 44 with the line segment connecting the first spherical tip 32a and the second spherical tip 32b as its base 44a.

[0059] The first rotation axis 46a is set to pass through the first spherical tip 32a and the spherical body 28a, and the second rotation axis 46b is set to pass through the second spherical tip 32b and the spherical body 28a. Both the first rotation axis 46a and the second rotation axis 46b extend diagonally with respect to the horizontal and vertical lines. When the first actuator 21 is driven, the lamp unit 18 is tilted around the second rotation axis 46b by the linear movement of the first spherical tip 32a. At this time, because the second rotation axis 46b extends diagonally, the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 moves both vertically and horizontally. Also, when the second actuator 22 is driven, the lamp unit 18 is tilted around the first rotation axis 46a by the linear movement of the second spherical tip 32b. At this time, since the first moving axis line 46a extends diagonally, the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 will move both vertically and horizontally.

[0060] For example, when tilting the lamp unit 18 around the vertical bisector 44b of the base 44a, the first actuator 21a and the second actuator 22 may be operated so that the first actuator 21a and the second actuator 22a move back and forth in opposite directions. By operating the first actuator 21a and the second actuator 22a in opposite directions by the same magnitude, the lamp unit 18 can be tilted around the horizontal axis (i.e., the vertical bisector 44b) passing through the pivot point 20, and the optical axis can be adjusted in the vertical direction. Alternatively, when tilting the lamp unit 18 around the vertical axis 49 passing through the pivot point 20, the first actuator 21a and the second actuator 22 may be operated so that the first actuator 21a and the second actuator 22a move back and forth in the same direction. By operating the first actuator 21a and the second actuator 22a in the same direction by the same magnitude, the lamp unit 18 can be tilted around the vertical axis 49, and the optical axis can be adjusted in the horizontal direction.

[0061] Therefore, by combining the movements of the first actuator 21 and the second actuator 22, the lamp unit 18 can be tilted about an arbitrary axis of rotation passing through the spherical body 28a within a plane determined by the three points of the spherical body 28a, the first spherical tip 32a, and the second spherical tip 32b, thereby adjusting the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 to a desired direction.

[0062] Figure 7 is a schematic block diagram showing a vehicle lighting fixture 10 according to an embodiment. The vehicle lighting fixture 10 may include a controller 50 that controls the first actuator 21 and the second actuator 22. The controller 50 may be located inside the vehicle lighting fixture 10, for example, mounted on the lamp body 12 in the lamp chamber 17. Alternatively, the controller 50 may be located outside the vehicle lighting fixture 10, for example, mounted on the lamp body 12 on the outside of the vehicle lighting fixture 10.

[0063] The controller 50 may be a lighting ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls the vehicle lighting fixtures 10. Alternatively, the controller 50 may be a vehicle ECU or other controller that comprehensively controls the entire vehicle or a part of it. The ECU can be implemented as a combination of a processor (hardware) such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microcontroller and a software program executed by the processor (hardware).

[0064] The controller 50 may be configured to acquire information representing the direction of the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 and to actuate the first actuator 21a of the first actuator 21 and the second actuator 22a of the second actuator 22 to adjust the direction of the optical axis.

[0065] The information representing the direction of the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 may be, for example, the angular position of the optical axis. The angular position of the optical axis may be expressed by the zenith angle φ and azimuth angle θ in polar coordinates. The information representing the direction of the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 may also be expressed by the amount of angular deviation (Δφ1, Δθ1) from a reference optical axis position (φ1, θ1). The reference optical axis position (φ1, θ1) may be the desired optical axis direction.

[0066] For example, the direction of the optical axis may be measured by an optical axis inspection device (e.g., a headlamp tester) provided separately from the vehicle lighting fixture 10. The controller 50 may obtain information representing the direction of the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 from the optical axis inspection device.

[0067] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 7, the vehicle lighting fixture 10 may include a sensor 52 that measures the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 and generates information representing the direction of the optical axis of the lamp unit 18. The controller 50 may obtain information representing the direction of the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 from the sensor 52. The sensor 52 may be, for example, an acceleration sensor mounted on the lamp unit 18 that measures the attitude of the lamp unit 18. Since the direction of the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 can be associated with the measured attitude of the lamp unit 18, the acceleration sensor can measure the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 and generate information representing the direction of the optical axis of the lamp unit 18. The acceleration sensor may be, for example, a capacitive MEMS acceleration sensor or another type of acceleration sensor.

[0068] It is not mandatory for the sensor 52 to be mounted on the lamp unit 18. For example, the sensor 52 may be located outside the lamp chamber 17, that is, outside the vehicle light fixture 10. The sensor 52 may also be a camera that detects the area in front of the vehicle. The camera may be located around the driver's seat of the vehicle. If the sensor 52 is a camera, the sensor 52 may detect the position of the light distribution pattern formed on the screen in front of the vehicle by the lamp unit 18, compare the detected position of the light distribution pattern with a reference position, and obtain information representing the direction of the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 based on this comparison.

[0069] The controller 50 may be configured to collectively determine the amount of advancement and retraction of the first actuator 21a and the second actuator 22a to orient the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 in a desired direction, based on information representing the direction of the optical axis of the lamp unit 18. The controller 50 may also be configured to actuate the first actuator 21 and the second actuator 22 according to the determined amount of advancement and retraction of the first actuator 21a and the second actuator 22a.

[0070] The direction of the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 has a predetermined angle with respect to a plane (hereinafter also referred to as the operating plane) determined by three points: the spherical body 28a of the pivot point 20, the first spherical tip 32a of the first actuator 21, and the second spherical tip 32b of the second actuator 22. For example, the direction of the optical axis is perpendicular to this operating plane and corresponds to the normal direction of the operating plane. The amount of advancement and retraction of the first actuator 21a and the second actuator 22a may be determined in such a way as to change the inclination of the operating plane in order to orient the measured direction of the optical axis (i.e., for example, the normal direction of the measured operating plane) in a desired direction. By operating the first actuator 21 and the second actuator 22 according to the amount of advancement and retraction of the first actuator 21a and the second actuator 22a determined in this way, the optical axis of the lamp unit 18 can be oriented in a desired direction.

[0071] In this way, by operating the first actuator 21 and the second actuator 22 together, aiming in both vertical and horizontal directions can be performed simultaneously. Furthermore, since the vehicle lighting device 10 can determine the direction of the optical axis using the sensor 52, there is no need for the operator to check the light distribution pattern of the headlamp in advance and individually determine the amount of adjustment for the optical axis in the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0072] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above. It is also possible to combine embodiments and modifications, or to make further modifications such as various design changes based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Embodiments and modifications that are thus combined or further modified are also included in the scope of the present invention. The embodiments and modifications described above, and new embodiments resulting from combinations of the embodiments and modifications described above with the following modifications, combine the effects of the combined embodiments, modifications, and further modifications.

[0073] The above-described embodiment explains the case where the lamp unit 18 is equipped with a first support 24, but such a support is not essential. Therefore, the pivot point 20, the first actuator 21, and the second actuator 22 may be directly connected to the lamp unit 18 without going through the first support 24.

[0074] The above-described embodiment explains the case where the lamp unit 18 is equipped with a second support 26 as an example, but such a support is not essential. Therefore, the pivot point 20, the first actuator 21, and the second actuator 22 may be attached to the lamp body 12 instead of the second support 26.

[0075] Although the present invention has been described using specific terms based on the embodiments, the embodiments only illustrate one aspect of the principle and application of the present invention, and many modifications and changes in arrangement are permitted in the embodiments, as long as they do not depart from the spirit of the present invention as defined in the claims.

[0076] Embodiments can also be expressed as follows, numbered: 1. A vehicle light fixture comprising: a housing; a lamp unit disposed within the housing; a pivot point that tiltably supports the lamp unit relative to the housing; a first actuator having a first actuation body that tilts the lamp unit in a first direction around the pivot point by linear movement; and a second actuator having a second actuation body that tilts the lamp unit in a second direction different from the first direction around the pivot point by linear movement. 2. The vehicle light fixture according to item 1, characterized in that the first actuator comprises a first transmission mechanism for transmitting driving force to the first actuation body; the second actuator comprises a second transmission mechanism for transmitting driving force to the second actuation body; the pivot point comprises a spherical body fixed to the housing and connected to the lamp unit to allow tilting of the lamp unit; and the center of gravity of the lamp unit is set to a position off the vertical line passing through the spherical body. 3. 4. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 2, characterized in that the spherical body is positioned behind the center of gravity of the lamp unit in the front-rear direction of the vehicle lighting device. 4. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the first actuator comprises a first spherical tip portion connected to the lamp unit so as to allow tilting of the lamp unit relative to the first actuator, the second actuator comprises a second spherical tip portion connected to the lamp unit so as to allow tilting of the lamp unit relative to the second actuator, and the spherical body is positioned to form an isosceles triangle with the line segment connecting the first spherical tip portion and the second spherical tip portion as the base. 5. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 4, characterized in that the first actuator and the second actuator operate to move the first actuator and the second actuator in opposite directions when the lamp unit is tilted around the perpendicular bisector of the base. 6. The vehicle lamp according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the first spherical tip and the second spherical tip are arranged in the left-right direction of the vehicle lamp.7. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the first spherical tip and the second spherical tip are aligned in the vertical direction of the vehicle lighting device. 8. The vehicle lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the lamp unit is tilted around a second rotation axis by the linear movement of the first actuator when the first actuator is driven, and tilted around the first rotation axis by the linear movement of the second actuator when the second actuator is driven, the first rotation axis extends diagonally with respect to the horizontal and vertical lines, and the second rotation axis extends diagonally with respect to the horizontal and vertical lines at an angle different from that of the first rotation axis. 9. The vehicle lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a controller that acquires information representing the direction of the optical axis of the lamp unit and operates the first actuator and the second actuator of the second actuator to adjust the direction of the optical axis. 10. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 9, further comprising a sensor that measures the optical axis of the lamp unit and generates the information. 11. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the controller is configured to collectively determine the amount of advancement of the first actuator and the amount of advancement of the second actuator to adjust the direction of the optical axis based on the acquired information, and to actuate the first actuator of the first actuator and the second actuator of the second actuator according to the determined amount of advancement of the first actuator and the amount of advancement of the second actuator.

[0077] This invention can be used in vehicle lighting fixtures installed in vehicles such as automobiles.

[0078] 10 Vehicle lighting fixture, 16 Housing, 18 Lamp unit, 19 Center of gravity, 20 Pivot point, 21 First actuator, 21a First actuator, 21c First transmission mechanism, 22 Second actuator, 22a Second actuator, 22c Second transmission mechanism, 28a Spherical body, 29 Vertical line, 32a First spherical tip, 32b Second spherical tip, 44 Isosceles triangle, 44a Base, 44b Perpendicular bisector, 50 Controller, 52 Sensor.

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting device comprising: a housing; a lamp unit disposed within the housing; a pivot point that tiltably supports the lamp unit relative to the housing; a first actuator having a first actuation body that tilts the lamp unit in a first direction around the pivot point by linear movement; and a second actuator having a second actuation body that tilts the lamp unit in a second direction different from the first direction around the pivot point by linear movement.

2. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first actuator comprises a first transmission mechanism for transmitting driving force to the first actuator, the second actuator comprises a second transmission mechanism for transmitting driving force to the second actuator, the pivot point comprises a spherical body fixed to the housing and connected to the lamp unit to allow tilting of the lamp unit, and the center of gravity of the lamp unit is set to a position off the vertical line passing through the spherical body.

3. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 2, characterized in that the spherical body is positioned behind the center of gravity of the lamp unit in the front-rear direction of the vehicle lighting device.

4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 2, characterized in that the first activator comprises a first spherical tip portion connected to the lamp unit so as to allow tilting of the lamp unit relative to the first activator, the second activator comprises a second spherical tip portion connected to the lamp unit so as to allow tilting of the lamp unit relative to the second activator, and the spherical body is arranged to form an isosceles triangle with the line segment connecting the first spherical tip portion and the second spherical tip portion as its base.

5. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 4, characterized in that the first actuator and the second actuator operate in such a manner that they move the first actuator and the second actuator in opposite directions when the lamp unit is tilted around the vertical bisector of the base.

6. The vehicle lamp according to claim 4, characterized in that the first spherical tip and the second spherical tip are arranged in the left-right direction of the vehicle lamp.

7. The vehicle lamp according to claim 4, characterized in that the first spherical tip and the second spherical tip are arranged in the vertical direction of the vehicle lamp.

8. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that the lamp unit is tilted around a second rotation axis by the linear movement of the first actuator when the first actuator is driven, and tilted around the first rotation axis by the linear movement of the second actuator when the second actuator is driven, the first rotation axis extends diagonally with respect to the horizontal and vertical lines, and the second rotation axis extends diagonally with respect to the horizontal and vertical lines at an angle different from that of the first rotation axis.

9. The vehicle lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a controller that acquires information representing the direction of the optical axis of the lamp unit and operates the first actuator and the second actuator to adjust the direction of the optical axis.

10. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 9, further comprising a sensor that measures the optical axis of the lamp unit and generates the information.

11. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 9, characterized in that the controller is configured to collectively determine the amount of advancement of the first actuator and the amount of advancement of the second actuator to adjust the direction of the optical axis based on the acquired information, and to actuate the first actuator of the first actuator and the second actuator of the second actuator according to the determined amount of advancement of the first actuator and the amount of advancement of the second actuator.

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