Adaptive Vehicle Lighting for Lean-Angle Beam Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles, particularly motorcycles, face challenges in maintaining optimal headlight and sensor orientation during leans, leading to suboptimal illumination and sensor direction, which affects visibility and safety, and there is a need for efficient use of limited electrical resources.
Innovation Solution
An adaptive lighting system that adjusts low and high beams based on the vehicle's lean angle using a controller and sensors to optimize light distribution, ensuring better visibility for the driver and oncoming traffic while conserving electrical resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If headlights and sensors are mounted to the vehicle frame, then the vehicle structure is simple and compact, but the direction of lights and sensors becomes sub-optimum during vehicle leaning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the light assembly and sensor assembly movable relative to the vehicle frame. These assemblies are coupled to the frame through pivot joints that allow them to rotate independently, enabling the lights and sensors to maintain optimal orientation (perpendicular to the road surface) even when the vehicle frame is leaned over during turns
2Device complexity
If the headlight beam is directed straight ahead, then the illumination path is simple, but the headlight does not illuminate the road down the curve during vehicle leans
Solution Approach 1:
The light assembly is coupled to the vehicle frame through a pivot joint that allows it to rotate independently. During vehicle leans, the light assembly rotates to follow the curve of the road, directing the headlight beam along the illuminated path down the curve rather than straight ahead, thereby maintaining road visibility
3Illumination intensity
If multiple adaptive light elements are controlled based on lean angle, then visibility is improved, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lighting system into multiple independently controllable adaptive light elements (first adaptive light element, second adaptive light element, third adaptive light element). Each element can be selectively illuminated based on the vehicle's lean angle, allowing different portions of the light assembly to serve different functions at different lean angles
Solution Approach 2:
The controller adjusts which light elements are illuminated based on the lean angle parameter. At different lean angles, different combinations of light elements are activated or deactivated, dynamically changing the illumination pattern to optimize visibility while managing control complexity through parameter-based control
4Illumination intensity
If all light elements are illuminated continuously, then maximum visibility is provided, but electrical resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The controller illuminates only the necessary light elements based on the vehicle's lean angle rather than all elements continuously. At less than a first lean angle, only the primary low beam element is illuminated. Between the first and second lean angles, the first adaptive element is added. Between the second and third lean angles, the second adaptive element is added, and so on. This partial action approach provides adequate visibility while conserving electrical resources by illuminating only the needed portions of the lighting system
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting system for a vehicle having a housing, a plurality of elements generating an intensity of light and a controller. The controller selectively changing the intensity of at least one of the plurality of elements based on a sensed condition.