Leaning Vehicle Subheadlight Control for Consistent Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicles that lean into turns, the illumination range of subheadlights within the rider's field of view changes significantly with varying lean angles, leading to discomfort and inadequate coverage of desired positions, especially when passing through curves at different speeds or radii.
Innovation Solution
A subheadlight unit with multiple light sources on each side of the vehicle, where brightness changes in accordance with the lean angle, with reference values set to increase sequentially, ensuring a more consistent illumination range and preventing glare, and the optical axes are fixed to maintain effective illumination across various scenarios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the brightness of subheadlights is increased to compensate for illumination loss during leaning, then the illumination range is improved, but glare to surrounding vehicles increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the control of illumination intensity across multiple subheadlight units positioned at different locations. Each subheadlight's brightness is independently adjusted based on its specific position and the current lean angle, ensuring that illumination is concentrated where needed (inner curve area) while minimizing glare in other directions. This localized control resolves the contradiction between improving illumination range and preventing glare.
2Illumination intensity
If subheadlights are turned on based on lean angle thresholds, then illumination coverage is improved, but the illumination range within rider's field of view changes significantly causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by continuously adjusting the brightness of subheadlights in real-time based on the lean angle, rather than simply turning them on/off at fixed thresholds. The control unit dynamically modulates illumination intensity to maintain consistent lighting within the rider's field of view, compensating for the changing illumination range caused by vehicle leaning. This dynamic adjustment eliminates abrupt changes in illumination and maintains rider comfort throughout the turning maneuver.
3Illumination intensity
If multiple subheadlight light sources are provided at one side, then illumination coverage at different lean angles is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the illumination system into multiple independent subheadlight units, each with its own light source and control characteristics. These segmented units are positioned at different locations to cover various lean angle scenarios. By segmenting the illumination system, the patent achieves comprehensive coverage across different turning conditions while maintaining modular simplicity in each individual unit, balancing improved illumination coverage with manageable device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle that leans into turns and a method for controlling a sub headlight unit for use in a vehicle that leans into turns, the vehicle comprising a sub headlight system with a left and a right sub headlight unit (13L,13R) comprising a plurality of sub headlight light sources (13La, 13Lb, 13Lc, 13Ra, 13Rb, 13Rc) for illuminating, at a left or right side with respect to a width direction of the vehicle, an area ahead and at a left or right side of the vehicle with respect to the width direction of the vehicle, the sub headlight light are arranged from a center toward an upper left or right with respect to the width direction of the vehicle and provided with a control part that changes a brightness of the sub headlight light source in accordance with a lean angle of the vehicle, and with a detection part that detects a variable available for obtaining the lean angle of the vehicle, wherein, when the lean angle of the vehicle reaches a reference value that is individually set for each of the sub headlight light sources, the control part causes the corresponding sub headlight light source to exhibit a predetermined brightness, the sub headlight light sources of the sub headlight unit are sequentially turned on along with an increase in the lean angle to the left or right.