Snow Plow Headlight Control via Blade Position Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing snow plow lighting systems require a switching mechanism to alternate between vehicle headlights and snow plow headlights, leading to inefficiencies and inadequate visibility when the snow plow is in use, as they either disable vehicle headlights or cause excessive current drain.
Innovation Solution
A headlight control system that automatically turns on vehicle headlights when the snow plow blade is lowered, using hydraulic system inputs to determine the blade's position and the presence of power to the snow plow headlights, allowing both vehicle and snow plow headlights to operate simultaneously without a switch or relay.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a switching mechanism is used to alternate between vehicle headlights and snow plow headlights, then current drain is controlled, but visibility is reduced when the snow plow blade is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the headlight configuration based on the snow plow blade position. When the blade is raised, only snow plow headlights operate. When the blade is lowered, both vehicle and snow plow headlights operate simultaneously. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by adjusting the lighting system according to operational conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the headlight system based on blade position detection. The control module monitors whether the blade is raised or lowered and accordingly activates or deactivates the vehicle headlights circuit, enabling both headlights to operate together when visibility is most critical during low blade operation.
2Loss of energy
If vehicle headlights are disconnected when snow plow is mounted, then current drain is prevented, but visibility during plowing operations is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from the hydraulic system about blade position to control headlight operation. The control module receives signals about whether the blade is raised or lowered and automatically adjusts the headlight configuration accordingly, enabling both vehicle and snow plow headlights to operate when the blade is lowered for optimal visibility.
3Illumination intensity
If both vehicle headlights and snow plow headlights operate simultaneously, then visibility is enhanced, but current drain becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts headlight operation based on blade position. Both vehicle and snow plow headlights operate simultaneously only when the blade is lowered (when visibility is most needed). When the blade is raised, only snow plow headlights operate, preventing excessive current drain during non-plowing conditions.
4Loss of energy
If a switching mechanism is installed to control headlight operation, then current drain is managed, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is self-regulating based on blade position feedback. The control module automatically determines whether to activate vehicle headlights based on whether the blade is raised or lowered, eliminating the need for manual switches or complex relay mechanisms while still managing current drain effectively.
Data Source
AI summary
A headlight control system for use on a snow plow mounted on the front of a vehicle and a related method are disclosed that automatically, selectively illuminate the headlights of the vehicle in addition to the headlights of the snow plow only when the snow plow blade is in a down position such that it is not physically obstructing the headlights of the vehicle. The headlight control system and method only operate to turn on the vehicle headlights when the snow plow lights are turned on. The headlight control system and method are capable of operating both the low beam headlights and the high beam headlights of the vehicle in conjunction with the low beam headlights and the high beam headlights of the snow plow when the snow plow blade is lowered.