Lean-Angled Vehicle Sub Headlight Brightness Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicles that lean into turns experience uncomfortable changes in illumination range due to varying lean angles during cornering, leading to reduced visibility and rider discomfort, as existing sub headlight systems fail to adapt effectively to changing lean angles and speeds.

Innovation Solution

A sub headlight unit with adjustable brightness based on the vehicle's lean angle, where the brightness changes in accordance with the lean angle, ensuring a consistent illumination range and reducing the speed of the cut-off line's movement, thereby minimizing rider discomfort and maintaining visibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If the vehicle leans into turns with a large lean angle to counteract centrifugal force, then the turning performance is improved, but the illumination range of the headlight spreads downward to the left, reducing the illuminated area inside the curve

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveturning performanceVSAvoidillumination range

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The headlight system is divided into a main headlight and multiple sub headlights (first sub headlight and second sub headlight). Each segment serves a specific illumination purpose: the main headlight provides general illumination, while the sub headlights specifically compensate for the illumination deficit in the inner curve area caused by vehicle leaning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sub headlights are positioned and oriented to provide localized illumination in the inner curve area where the main headlight's illumination is reduced due to leaning. The first sub headlight illuminates a first area and the second sub headlight illuminates a second area, with their optical axes and illumination ranges specifically configured to cover the deficient zones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Area of stationary object

If sub headlights are turned on when lean angle reaches a predetermined value, then the illumination range is improved, but the brightness transition causes rider discomfort when the lean angle changes rapidly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveillumination rangeVSAvoidrider comfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sub headlights are configured to vary their brightness dynamically based on the lean angle. The brightness of each sub headlight is adjusted in proportion to the lean angle within a predetermined range, providing a smooth and continuous transition rather than abrupt on/off switching, thereby reducing rider discomfort during rapid lean angle changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The brightness parameter of the sub headlights is changed in proportion to the lean angle parameter. When the lean angle increases from 0 degrees to a predetermined value, the brightness of the sub headlights increases proportionally from minimum to maximum, creating a smooth transition that avoids sudden brightness changes and rider discomfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Area of stationary object

If multiple sub headlights with different reference values are used, then the illumination coverage is improved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveillumination coverageVSAvoidheadlight system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The illumination area is segmented into multiple zones (first area and second area) that are illuminated by different sub headlights. The first sub headlight has a first reference value and illuminates the first area, while the second sub headlight has a second reference value and illuminates the second area, ensuring comprehensive coverage without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sub headlights serve multiple functions: they compensate for illumination loss in the inner curve area, provide smooth brightness transitions during lean angle changes, and collectively cover different angular ranges through their respective reference values. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2657080B1Sub headlight unit and sub headlight system for use in vehicle that leans into turns, and vehicle that leans into turns, and method to control a sub headlight unit

Publication Date: 2017.04.05 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

To provide a sub headlight unit for use in a vehicle that leans into turns, by which occurrence of a situation where a rider feels uncomfortable about a change in an illumination range can be suppressed. [Solution] A sub headlight unit (13L, 13R) for use in a vehicle (10) that leans into turns, wherein the sub headlight unit includes a sub headlight light source (13La, 13Lb, 13Lc, 13Ra, 13Rb, 13Rc) that illuminates, at one side with respect to a width direction of the vehicle, an area ahead and outward of the vehicle with respect to the width direction of the vehicle, the brightness of the sub headlight light source changes in accordance with a lean angle of the vehicle, when the lean angle of the vehicle leaning to the one side with respect to the width direction of the vehicle reaches a reference value that is set for the sub headlight light source, the sub headlight light source lights up with a first brightness, and in a period from when the lean angle of the vehicle reaches a lower value that is less than the reference value to when the lean angle of the vehicle reaches the reference value, the sub headlight light source lights up with a brightness lower than the first brightness.