Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems – Special application – Vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-16
2002-09-17
Wong, Don (Department: 2821)
Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems
Special application
Vehicle
C307S010800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06452337
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lamp circuit for automobiles, more particularly, to the achievement of reduction in the number of electrically functional parts used in the lamp circuit, thereby achieving a reduction in the amount of wiring, by simplifying the circuit while maintaining the function of lamp circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In automobiles to be used in northern Europe, the lamps of the automobiles are required to light up even in the daytime due to a longer time interval of dim sunlight. Therefore, automobiles intended for destination to such areas adopt a specific lamp circuit, so called “DRL” (Daytime Running Light) which lights up a low beam lamp in the headlamp when the engine operates with the ignition switch being ON.
FIG. 2
shows a lamp circuit
1
which corresponds to the conventional DRL, and the above-mentioned lamp circuit is provided with a DRL controller
2
, a lamp switchbox
3
, a head lamp relay
4
, a DRL relay
5
, right/left low beam lamps
6
a
and
6
b
in the head lamp, and right/left high beam lamps
7
a
and
7
b
, in the head lamp.
In the above-mentioned DRL controller
2
, circuits are incorporated for a tail lamp ON signal from lamp switch box
3
, a light up signal of head lamp, a passing signal, and a high-side switching signal are entered; and an ON signal of the ignition switch
8
and engine operation signals of the signal output component
9
can be entered.
In addition, the DRL controller
2
is programmed so that it properly closes a lamp light ON contact point
2
a
and High/Low switching contact point
2
b
, when these types of signals are received and consequently drop the above-mentioned contact points to an OV (ground level).
DRL illumination of the above-mentioned lamp circuit
1
is carried out by running the engine with the ignition switch
8
turned ON and entering an ignition ON signal and an engine operation signal to a DRL controller. On receiving the above-mentioned signal, a circuit is set up with a coil
4
b
provided between a battery B and a head lamp relay
4
by closing the lamp illumination contact point
2
a
by the DRL controller
2
, the relay contact point
4
a
is closed by the coil
4
b
being energized, while in a DRL relay
5
, a low-side contact point
5
a
is closed because of the coil
5
c
has not been energized. Thus, with the closed connection of these respective contact points, the battery B causes left/right low beam lamp
6
a
and
6
b
to be illuminated.
In order to illuminate the left/right high beam lamps
7
a
and
7
b
, a head lamp switch
3
a
of switch box
3
is connected with a head lamp contact point
3
e
, and high/low switching switch
3
c
is connected with a high side contact point
3
g
, whereby the head lamp light-up signal and high-side switching signal are entered into the DRL controller
2
. With this input signal, the DRL controller
2
closes the high/low switching contact point
5
b
by energizing the coil
5
c
. With these actions, the battery B and left/right high beam lamps
7
a
and
7
b
are connected, which consequently causes the above-mentioned lamps to be illuminated.
In this case, the illumination of lamps other than as mentioned above can also illuminate the tail lamps and interior night lighting (not illustrated here), and can also illuminate low beam lamps
6
a
and
6
b
as well as illumination of the above-mentioned tail lightening without connecting the high/low switching switch
3
C to the high side contact point
3
g
. In addition, by connecting a passing switch
3
b
with a passing contact point
3
f
, the high beam lamps
7
a
and
7
b
can be illuminated in a passing mode.
The illumination described above is performed in such a manner that, other than illumination of the DRL, the illumination in this case is made possible without regard to switching ON/OFF of the ignition switch
8
in consideration of safety, etc.
In order to carry out control of the DRL, a lamp circuit
1
which complies with the above-mentioned DRL uses an additional number of electrically functional components, such as DRL relay
5
and a circuit for the relay, compared with those of normal illumination lamp circuits.
Therefore, there are the problems of additional expenses for the above-mentioned relay, circuit, etc., and the number of processes required for circuit manufacture will also increase. Furthermore, the space required for housing the circuit becomes larger, and weight also increases. In addition, an exclusive relay block for connecting the above-mentioned relay, etc., becomes necessary, which may also increase the factor of cost.
The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, with the aim of achieving cost reduction and weight reduction by decreasing the number of circuits and electrically functional components, by revising the present condition of lamp circuits for automobiles complying with DRL requirements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one aspect of the present invention provides a lamp circuit for automobiles, which complies with DRL illumination for a low beam lamp and a high beam lamp in head lamp, wherein, the lamp circuit is provided with a DRL controller, a lamp switch box, a relay, at least one low beam lamp, at least one high beam lamp, an ignition switch, an engine operation signal output component, and a battery.
The above-mentioned relay is provided with a common contact point, two contact points that are normally open, and two coils. The common contact point is connected with the battery, and one of the above-mentioned two contact points is connected with the low beam lamp, the other connected with the high beam lamp, respectively, and the two coils are connected with the DRL controller.
The DRL controller is connected in such a manner that respective signals from the lamp switch box, the ignition switch, and the engine operation signal output component are entered, so that, in a first condition, the contact point connected with the low beam lamp is closed and the DRL is illuminated, as a result of energization of one of the two coils of the above-mentioned relay, when signals from the ignition switch and the engine rotation signal output component are entered to the DRL controller.
In a second condition, the other one of the two coils of the above-mentioned relay becomes energized according to a signal when a signal from the lamp switch box is entered to the above-mentioned DRL controller, and the other of the at least one low beam lamp and the at least one high beam lamp is illuminated as a result of closing the above-mentioned relay which corresponds to the other coil.
In this way, the use of a relay having two coils at two contact points in a lamp circuit which complies with the DRL light-up has replaced the components in a circuit, which have conventionally been composed of a head lamp relay and a DRL relay, with a single relay while maintaining the same function as the conventional ones. Accordingly, this allows the number of relays, electric functional components, and circuits to be reduced. In addition, along with the reduction of components, the costs required for the circuits as well as weight and the like can also be decreased.
The above-mentioned relay having two coils allows proper switching between DRL high beam illumination and normal illumination by switching two contact points with respective coils energized by entering each type of signals. In addition, if the above-mentioned two coils are not energized, it is not possible to illuminate the low beam lamp, etc., because the circuit is shut off when the electric power source is at an OFF condition, because the two contact points have a middle neutral position at which both contact points come to an open position simultaneously.
In another aspect of the present invention, a lamp circuit which provides a DRL illumination for a vehicle is provided that includes at least one low beam lamp and at least one high beam lamp, a controller, a lamp switch box, a
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd.
Tran Chuc D.
Wong Don
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