US3925656A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pneumatic control system for self alignment of motor vehicle headlights
Assignee: Daimler Benz AG
•
Filing: 1973-04-27
•
Granted: 1975-12-09
•
Expires: 1993-04-27
Abstract
Abstract A pneumatically operating control system for the automatic alignment of motor vehicle headlights which consists of control members coordinated to one or both axles of the vehicle which cause alignment of the headlights to a constant light distance as a function of the change of the distance of the respective axle to the body of the vehicle by way of adjusting motors and a control shifting device; the control system is thereby fed with a vacuum and the control members are constructed as pressure modulators; an automatically operating valve is thereby arranged in each line or line system leading to the adjusting motors which during strong braking and acceleration eliminates the throttling action in the line or line system and leads to an immediate compensation of the change in angular value between the optical axis of the headlights and the road.
Inventors
- 👤 Rudolf Andres
- 👤 Hermann Moller
- 👤 Franz Seyfried
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 19:35
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60Q; B60Q1/00; B60Q1/02; B60Q1/04; B60Q1/06; B60Q1/08; B60Q1/10; B60Q1/105
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
A pneumatically operating control system for the automatic alignment of motor vehicle headlights which includes control means coordinated to at least one axle of the motor vehicle which align the motor vehicle headlights to a substantially constant light distance in dependence on the change of the distance of the respective axle to the body of the motor vehicle by way of adjusting motor means and control shifting means, a vacuum supply means operatively connected with the control system, and pressure modulator means forming part of the control meAns for modulating the vacuum pressure in the control system, characterized in that an automatically operating valve means is arranged in a line means leading from said pressure modulator means to the adjusting motor means, said valve means being operable to substantially eliminate the throttling effect in said line means during strong braking and acceleration operations and thereby leading to an essentially immediate compensation of the change in angular value between the optical axis of the headlights and the road surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
168 words
A pneumatically operating control system for the automatic alignment of motor vehicle headlights which includes control means coordinated to at least one axle of the motor vehicle which align the motor vehicle headlights to a substantially constant light distance in dependence on the change of the distance of the respective axle to the body of the motor vehicle by way of adjusting motor means and control shifting means, a vacuum supply means operatively connected with the control system, and pressure modulator means forming part of the control meAns for modulating the vacuum pressure in the control system, characterized in that an automatically operating valve means is arranged in a line means leading from said pressure modulator means to the adjusting motor means, said valve means being operable to substantially eliminate the throttling effect in said line means during strong braking and acceleration operations and thereby leading to an essentially immediate compensation of the change in angular value between the optical axis of the headlights and the road surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A control system according to claim 1, characterized in that said control means are coordinated to both axles of the vehicle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
A control system according to claim 1, characterized in that said valve means includes an interior space, a track means within said interior space dropping off on both sides in the direction toward an aperture means, a roller body means guided on said track means in a substantially vehicle longitudinal direction, said roller body means covering the aperture means in its normal position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A control system according to claim 3, characterized in that said roller body means is constructed as ball and in that the orifice of the aperture means is delimited by a sealing ring substantially flush with the adjoining track means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A control system according to claim 4, characterized in that said control means are coordinated to both axles of the vehicle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
A control system according to claim 1, characterized in that a substantially T-shaped channel means terminates in the interior space of the valve means, said channel means being provided with two mutually oppositely disposed aperture means in its branched connection, and two swingingly suspended mass means arranged one behind the other in the vehicle longitudinal direction for closing off said aperture means in the normal rest position of said mass means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A control system according to claim 6, characterized in that the mass means are provided each on the side facing the respective nearer aperture means with a sealing plate and close off the aperture means in the normal rest position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A control system according to claim 7, characterized in that the mass means close off the aperture means under prestress.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A control system according to claim 8, characterized in that said control means are coordinated to both axles of the vehicle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A control system according to claim 6, characterized in that the mass means close off the aperture means under prestress.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
A control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the valve means is constructed as electromagnetically actuated displacement valve, and in that a switch means is operatively connected with said electromagnetically actuated displacement valve for actuating the latter during strong accelerations and strong decelerations.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
A control system according to claim 11, characterized in that said switch means is a mercury switch having one switching contact which is surrounded with mercury during strong acceleration operations and another switching contact which is surrounded with mercury during strong deceleration operations.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A control system according to claim 12, characterized in that said switching contacts are disposed essentially in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
A control system according to claim 13, characterized in that said control means are coordinated to both axles of the vehicle.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR1506590A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-08 | 1979-06-09 | 1979-12-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-08 | 1983-06-09 | 1983-12-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-08 | 1987-06-09 | 1987-12-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |