Patent ID: 7618173

Claim:
A vehicle headlamp comprising: a lamp having shade switching means for providing a light distribution pattern by blocking a portion of light emitted from a light source, wherein the headlamp is arranged to provide a high, a low beam and a middle beam, and wherein: the headlamp has a first state in which the headlamp provides a high beam; the headlamp has a second state in which the headlamp provides a low beam having a cut line; and the headlamp has a third state in which the headlamp provides a middle beam having a cut line in a higher position than the cut line of the low beam, wherein an optical axis of the headlamp in the middle beam directs lower than an optical axis in the high beam and the low beam; the vehicle headlamp further comprising: a light distribution pattern switching controlling means for controlling the shade switching means in response to receiving an instruction to switch the light distribution pattern; and a leveling means for controlling deflection of an optical axis of the lamp in a vertical direction; wherein the light distribution pattern switching controlling means is adapted to control the shade switching means and to control the leveling means in switching the light distribution pattern.