Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Aircraft
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-27
2001-01-30
Sember, Thomas M. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Aircraft
C362S084000, C362S223000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179452
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to vehicle lighting systems, and in particular to a lighting system adapted to be installed in the cockpit of a plane to provide illumination.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The lighting in vehicles, and in particular inside the cockpits of planes, is often inadequate. The manufacturer may include some incandescent lights, but these are often entirely dependent on the vehicle's electrical system, consume a lot of power, generate heat, and provide harsh light that interferes with the operator's night vision. It is difficult to retrofit additional lighting in existing vehicles. There are few appropriate locations to mount standard incandescent or fluorescent fixtures where they can provide useful light. Moreover, these fixtures typically have bulky, rigid housings, and custom fixtures are too expensive for most applications. Many retrofit light fixtures are also unattractive, detracting from the appearance of the vehicle interior.
One attempt to solve the problem of cockpit lighting is Hudak, U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,205, which discloses a lighting device which may be detachably, rotatably attached to an earpiece of a pilots earphone headset or helmet. This device only provides light where the pilot looks, and thus does not provide general in the cockpit for reading charts and the or scanning the instruments, nor is it a substitute if there is a general failure of the instrument panel lighting. Similarly, Lambert, U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,892 discloses a finger-mounted light for use in airplanes.
Other attempts at improving lighting in aircraft cockpits include Langner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,472; Barnette, U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,415; Meggs et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,835; Aikens et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,080, and Garrett, U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,189, and Cotton, U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,175.
Electroluminescent lamps are known, see Fleming, U.S. Pat. No. 4,104,555, incorporated herein by reference, and these lamps have been employed on aircraft to provide emergency escape lighting, see, for example, Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,232, incorporated herein by reference. However this device was not adapted to provide illumination of the cockpit or the instrument panel, nor with rigid, bulky configuration was it adapted to be mounted under the glare shield or in other locations in and around the cockpit. Electroluminescent lamps have also be used in the illumination of instruments. See, for example Reiter et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,683 and Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,532, incorporated herein by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a lighting fixture that is thin and flexible and thus is easy to install in a variety of locations inside a vehicle, for example on the underside of the glare shield. The lighting fixture comprises an elongate U-shaped channel having a bottom and opposing sides. An elongate electroluminescent lamp is disposed in the channel and has electrical contacts at one end. Wire leads are connected to the contacts, and extend from the lamp. A translucent cover is secured in the opposing sides of the channel, over the lamp, forming a sleeve with the channel the encloses the lamp. The end of the lamp with the contacts is encapsulated to protect the connection between the contacts and the wire leads, and to secure the end of the lamp in the sleeve. The remainder of the lamp is unattached to the channel or the cover, so that when the fixture is flexed the remainder of the lamp can slide in the sleeve. End caps can be provided on the ends of the sleeve.
In the preferred embodiment, the end caps are secured by grommets that also provide for convenient screw mounting of the light fixture. An adhesive, such as a double stick tape, can also be provided for mounting the lighting fixture.
The light fixture is preferably part of a lighting system adapted to be connected to the vehicle's electrical system, which is typically either a 12V or 24V DC system. The lighting system includes an inverter adapted to be connected to the vehicle's DC electrical system. The lighting system also includes a battery for powering the inverter (and thus the lamp) in the event of a failure of the vehicle's electrical system, or when it is desired to conserve power from the vehicle's electrical system. The lighting system also includes a switch for selectively connecting the inverter to the vehicle's electrical system or to the battery or disconnecting the inverter from either power source to turn the light off.
In the preferred embodiment, the inverter includes a circuit that automatically adapts to 12V or 24V DC power, so that the lighting system can be used in vehicles with either type of power system. In the preferred embodiment, a fuse is provided in the connection to the vehicle's. power supply, but not in connection to the battery, so that if the electrical system causes the fuse to fail, the lighting system can still be operated with the battery.
The light fixture of the present invention is adapted to be easily retrofit to existing vehicle interiors. Its thin profile and flexibility allow it to be easily mounted on many interior surfaces, such as the underside of a glare shield. The lighting system is easily retrofit as well. In the preferred embodiment, the inverter automatically adjusts to the voltage of the vehicle's electrical system. The switch allows the user to quickly turn the light on or off, and switch from vehicle power to auxiliary battery power. The light from the fixture is preferably of a color and intensity selected so as not to interfere with the user's natural night vision, nor with night vision devices. A dimmer allows the user to adjust the level of light.
These and other features and advantages will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3811043 (1974-05-01), Cope et al.
patent: 4104555 (1978-08-01), Fleming
patent: 4233652 (1980-11-01), Oswald
patent: 4328532 (1982-05-01), Smith
patent: 4365232 (1982-12-01), Miller
patent: 4367514 (1983-01-01), Large et al.
patent: 4521835 (1985-06-01), Meggs et al.
patent: 4581683 (1986-04-01), Reiter et al.
patent: 4597033 (1986-06-01), Meggs et al.
patent: 4864473 (1989-09-01), Tokarz et al.
patent: 4887189 (1989-12-01), Garrett
patent: 4903175 (1990-02-01), Cotton
patent: 4934793 (1990-06-01), Klein
patent: 5031080 (1991-07-01), Aikens et al.
patent: 5124892 (1992-06-01), Lambert
patent: 5140472 (1992-08-01), Langner et al.
patent: 5143433 (1992-09-01), Farrell
patent: 5280415 (1994-01-01), Barnette
patent: 5339550 (1994-08-01), Hoffman
patent: 5353205 (1994-10-01), Hudak
patent: 5381312 (1995-01-01), Authier
patent: 5499170 (1996-03-01), Gagne
patent: 5779346 (1998-07-01), Burke
patent: 5876106 (1999-03-01), Kordecki
patent: 5961072 (1999-10-01), Bodle
Howell & Haferkamp LC
Sember Thomas M.
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