Plindow mounted camera system

• US 10,173,788 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2015
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Badger, Ashley G., Rhynard, Steven E., Sexton, G. Frank, Brockett, Craig T., Pare, Shawn M., Street, Ryan A., Szerlag, Andrew F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bailey, Frederick D
• Application Number:
  US14/836,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20170057660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1484 Windows B64C1/1492 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1492 Structure and mounting of the transparent elements in the window or windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0015 Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0061 Windows displaying outside view, artificially generated
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A porthole, a porthole plug in a vehicle, and an aircraft with portholes are provided. The porthole includes an opaque plug with an aperture therethrough. A camera is arranged with a lens aligned with the aperture.

Claims

1. A porthole in a vehicle having a passenger cabin, the porthole comprising:

a transparent outer pane;

an opaque plug arranged proximate to the outer pane, wherein the opaque plug includes an aperture extending through the opaque plug, the opaque plug blocking light from passing from the outer pane into the passenger cabin except through the aperture;

a camera arranged proximate to the opaque plug, wherein a lens of the camera is aligned with the aperture; and

a sealing element arranged in contact with an inner surface of the opaque plug and the lens, wherein the sealing element is proximate to and surrounds the aperture and the lens, wherein the sealing element blocks light passing through the aperture from entering the passenger cabin.

2. The porthole of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the opaque plug facing the outer pane substantially reflects visible light back through the outer pane.

3. The porthole of claim 2, wherein a region surrounding the aperture in the opaque plug substantially absorbs light.

4. The porthole of claim 1, wherein the sealing element further comprises an air blocking feature to block the transfer of air between an area between the transparent outer pane and the camera.

5. The porthole of claim 1, further comprising a camera bracket that supports the camera and positions the camera relative to the opaque plug.

6. The porthole of claim 1, wherein the opaque plug includes a second aperture, and further comprising a second camera arranged proximate to the opaque plug, wherein a second lens of the second camera is aligned with the second aperture, and wherein the second camera is aligned with the second aperture at a different angle than the first camera is aligned with the first aperture.

7. The porthole of claim 5, wherein the opaque plug includes a third aperture, and further comprising a third camera arranged proximate to the opaque plug, wherein a third lens of the third camera is aligned with the third aperture, and wherein the third camera is aligned with the third aperture at a different angle than the first camera is aligned with the first aperture and the second camera is aligned with the second aperture.

8. The porthole of claim 1, further comprising a seal holding the outer pane and the opaque plug in spaced apart relationship to each other with an air gap defined between the outer pane and the opaque plug.

9. The porthole of claim 1, wherein the sealing element is custom-shaped to accommodate a non-orthogonal angle of the camera relative to the opaque plug.

10. A plindow for an aircraft having a passenger cabin, the plindow comprising:

a transparent outer pane;

an opaque plug arranged proximate to the outer pane, wherein the opaque plug includes a body and an aperture extending through the body, wherein the body of the plug is configured to block light passing through the outer pane from entering the passenger cabin and the aperture is configured to provide light passing through the transparent outer pane to a camera arranged proximate to the opaque plug when a lens of the camera is aligned with the aperture;

a seal holding the transparent outer pane in a spaced apart relationship with the opaque plug; and

a sealing element arranged in contact with an inner surface of the opaque plug proximate to and surrounding the aperture and surrounding the lens.

11. The plindow of claim 10, wherein the seal is a resilient seal surrounding a perimeter of the transparent outer pane and a perimeter of the opaque plug, wherein the resilient seal is arranged in a porthole of the aircraft.

12. The plindow of claim 10, wherein an outer surface of the opaque plug is substantially reflective and a region around the aperture on the outer surface substantially absorbs light.

13. The plindow of claim 10, further comprising a camera bracket that supports the camera and positions the camera relative to the opaque plug.

14. The plindow of claim 10, wherein the opaque plug comprises:

a second aperture;

a second camera arranged proximate to the opaque plug, wherein a lens of the second camera is aligned with the second aperture;

a third aperture; and

a third camera arranged proximate to the opaque plug, wherein a lens of the third camera is aligned with the third aperture.

15. The plindow of claim 10, wherein the spaced apart relationship of the transparent outer pane and the opaque plug defines an air gap between the transparent outer pane and the opaque plug, wherein the transparent outer pane and the opaque plug are both attached to a porthole forging in a skin of a fusalage of the aircraft, wherein the seal holds the transparent outer pane and the opaque plug in the spaced apart relationship in the porthole forging.

16. An aircraft comprising:

a passenger cabin;

a first window porthole on a first side a fuselage of the aircraft, the first window porthole comprising;

a first outer pane that is transparent;

a first opaque plug arranged proximate to the first outer pane, wherein the first opaque plug includes a first aperture extending through the first opaque plug, the first opaque plug blocking light from passing from the first outer pane into the passenger cabin except through the first aperture;

a first seal holding the transparent outer pane in a spaced apart relationship with the opaque plug;

a first electronic device arranged proximate to the first opaque plug, wherein at least a portion of the first electronic device is aligned with the first aperture; and

a sealing element arranged in contact with an inner surface of the first opaque plug and in contact with the first electronic device, wherein the sealing element surrounds the first aperture and a first lens of the first electronic device; and

a second window porthole on a second side of the fuselage of the aircraft, the second window porthole including;

a second outer pane that is transparent;

a second opaque plug arranged proximate to the second outer pane, wherein the second opaque plug includes a second aperture extending through the second opaque plug, the second opaque plug blocking light from passing from the second outer pane into the passenger cabin except through the second aperture;

a second seal holding the transparent outer pane in a spaced apart relationship with the opaque plug; and

a second electronic device arranged proximate to the second opaque plug, wherein at least a portion of the second electronic device is aligned with the second aperture.

17. The aircraft of claim 16, the first opaque plug includes an outer surface that substantially reflects light, and wherein a region of the outer surface of the first opaque plug substantially aborbs light.

18. The aircraft of claim 16, wherein the first electronic device comprises a first camera, wherein the first lens of the first camera is aligned with the first aperture, wherein the second electronic device comprises a second camera, and wherein a second lens of the second camera is aligned with the second aperture.

19. The aircraft of claim 16, wherein the first electronic device is a first antenna operable to at least one of transmit and receive electronic signals, and wherein the first antenna is aligned with the first aperture, wherein the second electronic device is a second antenna operable to at least one of transmit and receive electronic signals, and wherein the second antenna is aligned with the second aperture.

20. The aircraft of claim 16, further comprising:

a display configured to output a first image captured using the first electronic device and a second image captured using the second electronic device; and

a switch coupled to the display and configured to select whether the first image or the second image is outtputted on the display.