INSTALLATION LIGHT

• US 20080089079A1
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: B/E Aerospace Systems GmbH (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: B/E Aerospace Systems GmbH (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Gunnewig, Frank, Goke, Ralf, Follet, Christopher, Marquardt, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 7,661,848 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/470
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/44 Spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/47 Circuits; Control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/82 Switches specially adapted for vehicle interior lighting, e.g. switching by tilting the lens
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0053 Cabin passenger reading lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/02 of recess-mounted type, e.g. downlighters specially adapted for vehicle exteriors F21S41/00-F21S45/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0485 the sensor sensing the physical interaction between a user and certain areas located on the lighting device, e.g. a touch sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2106/00 Interior vehicle lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An installation light for a vehicle or aircraft comprises a multitude of lighting elements. These lighting elements may be activated individually or in groups, in a manner such that the radiation direction and/or emittance angle of the light emitted by the installation light may be adjusted.

Claims

1. An installation light for a vehicle or aircraft, the installation light comprising:

a reflector;

a multitude of lighting means, which individually or in groups, are activated in a manner such that the beam direction and/or the emittance angle (α

) of the light emitted by the installation light is adjusted, said lighting means being arranged within said reflector;

a touch sensor field for activating said lighting means, said touch sensor being formed around said reflector in an annular manner.

2. An installation light according to claim 1, wherein said multitude of lighting means includes means to change the illumination intensity thereof.

3. An installation light according to claim 1, wherein said lighting means comprises at least one of light emitting diodes and laser diodes.

4. An installation light according to claim 1, wherein said reflector is curved with a concave shape.

5. An installation light according to claim 4, wherein said concave shape includes a concave spherical curved portion.

6. An installation light according to claim 1, wherein said reflector is allocated with a lighting means.

7. An installation light according to claim 1, wherein said touch sensor field is divided into sectors, wherein one or more lighting means are allocated to each sector, said one or more lighting means being activated via an associated said sector.

8. An installation light according to claim 1, wherein said touch sensor field comprises radial sections, each radial section having a radial alignment corresponding essentially to a radial component of the light beam or the light beams of the lighting means, wherein each radial section activates an associated radial component of the light beam or the light beams of the lighting means.

9. An installation light according to claim 1, further comprising a power control with an infinite adjustment range for adjusting the illumination intensity of the individual lighting means.

10. A vehicle or aircraft installation light comprising:

a reflector;

a plurality of lighting elements, each lighting element being arranged relative to said reflector;

a touch sensor field formed around said reflector in an annular manner;

control means for controlling activation of said lighting elements for activating said lighting elements individually or in groups to provide an output beam direction and/or the emittance angle (α

) of the light emitted by the installation light that may be adjusted, said touch sensor field cooperating with said control means for selectively activating said lighting elements.

11. An installation light according to claim 10, wherein said control means selectively changes an illumination intensity of said lighting elements individually or in groups.

12. An installation light according to claim 10, wherein some of said lighting elements comprise one of light emitting diodes and laser diodes.

13. An installation light according to claim 10, wherein said reflector is curved with a partially spherical concave shape.

15. An installation light according to claim 10, wherein said touch sensor field is divided into sectors, wherein one or more lighting elements are allocated to each sector, said one or more lighting elements being activated via an associated said sector.

16. An installation light according to claim 10, wherein said touch sensor field comprises radial sections, each radial section having a radial alignment corresponding essentially to a radial component of the light beam or the light beams of the lighting elements, wherein each radial section activates an associated radial component of the light beam or the light beams of the lighting elements.

17. An installation light according to claim 10, wherein said control means provides an infinite adjustment range for adjusting the illumination intensity of the individual lighting elements.

18. An installation light arrangement for a vehicle or aircraft, the installation light arrangement comprising:

a vehicle seat;

a reflector disposed above said vehicle seat;

a multitude of lighting means, which individually or in groups, are activated in a manner such that the beam direction and/or the emittance angle (α

) of the light emitted by the installation light relative to the vehicle seat is adjusted, said lighting means being arranged within said reflector;

a touch sensor field for activating said lighting means, said touch sensor field being formed around said reflector in an annular manner.

19. An installation light arrangement according to claim 18, wherein said lighting means comprises at least one of light emitting diodes and laser diodes.

20. An installation light arrangement according to claim 18, wherein said touch sensor field comprises radial sections, each radial section having a radial alignment corresponding essentially to a radial component of the light beam or the light beams of the lighting elements, wherein each radial section activates an associated radial component of the light beam or the light beams of the lighting elements.