Decorative lighting laminate

• US 6,092,915 A
• Filed: 01/30/1998
• Issued: 07/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Rensch, Gregory James
• Primary Examiner(s): HUSAR, STEPHEN F
• Application Number:
  US09/016,057
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 362/29, 362/470, 362/471, 362/800, 362/489, 362/806, 362/311, 362/360, 362/30
• US Class Current: 362/471
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/412 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/414 Translucent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/64 for a single lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/78 for generating luminous strips, e.g. for marking trim component edges

Abstract

The present invention provides a decorative lighting laminate that can be made to glow or illuminate while shielding the laminate'"'"'s light source components from view. The decorative lighting laminate is made from a decorative laminate that includes a transparent base layer and a thin translucent decorative covering layer. In a preferred embodiment, the base layer is made from a clear polycarbonate material and the decorative covering layer is made from an organic fluoropolymeric, such as a polyvinyl fluoride or a polyvinylidene fluoride polymeric material.

Claims

1. An aircraft interior lighting part consisting essentially of:

a light-transmitting laminate having a first transparent base layer, a second translucent decorative layer, and a layer comprising an adhesive material intermediate the base and decorative layers; and

a light source,

wherein the light source is positioned adjacent the base layer, and wherein the translucent layer has an opacity sufficient to shield the light source from view when not illuminated.

2. The aircraft interior lighting part of claim 1 wherein the base layer comprises clear polycarbonate.

3. The aircraft interior lighting part of claim 1 wherein the base layer comprises a fiberglass laminate.

4. The aircraft interior lighting part of claim 3 wherein the fiberglass laminate is selected from the group consisting of fiberglass-epoxy and fiberglass-polyester laminates.

5. The aircraft interior lighting part of claim 1 wherein the base layer has a thickness of between about 0.010 inch to about 0.125 inch.

6. The aircraft interior lighting part of claim 1 wherein the decorative layer comprises a fluorinated organic polymeric material selected from the group consisting of a polyvinyl fluoride and a polyvinylidene fluoride polymeric material.

7. The aircraft interior lighting part of claim 1 wherein the decorative layer has a thickness of between about 0.0015 inch and about 0.0040 inch.

8. The aircraft interior lighting part of claim 1 wherein the adhesive material comprises an acrylic adhesive.

9. The aircraft interior lighting part of claim 1 wherein the light source is a light-emitting diode.

10. The aircraft interior lighting part of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises an array of light-emitting diodes.

11. An aircraft interior lighting part comprising:

a light-transmitting laminate having a first transparent base layer comprising clear polycarbonate;

a second translucent decorative layer comprising a fluorinated organic polymeric material selected from the group consisting of a polyvinyl fluoride and a polyvinylidene fluoride polymeric material; and

a layer comprising an acrylic adhesive intermediate the base and decorative layers; and

at least one light-emitting diode, wherein the light-emitting diode is positioned adjacent the base layer, and wherein the translucent layer has an opacity sufficient to shield the light-emitting diode from view when not illuminated.

12. A method for forming an aircraft interior lighting part comprising:

laminating a translucent decorative layer onto a transparent base layer to form a light-transmitting laminate, wherein the decorative layer is affixed to the base layer by an intermediate layer comprising an adhesive material;

thermoforming the laminate on an aircraft interior part mold die to provide a molded laminate; and

affixing at least one light source to the molded laminate to provide an aircraft interior lighting part, wherein the light source is positioned adjacent the base layer, and wherein the translucent layer has an opacity sufficient to shield the light source from view when not illuminated.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the base layer comprises clear polycarbonate.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the base layer comprises a fiberglass laminate.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the decorative layer comprises a fluorinated organic polymeric material selected from the group consisting of a polyvinyl fluoride and a polyvinylidene fluoride polymeric material.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the adhesive material comprises an acrylic adhesive.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the light source is a light-emitting diode.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the light source comprises an array of light-emitting diodes.

19. A decorative lighting laminate consisting essentially of:

a light-transmitting laminate having a first transparent base layer, a second translucent decorative layer, and a layer comprising an adhesive material intermediate the base and decorative layers; and

a light source, wherein the light source is positioned adjacent the base layer, and wherein the translucent layer has an opacity sufficient to shield the light source from view when not illuminated.

20. The laminate of claim 19 wherein the base layer comprises clear polycarbonate.

21. The laminate of claim 19 wherein the base layer comprises a fiberglass laminate.

22. The laminate of claim 19 wherein the decorative layer is a fluorinated organic polymeric material selected from the group consisting of a polyvinyl fluoride and a polyvinylidene fluoride polymeric material.

23. The laminate of claim 19 wherein the adhesive material comprises an acrylic adhesive.

24. The laminate of claim 19 wherein the light source is a light-emitting diode.

25. The laminate of claim 19 wherein the light source comprises an array of light-emitting diodes.

26. The laminate of claim 19 wherein the decorative lighting laminate forms an aircraft interior part.