Lighting apparatus for a vehicle cab

• US 7,641,370 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diehl Aerospace GmbH (Diehl VA Systeme Stiftung & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Diehl Aerospace GmbH (Diehl VA Systeme Stiftung & Company KG)
• Inventors: Heine, Christoph, Ertel, Frank, Schevardo, Dirk-Achim
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea; Sandra L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunwiddie; Meghan K
• Application Number:
  US11/731,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20080080197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 362/470, 362/471, 362477-479, 362/487, 362/488, 362/490, 362/543
• US Class Current: 362/471
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/44 Spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00 Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0053 Cabin passenger reading lights

Abstract

A lighting apparatus for a vehicle cab or cabin, having a plurality of reading lights for a plurality of passenger seats. A number of the reading lights is at least equal to the number of passenger seats, and a mean distance between the reading lights is less than a shortest possible distance between the passenger seats.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus for a vehicle cab or cabin, comprising:

a plurality of passenger seats disposed in the vehicle cab or cabin at different seating arrangement configurations with different spacing distances between said passenger seats, including a shortest possible distance between said passenger seats;

a plurality of reading lights for said passenger seats, wherein a number of said reading lights is at least equal to a number of said passenger seats, and a mean distance between said reading lights, in a direction along the spacing distance between said passenger seats, is less than said shortest possible distance between said passenger seats.

2. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reading lights are disposed at equal intervals.

3. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, which further comprises a control apparatus configured to associate respective said reading lights with respective said passenger seats in accordance with a location plan of said reading lights and a location plan of said passenger seats.

4. The lighting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein respective said reading lights not associated with a respective said passenger seat may be operated by said control apparatus for other lighting purposes.

5. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reading lights are provided in an overhead area above said passenger seats.

6. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reading lights are disposed in a panel.

7. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, which comprises controls for said reading lights integrated at said passenger seats.

8. In combination with a lighting system of an aircraft, a bus, or a marine vessel having a cab or cabin, a lighting apparatus according to claim 1.

9. In combination with an aircraft, a bus, or a marine vessel, the lighting apparatus according to claim 1 for controlling reading lights for a plurality of passenger seats.

10. A lighting apparatus for a vehicle cab or cabin, comprising:

a plurality of passenger seats disposed in the vehicle cab or cabin in a given seating arrangement;

a plurality of reading lights for said passenger seats disposed in an overhead area above said passenger seats, wherein a number of said reading lights is greater than a number of said passenger seats; and

a control apparatus connected to said reading lights and configured to select respective said reading lights for operation in dependence on the seating arrangement of said passenger seats in said vehicle cab or cabin.

11. The lighting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said reading lights are disposed at equal intervals.

12. The lighting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said control apparatus is configured to associate respective said reading lights with respective said passenger seats in accordance with a location plan of said reading lights and a location plan of said passenger seats.

13. The lighting apparatus according to claim 12, wherein respective said reading lights not associated with a respective said passenger seat may be operated by said control apparatus for other lighting purposes.

14. The lighting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said reading lights are disposed in a panel.

15. The lighting apparatus according to claim 10, which comprises controls for said reading lights integrated at said passenger seats.

16. In combination with a lighting system of an aircraft, a bus, or a marine vessel having a cab or cabin, a lighting apparatus according to claim 10.

17. In combination with an aircraft, a bus, or a marine vessel, the lighting apparatus according to claim 10 for controlling reading lights for a plurality of passenger seats.

18. A lighting apparatus for a vehicle cab or cabin, comprising:

a plurality of reading lights for passenger seats;

a plurality of passenger seats mountable in the vehicle cab or cabin with a shortest possible distance therebetween;

a number of said reading lights being at least equal to a number of said passenger seats; and

a mean distance between said reading lights being less than the shortest possible distance between said passenger seats.