Compact illumination device

• US 7,717,594 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2007
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Clark, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, Y MY QUACH
• Application Number:
  US11/762,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20080310177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 362/147, 362/243, 362/245, 362/327, 362/328, 362/339, 362/470, 362/471, 362/479, 362/484, 362/490, 362/800, 244/118.1
• US Class Current: 362/471
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/43 General lighting
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/44 Spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0038 Illumination systems for cabins as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/02 of prismatic shape F21V5/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

Compact illumination systems, particularly for aircraft, use efficient beam forming optical light emitting diode arrangements combined with beam turning and beam splitting prism optics and optional aspheric reflectors to direct light in a cross cabin or cross bin lighting application. The LED based compact illumination devices are positioned to shine on opposite storage/stowage bins without being directly visible to a passenger. The devices are effective for illuminating ceiling structures as well as across the aisles of a passenger cabin, thus creating a cross-bin lighting system.

Claims

1. An illumination system for a ceiling structure of an airplane having at least a first row of stowage bins adjacent said ceiling structure, said illumination system comprising:

a. a compact illumination device placed in near proximity to the center of said ceiling structure and opposite said first row of stowage bins, said illumination device further comprising a lighting fixture;

b. a light emitting diode attached to said lighting fixture;

c. a beam forming optic coupled to said light emitting diode;

d. a first prism coupled to said beam forming optic, said first prism effective for turning or splitting a beam of emitted light into a first portion of emitted light for direct lighting of an illumination target and a second portion of emitted light for direct lighting of a second illumination target,

e. a second prism effective for directing a third portion of light from a second beam forming optic toward an aspheric surface, the aspheric surface effective for reflecting said third portion of emitted light for indirect lighting of a third illumination target.

2. The illumination system of claim 1 comprising a plurality of said compact illumination devices.

3. The illumination system of in claim 1 where said illumination targets are aircraft cabin surfaces.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein a plurality of said devices are arranged in a longitudinal array for the illumination of an aircraft cabin.

5. The illumination system of claim 1 further comprising a heat sink member attached to the lighting fixture for extending the operational life of the device.

6. The illumination system of claim 1 further comprising power supply and control means integrated with the illumination device.

7. The illumination system of claim 1 wherein said illumination target is the stowage bin.

8. The illumination system of claim 7 wherein said third illumination target is the ceiling structure.

9. The illumination system as described in claim 1 wherein said ceiling structure has a curved configuration.

10. The illumination system as described in claim 1 wherein additional lighting devices direct light to the ceiling structure.

11. The illumination system as described in claim 1 further comprising a light source having a blue color.

12. The illumination system as described in claim 1 wherein the light emitting diode is selected from the group consisting of white LED lights, RGB LED lights and RGBW LED lights.

13. The illumination system as described in claim 1 wherein said lighting fixture comprises a plurality of LED lights.

14. A method for illuminating the ceiling structure of an airplane having at least a first row of stowage bins adjacent said ceiling structure, said method comprising:

a. placing an illumination device adjacent said ceiling structure and between two opposite rows of stowage bins, said illumination device further comprising a lighting fixture;

b. attaching a first light emitting diode to said lighting fixture;

c. coupling a first beam forming optic to said first light emitting diode;

d. coupling a first prism to said first beam forming optic, said first prism effective for turning or splitting a beam of emitted light into a first portion of emitted light for direct lighting of an illumination target and a second portion of emitted light for direct lighting of a second illumination target;

e. coupling a second prism to a second beam forming optic and directing a third portion of emitted light from the second beam forming optic to an aspheric reflector member effective for indirect lighting of additional illumination targets.

15. A compact illumination system comprising:

a. a compact illumination device placed in near proximity to the center of an illumination target area, said illumination device further comprising a lighting fixture;

b. a light emitting diode attached to said lighting fixture;

c. a first beam forming optic coupled to said light emitting diode;

d. a first prism coupled to said first beam forming optic, said first prism effective for turning or splitting a beam of emitted light into a first portion of emitted light for direct lighting of an illumination target and a second portion of emitted light for direct lighting of a second illumination target;

e. a second prism connected to a second beam forming optic, said second prism effective for directing a third portion of light from the second beam forming optic toward an aspheric surface; and

an aspheric reflector member for indirect lighting of a third illumination target.