Image viewing system for passengers of an aircraft and aircraft comprising such a system

• US 8,192,034 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Cossart, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Sultan
• Application Number:
  US12/280,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20090310085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,929 Days
• Field of Search: 353/30, 353/31, 353/39, 353/46, 353/69, 353/70, 353/71, 353/72, 353/79, 353/119, 353/122, 340/705, 340/974, 340/975, 340/976, 340/977, 340/979, 340/980, 340/717, 340/729, 340/734, 340/720, 340/945, 250/229, 250/224, 250/221, 250/227.22, 250/227.23, 250/216, 349/5, 349/7, 349/8, 349/9, 348/117, 348/144, 345/156
• US Class Current: 353/119
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/18 involving the use of optical projection means, e.g. projection of images on clouds projection apparatus per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/08 the advertising matter being arranged on the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/10 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/35 being liquid crystals G09F9/302 takes precedence; liquid crystal materials C09K19/00; liquid crystal panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell per se G02F1/13

Abstract

The invention relates to an image viewing system for aircraft passengers, characterized in that it is embodied in the form of a module (10) which comprises a unit (20) for displaying images originating from at least one image source (12, 14, 16), the display unit being tied to an internal wall of the aircraft, in a position parallel to a floor of the aircraft.

Claims

1. An image viewing system for passengers of an aircraft, comprising:

a module provided with a display unit configured to display images originating from at least one image source, wherein

the display unit is disposed in a position parallel to a floor of the aircraft when the module is fastened to an internal partition of the aircraft, and

the display unit is configured to be accessible to the passengers simultaneously.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the display unit has a convex general shape.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the display unit has a hemispherical general shape.

4. A system according to one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising:

a projection unit configured to project images furnished by the at least one image source; and

an optical system configured to adapt, to the display unit, the images projected thereon.

5. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

passenger/viewing system interactive elements that are associated with the display unit.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the display unit integrates a tactile layer, and the interactive elements form tactile zones of the layer.

7. A system according to claim 5 or 6, further comprising:

a plurality of interactive elements arranged around the display unit.

8. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data-processing unit.

9. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a mechanism configured to adjust the vertical position of the display unit.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein

the display unit is mounted on a support capable of being fixed on an internal partition of the aircraft.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein

the support is provided with a fixation foot.

12. A system according to claim 10 or 11, further comprising:

an adjustment mechanism configured to vertically adjust the support.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein

the adjustment mechanism is of the rotary type.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein

the module has a height that is smaller than the height of the passengers.

15. An aircraft comprising the image viewing system for passengers of an aircraft according to claim 1.

16. An aircraft according to claim 15, wherein the module is installed in a clear zone of the aircraft accessible to several passengers.

17. An aircraft according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the internal partition is the floor.

18. An aircraft according to claim 17, wherein the display unit is fixed to the floor.

19. An aircraft according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the internal partition is a ceiling of the aircraft.

20. A system according to claim 1, wherein the display unit has a circular shape.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein the display unit is configured to be viewed from a plurality of positions around the periphery of the display unit.

22. A system according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is mounted on a support and forms therewith an external physical envelope of the image viewing system.