Lighting device having a plurality of light sources

• US 8,686,638 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2010
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Marwede, Alexandra, Dehmel, Ronny
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Anh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Breval, Elmito
• Application Number:
  US13/378,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20120098455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 313495-512, 445 24- 25
• US Class Current: 313/598
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/43 General lighting
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/745 using lighting panels or mats, e.g. electro-luminescent panels, LED mats
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00 Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0038 Illumination systems for cabins as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2203/00 Aircraft or airfield lights using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/12 Light sources with substantially two-dimensional radiating surfaces

Abstract

A lighting device having a plurality of light sources includes several superimposed layers. The superimposed layers include a first and a second electrically conductive layer, which are designed so as to create an alternating electrical field between the layers. The superimposed layers also have an electrically insulating layer between the electrically conductive layers and a luminescent layer between the electrically conductive layers. Electroluminescent material is arranged within the luminescent layer in several adjacent and spatially separated regions, each region forming a light source. As a result, a simulated starry sky may be provided when the lighting device is used with an aircraft interior trim panel.

Claims

1. A lighting device having a plurality of light sources, wherein the lighting device comprises several superimposed layers, having

a first and a second electrically conductive layer, which are configured to produce an alternating electrical field between them,

an AC voltage source connected to the first and second electrically conductive layers,

an electrically insulating layer between the electrically conductive layers,

a first luminescent layer between the electrically conductive layers, and

a second luminescent layer that is applied to the first luminescent layer and that is between the electrically conductive layers,

wherein electroluminescent material is arranged in each of the first and second luminescent layers in several adjacent and spatially separated regions, each of which forms a light source, and the spatially separated regions in the first and the second luminescent layers are arranged in different planes.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first and a second moisture-impermeable layer, between which the luminescent layers are located.

3. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the electrically insulating layer has light-reflecting properties.

4. The lighting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transparent protective layer on the side of the lighting device that is remote from the luminescent layers.

5. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrically conductive layers, the first and second luminescent layers, and the electrically insulating layer are dried lacquer and/or liquid layers.

6. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the layers is inflexible and the layers have an at least partially curved three-dimensional form.

7. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the luminescent layers is in a range from 15 μ

m to 25 μ

m.

8. The lighting device according to claim 7, wherein the thickness of the luminescent layers is 20 μ

m.

9. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the electrically insulating layer is in a range from 11 μ

m to 21 μ

m.

10. The lighting device according to claim 9, wherein the thickness of the electrically insulating layer is 16 μ

m.

11. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the second electrically conductive layer is positioned closer to the luminescent layers than to the electrically insulating layer, is at least partly transparent and has a thickness in a range from 1 μ

m to 9 μ

m.

12. The lighting device according to claim 11, wherein the second electrically conductive layer has a thickness in a range from 2 μ

m to 4 μ

m.

13. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrically conductive layer is positioned closer to the electrically insulating layer than to the luminescent layers and has a thickness in a range from 11 μ

m to 20 μ

m.

14. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrically conductive layer has a thickness of 15 μ

m.

15. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the spatially separated regions of the luminescent layers are arranged so that the spatially separated regions do not overlap.

16. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the spatially separated regions are of the same size.

17. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the spatially separated regions are of different sizes.

18. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the spatially separated regions are arranged irregularly.

19. The light device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the spatially separated regions of the first luminescent layer overlaps at least partially with at least one of the spatially separated regions in the second luminescent layer.

20. An interior trim panel for an aircraft cabin, comprising:

a panel layer configured to be mounted in the aircraft cabin, and

a lighting device applied to the panel layer and having a plurality of light sources, wherein the lighting device comprises several superimposed layers, having

a first and a second electrically conductive layer, which are configured to produce an alternating electrical field between them,

an AC voltage source connected to the first and second electrically conductive layers,

an electrically insulating layer between the electrically conductive layers,

a first luminescent layer between the electrically conductive layers, and

a second luminescent layer that is applied to the first luminescent layer and that is between the electrically conductive layers,

wherein electroluminescent material is arranged in each of the first and second luminescent layers in several adjacent and spatially separated regions, each of which forms a light source, and the spatially separated regions in the first and the second luminescent layers are arranged in different planes.