Self-powered dimmable windows with integrated controls

• US 9,146,438 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2014
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Mitchell, Bradley J, Laib, Trevor M, Fletcher, Henry V
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Green, Richard R
• Application Number:
  US14/159,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20140133008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 244/129.3, 244/1.R, 527/861.1, 521/733
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/04 adjustable in transparency
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1484 Windows B64C1/1492 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1492 Structure and mounting of the transparent elements in the window or windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0061 Windows displaying outside view, artificially generated
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 27/353 using solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor

Abstract

An electrically controlled dimmable window for aircraft includes a controller and power that eliminates the need for wiring connections to on-board systems. The controller is integrated into the sidewall in which the window is mounted. Power for controlling the window is derived from an energy harvesting device that generates power by converting thermal gradients, motion/vibration or light energy present near the window. The integrated controller includes passenger controls for adjusting the opacity of the window, power conditioning circuitry, an electrical power storage device such as a battery, a processor and a radio receiver. The window can be remotely controlled by a cabin attendant from a central controller that transmits window control signals to the radio receiver.

Claims

1. A sidewall panel assembly for an aircraft interior, comprising:

a sidewall panel, having at least one window opening therein and a window reveal surrounding the window opening on an interior side of the sidewall panel;

an electrically dimmable window, mounted on the sidewall panel within the window opening;

a photovoltaic device, associated with the window reveal and oriented toward the aircraft interior, configured to convert ambient light into electrical power; and

,

a controller, configured for controlling the operation of the dimmable window using electrical power produced by the photovoltaic device.

2. The sidewall assembly of claim 1, further comprising a device for storing electrical power produced by the photovoltaic device.

3. The sidewall assembly of claim 1, wherein the sidewall controller includes:

a set of manually operable passenger switches for selecting a dimming setting for the dimmable window; and

a processor for controlling the electrical power delivered to the window based on the dimming setting selected by the passenger.

4. The sidewall assembly of claim 3, further comprising a radio receiver for wirelessly receiving remote control signals used by the processor to control the dimmable window.

5. The sidewall assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the window reveal includes a light transmissive portion; and

the photovoltaic device is disposed beneath the light transmissive portion, so that light passing through the sidewall portion impinges upon the photovoltaic device.

6. The sidewall assembly of claim 5, wherein the photovoltaic device is mounted on a bottom face of the window reveal.

7. The sidewall assembly of claim 5, wherein the photovoltaic device is mounted on a surface beneath the window reveal.

8. The sidewall assembly of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the window reveal has an appearance selected to blend with an appearance of the photovoltaic device.

9. The sidewall assembly of claim 5, wherein:

the window reveal includes a visible surface; and

the window reveal is made of a transparent material, having a translucent surface treatment applied to the visible surface to mask the photovoltaic device from passenger view.

10. The sidewall assembly of claim 5, wherein the light transmissive portion includes a visible surface having an overlaid pattern of dots, configured to blend with an appearance of the aircraft interior.

11. The sidewall assembly of claim 5, further comprising an optical element, formed in a bottom face the light transmissive portion of the reveal, configured to concentrate incident light onto the photovoltaic device.

12. The sidewall assembly of claim 11, wherein the optical element is a Fresnel lens.

13. The sidewall assembly of claim 5, wherein the light transmissive portion comprises a perforated material, overlying the photovoltaic device, configured to conceal the photovoltaic device from passenger view.

14. The sidewall assembly of claim 13, wherein a visible surface of the perforated material is configured to match an appearance of a remainder of the window reveal surrounding the perforated material.

15. The sidewall assembly of claim 13, wherein the perforated material is selected from the group consisting of mesh, expanded metal, expanded plastic, and holes formed in the reveal.

16. The sidewall assembly of claim 13, wherein the perforated material comprises apertures having a depth and angular orientation that is substantially aligned with a light source, so as to block a line of sight of passengers while allowing light to impinge upon the photovoltaic device.

17. The sidewall assembly of claim 5, wherein the light transmissive portion comprises a series of angularly oriented louvers, overlying the photovoltaic device, oriented to be aligned with incident light while blocking a line of sight of passengers.

18. A self-powered, electrically dimmable window assembly for aircraft, comprising:

an electrically dimmable window, having electrically controlled opacity, mounted in a window opening of an aircraft sidewall panel;

a window reveal, surrounding the window opening on an interior side of the sidewall panel, having a light transmissive portion;

a photovoltaic device, disposed beneath the light transmissive portion of the window reveal and oriented toward an interior of the aircraft, configured to convert ambient light into electrical power; and

a controller, configured for controlling the operation of the dimmable window using electrical power produced by the photovoltaic device.

19. The window assembly of claim 18, wherein the light transmissive portion is selected from the group consisting of a translucent material, a perforated material and a series of louvers, and the light transmissive portion is configured to be aligned with incident light while blocking a line of sight of passengers.

20. The window assembly of claim 18, wherein an appearance of the light transmissive portion is configured to blend with an appearance of an interior of the aircraft.