Recognition/anti-collision light for aircraft

• US 6,989,768 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2003
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Knight, Todd Christopher, Draves, Raymond Henry, DeMarco, Ralph Anthony, Patel, Anish Vikram, Kielbon, Timothy Scott, Stephens, Merle Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent A.
• Application Number:
  US10/653,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20040075575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 340/981, 340/458, 340/931, 340/642, 340/641, 340/331, 340/332, 340/953, 340/933, 340/947, 340/982, 340/984, 362/470, 362/240, 362/477, 362/548, 362/549, 362/347, 362/361, 250/344, 315/130, 315/65, 315/93, 315/129, 315/133, 315/88
• US Class Current: 340/981
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/06 for indicating aircraft presence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0058 adapted to cooperate with light sources of shapes different from point-like or linear, e.g. circular light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/30 in which the lamp is fed by pulses, e.g. flash lamp
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/38 Controlling the intensity of light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/46 Circuits providing for substitution in case of failure of the lamp

Abstract

A recognition light includes a reflector having an axis and first and second annular semi-parabolic reflective surfaces which have respective focal points axially spaced apart from one another, and first and second annular lamps respectively disposed at the focal points. A cover surrounds the reflector and lamps and includes a lens for focusing the light along a plane perpendicular to the axis of the reflector, the lens including first and second Fresnel lens portions each including a convex lens and a prism lens, the convex lenses being disposed adjacent one another and transaxially aligned with the first and second lamps, respectively. A light detector detects light emitted from at least one of the lamps, a monitor circuit provides a fail signal when a characteristic of the light output of at least one of the lamps does not satisfy a specified criteria, and a control circuit first activates the first lamp and then the second lamp in response to receipt of the fail signal of the monitor circuit.

Claims

1. A recognition light comprising:

a spool-shaped reflector having an axis, a waist, and first and second annular semi-parabolic reflective surfaces which have respective focal points axially spaced apart from one another; and

first and second annular lamps disposed around the waist of the spool-shaped reflector at the focal points of the first and second annular semi-parabolic reflective surfaces, respectively.

2. The recognition light of claim 1, comprising a control circuit for sequentially operating the first and second annular lamps.

3. The recognition light of claim 1, comprising a cover surrounding the reflector and lamps, the cover including a lens for focusing the light along a plane perpendicular to the axis of the reflector.

4. The recognition light of claim 1, the lens having first and second Fresnel lens portions each including a convex lens and a prism lens, the convex lenses being disposed adjacent one another and transaxially aligned with the first and second lamps, respectively.

5. The recognition light of claim 1, wherein the semi-parabolic reflective surface comprises a half-parabolic reflective surface.

6. The recognition light of claim 1, wherein the first and second lamps are substantially circular in shape.

7. The recognition light of claim 2, wherein the first and second lamps are coaxial.

8. The recognition light of claim 1, wherein the first lamp is spaced from the second lamp by one or more spacers.

9. The recognition light of claim 8, wherein the one or more spacers comprise cantilevered spacer bars projecting outwardly from a location between the first and second annular semi-parabolic reflective surfaces.

10. The recognition light of claim 1, wherein the first and second annular semi-parabolic reflective surfaces are each greater in size than that of a half parabola.

11. The recognition light of claim 1, wherein the reflector has first and second annular semi-parabolic reflective surfaces which have respective focal points axially spaced apart from one another, and the first and second annular semi-parabolic reflective surfaces are each greater in size than that of a half parabola.