Quadrant lighting apparatus

• US 7,988,314 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2004
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kemco Aerospace
• Original Assignee: Kemco Aerospace
• Inventors: Avery, Roy E., Nichols, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): O Shea; Sandra L
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTER, WILLIAM JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US10/886,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20060007678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,582 Days
• Field of Search: 362/110, 362/800
• US Class Current: 362/110
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/345 for illuminating the sights
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A lighting apparatus for a Gunner'"'"'s Quadrant including a housing and a flexible circuit board including lights. The lighting apparatus illuminates portions of the M1 A1 or M1 A2 Gunner'"'"'s Quadrant. The lighting apparatus may be removably attached to the Gunner'"'"'s Quadrant. The invention also includes a method of manufacturing a lighting apparatus for a Gunner'"'"'s Quadrant, including applying a flexible circuit board including lights to a housing.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus for a gunner'"'"'s quadrant comprising:

a housing;

a flexible circuit board; and

lighting means for illuminating portions of the gunner'"'"'s quadrant, wherein the illuminated portions are a liquid level, a micrometer, and an elevation scale.

2. The lighting apparatus for the gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 1, wherein the lights do not create a light signature.

3. The lighting apparatus for the gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 1, wherein the lighting apparatus removably attaches to either a M1 A1 or a M1 A2 Gunner'"'"'s quadrant.

4. The lighting apparatus for the gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 3, wherein the lighting apparatus, after attaching to the M1 A1 or M1 A2 Gunner'"'"'s Quadrant, is then stored with the M1 A1 or M2 A2 Gunner'"'"'s quadrant in a M82 carrying case.

5. The lighting apparatus for the gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 1, wherein the lights comprise a plurality of LEDs to provide the illumination for the gunner'"'"'s quadrant.

6. The lighting apparatus for the gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 5, wherein the LEDs emit light with a wavelength of about 550 nanometers to about 650 nanometers.

7. The lighting apparatus for the gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 1, wherein the flexible circuit board comprises an adhesive layer, a backing layer, a layer of electrical components, wherein the electrical components include a plurality of LEDs, and an optional cover layer.

8. The lighting apparatus for the gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a base, a right-wing and a left-wing;

wherein the right-wing and the left-wing are integral to the base.

9. The lighting apparatus for the gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 8, wherein the base is generally rectangular in shape and comprises a hollow cavity below a top surface of the base, and the right-wing and the left-wing are generally perpendicular to the base of the housing.

10. The lighting apparatus for the gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 8, wherein the right-wing comprises a first right LED, a second right LED, a third right LED, and a fourth right LED;

and the left-wing comprises a first left LED, a second left LED, a third left LED and a fourth left LED.

11. The lighting apparatus for the gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 10, wherein the first right LED is directed to a liquid level bubble vial of the gunner'"'"'s quadrant, the second right LED is directed to a micrometer of the gunner'"'"'s quadrant, the third right LED is directed to the micrometer, and the fourth right LED is directed to scales of the gunner'"'"'s quadrant, and the first left LED is directed to the liquid level bubble vial, the second left LED is directed to the micrometer, the third left LED is directed to the micrometer, and the fourth left LED is directed to the scales.

12. The lighting apparatus for the gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 1, wherein the flexible circuit board includes a single piece of flexible circuit board.

13. The lighting apparatus for the gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a base, wherein the base comprises a battery compartment and the battery compartment includes a front compartment and a rear compartment.

14. The lighting apparatus for the gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 13, wherein the front and rear compartments are separated by a dog bone piece.

15. The lighting apparatus for the gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a front mounting region and a back mounting region such that the lighting apparatus removably attaches or clips to a bottom surface of the gunner'"'"'s quadrant.

16. The lighting apparatus for the gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 1, wherein the elevation scale comprises a left elevation scale and a right elevation scale.

17. A method of manufacturing a lighting apparatus for a gunner'"'"'s quadrant comprising:

applying a flexible circuit board comprising lights to a housing, wherein the housing positions the lights to illuminate portions of the gunner'"'"'s quadrant, wherein the portions are a liquid level, a micrometer, and a left and right elevation scale.

18. The method of manufacturing a lighting apparatus for a gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 17, further comprising:

attaching a left-wing portion of the flexible circuit board to an interior portion of a left wing of the housing;

attaching a right-wing portion of the flexible circuit board to an interior portion of a right wing of the housing;

attaching a middle portion of a flexible circuit board to a top surface of a base of the housing; and

attaching a battery portion of the flexible circuit board to a bottom surface of the housing.

19. The method of manufacturing a lighting apparatus for a gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 18, further comprising:

bending the battery portion of the flexible circuit board at a transition point to wrap underneath the housing and attach to the bottom surface of the housing.

20. The method of manufacturing a lighting apparatus for a gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 17, wherein the flexible circuit board comprises a single piece of flexible circuit board.

21. A method of illuminating a gunner'"'"'s quadrant, comprising:

attaching a lighting apparatus to a gunner'"'"'s quadrant, wherein the lighting apparatus comprises a housing and a flexible circuit board comprising lights; and

illuminating the gunner'"'"'s quadrant with the lights.

22. The method of illuminating a gunner'"'"'s quadrant according to claim 21, further comprising:

illuminating portions of a M1 A1 or M1 A2 Gunner'"'"'s Quadrant.