Aircraft passenger light with reading and halo lighting

Abstract

An aircraft passenger light includes a reading light unit having a reading light unit and a halo light unit. The reading light unit includes at least one reading light source and is configured for emitting a targeted reading light output. The halo light unit includes at least one halo light source and is configured for emitting a ring shaped halo light output, at least partly surrounding the targeted reading light output.

Claims

1. An aircraft passenger light including: a reading light unit, comprising at least one reading light source and configured for emitting a targeted reading light output; and a halo light unit, comprising at least one halo light source and configured for emitting a ring-shaped halo light output, at least partly surrounding the targeted reading light output, wherein the at least one halo light source is configured for selectively emitting light having a color different from white, including at least one of red, green, blue, yellow, purple, and orange light; and a controller, which is configured for selecting a color of the halo light output depending on a category and/or an occupancy status of a passenger seat, associated with the aircraft passenger light, and for operating the at least one halo light source to emit the selected color.

2. The aircraft passenger light according to claim 1, wherein the reading light unit and the halo light unit have a common light emission plane, through which the targeted reading light output and the ring-shaped halo light output are emitted in operation.

3. The aircraft passenger light according to claim 1, wherein the reading light unit and/or the halo light unit comprise a transparent cover.

4. The aircraft passenger light according to claim 1, wherein the reading light unit comprises a reflector, wherein the reflector in particular is rotationally symmetric with respect to a main light emission axis (A) of the reading light unit, wherein the reflector more particularly is a parabolic reflector.

5. The aircraft passenger light according to claim 4, wherein the reflector surrounds the at least one reading light source and wherein the at least one halo light source is arranged outside the reflector.

6. The aircraft passenger light according to claim 4, wherein an inner surface as well as an outer surface of the reflector are reflective, respectively.

7. The aircraft passenger light according to claim 4, comprising at least one outer wall arranged outside the reflector, thereby forming a halo light chamber between the outer surface of the reflector and the outer wall, wherein the at least one halo light source is arranged within said halo light chamber.

8. The aircraft passenger light according to claim 7, wherein an inner side of the outer wall, facing the halo light chamber, is reflective or diffusely reflective.

9. The aircraft passenger light according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reading light source and the at least one halo light source are arranged on a common circuit board, in particular on a common printed circuit board.

10. The aircraft passenger light according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reading light source comprises at least one LED, and wherein the at least one halo light source comprises at least one LED.

11. The aircraft passenger light according to claim 1, wherein the halo light unit comprises a plurality of independently controllable halo light sources of different colors, in particular at least three independently controllable halo light sources of different colors, such as independently controllable red, green, and blue halo light sources.

12. An aircraft comprising: at least one aircraft passenger light according to claim 1.

13. The aircraft passenger light according to claim 1, wherein the at least one reading light source is configured for emitting white light, and/or wherein the at least one halo light source is configured for selectively emitting white light and light having a color different from white.

14. A method of operating an aircraft passenger light including: a reading light unit, comprising at least one reading light source and configured for emitting a targeted reading light output; and a halo light unit, comprising at least one halo light source and configured for emitting a ring-shaped halo light output, at least partly surrounding the targeted reading light output, wherein the method comprises: operating the at least one halo light source independently from the at least one reading light source; and selecting a color of the halo light output depending on a category and/or an occupancy status of a passenger seat associated with the aircraft passenger light, and operating the at least one halo light source to emit the selected color.

15. The method according to claim 14, comprising: operating the at least one halo light source in a flashing mode and/or activating the at least one halo light source simultaneously with or in advance of an acoustic announcement.

16. An aircraft passenger light including: a reading light unit, comprising at least one reading light source and configured for emitting a targeted reading light output; a halo light unit, comprising at least one halo light source and configured for emitting a ring-shaped halo light output, at least partly surrounding the targeted reading light output; a reflector surrounding the at least one reading light source, wherein the at least one halo light source is arranged outside the reflector; and at least one outer wall arranged outside the reflector, thereby forming a halo light chamber between the outer surface of the reflector and the outer wall, wherein the at least one halo light source is arranged within said halo light chamber; wherein the outer surface of the reflector and an inner side of the outer wall are covered with a reflective coating or with a diffusely reflective coating, respectively.

17. The aircraft passenger light according to claim 16, wherein the reading light unit and the halo light unit have a common light emission plane, through which the targeted reading light output and the ring-shaped halo light output are emitted in operation.

18. The aircraft passenger light according to claim 16, wherein the reading light unit and/or the halo light unit comprise a transparent cover.

19. The aircraft passenger light according to claim 16, wherein the reflector is rotationally symmetric with respect to a main light emission axis (A) of the reading light unit, wherein the reflector in particular is a parabolic reflector.

20. The aircraft passenger light according to claim 16, wherein the halo light unit comprises a plurality of independently controllable halo light sources of different colors, in particular at least three independently controllable halo light sources of different colors, such as independently controllable red, green, and blue halo light sources.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) Further exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described with respect to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically shows an aircraft with a passenger cabin, the aircraft being in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view through the passenger cabin of the aircraft of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows an overhead passenger service unit, comprising aircraft passenger lights in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the invention, in a schematic view;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an aircraft passenger light according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic plan view of the aircraft passenger light shown in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of an aircraft 1 with a passenger cabin 100. The aircraft 1 comprises a plurality of aircraft passenger lights in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the invention. The aircraft passenger lights are located in the interior of the passenger cabin and are thus not visible in the side view of FIG. 1.

(8) FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view through the passenger cabin 100 of the aircraft 1. FIG. 2 in particular shows a row of three passenger seats 110 and an overhead passenger service unit 120 installed above the passenger seats 110. The overhead passenger service unit 120 comprises the aircraft passenger lights in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the invention, as will be laid out below.

(9) FIG. 3 shows a more detailed schematic view of an overhead passenger service unit 120 from a position below the overhead passenger service unit 120.

(10) On the side depicted to the left in FIG. 3, the overhead passenger service unit 120 comprises a row of three adjustable aircraft passenger lights (personal reading lights) 2, arranged next to each other in a lateral direction. Each of the aircraft passenger lights 2 may be embodied in accordance with any of the embodiments of aircraft passenger lights 2, described herein.

(11) Six electrical switches 130 are provided to the right side of the aircraft passenger lights 2, a pair of two switches 130 next to each of the aircraft passenger lights 2, respectively. One of the switches 130 of each pair may be configured for switching the adjacent aircraft passenger light 2, while the second switch of each pair may be configured for triggering a signal for calling cabin service personnel.

(12) A row of three adjacent gaspers 122, arranged in the lateral direction, is provided next to the switches 130. The overhead passenger service unit 120 further comprises a loudspeaker 126, a display panel 128, and a covered cavity 124 for housing at least one oxygen mask (not shown).

(13) FIG. 4 depicts a schematic cross-sectional view of an aircraft passenger light 2 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5 depicts a schematic plan view of the aircraft passenger light 2 shown in FIG. 4.

(14) The aircraft passenger light 2 comprises a basically circular outer wall 14 forming a nearly-cylindrical barrel, constituting part of a housing of the aircraft passenger light 2.

(15) A reflector 8, which in particular may be a parabolic reflector, is arranged within the housing, formed by the circular outer wall 14. The reflector 8 may have rotational symmetry and in particular is arranged coaxially with the circular outer wall 14 on a common axis A.

(16) In any virtual plane P oriented orthogonally to the axis A, the diameter d of the reflector 8 is smaller than the diameter D of the outer wall 14. As a result, the outer wall 14 is spaced apart from the reflector 8 in the radial direction, forming an interior space (“halo light chamber”) 16 between an outer surface 8b of the reflector 8 and the outer wall 14.

(17) The diameters d, D of the reflector 8 and of the outer wall 14 may vary in the direction along the axis A, but the diameter d of the reflector 8 remains smaller than the diameter D of the outer wall 14. The difference Δ=D−d between the diameter D of the outer wall 14 and the diameter d of the reflector 8 for example may be smaller at an inner side 2a of the aircraft passenger light 2 (shown at the bottom of FIG. 4) than at an opposing outer light emission side 2b (shown at the top of FIG. 4).

(18) The variation of the diameters d, D of the reflector 8 and of the outer wall 14 in particular may result in a “banana like” cross-section of the halo light chamber 16, as it is schematically depicted in FIG. 4.

(19) At least one reading light source 6 is provided within the reflector 8, in particular in an optical center of the reflector 8. The at least one reading light source 6 may be or may include at least one LED.

(20) The at least one reading light source 6 and the reflector 8 in combination constitute a reading light unit 4, configured for emitting a reading light output, which is basically centered around the axis A, when the at least one reading light source 6 is operated.

(21) The least one reading light source 6 may be configured for emitting white light, in particular white light having a correlated color temperature of at least 2500 K.

(22) The at least one reading light source 6 may be dimmable and/or it may comprise a plurality of reading light sources 6 which are individually switchable for varying the intensity of the light emitted by the reading light unit 4.

(23) An inner side 8a of the reflector 8, facing the axis A, is reflective. The reflector 8 may be made of a reflective material, e.g. a metal.

(24) The inner side 8a of the reflector 8 may also be covered by a reflective coating, such as a metallic coating, for efficiently reflecting the light emitted by the at least one reading light source 6 in light emission directions E extending basically parallel to the axis A.

(25) At least one halo light source 12 is arranged in the halo light chamber 16, formed between the outer surface 8b of the reflector 8 and the outer wall 14.

(26) The at least one halo light source 12 and the at least one reading light source 6 in particular may be mounted to a common circuit board 10, in particular a printed circuit board, extending basically orthogonally to the axis A. In such a configuration, the at least one reading light source 6 is arranged at or close to the center C of the reflector 8/the axis A, and the at least one halo light source 12 is arranged at some radial distance a from the axis A within the halo light chamber 16, formed between the reflector 8 and the outer wall 14.

(27) The at least one halo light source 12 is configured for emitting the light into the halo light chamber 16 surrounding the reflector 8.

(28) The outer side 8b of the reflector 8 and/or the inner side 14a of the outer wall 14, facing the halo light chamber 16, may be reflective or diffusely reflective for reducing the amount of light absorbed by the reflector 8 and the outer wall 14, respectively.

(29) The reflector 8 and/or the outer wall 14 may be made of a reflective material, in particular a metallic material, or the outer side 8b of the reflector 8 and the inner side 14a of the outer wall 14 may be covered with a reflective coating, such as a metallic coating, respectively.

(30) Alternatively, the outer side 8b of the reflector 8 and/or the inner side 14a of the outer wall 14 may be white, or coated with a diffusely reflective coating, in particular a white coating.

(31) For protecting the at least one halo light source 12, an at least partially transparent cover 18 is provided at an (outer) end of the halo light chamber 16 at the outer light emission side 2b of the aircraft passenger light 2. The at least partially transparent cover 18 is arranged opposite to the circuit board 10 with the at least one halo light source 12. For protecting the at least one reading light source 6, another at least partially transparent cover 19 may extend over the outer side of the reflector 8. Alternatively, a single at least partially transparent cover (not shown) may cover both, the open outer side of the reflector 8 and the outer end of the halo light chamber 16. The cover(s) 18, 19 may be formed integrally with or separately from the reflector 8. As another alternative, an at least partially transparent cover (not shown) may be part of or attached to the overhead passenger service unit 120 so that it is arranged in front of the aircraft passenger light 2. In any configuration, the at least partially transparent cover 19 may include a spreading disc causing a diffuse light output to be emitted from the halo light unit 5.

(32) When viewed in a plan view, a plurality of halo light sources 12 may be arranged at constant angular intervals, for example at angular intervals of 180°, 90° (as depicted in FIG. 5), 60°, 45°, 30° or 15°, along the circumference of the halo light chamber 16. Alternatively, a plurality of halo light sources 12 may be arranged at nonconstant angular intervals along the circumference of the halo light chamber 16.

(33) The at least one halo light source 12 may be an LED or comprise a plurality of LEDs.

(34) The at least one halo light source 12 may be configured for emitting white light, in particular light having a correlated color temperature of at least 2500 K Alternatively or additionally, the at least one halo light source 12 may be configured for emitting light having a different color, in particular, red, green, blue, yellow, purple or orange light.

(35) The halo light unit 5 may comprise a plurality of independently controllable halo light sources 12 which are configured for emitting light of different colors. The halo light unit 5 in particular may comprise at least three independently controllable halo light sources 12 of different colors, including at least one independently controllable red, green, and blue halo light source, respectively. Such a configuration allows the halo light unit to emit light having almost arbitrary colors by mixing the light emitted by the at least three halo light sources 12. Alternative combinations of light sources of different colors are also possible. In particular, it is possible that the halo light unit 5 comprises a white light source, a red light source, a green light source, and a blue light source.

(36) The aircraft passenger light 2 may further comprise a controller 20 configured for controlling the at least one reading light source 6 and/or the at least one halo light source 12.

(37) In case a plurality of reading light sources 6 are provided, the controller 20 may be configured for varying the intensity of light emitted by the reading light unit 4 by changing the number of activated reading light sources 6. Alternatively or additionally, the controller 20 may be configured for varying the intensity of light emitted by the reading light unit 4 by dimming the activated reading light source(s) 6.

(38) In case a plurality of halo light sources 12 are provided, the controller 20 may be configured for varying the intensity of light emitted by the halo light unit 5 by changing the number of activated halo light sources 12. Alternatively or additionally, the controller 20 may be configured for varying the intensity of light emitted by the halo light unit 5 by dimming the activated halo light source(s) 12.

(39) In case a plurality of halo light sources 12, configured for emitting light of different colors, is provided, the controller 20 may be configured for varying the color of the light emitted by the halo light unit 5 by selectively activating, deactivating and/or dimming the halo light sources 12 individually.

(40) Although a single controller 20 is depicted in FIG. 4, separate controllers for controlling the reading light sources 6 and the halo light sources 12 may be provided.

(41) The at least one reading light source 6 may be operated independently from the at least one halo light source 12. Operating the at least one reading light source 6 and operating the at least one halo light source 12 may include activating only a portion (subgroup) of a plurality of reading light sources 6 or halo light sources 12, respectively. Operating the at least one halo light source 12 may further include changing the color of the light emitted by the halo light unit 5 by selectively activating and/or deactivating and/or dimming different halo light sources 12 individually. The at least one halo light source 12 also may be operated in a flashing mode, in which the at least one halo light source 12 is repeatedly, in particular periodically, switched on and off.

(42) For increasing awareness of the passengers, the at least one halo light source 12 may be activated simultaneously with or in advance of an acoustic announcement via the loudspeaker 126. Additionally, the at least one reading light source 6 may be dimmed simultaneously with or in advance of an acoustic announcement for increasing awareness of the passengers even further.

(43) The color of the light output emitted by the halo light unit 5 may be selected depending on a category and/or an occupancy status of a passenger seat 110 associated with the respective aircraft passenger light 2.

(44) In particular, different colors of the halo light output may be used for distinguishing between free and occupied/reserved passenger seats 110.

(45) Different colors of the halo light output may further be used for indicating different segments of the passenger cabin 100 associated with different booking classes. For example, a yellow (“gold”) halo light output may indicate first class passenger seats 110, a red halo light output may indicate business class passenger seats 110, and a green halo light output may indicate economy class passenger seats 110. The colors of the halo light output may correspond with color codes printed on the tickets of the respective class.

(46) The color of the light output, emitted by the halo light unit 5, also may be used for indicating that a signal for calling cabin service personnel has been triggered.

(47) While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.