Built-in optical component for the interior fittings of an aircraft and correspondingly fitted aircraft

Abstract

Visible built-in component for the interior fittings of an aircraft, comprising a partially transparent stone layer or glass layer and a luminous layer arranged thereunder for backlighting the stone layer or glass layer, wherein the luminous layer comprises a plurality of luminous strips and a partially transparent intermediate layer is provided between the luminous layer and the stone layer or glass layer.

Claims

1. A visible built-in component for an interior fitting of an aircraft, comprising: a partially transparent layer, wherein the partially transparent layer is a partially transparent stone layer or a partially transparent glass layer; a partially transparent intermediate layer, wherein the partially transparent intermediate layer comprises an intermediate layer honeycomb structure, and wherein the partially transparent intermediate layer is colourless; and a luminous layer, wherein the luminous layer comprises a plurality of luminous strips, wherein the partially transparent intermediate layer is positioned between the luminous layer and the partially transparent layer, wherein at least a portion of visible light emitted by the luminous layer passes through the partially transparent intermediate layer, passes through the partially transparent layer, and exits the partially transparent layer so as to backlight the partially transparent layer, wherein the luminous strips of the plurality of luminous strips are arranged in parallel, wherein the luminous strips of the plurality of luminous strips are arranged side by side such that luminous strips of the plurality of luminous strips are a distance, a, from adjacent luminous strips of the plurality of luminous strips, and wherein a ratio of the distance, a, and a thickness, d, of the partially transparent intermediate layer is in a range of from 0.5 to 1.5.

2. The visible built-in component according to claim 1, further comprising: a second partially transparent layer, wherein the second partially transparent layer is a second partially transparent stone layer or a second partially transparent glass layer; a second partially transparent intermediate layer, wherein the second partially transparent intermediate layer comprises a second intermediate layer honeycomb structure, and wherein the second partially transparent intermediate layer is colourless; and a second luminous layer, wherein the second luminous layer comprises a plurality of second luminous strips, wherein the second partially transparent intermediate layer is positioned between the second luminous layer and the second partially transparent layer, wherein at least a portion of visible light emitted by the second luminous layer passes through the second partially transparent intermediate layer, passes through the second partially transparent layer, and exits the second partially transparent layer so as to backlight the second partially transparent layer, and wherein the partially transparent layer and the second partially transparent layer are at an angle to one another and form a common edge, such that the luminous layer comprises one luminous strip of the plurality of luminous strips at the common edge, and the second luminous layer comprises one second luminous strip of the plurality of second luminous strips at the common edge.

3. The visible built-in component according to claim 1, wherein the partially transparent layer is the partially transparent stone layer.

4. The visible built-in component according to claim 3, wherein the partially transparent stone layer comprises a mineral.

5. The visible built-in component according to claim 3, wherein the partially transparent stone layer comprises a rock.

6. The visible built-in component according to claim 3, wherein the partially transparent stone layer comprises a composite material, and wherein the composite material comprises greater than 30% stone.

7. The visible built-in component according to claim 3, wherein the partially transparent stone layer is made of white onyx.

8. The visible built-in component according to claim 1, wherein the partially transparent layer is the partially transparent glass layer.

9. The visible built-in component according to claim 8, wherein the partially transparent glass layer comprises a translucent pane of glass.

10. The visible built-in component according to claim 1, wherein the distance, a, is in a range of between 19 mm and 23 mm.

11. The visible built-in component according to claim 1, wherein the luminous layer comprises a support plate, and wherein the luminous strips of the plurality of luminous strips are embedded in the support plate.

12. The visible built-in component according to claim 11, wherein the support plate comprises a support plate honeycomb structure.

13. The visible built-in component according to claim 1, wherein the luminous strips of the plurality of luminous strips are each surrounded by heat-shrink tubing.

14. The visible built-in component according to claim 1, wherein the partially transparent intermediate layer is made of a polymer.

15. The visible built-in component according to claim 1, wherein the partially transparent intermediate layer has a thickness, d, in a range of between 15 mm and 20 mm.

16. The visible built-in component according to claim 1, wherein the partially transparent layer is a partially transparent stone layer or a partially transparent frosted glass layer.

17. The visible built-in component according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of luminous strips is a plurality of LED luminous strips, and wherein each LED luminous strip of the plurality of LED luminous strips comprises multiple spaced apart LED elements.

18. The visible built-in component according to claim 17, wherein the intermediate layer honeycomb structure has a first surface, a second surface, and a plurality of honeycomb bores extending from the first surface to the second surface, wherein the intermediate layer further comprises a cover plate and a base plate, wherein the base plate is bonded to the first surface of the intermediate layer honeycomb structure and the cover plate is bonded to the second surface of the intermediate layer honeycomb structure, wherein the base plate is bonded to the luminous layer and the cover plate is bonded to the partially transparent layer, and wherein at least a portion of visible light emitted by the luminous layer passes through the base plate, passes through the intermediate layer honeycomb structure, passes through the cover plate, passes through the partially transparent layer, and exits the partially transparent layer so as to backlight the partially transparent layer.

19. The visible built-in component according to claim 18, wherein the partially transparent intermediate layer acts as a diffuser, such that the at least the portion of visible light emitted by the luminous layer that passes through the base plate, passes through the intermediate layer honeycomb structure, passes through the cover plate, passes through the partially transparent layer, and exits the partially transparent layer evenly backlights the partially transparent layer so that the partially transparent layer is evenly illuminated.

20. An aircraft, comprising: at least one visible built-in component, wherein each visible built-in component of the at least one visible built-in component comprises: a partially transparent layer, wherein the partially transparent layer is a partially transparent stone layer or a partially transparent glass layer; a partially transparent intermediate layer, wherein the partially transparent intermediate layer comprises an intermediate layer honeycomb structure, and wherein the partially transparent intermediate layer is colourless; and a luminous layer, wherein the luminous layer comprises a plurality of luminous strips, wherein the partially transparent intermediate layer is positioned between the luminous layer and the partially transparent layer, wherein at least a portion of visible light emitted from the luminous layer passes through the partially transparent intermediate layer, passes through the partially transparent layer, and exits the partially transparent layer so as to backlight the partially transparent layer, wherein the luminous strips of the plurality of luminous strips are arranged in parallel, wherein the luminous strips of the plurality of luminous strips are arranged side by side such that luminous strips of the plurality of luminous strips are a distance, a, from adjacent luminous strips of the plurality of luminous strips, and wherein a ratio of the distance, a, and a thickness, d, of the partially transparent intermediate layer is in a range of from 0.5 to 1.5.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is explained in the following on the basis of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows the structure according to the invention of a visible built-in component;

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross section through a visible built-in component according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a cross section through a visible built-in component according to the invention comprising a mitre joint; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a honeycomb structure that an embodiment of the intermediate layer 2 or an embodiment of the support plate 3 can utilize; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows the cross section shown in FIG. 3 with one of the LED luminous strips 4 surrounded by heat-shrink tubing 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the structure of a visible built-in component according to the invention, showing an exposed corner region.

(8) In this embodiment, the visible built-in component is a table element for an aircraft, which comprises at least one backlit stone surface. In the same way, other furniture, walls or even floors can be backlit.

(9) In this embodiment, the stone layer 1 that is visible from the outside is made of white onyx and is approximately 8 mm thick. An intermediate layer 2 is arranged under the stone layer 1 and has a honeycomb structure made of polycarbonate. The luminous layer 3 is arranged under the intermediate layer 2. The luminous layer 3 comprises a support plate, in which a plurality of LED luminous strips 4 is embedded. In this embodiment, the support plate is made of an aluminium/foam/aluminium structure. In this case, a foam material is provided between two aluminium sheets. The LED luminous strips 4 are protected against damage by the foam material.

(10) The LED luminous strips 4 are electrically contacted via a connecting strip 8 which extends transversely to the LED luminous strips.

(11) FIG. 2 also shows the grooves 5 in the aluminium/foam/aluminium structure of the support element, in which grooves the LED luminous strips 4 extend. In this embodiment, the distance a between the 6 mm wide grooves 5 or the luminous strips 4 is in a range of between 19 and 23 mm. Attachment means are preferably provided between the grooves.

(12) The thickness d of the intermediate layer 2 is in a range of between 15 mm and 20 mm. In this preferred embodiment, the intermediate layer 2 comprises a 0.2 mm thick base plate 6, a cover plate 7 of the same thickness and a honeycomb structure made of polycarbonate. The base and cover plates 6, 7 surround the honeycomb structure made of polycarbonate and are bonded thereto. In this case, the base plate 6 and the cover plate 7 are also made of a polymer, preferably of a fibre-reinforced polymer, for example fibreglass. The components are bonded to one another by means of an epoxy adhesive.

(13) FIG. 3 shows how two backlit stone layers 1 can be connected using a 45 mitre joint. The stone layers 1 are each backlit by a luminous layer 3 comprising LED luminous strips 4 and an intermediate layer 2 acting as a diffuser and are at right angles to one another. Owing to this backlighting, the stone surfaces 1 are each backlit in the same way, and this gives the overall impression of an evenly illuminated stone table. For this purpose, one LED luminous strip 4 is preferably arranged precisely in the corner region of the vertically adjoining luminous layers 3. The stone layer can be backlit more evenly by said LED luminous strips 4 in the corner region.

(14) In a preferred embodiment, two LED luminous strips 4 are arranged side by side in the corner region and improve the even backlighting in the corner region.

(15) FIG. 4 shows a honeycomb structure that an embodiment of the intermediate layer 2 or an embodiment of the support plate 3 can utilize.

(16) FIG. 5 shows the cross section shown in FIG. 3 with one of the LED luminous strips 4 surrounded by heat-shrink tubing 9.

EMBODIMENTS

Embodiment 1

(17) Visible built-in component for the interior fittings of an aircraft, comprising a partially transparent stone layer (1) or a partially transparent glass layer and a luminous layer (3) arranged thereunder for backlighting the stone layer (1) or glass layer, characterised in that the luminous layer (3) comprises a plurality of luminous strips (4) and a partially transparent intermediate layer (2) is provided between the luminous layer (3) and the stone layer (1) or glass layer.

Embodiment 2

(18) Visible built-in component according to Embodiment 1, characterised in that the luminous strips (4) are in parallel.

Embodiment 3

(19) Visible built-in component according to Embodiment 2, characterised in that the luminous strips (4) are arranged side by side so as to be equidistant.

Embodiment 4

(20) Visible built-in component according to Embodiment 3, characterised in that the distance a between the luminous strips (4) is in a range of between 19 and 23 mm.

Embodiment 5

(21) Visible built-in component according to any of the preceding Embodiments, characterised in that the luminous layer (3) comprises a support plate, into which the luminous strips (4) are embedded.

Embodiment 6

(22) Visible built-in component according to Embodiment 5, characterised in that the support plate and/or the intermediate layer (2) has a honeycomb structure.

Embodiment 7

(23) Visible built-in component according to any of the preceding Embodiments, characterised in that the luminous strips (4) are surrounded by heat-shrink tubing.

Embodiment 8

(24) Visible built-in component according to any of the preceding Embodiments, characterised in that the intermediate layer (2) is made of a polymer.

Embodiment 9

(25) Visible built-in component according to any of the preceding Embodiments, characterised in that the intermediate layer (2) has a thickness d in a range of between 15 mm and 20 mm.

Embodiment 10

(26) Visible built-in component according to any of the preceding Embodiments, characterised in that the ratio of the distance between the luminous strips (4) and the thickness of the intermediate layer (2) is in a range of from 0.5 to 1.5.

Embodiment 11

(27) Visible built-in component according to any of the preceding Embodiments, characterised in that the visible built-in component comprises at least two stone layers (1) or glass layers and two luminous layers (3) arranged thereunder, which are at an angle to one another and form a common edge, the luminous layers (3) each comprising a luminous strip (4) at the edge.

Embodiment 12

(28) Visible built-in component according to any of the preceding Embodiments, characterised in that the stone layer (1) is designed to be white onyx.

Embodiment 13

(29) Aircraft comprising at least one visible built-in component which comprises a partially transparent stone layer (1) or a partially transparent glass layer and a luminous layer (3) arranged thereunder for backlighting the stone layer (1) or glass layer, characterised in that the luminous layer (3) comprises a plurality of luminous strips (4) and a partially transparent intermediate layer (2) is provided between the luminous layer (3) and the stone layer (1) or glass layer.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(30) 1 Stone layer 2 Intermediate layer 3 Luminous layer 4 Luminous strip 5 Groove 6 Base plate 7 Cover plate 8 Connecting strip