Lighting assembly for interior cabin of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9527437-B2
Application number	US-201514604809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2015
Priority date	Jan 26, 2015
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A lighting assembly configured to be positioned within an internal cabin of a vehicle may include a housing defining an internal lighting chamber, a lens secured within the internal lighting chamber, wherein the lens includes a central longitudinal axis, and at least one light-emitting channel secured within the internal lighting chamber. The light-emitting channel(s) is offset in relation to the central longitudinal axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting assembly configured to be positioned within an internal cabin of a vehicle, the lighting assembly comprising:
a housing defining an internal lighting chamber;
a lens secured within the internal lighting chamber, wherein the lens includes a central longitudinal axis; and
at least one light-emitting channel secured within the internal lighting chamber, wherein the at least one light-emitting channel is offset in relation to the central longitudinal axis,
wherein a user interface is configured to program and control the lighting assembly, wherein the user interface comprises a touch screen display that includes a channel selection area and a color selection area.

2. The lighting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light-emitting channel comprises:
a first light-emitting channel offset from the central longitudinal axis at a first area; and
a second light-emitting channel offset from the central longitudinal axis at a second area that differs from the first area.

3. The light assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first light-emitting channel is configured to output a first light beam that passes through the lens and is directed to a first location, and wherein the second light-emitting channel is configured to output a second light beam that passes through the lens and is directed to a second location, wherein at least a portion of the second location is separate and distinct from the first location.

4. The lighting assembly of claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second light-emitting channels comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), and wherein LEDs of the first and second light-emitting channels that are configured to emit the same color light are grouped in light clusters.

5. The lighting assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first and second light-emitting channels are configured to be activated in a staggered fashion, wherein the first light-emitting channel is activated at first times, and wherein the second light-emitting channel is activated at second times that differ from the first times.

6. The lighting assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first and second light-emitting channels are configured to be in an ON state at different times, wherein the first light-emitting channel is in the ON state at first times, and wherein the second light-emitting channel is in the ON state at second times that differ from the first times.

7. The light assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an on-axis light-emitting channel that is aligned with the central longitudinal axis.

8. The lighting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light-emitting channel comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

9. The lighting assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a printed circuit board including a central processing unit, wherein the at least one light emitting channel is mounted on the printed circuit board.

10. The lighting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lens includes a modified cylindrical shape with a first portion having a different curvature than a second portion.

11. The lighting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lens is a convergent lens.

12. A system for controlling lighting within an interior cabin of a vehicle, the system comprising:
a lighting assembly configured to be positioned within an internal cabin of a vehicle, the lighting assembly comprising: (a) a housing defining an internal lighting chamber; (b) a lens secured within the internal lighting chamber, wherein the lens includes a central longitudinal axis; and (c) at least one light-emitting channel secured within the internal lighting chamber, wherein the at least one light-emitting channel is offset in relation to the central longitudinal axis; and
a user interface that is configured to program and control the lighting assembly, wherein the user interface comprises a touch screen display that includes a channel selection area and a color selection area.

13. The system assembly of claim 12 , wherein the color selection area comprises a color ring and a color selector.

14. A vehicle comprising:
an interior cabin configured to accommodate one or more individuals;
at least one lighting assembly positioned within the interior cabin, wherein the at least one lighting assembly comprises (a) a housing defining an internal lighting chamber; (b) a lens secured within the internal lighting chamber, wherein the lens includes a central longitudinal axis; and (c) at least one light-emitting channel secured within the internal lighting chamber, wherein the at least one light-emitting channel is offset in relation to the central longitudinal axis; and
a user interface that is configured to program and control the lighting assembly, wherein the user interface comprises a touch screen display that includes a channel selection area and a color selection area.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the at least one light-emitting channel comprises:
a first light-emitting channel offset from the central longitudinal axis at a first area, wherein the first light-emitting channel is configured to output a first light beam that passes through the lens and is directed to a first location; and
a second light-emitting channel offset from the central longitudinal axis at a second area that differs from the first area, wherein the second light-emitting channel is configured to output a second light beam that passes through the lens and is directed to a second location, and wherein at least a portion of the second location is separate and distinct from the first location.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the first and second light-emitting channels are configured to be activated in a staggered fashion, wherein the first light-emitting channel is activated at first times, and wherein the second light-emitting channel is activated at second times that differ from the first times.

17. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the lighting assembly further comprises a third light-emitting channel that is aligned with the central longitudinal axis.

18. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the lens is a convergent lens comprising a modified cylindrical shape with a first portion having a different curvature than a second portion.

19. The lighting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the color selection area comprises a color ring and a color selector.

20. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the color selection area comprises a color ring and a color selector.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Valentine Jr William Hanson
• Prince Brock
• Treinen Matthew Roman
• Meerov Alexey

Classifications

• B60Q3/001

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60Q3/0289 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60Q3/0293

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64D2011/0038

  Illumination systems for cabins as a whole · CPC title

• F21Y2103/10

  comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements · CPC title