Lighting array for an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9669944-B2
Application number	US-201314403906-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2013
Priority date	May 31, 2012
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

A lighting arrangement for an aircraft includes a navigational lighting group disposed at a leading edge of a wing of the aircraft. The navigational lighting group includes at least one right of way light. The lighting arrangement also includes a light bar extending along at least a portion of the leading edge of the wing, adjacent to the navigational lighting group. The light bar is configured to emit light along a length thereof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting arrangement for an aircraft, comprising:
a navigational lighting group disposed along at least a leading edge of a wing of the aircraft, wherein the navigational lighting group comprises at least a first light emitting source emitting light indicating a right of way and a second light emitting source emitting a strobe light; and
a light bar for non-navigational purposes extending along at least a portion of the leading edge of the wing, adjacent to the navigational lighting group, the light bar being disposed outboard of the navigational lighting group, the light bar being configured to emit non-navigational light along a length thereof,
wherein the light bar is controlled independently of the first light emitting source and the second light emitting source of the navigational lighting group.

2. The lighting arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the light bar comprises a plurality of light bars disposed parallel to one another.

3. The lighting arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the light bar comprises a plurality of light bars arranged end-to-end.

4. The lighting arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the light bar comprises a light source selected from a group comprising a light emitting diode, an organic light emitting diode, a laser, a halogen light bulb, an incandescent light bulb, an electroluminescent material, and a gas-filled bulb.

5. The lighting arrangement of claim 4 , wherein the light bar comprises at least one of an active light strip and a passive light strip.

6. The lighting arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a controller, wherein the controller is configured to change at least one of a color of the light, a hue of the light, an intensity of the light, and a pulsation of the light.

7. An aircraft wing, comprising:
a leading edge;
a navigational lighting group positioned along the leading edge, wherein the navigational lighting group comprises at least a first light emitting source emitting light indicating a right of way and a second light emitting source emitting a strobe light; and
a light bar for non-navigational purposes extending along at least a portion of the leading edge, adjacent to the navigational lighting group, the light bar being disposed outboard of the navigational lighting group, the light bar being configured to emit non-navigational light along a length thereof,
wherein the light bar is controlled independently of the first light emitting source and the second light emitting source of the navigational lighting group.

8. The aircraft wing of claim 7 , wherein the light bar extends along at least a portion of a longitudinal surface of the wing.

9. The aircraft wing of claim 8 , wherein the light bar extends along at least a portion of a rear surface of the wing.

10. The aircraft wing of claim 7 , wherein the wing comprises a winglet.

11. The aircraft wing of claim 10 , wherein the light bar extends along at least a portion of a leading edge of the winglet.

12. The aircraft wing of claim 11 , wherein the light bar extends along at least a portion of a longitudinal surface of the winglet.

13. The aircraft wing of claim 12 wherein the light bar extends along at least a portion of a rear edge of the winglet.

14. The aircraft wing of claim 7 , wherein the light bar comprises a plurality of light bars disposed parallel to one another.

15. The aircraft wing of claim 7 , wherein the light bar comprises a plurality of light bars arranged end-to-end.

16. The aircraft wing of claim 7 , wherein the light bar comprises a light source selected from a group comprising a light emitting diode, an organic light emitting diode, a laser, a halogen light bulb, an incandescent light bulb, an electroluminescent material, and a gas-filled bulb.

17. The aircraft wing of claim 16 , wherein the light bar comprises at least one of an active light strip and a passive light strip.

18. The aircraft wing of claim 7 , further comprising a controller configured to change at least one of a color of the non-navigational light, a hue of the non-navigational light, an intensity of the non-navigational light, and a pulsation of the non-navigational light.

19. A lighting arrangement for an aircraft, comprising:
a navigational lighting group disposed along at least a leading edge of a wing of the aircraft, wherein the navigational lighting group comprises at least a first light emitting source emitting light indicating a right of way and a second light emitting source emitting a strobe light; and
a decorative light bar providing supplemental lighting in addition to the light from the navigational lighting group, the decorative light bar extending along at least a portion of an edge of the wing and emitting non-navigational light along a length thereof,
wherein the light bar is controlled independently of the first light emitting source and the second light emitting source of the navigational lighting group.

20. The lighting arrangement of claim 19 , wherein the decorative light bar is positioned adjacent to the navigational lighting group.

21. The lighting arrangement of claim 20 , wherein the decorative light bar is positioned outboard of the navigational lighting group.

22. A lighting arrangement for an aircraft, comprising:
a navigational lighting group disposed along at least a leading edge of a wing of the aircraft, wherein the navigational lighting group comprises at least a first light emitting source emitting light indicating a right of way and a second light emitting source emitting a strobe light; and
an accent light bar providing non-navigational accent lighting along a length thereof, the accent light bar extending along at least a portion of the leading edge of the wing and emitting non-navigational light along a length thereof,
wherein the accent light bar is controlled independently of the first light emitting source and the second light emitting source of the navigational lighting group, and
wherein a color of the accent lighting provided by the accent light bar is changeable.

23. The lighting arrangement of claim 22 , wherein the accent light bar is positioned adjacent to the navigational lighting group.

24. The lighting arrangement of claim 23 , wherein the accent light bar is positioned outboard of the navigational lighting group.

Assignees

• Bombardier Inc

Inventors

• Gagnon Pierre
• Letendre Nicolas

Classifications

• B64D2203/00

  Aircraft or airfield lights using LEDs · CPC title

• B64D47/02

  Arrangements or adaptations of signal or lighting devices · CPC title

• B64D47/04

  the lighting devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead · CPC title

• B64D47/06 Primary

  for indicating aircraft presence · CPC title