GB2285517A - Light signalling optical fibre device for an aircraft - Google Patents

Description

2285517 Light signalling device on an aircraft.

The present invent.ion relates to a light signalling device on an aircrafti and especially. but not exclusively. on a passenger transport aircraft.

Installations arranged on aircraft must generally satisfy multifarious and contradictory requirements. This is no different for the internal or external light signalling of aircraft which must satisfy constraints as regards reduced size and weight, as regards relatively low available energy, which must be used with as low a loss as possible. and as regards reliability which must be as high as possible for low maintenance.

One example of the problems encountered is that of air-hostess call buttons, namely a device actuated by is the passenger who must implement, on one hand, a signalling event on the button itself and a signalling event above the seat of the requesting passenger, and may indicate, on the other hand, the location of the requester on the centralized p anel at the hostess, station.

Given the large number of seats in a large carrier plane, such a device becomes difficult to manage reliably both because. of" "the. large number of optical signalling components which must be supplied and of the management of the connection or of heat-dissipation problems due to a concentration of light sources.

The same applies for many other applications.

The invention proposes to overcome these drawbaqks and to provide a light signalling device in air- craft which is simple, inexpensive and reliable, and which uses the available light energy to the maximum.

The subject of the invention is a light signalling device on aircraft, which is simple, inexpensive and reliable, and which uses the available'light energy to the maximum.

The subject of the invention is a light signalling device for installation in or when installed in aircraft, of the light-source/ lightguide/optical signalling component type, characterised in that the light guide or guides are optical light-transporting members such as optical fibres or bundles of optical fibres, and are designed to connect a defined number of light sources to a defined number of optical signalling components, means being provided for enacting, at the device, a number of functions which is different from the number of light sources.

Preferably, the light sources may be connected to a larger number of optical signalling components, or else means are provided for activating the optical signalling components according to several functions for one and the same optical component.

By light guide or optical guide in the sense of the present invention is meant guides such as optical fibres or bundles of optical fibres, the technology of which is known per se.

In a first embodiment of the invention, a one and the sam light source is capable of illuminating several optical components, and this is the case preferably successively and/or alternately.

Particularly preferably, the optical guide is associated with a mechanical device, for example one which can be actuated by a passenger, this mechanical device being capable of deflecting or shunting all or part of the light coming from the light source or sources and travelling in the optical guide towards various optical signalling components.

In a first embodiment suitable for a hostess call button in an aircraft, the device may comprise, at each passenger place, an optical source proper, for example a diode whose light is capable of being collected in a multiple optical guide, being directed, on the one hand, to the passenger in order to indicate to him the place of the button and, on the other hand, to an optical com- ponent forming a requester indicator lamp at the requester's seat and finally to a hostess panel combining the calls which can come from various passengers. The device includes a switch, for example a push- button, capable of being actuated between an inactive position 3 and an active position and capable of interrupting or allowing the passage of light. According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the device may comprise a mirror carried by the button and designed so as to intercept the light from the source in order to direct it to the passenger, in the inactive position of the button, so as to indicate the place of the said button to the passenger, and, in the active position, to allow the light to be sent to the said optical fibres.

In another embodiment which can be used, for.

example also for hostess call buttons on an aircraft, an optical guide. supplied at one end by a light source, is arranged in such a way that a hollow pusher can slide on its other end so as constantly to indicate the position of the said push-button to the passenger, the said pushbutton having a lateral optical component capable of being illuminated when the said push-button is actuated opposite a lateral exit for light from the optical guide. In such an embodiment, a plurality of optical guides or push-buttons may be supplied with light energy by a single source.

In another embodiment of the-invention, which can be used especially to supply an optical component with high light intensity, for example an optical aircraft navigation or formation light component, a plurality of light guides co ' nnects the said optical component to a plurality of light sources of lower intensity so as to concentrate the light intensity into the optical compo nent in use.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear on reading the following description, made by way of non-limiting example and referring to the appended drawings in which:

Figures 1 and 2 depict a hostess call device on an aircraft in the respectively inactive and active positions; Figures 3 and 4 depict another embodiment of a hostess call device in the two, respectively inactive and activer positions; is Figure 5 depicts a diagrammatic view of a toiletoccupancy signalling device in an aircraft; Figure 6 diagrammatically depicts a signalling device, such as,, for example, the signalling of toilet occupancy, using a single light source. a colour-filter switch and a single pictogram; Figure 7 diagrammatically depicts a signalling device, such as, for example, the signalling of toilet occupancy, using as internal source the lighting source; Figure 8 depicts a diagrammatic view of a light signalling device which can be used for an aircraft formation light.

Ref erring to Figures 1 and 2. a push-button 1. of overhead access and housed in a structure (not depicted) above a passenger's seat. may be seen, this push-button being open downwards by an opening 2 which could, moreover, be occupied by an illuminatable pictogram. The button has two wide passages 3, 4. A light-emitting diode 5 forms a light source whose beam is directed horizontally towards the entrance section 6 of a multiple optical guide 7 formed, for example, by bundles of optical fibres, one of the bundles 7a being addressed to a signalling panel in a hostess station, the other bundle 7b being connected to an optical component (not depicted) consisting of an indicating light located on the structure above the passenger's seat, which indicating light can be seen from the aisle.

The button 1 includes, inside it, a plane mirror 8 at 45, arranged. on the side of the opening 3, in such a way that, in the inactive position depicted in Figure 1, it intercepts the light beam from the source 5 and sends it back towards the passage 2, indicating the place of the pushbutton to the passenger. When the passenger pushes in the push-button upwards in order to bring it into the active position in Figure 2, the mirror 8 is taken out of the light path and the light is then no longer reflected towards the passenger but, on the contrary, is intercepted by the entrance section 6 of the multiple light guide 7, causing the illumination of the optical signalling components located at the ends of the bundles 7a and 7b. Such an embodiment is particularly simple and makes it possible, using the light-emitting diode 5. to provide three light signalling events.

Ref erring to Figures 3 and 4, another embodiment of a hostess call button on an aircraft is seen. In this embodiment, a light guide 9,, for example consisting of a large f ibre or of a bundle of optical f ibres, is continuously illuminated using a source located at one of the ends (not depicted) of the guide.9, and which may, moreover, be common for the illumination of all the guides serving the passengers 1 seats, if each light guide is extended along the cabin. The end 10 of the guide 9, oriented vertically, is surrounded by a sliding tubular push-button 11 in such a way that the light exiting the end 10 of the f ibre is directed downwards, toward the passenger. The push-button 11 has a lateral opening 12 over which an optical signalling component in the form of an indicating lamp 13 is placed. By sliding the push- button 11 upwards, from the inactive position in Figure 3 to the active position in Figure 4, the passenger brings the opening 12. and therefore the optical component 13, opposite a light leak 14 constituted by a suitable notch made laterally in the light guide 9. In this position, part of the light escaping via the leak 14 is directed towards the indicating lamp 13 which is illuminated in order to indicate the activated state of the push-button to the hostess.

Referring to Figure 5, a first optical guide 15 has been depicted, the end (not depicted) of which receives the light from a light source, such as, for example, a light-emitting diode. This light guide 15 is supported, at its end 16, by a pivoting piece 17 capable of pivoting about a f ixed axis 18. The piece 17 may be tilted from the position depicted in the drawing to a position inclined upwards to the left. by means of a sliding bolt 19 which carries a stud 20 housed in a slot 21 in the piece 17.

In the position depicted in the figure, the end 16 of the optical guide 15 is located opposite the end 22 of another light guide 23, the other end of which terminates in an optical signalling component such as, for example. a toilet llunoccupiedll signalling pictogram. when the bolt 19, which then f orms the inside bolt of an aircraft toilet door, is moved to the left, it causes the piece 17 to pivot about the axis 18 until the end 16 of the guide 15 comes to be placed opposite the end 24 of another light guide 25,, the second end (not depicted) of which is directed towards an illuminatable toilet "Occupied"-.pictogram.

Referring to Figure 6, a device may be seen which comprises an optical guide 15 coming from a light source of white light. not depicted, the end of -hich is aligned with the end of an optical guide 15a which is directed towards a non-coloured optical indicating lamp (not depicted). A slide bolt 19 carries two optical filters of different colours, for example green and red,, 19a and 19b, capable of being alternately brought between the aligned ends of the guides 15 and 15a. Thus, the colour of the indicating lamp indicates the position of the slide bolt 19, for example the sli-de bolt of a toilet door on an aircraft.

Reference will now be made to Figure 7. in this figure, a light source, for example the internal light source illuminating an aircraft toilet, has been depicted by 26. A light guide bundle 27 recovers part of the light from the light source 26 in order to address it to an optical component consisting of a pictogram 28 located on the outside of the aircraft toilet.

Depicted at 29 is an activation means, that is to say a means for switching on the lighting source 26, for example a toilet door handle or slide bolt. Normally.. the toilet being unoccupied, the source 26 is switched off.

When the occupant closes the door, the source 26 is switched on and the pictogram 28 is illuminated.

Reference will now be made to Figure 8. In this figure, an optical aircraft formation light component, that is to say a light intended to be visible from outside the aircraftr has been depicted diagrammatically by 30. This light has an optical output component 31 intended to transmit a high light intensity. A plurality of light guides 32 are interposed between this optical component 31 and a plurality of optical input components 33 concentrating,, onto each light guide 32,, the light emanating from a plurality of light-emitting sources, such as diodes 34 arranged in groups, namely one group for each optical component 33.

By using a plurality of light sources of this kind, which are located inside the aircraft, if need be in an easily accessible location for maintenance, it is thus possible to supply an optical component such as the optical component 31 of the light 30, with light energy 15 of high intensity.

Although the invention has been described with regard to particular embodiment application forms, it is obvious that it is in no way limited to these and that it is possible to make various modifications to it without 20 thereby departing either from its scope or its spirit. Thus, it may be applied, for example, to indicating changes of position or of state of mechanical members in an aircraft, or for implementing light paths for safety.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (which term includes the claims) and/or shown in the drawings may be incorporated in the invention independently of other disclosed and/or illustrated features.

The appended abstract as filed herewith is included in the specification by reference.

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Claims (12)

1. Ught signalling device, of light-sourceflight-guideloptical signalling component type for installation in an aircraft, characterized in that the light guide or guides are optical light-transporting members such as optical fibres or bundles of optical fibres, and are designed to connect a defined number of light sources to a defined number of optical signalling components, means being provided for enacting, at the device, a number of optical functions which is different from the number of light sources.

2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the number of optical functions is greater than the number of sources and/or of optical components.

3. Device according to Claim 2, characterized in that it includes at least one same light source capable of illuminating several optical components in succession and/or alternately.

4. Device according to Claim 3, of the hostess call button type, comprising, for installation at the place of the passenger, an optical source proper whose light is capable of being collected in a multiple optical guide, being directed, on the one hand, to an optical component forming a requester indicator lamp and, on the other hand, to a hostess panel, the said device including a push-button capable of being actuated between an inactive position and an active position in order, in one case, to interrupt the passage of light to said guide and to send it back by means of a mirror to the passenger and, in the other case, to allow the light to be sent to the said guide.

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5. Device according to one of Claims 2 and 3 of the hostess call button type, characterized by an optical guide supplied at one end by a light source and arranged so that a hollow pusher can slide on its other end so as constantly to indicate the position of the said push-button to the passenger by an opening in the said push-button, the said push-button having a lateral optical component capable of being illuminated when the said push-button is actuated opposite a lateral exit in the optical guide.

6. Device according to Claim 5, characterized in that the said lateral exit in the optical guide is formed by a notch forming a light leak.

7. Device according to one of Claims 2 and 3, such as a toilet signalling device, characterized in that it includes a first optical guide supported at its end by a pivoting piece capable of being pivoted by an operating member, such as a sliding slide bolt, in order to be brought alternately in front of the entrance faces of two optical guides terminating respectively in different optical signalling components.

8. Device according to one of Claims 2 and 3, such as a toilet signalling device, characterized in that it comprises a first optical guide connected to a light source, the end of which first optical guide is aligned with that of a second optical guide, with interposition of an element capable of alternately presenting different colour fitters between the said guides.

9. Device according to one of Claims 2 and 3, such as a toilet signalling device, characterized in that it includes light guide means recovering part of the light from a light source for illuminating the toilet and terminating in an optical signalling component which signals that the said source has been turned on or turned off.

10. Device according to Claim 1, especially an optical aircraft formation light component, characterized in that it includes a plurality of light guides connecting a high-intensity optical light component to, respectively, a plurality of lower-intensity optical components supplied by a plurality of light sources, the intensity of each source being low compared to the intensity of the optical output component.

11. Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, when installed in an aircraft.

12. A light signalling device substantially an as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.