Aircraft Lighting Lens Splits Light for Illuminance Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft lights face challenges in uniformly illuminating large and complex airframe areas with varying levels of illuminance, requiring flexible light distribution to ensure appropriate illumination of both near and far regions.
Innovation Solution
The aircraft light employs multiple light-emitting elements and a multi-curved surface lens that splits light into different directions, allowing for adjustable luminous intensity and flexible light distribution, with overlapping illumination areas to enhance luminous intensity and accommodate varying distances and shapes of illuminated areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single light-emitting element is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the illuminated area cannot be adequately covered with appropriate illuminance levels
Solution Approach 1:
The lens is divided into multiple lens portions (first lens portion, second lens portion, third lens portion) that are spaced apart from one another. Each lens portion directs light to a different illumination area, allowing a single light-emitting element to illuminate multiple spaced-apart areas simultaneously. This segmentation of the optical path resolves the contradiction by covering a wider illuminated area without increasing the number of light sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The lens portions are arranged in the longitudinal direction (depth dimension) of the light-emitting element, creating illumination areas at different distances from the light source. This spatial arrangement in multiple dimensions allows the system to cover both near and far areas with appropriate illuminance levels while using a single light-emitting element.
2Area of stationary object
If the illuminated area is made wide to cover the entire airframe, then the area coverage is improved, but the illuminance level decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination area is segmented into multiple distinct areas (first illumination area, second illumination area, third illumination area) at different distances from the light source. Each lens portion concentrates light energy onto its specific target area, maintaining appropriate illuminance levels across the entire wide illuminated area rather than diluting light across a single large area.
Solution Approach 2:
Each lens portion is optimized to illuminate its specific local area with appropriate illuminance characteristics. The first lens portion illuminates the first illumination area, the second lens portion illuminates the second illumination area, and the third lens portion illuminates the third illumination area, with each area receiving light with suitable intensity for its specific location and function.
3Illumination intensity
If multiple light-emitting elements are used to increase luminous intensity, then the illumination intensity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple illumination areas are merged into a single integrated illumination system using one light-emitting element. The lens portions are configured to create overlapping illumination areas that collectively provide enhanced luminous intensity coverage. The first, second, and third illumination areas overlap with one another, creating a unified illumination pattern that would otherwise require multiple separate light sources.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adding more light sources in the horizontal plane, the solution adds illumination in the longitudinal dimension by positioning lens portions at different depths. This creates multiple illumination areas at different distances that overlap and combine to provide enhanced luminous intensity without increasing the number of light-emitting elements.
4Area of stationary object
If the lens is designed to split light into multiple directions to illuminate spaced-apart areas, then the area coverage is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lens is segmented into multiple distinct lens portions with specific shapes and positions. Each lens portion has a predetermined shape that directs light to a specific illumination area. By segmenting the lens rather than using a single complex freeform surface, the manufacturing process can be simplified while still achieving the required light distribution to illuminate spaced-apart areas.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enables the aircraft light to provide appropriate levels of illuminance across a wide and complex illuminated area, ensuring effective ice inspection and reducing the number of components needed, resulting in a compact and lightweight solution.
Implementation Method 1
an inner lens configured to project light emitted from the light-emitting elements onto a desired area, in which the inner lens has a lens that splits light of a single light-emitting element in different directions
Implementation Method 2
the lens is a multi-curved surface lens including a plurality of lens surfaces whose regions partially overlap one another
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft light is provided which can illuminate an illuminated area with appropriate levels of illuminance. An aircraft light is configured, including: at least one or more light-emitting elements as light sources; and an inner lens configured to project light emitted from the light-emitting elements onto a desired area, in which the inner lens has a lens that splits light of a single light-emitting element in different directions. According to this aspect, both a far illuminated area and a near illuminated area can be illuminated, and the luminous intensity can also be adjusted by adjusting the amount of a beam to be split; therefore, an illuminated area can be illuminated with appropriate levels of illuminance.