Aircraft Reading Light Assembly for Uniform Color-Tunable White Light

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aircraft reading lights emit white light with fixed shades, failing to meet diverse user preferences and often exhibit color fringing at edges due to separate light sources, leading to inconsistent lighting experiences.

Innovation Solution

Aircraft reading lights with adjustable color-tunable reading lights that include a white light source, a colored light source, and an optical element to diffuse colored light onto the white light source, allowing independent control of light intensities to achieve uniform and adjustable shades of white light.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If separate white light source and colored light source are used to provide adjustable color reading light, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor shade adjustabilityVSAvoidlight source configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the white light source and colored light source into a single integrated reading light assembly, where both light sources share common optical components and housing. This merging approach allows color adjustment functionality while avoiding the complexity of completely separate light systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The reading light assembly is designed to perform multiple functions: providing illumination through the white light source and adjusting color temperature through the colored light source. The system can operate in different color modes (warm white, neutral white, cool white) using the same physical assembly, making it multi-functional rather than requiring separate devices for each color temperature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple separate light sources are used to achieve color adjustment, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase due to color fringing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor shade adjustabilityVSAvoidlight source alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

By integrating the white light source and colored light source into a single assembly with shared optical components, the patent eliminates the need for precise alignment between separate light sources. The combined design ensures that both light types pass through the same diffuser and reflector, preventing color fringing at edges.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a common diffuser material for both white and colored light paths, ensuring uniform light distribution and eliminating color fringing. The homogeneous optical path for both light sources ensures that colored light and white light are mixed uniformly, preventing edge effects and color separation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

3Use of energy by moving object

If colored light is directly emitted without diffusion, then energy efficiency is improved, but illumination quality deteriorates due to color fringing and non-uniformity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight emission efficiencyVSAvoidlight output uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines colored light and white light through a common diffuser, allowing the colored light to be mixed with white light rather than emitted alone. This approach maintains energy efficiency by using LED light sources while improving illumination quality through uniform diffusion of the combined light output.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The use of a common diffuser for both colored and white light paths creates homogeneous light distribution across the illumination area. This eliminates the color fringing and non-uniformity that would result from direct colored light emission, while maintaining the energy efficiency of LED-based colored light sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

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

The solution provides a highly uniform and adjustable reading light output with reduced color fringing, accommodating diverse user preferences and maintaining consistent lighting across multiple lights.

Implementation Method 1

an optical element, which is arranged for directing colored light that is emitted by the colored light source onto the white light source for being diffusely reflected at the white light source

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffuse reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP4349711B1Aircraft reading light, aircraft comprising an aircraft reading light, and method of operating an aircraft reading light

Publication Date: 2026.01.07 GOODRICH LIGHTING SYST GMBH

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Figure 2B

AI summary

An aircraft reading light (2) with a color-tunable reading light output (3) comprises a white light source (12) for emitting white light; a colored light source (14) for emitting colored light; and an optical element (181), which is arranged for directing colored light that is emitted by the colored light source (14) onto the white light source (12) for being diffusely reflected at the white light source (12). The colored light source (14) is controllable independently from the white light source (12).