Removable Aircraft Window Tint with Microsuction Vacuum Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing window tinting and shading solutions for aircraft are limited by regulatory restrictions on permanent installations, and temporary solutions like static cling films are not optically clear, secure, or durable, failing to effectively block UV rays and provide necessary visibility for pilots.
Innovation Solution
A removably attached light-reducing device featuring a tinted flexible transparent sheet with microsuction tape that creates a vacuum seal on windows, allowing for secure and adjustable light reduction without obstructing visibility, and can be easily applied and removed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If permanent window tinting or shading is installed, then light transmission is effectively reduced, but regulatory restrictions prohibit such installations in aircraft cockpits
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from static permanent tinting to a dynamic removable system. The light-reducing device can be temporarily attached and removed as needed, allowing pilots to adjust light reduction based on flight conditions while complying with regulations that prohibit permanent installations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the state of attachment from permanent to temporary/removable. By using a mounting system that allows the device to be securely attached during flight and easily removed when not needed, the system adapts to regulatory requirements while maintaining light reduction functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If static cling films are used for temporary window tinting, then the device can be removably attached, but the films are not optically clear and pick up lint and dirt
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a flexible transparent sheet as the light-reducing medium instead of static cling film. This flexible sheet maintains optical clarity while being able to conform to the window surface, and when combined with the mounting structure, achieves secure removable attachment without the drawbacks of static cling films.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines multiple materials with complementary properties: a transparent flexible light-reducing sheet, a mounting structure with suction cups for secure attachment, and a frame for structural support. This composite approach achieves both removable attachment and optical clarity that neither component could achieve alone.
3Adaptability or versatility
If removable window shades are used, then the device can be temporarily attached, but they require mounting structures that take up space and are unsightly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the mounting function from a complex separate structure and integrates it directly into the light-reducing device itself. The mounting structure is built into the perimeter frame of the device, eliminating the need for separate mounting components and reducing overall complexity while maintaining temporary attachability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the light-reducing function and the mounting function into a single integrated device. The mounting structure is incorporated into the perimeter frame that also serves as the structural support for the light-reducing sheet, combining multiple functions into one compact unit that reduces overall complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If removable tinting films are used, then the device can be temporarily attached, but they may melt if exposed to excessive heat
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite mounting system with suction cups made from heat-resistant materials attached to a rigid frame structure. This composite approach provides secure temporary attachment while resisting melting in high-temperature environments, overcoming the heat sensitivity of simple removable films.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a removable light-reducing device that can be replaced if damaged by heat exposure. While the individual film component may be heat-sensitive, the overall system design allows for easy replacement of the entire device, effectively managing the heat resistance limitation through a replaceable rather than permanent installation.
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 effectively reduces visible light transmission, including UV and infrared rays, while maintaining optical clarity and compliance with regulations, providing pilots with enhanced situational awareness and protection from sunlight hazards.
Implementation Method 1
a microsuction tape adhered to the outer surface of the tinted flexible transparent sheet. The microsuction tape has a surface with micrometer-sized cavities that create a vacuum when the surface is pressed against a window
Implementation Method 2
The microsuction tape has a surface with micrometer-sized cavities that create a vacuum when the surface is pressed against a window
Implementation Method 3
tinting can additionally be spectrally selective to block certain wavelengths, for example, to filter ultraviolet and/or infrared radiation
Implementation Method 4
tinting can additionally be spectrally selective to block certain wavelengths, for example, to filter ultraviolet and/or infrared radiation to reduce fading and promote heat rejection
Data Source
AI summary
Light-reducing devices that can be removably attached to a window or other panel through which light is able to pass, and methods of using such devices. Such a light-reducing device includes a tinted flexible transparent sheet and a microsuction tape adhered to the tinted flexible transparent sheet. The microsuction tape has a surface with micrometer-sized cavities that create a vacuum when the surface is pressed against a window. At least the surface of the tape is formed of a material that is sufficiently pliable and elastic so that each of the cavities forms a seal against the window and individual vacuums created between the surface and the window releasably secure the light-reducing device to the window when subjected to only the weight of the light-reducing device, but the light-reducing device can be peeled from the window.