Combined Smoke Detector and Lighting Unit for Aircraft Cargo Bays

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Solution Overview

Problem

Aircraft cargo bays have independent smoke detector and lighting systems, leading to increased weight, cost, and complexity due to separate mounting provisions and wiring, which complicates installation and maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A combined smoke detector and lighting unit with a housing containing a smoke detector sensor, a light source, and a common electrical interface, allowing for integration into a single system that communicates with the aircraft's electrical and alert systems, reducing the need for separate wiring and mounting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If independent smoke detector and lighting systems are used, then each system can be optimized for its specific function, but the overall weight, cost, and complexity increase due to separate mounting provisions and wiring

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem function reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the smoke detector and lighting unit into a single integrated assembly that shares a common housing, mounting structure, and electrical interface. This merging eliminates the need for separate mounting provisions and reduces wiring complexity while maintaining the independent functional capabilities of both smoke detection and lighting systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The integrated unit serves multiple functions simultaneously - it provides smoke detection, cabin lighting, and serves as a universal mounting interface for both systems. The common electrical interface enables both systems to operate independently while sharing infrastructure, reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of repair

If independent smoke detector and lighting systems are used, then each system can be independently maintained, but the weight and cost increase due to duplicate components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance flexibilityVSAvoidaircraft weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

By merging the smoke detector and lighting unit into a single assembly with shared housing and mounting structures, the patent eliminates duplicate components that would increase weight. The integrated design reduces the total number of parts while maintaining the ability to service each function independently through the common access points provided by the shared housing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If separate wiring is used for smoke detector and lighting systems, then each system has dedicated electrical connections, but the wiring complexity and installation difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoidinstallation ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the electrical interfaces of the smoke detector and lighting unit into a common electrical interface assembly. This allows both systems to share wiring connections and mounting provisions, significantly reducing wiring complexity and installation difficulty while maintaining reliable electrical connections through a standardized interface design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8199029B2Combined smoke detector and lighting unit

Publication Date: 2012.06.12 KIDDE TECHNOLOGIES INC

AI summary

A combined smoke detector and lighting unit includes a smoke detector sensor mounted to a housing, a light source mounted to the housing, and an electrical interface mounted to the housing. The electrical interface is in electrical communication with the smoke detector and the light source.