Embedded Lighting Panel Manufacturing for Lightweight Aircraft Retrofit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Starry Sky aircraft ceiling lighting panels are costly, heavy, and difficult to retrofit due to complex wiring and manual labor requirements, limiting their installation to ceilings and making them inefficient and expensive to produce.
Innovation Solution
A method of manufacturing a lighting panel using printed electrically conductive traces on a substrate, embedding micro-miniature light sources into a composite base via a crush core process, eliminating the need for lenses, lenses holders, and complex wiring, allowing for a lighter, more flexible, and easily retrofittable solution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional wired LEDs and complex wiring are used, then the Starry Sky lighting effect is achieved, but the panel weight and volume increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wiring system with a printed circuit board (PCB) that has conductive traces directly printed on the substrate. This eliminates the need for separate wire bundles and manual wiring, significantly reducing panel weight while maintaining the Starry Sky lighting effect through integrated electrical connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the substrate, circuit board, and wiring into a single integrated structure. The PCB is formed by printing conductive traces directly onto the substrate, combining multiple previously separate components (substrate, circuit board, wires) into one unified element, thereby reducing overall weight and volume.
2Illumination intensity
If manual installation of wired LEDs is used, then the Starry Sky lighting effect is achieved, but manufacturing cost and assembly labor increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual wiring and LED installation with an automated printing process. Conductive traces are printed directly onto the substrate using printing technology, and LEDs are mounted using automated SMT equipment, eliminating the need for manual wire routing and connection, thereby reducing labor costs and manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing approach from mechanical assembly to additive manufacturing. By using printing technology to create conductive traces and mounting structures, the process enables automated high-volume production, significantly reducing per-unit manufacturing cost and assembly labor compared to traditional manual methods.
3Illumination intensity
If complex wiring and discrete components are used, then the Starry Sky lighting effect is achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes complicated and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple manufacturing steps into a single integrated process. The substrate preparation, circuit trace formation, LED mounting, and lens attachment are all performed in sequence on the same platform using automated equipment, eliminating the need for separate assembly operations and significantly improving manufacturing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical assembly operations with automated printing and mounting processes. Conductive traces are printed rather than manually routed, and LEDs are mounted using automated pick-and-place equipment, dramatically reducing manufacturing time and increasing production throughput.
4Illumination intensity
If heavy wiring and discrete components are used, then the Starry Sky lighting effect is achieved, but the panel becomes difficult to retrofit into existing aircraft
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces heavy discrete wiring with a lightweight printed circuit board that can be easily integrated into existing aircraft panels. The PCB format allows for compact installation and simplified electrical connections, making retrofitting into existing aircraft much easier compared to traditional wired LED systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical form factor from bulky discrete components to a thin, flexible PCB structure. This enables the lighting panel to be adapted to various aircraft interior surfaces and configurations, significantly improving versatility and retrofit capability while maintaining the Starry Sky lighting effect.
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 results in a lighter, less expensive, and easier-to-install Starry Sky lighting panel that can be integrated into various aircraft surfaces, reducing manual labor costs and weight, while maintaining the desired lighting effect.
Implementation Method 1
mounting a plurality of light sources onto the plurality of electrically conductive traces
Data Source
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AI summary
There is described a method of manufacturing a lighting panel, comprising the steps of (a) printing a plurality of electrically conductive traces onto a planar surface of a substrate; (b) mounting a plurality of light sources onto the plurality of electrically conductive traces on the planar surface of the substrate at mounting positions such that the plurality of electrically conductive traces form an electrical interconnection between selected ones of the plurality of electrically conductive traces and associated ones of the plurality of light sources; (c) providing a polymer sheet over the plurality of light sources; (d) providing a stack-up of the substrate with the printed plurality of electrically conductive traces, the plurality of light sources mounted on the planar surface, and the polymer sheet onto a composite base; and (e) applying pressure and heat to the stack-up and the composite base to embed the plurality of light sources into the composite base so as to be flush with a top surface of the substrate, and to embed portions of the substrate into the composite base underneath the plurality of light sources at the mounting positions.