Helicopter Searchlight Segmentation for Glare Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art helicopter search lights produce excessive undesired reflections and glare in foggy, rainy, or snowy conditions, leading pilots to turn off the lights during landing approaches, compromising environmental awareness and safety.
Innovation Solution
A helicopter search light with separate switching states for pure spot light and pure flood light functionalities, utilizing distinct light sources and optical systems to minimize reflections and enhance visibility, allowing pilots to switch between modes based on operating conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If helicopter search lights are used in foggy, rainy or snowy conditions, then ground illumination is provided, but excessive reflections and glare are produced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single searchlight function into two separate light sources: a first light source for spot light functionality and a second light source for flood light functionality. This segmentation allows independent control of each light source, enabling the system to provide ground illumination while minimizing reflections and glare by selecting the appropriate light source for specific weather conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic switching between different lighting modes through a control unit that can select between spot light mode (first light source), flood light mode (second light source), or combined mode (both light sources). This dynamic adaptability allows the system to optimize illumination while reducing pilot glare based on real-time operating conditions
2Object-affected harmful factors
If pilots turn off helicopter search lights in adverse conditions to avoid glare, then pilot comfort is improved, but environmental awareness is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit enables dynamic selection between spot light mode, flood light mode, and combined mode, allowing pilots to maintain environmental awareness through appropriate illumination while minimizing glare. The system adapts to different weather conditions by selecting the optimal lighting mode, ensuring both pilot comfort and situational awareness are maintained
3Adaptability or versatility
If combined spot light and flood light functionality is used, then versatility is improved, but light distribution efficiency is reduced due to eye adaptation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lighting system into two independent light sources with distinct functions: the first light source provides concentrated spot illumination for distant targets, while the second light source provides distributed flood illumination for near-field visibility. This segmentation allows the system to achieve versatility through controlled combination while maintaining the efficiency benefits of separate, optimized light distribution patterns
Data Source
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AI summary
A helicopter search light (2) includes at least one first light source (10), with the at least one first light source (10) in operation providing a spot light functionality of the helicopter search light, at least one second light source (20), with the at least one second light source (20) in operation providing a flood light functionality of the helicopter search light, and a switching circuit (40) having a first switching state, with only the at least one first light source (10) being switched on and the helicopter search light (2) providing a pure spot light functionality in the first switching state, and a second switching state, with only the at least one second light source (20) being switched on and the helicopter search light (2) providing a pure flood light functionality in the second switching state.