Remote Aircraft Spotlight with Pneumatic Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft lighting systems, particularly rotorcraft headlights, face challenges with generating adjustable light beams of high power while minimizing aerodynamic drag and electromagnetic interference, and they often require bulky motors and large electrical installations.
Innovation Solution
A flying assembly with an aircraft and a drone equipped with a centralized light generator producing a high-power light beam, which is transmitted to a remote projector outside the fuselage, allowing for adjustable geometric shaping of the light beam and reducing the size and weight of the optical head, thus minimizing aerodynamic drag.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a searchlight or landing light is equipped with a motor to orient the projector, then the light beam can be directed to different areas, but the size and weight of the device significantly increase due to the bulky motor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical motor system with a pneumatic or hydraulic actuation system. The cylinder (14) with piston (15) and rod (16) provides mechanical movement through gas or liquid pressure, eliminating the need for heavy electric motors while achieving the same orienting function for the searchlight (3) or landing light (4).
Solution Approach 2:
The invention explicitly employs pneumatic or hydraulic principles through the cylinder-piston-rod assembly to actuate the searchlight or landing light. This pneumatic/hydraulic system provides the necessary mechanical force for orienting the light beam without the weight penalty of equivalent electric motors, directly addressing the contradiction between operability and weight.
2Illumination intensity
If a searchlight projects a high-power light beam, then it can illuminate remote areas with high luminosity, but it generates significant aerodynamic drag due to the large size required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lighting system into modular components: the searchlight or landing light unit (3, 4) is separated from the aircraft fuselage and mounted on extendable arms (11). This segmentation allows the heavy, high-power lighting component to be positioned away from the main body, reducing its impact on aerodynamic drag while maintaining high illumination capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The searchlight or landing light is positioned in three-dimensional space away from the aircraft fuselage using extendable arms, moving it from a constrained position on the airframe to a more flexible spatial arrangement. This dimensional relocation reduces aerodynamic interference while preserving the high-power illumination function.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a landing light projector is made compact, then aerodynamic drag is reduced, but the light beam power and adjustability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electric motor actuation with pneumatic or hydraulic systems, allowing for more efficient power transmission to the lighting components. This substitution enables higher optical power output from the searchlight or landing light while maintaining a compact form factor that minimizes aerodynamic drag.
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 enables the generation of high-power, adjustable light beams with reduced aerodynamic drag and eliminates the need for bulky electrical installations, improving the efficiency and performance of aircraft lighting systems.
Implementation Method 1
A flying assembly with an aircraft and a drone equipped with a centralized light generator producing a high-power light beam, which is transmitted to a remote projector outside the fuselage
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 3
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a flying assembly comprising an aircraft (1) and a lighting system including at least one main spotlight (21) located outside the fuselage of said aircraft (1). The lighting system includes, within the fuselage, at least one light generator (30) generating a light beam (101) directed towards the main spotlight (21). The main spotlight (21) includes a main optical head including an optical processing system that transforms a geometric shape of the light beam (101) to emit a final beam (102) having an adjustable geometric shape. Furthermore, the flying assembly includes a drone, at least one spotlight, referred to as an "external spotlight," being carried by said drone (200) to project a light beam, referred to as an "offset beam 105," generated from the light beam (101).