Seat-Back Reading Light Assembly for Focused Aircraft Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing personal reading lights in aircraft are either too visible and intrusive due to their placement or insufficiently bright and inflexible, failing to effectively illuminate specific areas like tray tables without disturbing nearby passengers.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable reading light mounted to the back of a passenger seat, which can pivot and rotate to direct light rearwardly into the space in front of the seat, utilizing a line of light emitting diodes, an image directing film, and a lens to focus light precisely on a desired area, reducing stray light and increasing brightness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the reading light is mounted on the roof of the passenger cabin, then the light can illuminate the passenger seat, but the light becomes clearly visible to other passengers and illuminates a wider area than intended
Solution Approach 1:
The reading light is extracted from the roof-mounted position and relocated to the seat-back mounting position. This extraction removes the light from the public cabin space and places it in a localized position behind the passenger, eliminating visibility issues while maintaining illumination functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The light direction is changed from downward projection (roof-mounted) to rearward projection (seat-back mounted). This dimensional change in light direction allows the light to illuminate the passenger's reading area without being visible to other passengers in the cabin.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the reading light is mounted on a flexible arm behind the passenger shoulder, then the light is less visible to other passengers, but the light intensity is low and the light cannot effectively illuminate areas like tray tables
Solution Approach 1:
The reading light is extracted from the flexible arm mounting and integrated into the seat-back structure. This allows the light to be positioned optimally behind the passenger while being supported by a rigid structure that can accommodate higher intensity light sources without compromising visibility to other passengers.
Solution Approach 2:
The reading light is merged with the seat-back structure, combining the mounting function with the light housing. This integration allows for a more robust light source with higher intensity while maintaining the localized positioning that prevents visibility to other passengers.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the reading light is fixed to the seat back, then the light is close to the passenger and not visible to other passengers, but the light direction cannot be adjusted to different required areas
Solution Approach 1:
The reading light assembly is made dynamically adjustable with respect to the seat back through pivot and rotation mechanisms. This allows the light direction to be changed to illuminate different areas (reading material, tray table, etc.) while the assembly remains mounted to the seat back, maintaining the benefit of localized positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The reading light assembly is segmented into adjustable components that can be independently positioned. The light source, housing, and mounting structure are divided into movable segments that allow for multi-directional adjustment while maintaining the overall seat-back mounting configuration.
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 adjustable reading light provides targeted illumination that minimizes disturbance to other passengers while effectively lighting tray tables and other required areas, enhancing reading comfort without visibility issues.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing a line of light emitting diodes
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a line of light emitting diodes, an image directing film, and a lens to focus light precisely on a desired area
Implementation Method 3
utilizing a line of light emitting diodes, an image directing film, and a lens to focus light precisely on a desired area, reducing stray light
Data Source
AI summary
A personalised reading light (11) for aircraft passenger seats (3) is disclosed. The reading light forms part of a personalised visual display monitor assembly (5) that is mounted to a back (7) of a passenger seat. The reading light is mounted to direct light rearwardly into a space immediately in front of a passenger facing the seat back. In one embodiment the assembly is adjustable in relation to the seat back and the reading light is adjustable in relation to other components of the assembly. Consequently, the direction of the light can be varied considerably.