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EP-4491521-B1 - AIRCRAFT LIGHT, AIRCRAFT COMPRISING AN AIRCRAFT LIGHT AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN AIRCRAFT LIGHT

EP4491521B1EP 4491521 B1EP4491521 B1EP 4491521B1EP-4491521-B1

Inventors

  • VÖLKEL, Stefan
  • EBBERS, Thomas
  • SCHRÖDER, Lars Christian

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230712

Claims (14)

  1. Aircraft light (2), comprising: a support element (4), supporting at least one light source (6), in particular at least one LED; an injection molded optical element (8), made of light transmissive silicone rubber; and a layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12) arranged between at least a portion of the injection molded optical element (8) and at least a portion (4b) of the support element (4), wherein the layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12) provides adhesion between the injection molded optical element (8) and the support element (4); characterized in that a first portion (4a) of the support element (4) is directly adjacent to the injection molded optical element (8) and a second portion (4b) of the support element (4) is directly adjacent to the layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12).
  2. Aircraft light (2) according to claim 1, wherein the injection molded optical element (8) is a pre-formed, originally separate component, in particular a pre-formed, originally separate lens.
  3. Aircraft light (2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the injection molded optical element (8) is made of the same kind of light transmissive silicone rubber as the layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12); wherein the layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12) is in particular cross-linked to the injection molded optical element (8)
  4. Aircraft light (2) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12) is molded at a lower pressure (p low ) than the injection molded optical element (8), wherein the layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12) is in particular gravity molded.
  5. Aircraft light (2) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first portion (4a) of the support element (4) is not adhered to the injection molded optical element (8) and wherein the second portion (4b) of the support element (4) is adhered to the layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12); and/or wherein the at least one light source (6) is embedded within the layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12).
  6. Aircraft light (2) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the injection molded optical element (8) comprises a recess (14) for accommodating the layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12), wherein the recess (14) is in particular open towards the at least one light source (6).
  7. Aircraft light (2) according to claim 6, wherein the recess (14) has a diameter (d) of between 5 mm and 150 mm, in particular a diameter (d) of between 10 mm and 80 mm; and/or wherein the recess (14) has a depth (h) of between 1 mm and 10 mm, in particular a depth (h) of between 2 mm and 7 mm.
  8. Aircraft light (2) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12) comprises at least one protrusion (16), in particular two or more protrusions (16), extending through the support element (4) and/or around the support element (4).
  9. Aircraft light (2) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the injection molded optical element (8) is positioned on the support element (4) employing a kinematic coupling fixture, which establishes a fixed position of the injection molded optical element (8) on the support element (4).
  10. Aircraft light (2) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the aircraft light (2) is an exterior aircraft light, such as a red-flashing anti-collision beacon light (120a, 120b), a white anti-collision strobe light (118), a landing light (122), a take-off light (124), a taxi light (126), a runway turn-off light (114), a navigation light (106), a logo light (108), a wing scan light (110), an engine scan light (112), a cargo loading light (116), or a multi-functional exterior aircraft light, which combines the functionalities of at least two of a red-flashing anti-collision beacon light (120a, 120b), a white anti-collision strobe light (118), a landing light (122), a take-off light (124), a taxi light (126), a runway turn-off light (114), a navigation light (106), a logo light (108), a wing scan light (110), an engine scan light (112), and a cargo loading light (116); or wherein the aircraft light (2) is an interior aircraft light, such as a general cabin illumination light, a signal light, or a passenger reading light.
  11. Aircraft (100), such as an airplane or a helicopter or a multicopter, comprising at least one aircraft light (2) according to any of the preceding claims.
  12. Method of manufacturing an aircraft light (2), wherein the method comprises: injection molding an injection molded optical element (8) from liquid light transmissive silicone rubber; providing a support element (4), supporting least one light source (6), in particular at least one LED; placing the injection molded optical element (8) on the support element (4); and providing adhesion between the injection molded optical element (8) and the support element (4) by molding a layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12) between at least a portion of the injection molded optical element (8) and at least a portion of the support element (4), such that a first portion (4a) of the support element (4) is directly adjacent to the injection molded optical element (8) and a second portion (4b) of the support element (4) is directly adjacent to the layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12).
  13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12) is made of the same kind of light transmissive silicone rubber as the injection molded optical element (8); wherein molding the layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12) in particular comprises cross-linking an interface portion of the silicone rubber of the layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12) to the injection molded optical element (8).
  14. Method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the the molding of the layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12) includes at least one of: positioning the injection molded optical element (8) on the support element (4) employing a kinematic coupling fixture; passing liquid light transmissive silicone rubber through at least one opening formed in the support element (4); filling liquid light transmissive silicone rubber into a recess (14) that is formed in the injection molded optical element (8) and that faces the support element (4); molding the layer of light transmissive silicone rubber (12) via gravity molding.

Description

The present invention relates to aircraft lighting. In particular, the present invention relates to an aircraft light having a light transmissive optical element / lens. The present invention further relates to an aircraft comprising such an aircraft light and to a method of manufacturing an aircraft light. Almost all aircraft are equipped with numerous lights, including exterior aircraft lights and interior aircraft lights. In particular, large passenger air planes are provided with a wide variety of exterior and interior aircraft lights. Exterior aircraft lights are employed for a wide variety of different purposes, such as for allowing the passengers and/or air crew to view the outside, for passive visibility, for signaling purposes, etc. Examples of such exterior aircraft lights are navigation lights, also referred to as position lights, red-flashing beacon lights, white strobe anti-collision lights, wing scan lights, take-off lights, landing lights, taxi lights, runway turn-off lights, etc. Interior aircraft lights are also employed for a wide variety of different purposes, such as for providing general passenger cabin illumination, for providing individual illumination of passenger spaces, etc. An aircraft light may comprise at least one support element supporting at least one light source and at least one optical element for forming a desired light output of the aircraft light from the light emitted by the at least one light source. Depending on the desired light output of the aircraft light, the at least one optical element may have a complex geometry, which may require a complex process of manufacturing. Reliably positioning the at least one optical element in a desired position with respect to the support element for achieving the desired light output may be challenging as well. US 2008/0048200 A1 discloses overmolded lenses and certain fabrication techniques for LED structures. In one embodiment, thin YAG phosphor plates are formed and affixed over blue LEDs mounted on a submount wafer. A clear lens is then molded over each LED structure during a single molding process. The LEDs are then separated from the wafer. The molded lens may include red phosphor to generate a warmer white light. In another embodiment, the phosphor plates are first temporarily mounted on a backplate, and a lens containing a red phosphor is molded over the phosphor plates. The plates with overmolded lenses are removed from the backplate and affixed to the top of an energizing LED. A clear lens is then molded over each LED structure. The shape of the molded phosphor-loaded lenses may be designed to improve the color vs. angle uniformity. Multiple dies may be encapsulated by a single lens. In another embodiment, a prefabricated collimating lens is glued to the flat top of an overmolded lens. US 2019/0187445 A1 discloses an environmentally-sealed refractive lighting optic that includes a single light-emitting diode (LED) printed circuit card that includes a plurality of LED components and a single, refractive optic element retained directly to the LED printed circuit card in a self-sealing manner without mechanical fasteners. The refractive optic element is configured to environmentally seal the LED components on the LED printed circuit card. Further, the refractive optic element may include a liquid silicone rubber material or an optically-clear low-pressure molded room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) silicone material. US 2019/0382132 A1 discloses an aircraft beacon light that includes a mounting plate having a central portion; a plurality of light sources arranged on the mounting plate around the central portion and facing away from the mounting plate; and a lens structure arranged over the plurality of light sources, wherein the lens structure is configured to reflect a first portion of light emitted by the plurality of light sources laterally outwards via total internal reflection; wherein the aircraft beacon light is configured to emit flashes of red light in operation. US 2017/0181246 A1 discloses an exterior aircraft light unit that includes a support plate, an LED, mounted to the support plate, a near end of life detector for sensing a light output level of the LED, the near end of life detector being mounted to the support plate, and a transparent optical element for shaping an output light intensity distribution of the exterior aircraft light unit, wherein the transparent optical element jointly encases the LED and the near end of life detector, with light from the LED reaching the near end of life detector through the transparent optical element. US 2018/0194089 A1 discloses a method for manufacturing an optical component that may include mixing two precursors of silicone, opening a first gate of an optic forming device, moving the silicone mixture from the extrusion machine into the optic forming device, cooling the silicone mixture as it enters the optic forming device, filling a mold within the optic forming devic