Position light for aircraft
AssigneeBell Helicopter Textron Inc.
InventorFred W. Doyen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A position light for use on an aircraft, the position light having a base member coupled to the wing tip portion, a lens coupled to the base member, a light source interior to the lens member, and a reflector member pivotally coupled to the base member, the reflector member being adapted to reflect light from the light source in selected directions and at selected intensities. The position light may be installed on a tilt rotor assembly of a tilt rotor aircraft so that light is reflected in selected directions and at selected intensities, regardless of whether the tilt rotor assembly is in an airplane mode, a helicopter mode, or any position therebetween.
Claims30
An improved aircraft comprising:
- an airframe;
- at least one wing member coupled to the airframe, the at least one wing member having a wing tip portion;
- and
- at least one position light disposed on the wing tip portion, the at least one position light comprising:
- a base member coupled to the wing tip portion;
- a lens member coupled to the base member;
- a light source interior to the lens member;
- and
- a reflector member pivotally coupled to the base member, the reflector member being adapted to reflect light from the light source in selected directions and at selected non-oscillating light intensities regardless of the orientation of the wing tip portion.
A position light for an aircraft, the position light comprising:
- a base member coupled to the aircraft;
- a lens member coupled to the base member;
- a light source interior to the lens member;
- and
- a reflector member pivotally coupled to the base member, the reflector member being adapted to reflect light from the light source in selected directions and at selected non-oscillating light intensities regardless of the orientation of the aircraft.
An improved aircraft comprising:
- an airframe;
- at least one airframe component disposed exterior to the airframe, the airframe component being movable relative to the airframe and having a wing tip portion;
- and
- at least one position light disposed on the airframe component, the at least one position light comprising:
- a base member coupled to the wing tip portion;
- a lens member coupled to the base member;
- a light source interior to the lens member;
- and
- a reflector member pivotally coupled to the base member, the reflector member being adapted to reflect light from the light source in selected directions and at selected intensities.
A method of converting an aircraft into an improved aircraft having position lights that reflect light in selected directions and at selected non-iscillating light intensities independently of an orientation of the improved aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one position light having a reflector member pivotally coupled to a base member, the reflector member reflecting light from a light source;
- mounting the at least one position light to the existing aircraft such that the at least one position light having the relfector member will reflect the light from the light source in the selected directions and at the selected non-oscillating light intensities regardless of the orientation of the aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.