Claims
- 1. An electronically controlled retractable light, comprising:
means for mounting the retractable light; an electrical motor connected with said mounting means, said motor including a brake; means for reducing speed and amplifying torque coupled to said motor, said speed reducing and torque amplifying means being environmentally sealed; a lighthead connected movably with said mounting means and connected with said speed reducing and torque amplifying means, said lighthead including at least one lamp; contactless means for monitoring absolute position of said lighthead; at least one solid state switch, wherein said solid state switch slowly activates and deactivates; and a control unit communicating with said position monitoring means to: monitor the position of said lighthead; provide timed actuation of said brake, motor, and lamp to prevent simultaneous actuation of said brake, motor and lamp; and to stow said lighthead or position said lighthead at a predetermined angle.
- 2. The electronically controlled retractable light of claim 1, further comprising an extend angle setting switch to set at least one extension setpoint for said lighthead.
- 3. The electronically controlled retractable light of claim 2, further comprising means to monitor the state of said extend angle setting switch.
- 4. The electronically controlled retractable light of claim 1, further comprising the means for reducing speed and amplifying torque including means for driving and linking, and said retractable light further comprising means for disengaging said means for driving and linking from said means for reducing speed and amplifying torque to manually stow said lighthead.
- 5. The electronically controlled retractable light of claim 1, wherein said lighthead includes a lamp retainer and vibration-damping gasketing is positioned between said lamp and said lamp retainer.
- 6. The electronically controlled retractable light of claim 1, wherein said control unit provides means for indicating to the crew when said lighthead is not in a stowed position.
- 7. The electronically controlled retractable light of claim 1, wherein said retractable light is actuated by one of manual and automatic means.
- 8. The electronically controlled retractable light of claim 1, further including means to regularly flash said lamp to attract attention.
- 9. The electronically controlled retractable light of claim 1, wherein said control unit additionally monitors for over-current faults, over-temperature faults, stall of said motor, and blockages of said lighthead and wherein said control unit disables said solid state switches until said faults, motor stall, and blockages are no longer present.
- 10. The electronically controlled retractable light of claim 1, wherein said retractable light is an aircraft light.
- 11. An electronically controlled retractable light, comprising:
means for mounting the retractable light; an electrical motor connected with said mounting means, said motor including a brake; means for reducing speed and amplifying torque coupled to said motor, said means for reducing speed and amplifying torque being environmentally sealed, and the means for reducing speed and amplifying torque including means for driving and linking, and said retractable light further comprising means for disengaging said means for driving and linking from said means for reducing speed and amplifying torque to manually stow said lighthead; a lighthead connected movably with said mounting means and connected with said speed reducing and torque amplifying means, said lighthead including at least one lamp; contactless means for monitoring absolute position of said lighthead; at least one solid state switch, wherein said solid state switch slowly activates and deactivates; an extend angle setting switch to set at least one extension setpoint for said lighthead; and a control unit communicating with said position monitoring means to: monitor the position of said lighthead; monitor the state of said extend angle setting switch; provide timed actuation of said brake, motor, and lamp to prevent simultaneous actuation of said brake, motor and lamp; and to stow said lighthead or position said lighthead at a predetermined angle.
- 12. An electronically controlled retractable light, comprising:
means for mounting the retractable light; an electrical motor connected with said mounting means, said motor including a brake; means for reducing speed and amplifying torque coupled to said motor, said means for reducing speed and amplifying torque being environmentally sealed, and the means for reducing speed and amplifying torque including means for driving and linking, and said retractable light further comprising means for disengaging said means for driving and linking from said means for reducing speed and amplifying torque to manually stow said lighthead; a lighthead connected movably with said mounting means and connected with said speed reducing and torque amplifying means, said lighthead including at least one lamp, a lamp retainer, and vibration-damping gasketing placed between said lamp and said lamp retainer; contactless means for monitoring absolute position of said lighthead; at least one solid state switch, wherein said solid state switch slowly activates and deactivates; an extend angle setting switch to set at least one extension setpoint for said lighthead; and a control unit communicating with said position monitoring means to: monitor the position of said lighthead; monitor the state of said extend angle setting switch; provide timed actuation of said brake, motor, and lamp to prevent simultaneous actuation of said brake, motor and lamp; stow said lighthead or position said lighthead at a predetermined angle; and to provide means for indicating to the crew when said lighthead is not in a stowed position.
- 13. A process for providing an electronically controlled, retractable light, comprising:
providing means for mounting the retractable light; placing at said mounting means an electrical motor, said motor including a brake; providing environmentally sealed means for reducing the speed and amplifying the torque of said motor; movably connecting a lighthead to said mounting means and connecting said lighthead with said means for speed reducing and torque amplifying, said lighthead including at least one lamp; supplying electrical power to said brake, motor, and lamp such that power to said brake, motor, and lamp can be slowly activated and deactivated; applying torque to said lighthead by way of said means for speed reducing and torque amplifying; providing contactless means for monitoring absolute position of said lighthead; providing means for controlling said lighthead in order to: monitor the position of said lighthead; provide timed actuation of said brake, motor, and lamp to prevent simultaneous actuation of said brake, motor and lamp; and stowing said lighthead or positioning said lighthead at a predetermined angle of extension.
- 14. The process of claim 13, further comprising the step of providing at least one extension setpoint for said lighthead.
- 15. The process of claim 14, further comprising the step of monitoring said extension setpoint.
- 16. The process of claim 13, further comprising the steps of providing said means for speed reducing and torque amplifying with means for driving and linking, and providing means for disengaging said means for driving and linking from said means for speed reducing and torque amplifying to manually stow said lighthead.
- 17. The process of claim 13, further comprising the steps of adding a lamp retainer to said lighthead and placing vibration-damping gasketing between said lamp and said lamp retainer.
- 18. The process of claim 13, further comprising the step of providing means for indicating to the crew when said lighthead is not in a stowed position.
- 19. The process of claim 13, further comprising the step of regularly flashing said lamp to attract attention.
- 20. The process of claim 13, further comprising the step of monitoring for over-current faults, over-temperature faults, stall of said motor, and blockages of said lighthead, and disabling said motor, brake, and lamp until said faults, motor stall, and blockages are no longer present.
- 21. A process for providing an electronically controlled, retractable light, comprising:
providing means for mounting the retractable light; placing at said mounting means an electrical motor, said motor including a brake; providing environmentally sealed means for reducing the speed and amplifying the torque of said motor; movably connecting a lighthead to said mounting means and connecting said lighthead with said means for speed reducing and torque amplifying, said lighthead including at least one lamp; supplying electrical power to said brake, motor, and lamp such that power to said brake, motor, and lamp can be slowly activated and deactivated; applying torque to said lighthead by way of said means for speed reducing and torque amplifying; providing contactless means for monitoring absolute position of said lighthead; providing means for controlling said lighthead in order to: monitor the position of said lighthead; provide timed actuation of said brake, motor, and lamp to prevent simultaneous actuation of said brake, motor and lamp; stowing said lighthead or positioning said lighthead at a predetermined angle of extension; providing at least one extension setpoint for said lighthead wherein said extension setpoints include a setting for positioning said lighthead at a stowed position; monitoring said extension setpoint; and providing said means for speed reducing and torque amplifying with means for driving and linking, and providing means for disengaging said means for driving and linking from said means for speed reducing and torque amplifying to manually stow said lighthead.
- 22. A process for providing an electronically controlled, retractable light, comprising:
providing means for mounting the retractable light; placing at said mounting means an electrical motor, said motor including a brake; providing environmentally sealed means for reducing the speed and amplifying the torque of said motor; movably connecting a lighthead to said mounting means and connecting said lighthead with said means for speed reducing and torque amplifying, said lighthead including at least one lamp; supplying electrical power to said brake, motor, and lamp such that power to said brake, motor, and lamp can be slowly activated and deactivated; applying torque to said lighthead by way of said means for speed reducing and torque amplifying; providing contactless means for monitoring absolute position of said lighthead; providing means for controlling said lighthead in order to: monitor the position of said lighthead; provide timed actuation of said brake, motor, and lamp to prevent simultaneous actuation of said brake, motor and lamp; stowing said lighthead or positioning said lighthead at a predetermined angle of extension; providing at least one extension setpoint for said lighthead wherein said extension setpoints include a setting for positioning said lighthead at a stowed position; monitoring said extension setpoint; providing said means for speed reducing and torque amplifying with means for driving and linking, and providing means for disengaging said means for driving and linking from said means for speed reducing and torque amplifying to manually stow said lighthead; adding a lamp retainer to said lighthead and placing vibration-damping gasketing between said lamp and said lamp retainer; and providing means for indicating to the crew when said lighthead is not in a stowed position.
CROSS REFERENCE
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/339635 filed Dec. 12, 2000 entitled “Electronically Controlled Retractable Landing Light.”
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60339635 |
Dec 2001 |
US |