IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,325,534
Granted Patent B2
US 12,325,534 · App. 18/598,305 · Granted Jun 10, 2025

Aircraft light, aircraft comprising an aircraft light, and method of manufacturing an aircraft light

Inventors: Thomas Ebbers (Lippstadt, DE); Manfred Listner (Lippstadt, DE); Jothimurugan Uthaiyasuriyan (Lippstadt, DE); Markus Katzenmayer (Lippstadt, DE)
Assignee: Goodrich Lighting Systems GmbH & Co. KG
B64D47/06B33Y80/00F21V23/007B64D11/00B64D2011/0053
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,325,534
App. No.
18/598,305
Granted
Jun 10, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An aircraft light comprises at least one light source and a local electric power supply for supplying electric power to the at least one light source. The local electric power supply comprises a power supply housing, which is produced by additive manufacturing and comprises a compartment accommodating power supply electronics and at least one hollow cavity, which is delimited from the compartment. The compartment is filled with a potting material. The aircraft light further comprises a plurality of electric connections extending from the power supply electronics through the potting material to the at least one light source for supplying electric power to the at least one light source, thus enabling an aircraft light output of the aircraft light.

Claims (39)

1. An aircraft light, comprising:

at least one light source; and

a local electric power supply for supplying electric power to the at least one light source;

wherein the local electric power supply comprises a power supply housing produced by additive manufacturing;

wherein the power supply housing comprises:

a compartment accommodating power supply electronics; and

a plurality of hollow cavities, which are delimited from the compartment;

wherein the compartment is filled with a potting material;

wherein the aircraft light further comprises a plurality of electric connections extending from the power supply electronics through the potting material to the at least one light source for supplying the electric power to the at least one light source, thus enabling an aircraft light output of the aircraft light; and

wherein the at least some of the plurality of hollow cavities are in particular arranged to form a honeycomb structure.

2. The aircraft light according to claim 1 , wherein the aircraft light comprises a lighting module, wherein the lighting module comprises the at least one light source and at least one optical element arranged for shaping the aircraft light output of the aircraft light, wherein the least one optical element in particular includes at least one lens and/or at least one reflector and/or at least one shutter.

3. The aircraft light according to claim 2 ,

wherein the power supply housing is formed integrally with the lighting module, wherein the power supply housing is in particular formed on the lighting module by additive manufacturing, or

wherein the power supply housing is mounted to the lighting module.

4. The aircraft light according to claim 2 , wherein the power supply housing is spatially separated from the lighting module.

5. The aircraft light according to claim 1 , wherein the power supply housing is made from ULTEM 9085 or ULTEM 1010 by additive manufacturing.

6. The aircraft light according to claim 1 , wherein the power supply housing accommodates control electronics for controlling an operation of the at least one light source, wherein the control electronics are in particular integrally formed with the power supply electronics.

7. The aircraft light according to claim 1 , wherein the aircraft light is an exterior aircraft light, wherein the exterior aircraft light is in particular a landing light, a take-off light, a taxi light, a runway turn-off light, a navigation light, a white strobe anti-collision light, a red-flashing beacon light, or a multi-functional light, which combines functionalities of at least two of the landing light, the take-off light, the taxi light, the runway turn-off light, the navigation light, the white strobe anti-collision light, and the red-flashing beacon light.

8. An aircraft, in particular an airplane or a helicopter, comprising the aircraft light according to claim 1 .

9. An aircraft light, comprising:

at least one light source; and

a local electric power supply for supplying electric power to the at least one light source;

wherein the local electric power supply comprises a power supply housing produced by additive manufacturing;

wherein the power supply housing comprises:

a compartment accommodating power supply electronics; and

a plurality of hollow cavities, which are delimited from the compartment;

wherein the compartment is filled with a potting material;

wherein the aircraft light further comprises a plurality of electric connections extending from the power supply electronics through the potting material to the at least one light source for supplying the electric power to the at least one light source, thus enabling an aircraft light output of the aircraft light; and

wherein the power supply housing further comprises at least one infill, wherein the at least one infill in particular extends from an outer power supply housing wall into the compartment, forming an undercut within the compartment.

10. The aircraft light according to claim 9 , wherein the aircraft light comprises a lighting module, wherein the lighting module comprises the at least one light source and at least one optical element arranged for shaping the aircraft light output of the aircraft light, wherein the at least one optical element in particular includes at least one lens and/or at least one reflector and/or at least one shutter.

11. The aircraft light according to claim 10 ,

wherein the power supply housing is formed integrally with the lighting module, wherein the power supply housing is in particular formed on the lighting module by additive manufacturing, or

wherein the power supply housing is mounted to the lighting module.

12. The aircraft light according to claim 10 , wherein the power supply housing is spatially separated from the lighting module.

13. The aircraft light according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one infill is solidly made from the same material as the power supply housing.

14. The aircraft light according to claim 9 , wherein the power supply housing is made from ULTEM 9085 or ULTEM 1010 by additive manufacturing.

15. The aircraft light according to claim 9 , wherein the power supply housing accommodates control electronics for controlling an operation of the at least one light source, wherein the control electronics are in particular integrally formed with the power supply electronics.

16. The aircraft light according to claim 9 , wherein the aircraft light is an exterior aircraft light, wherein the exterior aircraft light is in particular a landing light, a take-off light, a taxi light, a runway turn-off light, a navigation light, a white strobe anti-collision light, a red-flashing beacon light, or a multi-functional light, which combines functionalities of at least two of the landing light, the take-off light, the taxi light, the runway turn-off light, the navigation light, the white strobe anti-collision light, and the red-flashing beacon light.

17. An aircraft, in particular an airplane or a helicopter, comprising the aircraft light according to claim 9 .

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 4, 2024
From: AIRSIGNA GMBH + CO. KG
To: GOODRICH LIGHTING SYSTEMS GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 068806/0488 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2024
From: KATZENMAYER, MARKUS
To: AIRSIGNA GMBH + CO. KG
Reel/Frame 066682/0885 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2024
From: EBBERS, THOMAS; LISTNER, MANFRED; UTHAIYASURIYAN, JOTHIMURUGAN
To: GOODRICH LIGHTING SYSTEMS GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 066683/0072 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 23161724 · Mar 14, 2023 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240308684A1 · Sep 19, 2024
References Cited (13)
US 6268702B1 · Fleck · 2001 [cited by examiner]
US 6761472B1 · Cleaver · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 6798154B1 · Sullivan · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 10276954B2 · DeAngelo · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 11056447B2 · Pfefferlein · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11056460B2 · Pfefferlein et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20050110649A1 · Fredericks et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20080238345A1 · Jaan · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20180099763A1 · Hills et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20220106057A1 · Mukai · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230400161A1 · Trundle · 2023 [cited by examiner]
EP 1495910A2 · 2005 [cited by examiner]
European Patent Office; European Search Report filed Sep. 8, 2023 in Application No. 23161724.2. [cited by applicant]