Simulated lights for an airfield model

Claim 2

In display apparatus, the combination comprising: (a) plate means having a first surface exposed for viewing, a second surface opposite said first surface, a through hole extending between said first and second surfaces, and a counterbore coaxial with said through hole and contiguous with said first surface; (b) a first light conducting member having an input end supported within said counterbore, an output end which protrudes slightly beyond the first surface of said plate means and a length which ensures that said output end protrudes a predetermined distance beyond said first surface; and (c) means for illuminating the input end of said light conducting member.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1, wherein said first light conducting member is an individual optical fiber and the output end of said fiber protrudes a predetermined distance, on the order of the fiber diameter beyond said first surface.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2, wherein said illuminating means comprises a source of collimated light.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3, further including a second optical fiber optically coupling the input end of said first light conducting member to said source of collimated light.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 4 further including means for securing said first light conducting member within said counterbore.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 5 further including light coloring means associated with said first light conducting member.

Claim 8

Apparatus for simulating, in reduced scale, a light at an aircraft landing site, comprising: a model board having a first surface exposed for viewing, a second surface opposite said first surface, a first bore extending into said model board from said first surface and terminating in a base at a predetermined depth within said model board, and a second smaller diameter bore extending from the base of said first bore to said second surface; a first optical fiber secured within said first bore, said fiber having an input end which overlies said second bore and is circumferentially supported by the base of said first bore, said fiber having a length such that its output end protrudes a predetermined distance beyond the first surface of said model board, the output end of said fiber being designed to provide a desired directionality to light exiting from the fiber; and means for illuminating the input end of said fiber, whereby the output end of said first fiber realistically simulates a light at an aircraft landing site.

Claim 9

Apparatus for simulating, in reduced scale, a light at an aircraft landing site, comprising: a model board having a first surface exposed for viewing, a second surface opposite said first surface, a first bore extending into said model board from said first surface and terminating in a base at a predetermined depth within said model board, and a second smaller diameter bore extending from the base of said first bore to said second surface; a first optical fiber secured within said first bore, said fiber having an input end which overlies said second bore and is circumferentially supported by the base of said first bore, said fiber having a length such that its output end protrudes a predetermined distance beyond the first surface of said model board, the output end of said fiber being designed to provide a desired directionality to light exiting from the fiber; and means for illuminating the input end of said fiber, whereby the output end of said first fiber realistically simulates a light at an aircraft landing site.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said first and second bores each have a generally cylindrical shape.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first bore extends into said model board along a direction substantially perpendicular to said first surface.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first and second bores are substantially coaxial.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said first optical fiber has a generally circular cross-section and a diameter smaller than the diameter of said first bore but larger than the diameter of the second bore.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the input end of said fiber is cut substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said fiber and is ground and polished.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said fiber has a diameter which ensures that the input end of said fiber always covers said second bore.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said first optical fiber is secured within said first bore by an adhesive applied around the periphery of said fiber.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the output end of the fiber is angled, ground and polished to provide unidirectional output light and the fiber is rotationally oriented so that said unidirectional light projects in a desired direction.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 7 further including a coloring element incorporated with said first optical fiber.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said coloring element comprises a dye coloring at an end of said fiber.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said coloring element comprises a color filter located between the base of the first bore and the input end of said fiber.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said optical fiber comprises a length of colored fiber.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said illumination means comprises: a source of collimated light; and a second optical fiber optically coupling said light source to the input end of said first fiber.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said second optical fiber has an output end which is spring-loaded in said second bore.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 21 further including means for minimizing light loss between the output end of said second fiber and the input end of said first fiber.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said means for minimizing light loss comprises silicon fluid sandwiched between the output end of said second fiber and the input end of said first fiber, said silicon fluid having an index of refraction matched to that of the optical fibers.

Claim 28

The method of claim 24 wherein said step of providing a counterbored hole includes drilling said counterbore to a known depth; and wherein said coordinating step comprises precision cutting of said first fiber to a length equal to said known depth plus said predetermined distance.

Claim 29

The method of claim 24 wherein said coordinating step comprises: providing a selection of optical fibers of different lengths; and selecting said first fiber by inserting various ones of said optical fibers in said counterbore and determining which one of said fibers provides the desired output end protrusion.

Claim 30

The method of claim 24 wherein the output end of said fiber is angled, ground and polished to provide unidirectional light; and further including the step of employing a block having a beveled face to angularly orient said fiber.

Claim 31

The method of claim 24 further including the step of coloring the light exiting from said fiber with a coloring element associated with said fiber.

Claim 32

The method of claim 24 wherein said step of providing illumination means comprises: providing a source of collimated light; and optically coupling said source to said first optical fiber with a second optical fiber of smaller diameter.

Claim 33

The method of claim 29 further including the steps of: securing said first optical fiber within said counterbore with adhesive; inserting one end of said second optical fiber into said counterbored hole from the backside of the model board; and spring-loading said second optical fiber to maintain said one end within said counterbored hole.

Claim 34

The method of claim 30, further including the steps of: shipping the model board with said first optical fiber secured within said counterbore to a site of final assembly; separately shipping said second optical fiber to said final assembly site; and optically coupling said first fiber to the source of collimated light with said second fiber at the site of final assembly.

Claim 35

The method of claim 30, further including the steps of: providing a plurality of such counterbored holes in said model board; providing a plurality, equal in number to said plurality of counterbored holes, of optical fibers similar to said first optical fiber and securing respective ones of said plurality of fibers within respective counterbores of said counterbored holes; shipping said model board, with said plurality of optical fibers secured therein, to a site of final assembly; providing, at said final assembly site, a plurality, equal in number to said plurality of counterbored holes, of connecting fibers similar to said second optical fiber; and optically coupling the fiber in each counterbore of said model board to said collimated light source with a randomly selected one of said connecting fibers.