Abstract:
An aircraft includes an aircraft body including one or more exterior surfaces and a projector secured to a component of the aircraft. The projector is configured to selectably project one or more images on the one or more exterior surfaces. A method of displaying a projected image on an aircraft surface includes moving a landing gear assembly of the aircraft from a retracted position to an extending position, activating a projector disposed at the landing gear assembly, and displaying a projected image at the aircraft surface via activation of the projector.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of an earlier filing date from Indian Application Serial No. 201611007417 filed Mar. 2, 2016, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The subject matter disclosed herein relates to aircraft. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to informational displays projected onto aircraft surfaces. 
         [0003]    It has recently become more common to see advertisements and other informational messages on articles related to commercial aircraft travel. Advertisements and other messages can now be commonly found on boarding passes, security tags, luggage tags, inflight entertainment systems, and the like. Some aircraft operators have gone to the extent of painting portions of the aircraft structure, such as the wings, vertical tail or underside of the fuselage with commercial images or advertisements. This takes advantage of typically unused space to enhance aircraft operator revenues. Such painted images, however are fixed in nature and expensive, time consuming and hazardous to apply and replace. Further, such images typically cannot be viewed at night. The art would well receive solutions to take better advantage of such spaces for commercial advertisement images or messages. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In one embodiment, an aircraft includes an aircraft body including one or more exterior surfaces and a projector secured to a component of the aircraft. The projector is configured to selectably project one or more images on the one or more exterior surfaces. 
         [0005]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a controller is operably connected to the projector to command projection of the one or more images on the one or more exterior surfaces. 
         [0006]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the image is one of a static image or a dynamic image. 
         [0007]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the component is a landing gear assembly of the aircraft. 
         [0008]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the projector is activated when the landing gear assembly is in an extended position, thereby projecting the one or more images. 
         [0009]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the projector is deactivated when the landing gear assembly is in a retracted position, thereby not projecting the one or more images. 
         [0010]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the one or more exterior surfaces are viewable from ground level during normal flight operations of the aircraft. 
         [0011]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the one or more exterior surfaces are one or more of wing surfaces or fuselage surfaces. 
         [0012]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the projector is operably connected to an aircraft electrical system. 
         [0013]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the projector is operably connected to a projector power source independent of an aircraft electrical system. 
         [0014]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the one or more images include one or more commercial advertisements. 
         [0015]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the one or more images are changeable during operation of the aircraft. 
         [0016]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the projector is a laser projector. 
         [0017]    In another embodiment, an image display system for an aircraft includes a projector secured to an aircraft component to selectably project an image on a surface of the aircraft. 
         [0018]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the projector is a laser projector. 
         [0019]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a programmable controller is operably connected to the projector. 
         [0020]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the controller is configured to change the one or more images during operation of the aircraft. 
         [0021]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a projector power source independent of an aircraft electrical system is operably connected to the projector. 
         [0022]    In yet another embodiment, a method of displaying a projected image on an aircraft surface includes moving a landing gear assembly of the aircraft from a retracted position to an extending position, activating a projector disposed at the landing gear assembly, and displaying a projected image at the aircraft surface via activation of the projector. 
         [0023]    Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the projected image is changed during operation of the aircraft. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    The subject matter is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the present disclosure are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an underside of an embodiment of an aircraft; 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  is another schematic view of an underside of an aircraft; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a landing gear assembly for an aircraft; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  is another perspective view a portion of a landing gear assembly for an aircraft; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  is a partial view of an interior wall of an aircraft. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    Shown in  FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an aircraft  10 . The aircraft  10  includes a fuselage  12  extending along a central axis  14  of the aircraft  10  from a nose  16  to a tail  18  of the aircraft  10 . Wings  20  extend laterally from the fuselage  12  to provide lift for the aircraft  10 . In some embodiments, the aircraft  10  may further include horizontal stabilizers  22  extending from the fuselage  12  rearward of the wings  20 . The aircraft  10  may further include landing gear assemblies extendible for ground operations of the aircraft  10 , for example, landing and takeoff of the aircraft  10 . In some embodiments, the landing gear assemblies may include a nose landing gear assembly  24  and one or more main landing gear assemblies  26 , which may be positioned at the wings  20  as shown in  FIG. 1  or alternatively at the fuselage  12 . While the embodiment of  FIG. 1  includes a nose landing gear assembly  24  and two main landing gear assemblies  26 , it is to be appreciated that in some embodiments, there may be other or additional landing gear assemblies, such as a tail landing gear assembly (not shown). 
         [0031]    The aircraft  10  includes one or more projectors  28  configured to project one or more images  30  on surfaces of the aircraft  10 , such as wing  20  surfaces or fuselage surfaces  12 . As shown in  FIG. 1  and in  FIG. 2 , the projectors  28  are located as to project images  30  on surfaces of an underside of the aircraft  10  so as to be viewable by an audience, represented at  32 , located at ground level  52  during normal aircraft operations. While such a configuration is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , it is to be appreciated that in other embodiments the projectors may be configured to project images anywhere on an outer, viewable surface of the aircraft  10 . 
         [0032]    The images  30  displayed on the aircraft  10  surfaces may be static images, or alternatively may be dynamic images or video projections. The images  30  may depict, for example, commercial advertisement, flight operator identification, informational messages, or the like. In some embodiments, the projector  28  is a laser based system, which projects laser light into the selected aircraft  10  surfaces. In other embodiments, the projector  28  may utilize other technology such as a projection lamp, light emitting diode (LED) bulbs, or any such illumination technology. As best shown in  FIG. 3 , the projector  28  may be connected to a controller  34  and a power source  36  via an electrical harness  38  and a junction box  40  to control operation of the projector  28 . The power source  36  may be an aircraft electrical system, or alternatively may be a battery operably connected to the projector  28  independent of the aircraft electrical system. Further, the projector  28  may be operably connected to the controller  34  via a wireless connection, for example, a WiFi connection to control the projection of images  30  by the projector  28 . 
         [0033]    The controller  34  is a programmable device configured to direct projection of selected images  30  by the projector  28 . The image  30  display may be therefore changeable during operation of the aircraft  10  by communication with the controller  34  and via communication between the controller  34  and the projector  28 . For example, a first image  30  may be displayed for a first time duration, then the projector  28  may be commanded to display a second image  30 , different from the first image  30 , for a second time duration that may be equal to or different from the first time duration. Further, projectors  28  may be utilized to display communicative images  30  in the event of loss of communication with air traffic controllers, or may display other messages in case of an emergency onboard the aircraft  10 . 
         [0034]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , illustrated is an embodiment where the projector  28  is mounted to a landing gear assembly, which may be, for example, a nose landing gear assembly  24  or a main landing gear assembly  26 . The landing gear assembly includes a landing gear strut  42 , with one or more landing gear wheels  44  rotatably connected to the landing gear strut  42  via a landing gear axle  46 . The landing gear assembly is configured to be movable between an extended position (shown) and a retracted position (not shown). The extended position is utilized during ground operations of the aircraft  10 , such as takeoff and landing, while the retracted position is utilized during other operations of the aircraft, for example, cruise flight. The projector  28  is secured to the landing gear strut  42  and moves with the landing gear assembly from the extended position to the retracted position. In some embodiments, operation of the projector  28  is tied to operation of the landing gear assembly such that when the landing gear assembly is in the extended position, the projector  28  is activated thus projecting an image  30  on the selected aircraft  10  surface. When the landing gear assembly is moved to the retracted position, the projector  28  is deactivated and no image  30  is displayed. Alternatively, operation of the projector  28  may be by flight crew command. Further, the flight crew may be able to override automatic operation of the projector  28  and/or be able to issue commands to the projector  28  to display a particular selected image  30 . While illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  as being secured to the landing gear strut  42 , the projector  28  may alternatively be secured to other components of the landing gear assembly. Further, in other embodiments, the projector  28  may be secured to the fuselage  12  or to other aircraft  10  components, such as an engine cowl or a landing gear door. Additionally, the projector  28  may be located at other aircraft locations, such as at a horizontal tail of the aircraft to project an image, such as an airline logo onto a vertical tail portion of the aircraft. 
         [0035]    In other embodiments, such as shown in  FIG. 5 , projectors  28  may be positioned to project images  30  onto interior surfaces  48  of the aircraft  10 . The interior surfaces  48  may include wall, floor or ceiling surfaces. As with images  30  displayed on exterior aircraft surfaces, the images  30  may be static or dynamic and may include commercial messages, informational messages or the like. The informational messages may include images  30  to indicate location of aircraft exits  50 , or path to aircraft exits  50 , and/or may include other instructional or safety related messages. Further, a traditional flight safety demonstration presently performed by aircraft personnel may be replace with a combination of projected images  30  and audio narration. 
         [0036]    The projector  28  and image  30  system disclosed herein has many benefits including utilizing aircraft  10  surfaces not normally utilized for image display, with the capability of dynamically displaying images  30 . Further, the projector  28  is programmable allowing for quick changeover of images  30 , at a lower cost than existing paint systems. 
         [0037]    While the present disclosure has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the present disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the present disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate in spirit and/or scope. Additionally, while various embodiments have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the present disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.