Patent ID: 6915988

Claim:
An aircraft window for mounting in an aircraft cabin, the aircraft window comprising: a substantially transparent lens, having a lens opening, the lens opening having a width and a height; support member for supporting the lens; a shade, the shade comprising of flexible sheet or film having a first end and a second end and a body there between, the shade comprising of three sections, a first section adjacent the first end and substantially transparent, and a second section adjacent the second end and substantially opaque and a third section, between the first and second sections, the third section having an optical gradient varying from near transparency adjacent the first section to near opacity adjacent the second section, the sheet having a length and a width, the width of the sheet sufficient to cover the width of the lens opening; at least one pair of rollers, one of the rollers attached to the first end of the sheet and the second of the pair of rollers attached to the second end of the sheet; bracket to mount the rollers to the support member; and drive device for moving the shade between a first position where the first section covers the lens opening and a second position wherein the second section covers the lens opening.