Electrical connects for charge distribution applique
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDiane C. Rawlings, Scott Bauman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lightning strike protection system for protecting composite structures, an improved lightning strike appliqué (LSA) for such a lightning strike protection system, and a method of protecting composite structures, such as an aircraft fuselage. The LSA is electromechanically connected to adjacent conductive surfaces, e.g., by a fuzz button or a wire bond inserted in the bottom of the LSA. An adjacent conductive surface may be another LSA, a lightning diverter overlay, or a current return network. Charge, e.g., from a lightning strike to the LSA, flows to the conductive layer through the electromechanical connector.
Claims23
A system for protecting a structure from static charge buildup comprising:
- a first conductive appliqué attached to a surface of a structure;
- at least one other conductive appliqué attached to said surface of said structure;
- and
- at least one electrical connector connecting said at least one other conductive appliqué to said first conductive appliqué, charge in each said at least one conductive appliqué passing to said first conductive appliqué through said at least one electrical connector.
A method of providing connectivity in an electric shield on a surface of a structure, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) opening vias through an adhesive layer and a dielectric layer of a conductive appliqué;
- b) inserting an electrical connector in opened vias;
- and
- c) applying said conductive appliqué to said surface of said structure, said conductive appliqué being applied to overlap an exposed conductive surface of a conductive layer in another conductive appliqué, said electrical connector connecting said conductive appliqué to said conductive layer.
An improved lightning strike appliqué (LSA), the LSA comprising:
- an adhesive layer;
- a dielectric layer on said adhesive layer;
- a conductive layer on said dielectric layer, an exterior side for receiving lightning strike current;
- and
- a topcoat layer on said exterior side of said conductive layer;
- the improvement comprising:
- a channel within the adhesive layer and dielectric layer and exposing an interior side of said conductive layer, and
- a conductive material within the channel mechanically contacting said interior side,
- wherein a conductive path is provided between said interior side of the conductive layer and any surface to which the LSA is applied.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.