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US 2012/0256053 A1Published application
Rotor Blade De-Icing System
AssigneeBell Helicopter Textron Inc.
InventorsJames M. McCollough, Roger Aubert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aircraft includes a heat absorbent material carried by an airfoil susceptible to ice buildup and a transmitter spaced apart from the heat absorbent material. A method includes the process of transmitting the heat energy from the transmitter to the heat absorbent material that in turn warms the airfoil to break apart ice buildup.
Claims20
An aircraft, comprising:
- an airfoil susceptible to an ice buildup;
- a heat absorbent material carried by the airfoil;
- and
- a transmitter for transmitting heat energy to the heat absorbent material;
- wherein the heat absorbent material absorbs the heat energy that in turn warms the airfoil and breaks apart ice buildup formed thereon.
2 more elements
An aircraft, comprising:
- a fuselage;
- a rotor system carried by the fuselage, the rotor system having:
- a rotor blade susceptible to an ice buildup;
- a heat absorbent material secured to the rotor blade;
- a microwave transmitter secured to the fuselage;
- wherein the microwave transmitter transmits microwaves to the heat absorbent material;
- and
- wherein the heat absorbent material absorbs the microwaves and thereafter warms the rotor blade to break apart the ice buildup formed thereon.
5 more elements
The aircraft of claim 13, further comprising:
- a control system operably associated with the microwave transmitter;
- wherein the control system activates the microwave transmitter upon detection of the ice buildup.
A method to de-ice an airfoil, comprising:
- transmitting heat energy to a heat absorbent material secured to the airfoil;
- absorbing the transmitted heat energy with the heat absorbent material;
- and
- heating the airfoil with the heat absorbent material;
- wherein the heat applied causes de-icing of the airfoil.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.