Electro-expulsive deicing system having fail safe conductive bridge means

A deicing apparatus comprising:

• a first expulsive means having
• a first circuit board having a first pattern of a plurality of first electrically conductive members formed on a first substrate and electrically isolated from one another in parallel spaced-apart relationship,
• a second circuit board having a second pattern of a plurality of second electrically conductive members disposed on a second substrate and electrically isolated from one another in parallel spaced-apart relationship, said second circuit board overlaying said first circuit board so that said second pattern overlays said first pattern,
• said interconnection means for interconnecting said first and third patterns so that any current flowing in said first and third patterns flows in the same direction;
• a second expulsive means having
• a third circuit board having a third pattern of a plurality of third electrically conductive members formed on a third substrate and electrically isolated from one another in parallel spaced-apart relationship,
• a fourth circuit board having a fourth pattern of a plurality of fourth electrically conductive members disposed on a fourth substrate and electrically isolated from one another in parallel spaced-apart relationship, said fourth circuit board overlaying said third circuit board so that said fourth pattern overlays said third pattern,
• second interconnection means for interconnecting said second and fourth patterns so that any current flowing in said second and fourth patterns flows in the same direction;
• a plurality of bridge means for electrically interconnecting adjacent said plurality of first, second, third and fourth conductive members in each of said patterns a multiplicity of times;
• and,
• third electrical connection means for electrically interconnecting said first and second expulsive means so that any current flowing in said first expulsive means flows in a direction opposite to said second expulsive means, thereby producing an electro-expulsive separation force between said first and second expulsive means and said third and fourth expulsive means,
• wherein said first expulsive means is superposed proximate to said second expulsive means so that said first and second electrically conductive members are substantially parallel to said third and fourth electrically conductive members.

A deicing apparatus comprising:

• a first sheet-like array of a plurality of first electrically conductive members electrically isolated from one another in parallel spaced-apart relationship;
• a second sheet-like array of a plurality of second electrically conductive members electrically isolated from one another in parallel spaced-apart relationship;
• and,
• a plurality of bridge means for electrically interconnecting adjacent said electrically conductive members in said first and second sheet-like arrays a multiplicity of times,
• wherein said electrically conductive members are electrically interconnected so that any electrical current flowing in the electrically conductive members flows in the same direction in adjacent first electrically conductive members and also flows in adjacent second electrically conductive members in a direction opposite to the flow in said first electrically conductive members, thereby producing an electroexpulsive separation force between said first and second electrically conductive members which produces a separation between said first and second electrically conductive members,
• said first sheet-like array being coextensive with and superposed proximate to said second sheet-like array so that said first and second electrically conductive members are substantially parallel.