Electrical heater de-icer
AssigneeThe B. F. Goodrich Company
InventorsMichael J. Giamati, Kevin Leffel, Tommy M. Wilson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A de-icer for a structural member of an aircraft is provided. The de-icer includes first and second heaters having first and second electrically conductive strips, respectively. The first and second conductive strips are configured to form first and second marginal portions, respectively. The first and second heaters are positioned relative to each other such that the marginal portions are overlapped.
Claims34
An electrothermal de-icer for inhibiting accumulation of ice on an aircraft structural member, comprising:
- an electrically conductive first element configured in a serpentine-like pattern and disposed over a first area of the structural member in which accumulation of ice is inhibited during flight by electrothermally heating the first element;
- an electrically conductive second element configured in a serpentine-like pattern and disposed over a second area of the structural member in which accumulation of ice is inhibited during flight by electrothermally heating the second element, said second area being adjacent said first area;
- and,
- wherein the first element and the second element partially overlap along marginal portions of each element such that the marginal portion of the first element extends into the second area and the marginal portion of the second element extends into the first area, and said heating of said first and second elements is independently controlled.
The de-icer of claim 38, wherein the structural member has a spanwise axis, and wherein the first element is aligned parallel to the spanwise axis and second element is aligned parallel to the chordwise axis.
The de-icer of claim 38, wherein the structural member has a spanwise axis, and the first and second elements are aligned parallel to the spanwise axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.