Drainmast with integral electronic temperature control
AssigneeThe B. F. Goodrich Company
InventorsMichael J. Giamati, Jeffrey J. Siesel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A drainmast including an electronic temperature detecting and control circuit contained in a fairing detects the temperature of a drain tube and the electronic temperature detecting and control circuit selectively applies voltage to one or more heating elements in accordance with the detected temperature. The applied voltage may be unequally applied to the heating elements. The electronic temperature detecting and control circuit only requires two leads, one for ground and one for the supplied voltage. The drainmast is reliable, has a long life span and rapidly responds to temperature changes.
Claims22
A drainmast comprising:
- a fairing;
- a drain tube in the fairing;
- at least one heating element proximate the drain tube;
- and
- an electronic temperature detecting and control circuit in the fairing,
- wherein the electronic temperature detecting and control circuit detects the temperature of the drain tube and controls the at least one heating element in accordance with the detected temperature of the drain tube.
A method of controlling the temperature of a drainmast comprising:
- detecting the temperature of a drain tube within the drainmast with an electronic temperature detecting and control circuit;
- and
- using the electronic temperature detecting and control circuit to apply selectively a voltage to at least one heating element in accordance with the detected temperature,
- wherein the electronic temperature detecting and control circuit is located within the fairing.
A drainmast comprising:
- a fairing;
- a drain tube in the fairing;
- a heating element in the fairing proximate the drain tube;
- and
- a controller located within the fairing which determines an appropriate power input to the heating element and controls the power input accordingly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.