Electrically heated aircraft composite floor panel
AssigneeAirbus Deutschland GmbH
InventorJuergen Meisiek
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aircraft floor heating panel is constructed for mechanical strength and to meet special heating requirements next to a door in an aircraft. The panel has a lightweight core. Each surface of the core is first covered with at least one carbon-fiber reinforced composite layer for protection against deterioration. Each carbon fiber layer in turn is covered by a glass fiber reinforced composite layer for mechanical strength. A foil heater is arranged inside the composite panel coextensive with at least a portion of the panel area. A heat distributing metal plate covers the panel as an upper step-on surface. A heat insulating layer is bonded to the panel opposite the heat distributing metal plate. A triple heat control is provided for an increased safety against fire hazards.
Claims36
An aircraft floor heating panel comprising a heat resistant fiber composite core structure (1B) for providing the structural strength of an aircraft floor panel, an outer first section (1A) including an electrical heater (4) and a heat distributing metal plate (2) forming a walk-on surface, a first adhesive bonding layer (3) between said electrical heater (4) and said heat distributing metal plate (2), a second adhesive bond (5) between said electrical heater (4) and said fiber composite core structure (1B), an outer second section (1C) including a heat insulating layer (11, 12) bonded to said fiber composite core structure (1B) opposite said outer first section (1A) so that said fiber composite core structure is sandwiched between said outer first and second sections, cut-out means in said composite core structure below said heat distributing metal plate, a temperature sensor (31) embedded in said cut-out means in heat sensing contact with said heat distributing metal plate, said temperature sensor being electrically connected to a control and power supply unit (29) in said aircraft for switching a power supply on and off to maintain normal operating temperatures, and fire hazard protection means electrically connected in series with said electrical heater for interrupting an electrical power supply to said electrical heater thereby overriding any control by said temperature sensor in response to temperatures exceeding said normal operating temperatures.
An aircraft comprising a fuselage, at least one door in said fuselage, a floor support grid structure in said fuselage, at least one floor heating panel secured to said floor support grid structure next to said at least one door, an electrical heater in said floor heating panel, a heat distributing metal plate forming a step-on surface as an integral part of said floor heating panel opposite said floor support structure, at least one temperature sensor in said floor heating panel positioned in a location away from said door for sensing a maximum panel operating temperature, a power supply circuit controlled by said at least one temperature sensor in response to a maximum panel operating temperature control signal generated by said at least one temperature sensor for switching power to said electrical heater on and off for maintaining a normal operating temperature, fire hazard protection means electrically connected in series with said electrical heater for interrupting an electrical power supply to said electrical heater, thereby overriding any control by said at least one temperature sensor, in response to temperatures exceeding said normal operating temperature and wherein said electrical heater comprises at least a first heater resistance and a second heater resistance (34, 35) having first and second heat outputs, said first heat output being higher than said second heat output thereby forming at least one high heat output zone and at least one lower heat output zone compared to said at least one high heat output zone in said at least one floor heating panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.