Low precision temperature sensor for aircraft applications
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorKevin J Conner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and device for determining ambient air temperature by measuring the temperature of an aircraft interior skin surface.
Claims4
A method for obtaining a low precision measurement of the ambient air temperature external to an aircraft's airframe without puncturing said airframe, said airframe being of a material having a high coefficient of thermal conductivity to allow the temperature of the interior surface of the airframe to be an approximation of the temperature of the outer surface of the airframe and said aircraft being a slow moving aircraft wherein skin heating effects are minimized, said method comprising the steps of:
- affixing a thermal sensor in intimate contact with the interior surface of the aircraft's airframe;
- and
- detecting the electrical signal from said thermal sensor to provide an approximate reading of the temperature external to the aircraft.
A method for obtaining a low precision measurement of the ambient air temperature external to an aircraft's airframe without puncturing said airframe, said airframe being of a material having a high coefficient of thermal conductivity in a range typical of one of an aluminum and an aluminum alloy to allow the temperature of the interior surface of the airframe to be an approximation of the temperature of the outer surface of the airframe and said aircraft being a slow moving aircraft of a type known as ultralight aircraft, gliders, sailplanes, and single-engine piston aircraft wherein skin heating effects are minimized, said method comprising the steps of:
- affixing a thermal sensor in intimate contact with the interior surface of the aircraft's airframe, and
- detecting the electrical signal from said thermal sensor to provide an approximate reading of the temperature external to the aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.