Bonding of thermoplastics
AssigneeGKN Aerospace Services Limited
InventorJames William Atkinson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aircraft leading edge ice protection system. The system includes: a thermoelectric heater mat (10) attachable to a leading edge component of an aircraft, the heater mat comprising: an electrically resistive heater element (12, 22) embedded in a thermoplastic layer (16, 26, 28), the thermoplastic layer having a first surface; and a first adhesive (20) receiving layer (18) located on a surface of the thermoplastic layer. A method of making an aircraft leading edge ice protection system, the method comprising: making a thermoelectric heater mat by embedding an electrically resistive heater element in a thermoplastic layer, the thermoplastic layer having a first surface; and locating a first adhesive receiving layer on a surface of the thermoplastic layer.
Claims26
An aircraft leading edge ice protection system, the system comprising:
- a thermoelectric heater mat attached to a to an aerodynamic leading edge component of an aircraft, the heater mat comprising:
- an electrically resistive heater element completely encapsulated in a thermoplastic layer, the thermoplastic layer having a first surface;
- a first adhesive receiving layer located on the first surface of the thermoplastic layer;
- and
- an adhesive applied to the first adhesive receiving layer,
- wherein an embedded portion of the first adhesive receiving layer is received in the thermoplastic layer and a protruding portion of the first adhesive receiving layer protrudes from the first surface of the thermoplastic layer.
An aircraft leading edge ice protection system, the system comprising:
- a thermoelectric heater mat attached to an aerodynamic leading edge component of an aircraft, the heater mat comprising:
- an electrically resistive heater element completely encapsulated in a thermoplastic layer, the thermoplastic layer having a first surface;
- a first adhesive receiving layer located on the first surface of the thermoplastic layer;
- and
- an adhesive applied to the first adhesive receiving layer,
- wherein a lower portion of the first adhesive receiving layer is below the first surface of the thermoplastic layer and an upper portion of the first adhesive receiving layer is above the first surface of the thermoplastic layer.
A method of making an aircraft leading edge ice protection system, the method comprising:
- making a thermoelectric heater mat by completely encapsulating an electrically resistive heater element in a thermoplastic layer, the thermoplastic layer having a first surface;
- locating a first adhesive receiving layer on the first surface of the thermoplastic layer;
- applying an adhesive to the first adhesive receiving layer;
- and
- using the adhesive to attach the thermoelectric heater mat to an aerodynamic leading edge component of an aircraft;
- wherein an embedded portion of the first adhesive receiving layer is received in the thermoplastic layer and a protruding portion of the first adhesive receiving layer protrudes from the first surface of the thermoplastic layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.