초록 ▼

Lightning protection apparatus for an exterior structural surface includes an electrically insulating protective coating adhered to the exterior surface, and a plurality of conductive particles supported in the coating. The particles are spaced at distances greater than the dimension of the particle

Lightning protection apparatus for an exterior structural surface includes an electrically insulating protective coating adhered to the exterior surface, and a plurality of conductive particles supported in the coating. The particles are spaced at distances greater than the dimension of the particles in a direction parallel to the surface. The dielectric strength of the coating is thereby weakened by bridging the thickness of the coating with the particles. This enables lightning attachment to occur at a multiplicity of points rather than at one point, thereby reducing interior sparking in an aircraft and minimizing structual damage to the surface of the aircraft.

대표청구항 ▼

A lightning protected structural surface, comprising: a structural substrate; a protective coating of electrically insulating material adhered to said substrate; and a plurality of conductive particles supported in said coating, said particles being spaced in a direction parallel to said surface a d

A lightning protected structural surface, comprising: a structural substrate; a protective coating of electrically insulating material adhered to said substrate; and a plurality of conductive particles supported in said coating, said particles being spaced in a direction parallel to said surface a distance greater than the thickness of said coating and wherein the dielectric strength between adjacent ones of said plurality of conductive pareticles in said directinn parallel to said structural surface is greater than the dielectric strength from the outer surface of said coating to said structural surface.