초록 ▼

A de-icer for de-icing those ice accreting surfaces of a skin formed of a material having a substantially elevated modulus, wherein the de-icer is positioned between a support surface and a surface of the skin obverse to the ice accreting surface and inflated to produce a deformation in the skin suf

A de-icer for de-icing those ice accreting surfaces of a skin formed of a material having a substantially elevated modulus, wherein the de-icer is positioned between a support surface and a surface of the skin obverse to the ice accreting surface and inflated to produce a deformation in the skin sufficient to detach and dislodge accumulations of ice on the ice accreting surface but insufficient to exceed an endurance limit for the material from which the skin is formed. The invention finds use in de-icing aircraft surfaces such as wings, tail surfaces, propellers, rotors such as rotating wings, tail rotors and nose cones.

대표청구항 ▼

In an object having a sheet-like skin format of a substantially rigid material having a modulus of elasticity of at least 40,000 kPa and including an ice accreting surface, a de-icer comprising; a support surface positioned obversely to the ice accreting surface; at least one principal inflation tub

In an object having a sheet-like skin format of a substantially rigid material having a modulus of elasticity of at least 40,000 kPa and including an ice accreting surface, a de-icer comprising; a support surface positioned obversely to the ice accreting surface; at least one principal inflation tube between the support surface and the skin; means for introducing a fluid under pressure into the principal inflation tube in a quantity sufficient to inflate the inflation tube to a desired extent at which a desired deformation occurs to the skin to a degree sufficient to detach ice accumulations thereon and dislodge the ice accumulations into a stream of fluid flowing over the ice accreting surface without exceeding a stress level characterizing an endurance limit associated with the material forming the skin and for subsequently deflating the principal inflation tube; a plurality of additional inflation tubes positioned between the support surface and the skin and configured for inflation to an extent sufficient t o deform the skin to a degree sufficient to detach and dislodge ice accumulations upon the ice accreting surface thereof without exceeding the stress endurance limit for the material from which skin is formed; and the principal inflation tube including at least one restrictive passage interconnecting the principal inflation tube with the additional inflation tubes whereby fluid under pressure infaltging the principal inflation tube can pass into and inflate the additional inflation tubes subsequent to achievement of full inflation of the principal inflation tube.