Intelligent window heat control system

• US 10,063,047 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio Incorporated (Nouryon BV)
• Original Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio Incorporated (Nouryon BV)
• Inventors: Duarte, Nicolas B., Jiao, Yu, Lakdawala, Khushroo H., Scott, Arthur C., Stone, Monroe A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paschall, Mark
• Application Number:
  US14/633,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20150171624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 219203, 219497, 219507, 219494, 219541, 219522, 244136 D, 2441293
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1476 Canopies; Windscreens or similar transparent elements
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/12 by electric heating electric heating elements in general H05B
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/02 responsive to excess current current limitation for voltage regulators G05F1/573; disconnection after limiting H02H3/025
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0236 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/016 Heaters using particular connecting means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/035 Electrical circuits used in resistive heating apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/86 the heating conductors being embedded in the transparent or reflecting material H05B3/845 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for monitoring performance of an aircraft windshield includes a sensor comprising a sensory contact and an evaluation unit. The sensory contact is in physical contact with one or more components of the windshield, and generates a signal representative of the performance of the component(s) of the windshield. An electrical connector is secured to the surface of the windshield facing the interior of the aircraft. The signal from the sensory contact passes through the connector to the evaluation unit. The evaluation unit acts on the signal to determine the performance of the component(s) of the windshield, wherein the evaluation unit is spaced from and out of physical contact with the windshield and the electrical connector, and is in electrical contact with the electrical connector.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring performance of a windshield or a component of a windshield of an aircraft, the system comprising:

a temperature sensor and an arc sensor each comprising a sensory portion and evaluation unit,

wherein the sensory portion of each sensor is in physical contact with and capable of measuring one or more parameters of interest from the windshield or the component of the windshield and generates a signal representative of the performance of the windshield or the component of the windshield,

wherein the evaluation unit of each sensor is spaced from, and out of physical contact with the windshield, and acts on the signal from the sensory portion to determine the performance of the windshield or the component of the windshield,

wherein the windshield comprises a heatable member for removing snow, fog and/or ice from an outer surface of the windshield, the heatable member comprising a pair of spaced bus bars and an electrically conductive member between and in electrical contact with the spaced bus bars, the bus bars connected to an electrical power source to flow current through the bus bars and through the electrically conductive member to heat the electrically conductive member to heat the outer surface of the windshield, and an electrical system comprising the temperature sensor and the arc sensor to monitor and/or control performance of the heatable member;

wherein the temperature sensor senses a temperature of the heatable member and the arc sensor monitors voltage and/or current of the electrical system at a position between the power source and the heatable member;

wherein the evaluation unit of the temperature sensor comprises;

a first switch electrically connecting the power source to one of the bus bars of the heatable member, wherein the first switch in a closed position provides a continuous electrical path from the power source through the first switch to the heatable member, and the first switch in an open position electrically separates the power source from the heatable member to deactivate the heatable member;

a heat controller electrically connected to the temperature sensor and acting on the first switch to open the first switch when the temperature of the temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined temperature; and

a second switch electrically connecting the temperature sensor to the heat controller, wherein the second switch in a closed position electrically interconnects the temperature sensor and the heat controller, and in an open position disconnects the heat controller and the temperature sensor,

wherein the second switch is moved from the closed position to the open position by a second signal from the arc sensor indicating that the voltage and/or current measured by the arc sensor exceeds a predetermined level, and

wherein with the first switch and the second switch in the closed position a first electric path is provided from a power supply through the first switch, through the heatable member to the power source, and a second electrically conductive path is provided from the temperature sensor, through the second switch, to the heat controller.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the evaluation units of the temperature sensor and the arc sensor are part of a cabinet or an electronic device which is spaced from, and out of physical contact with the windshield.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation unit of the temperature sensor and the evaluation unit of the arc sensor each comprise an electrical circuit to act on the signal from the sensory portion of the sensor to determine the performance of the windshield resulting from operation and/or storage of the aircraft, and the evaluation units provide a second signal representative of the performance of the windshield.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the sensor portion of each of the sensors is an integral part of the windshield, and wherein a surface of the windshield designated to face an interior of the aircraft comprises an electrical connector interconnecting the sensory portion and the evaluation unit of each sensor to pass the signal from the sensory portion to the evaluation unit of each sensor.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the signals generated by the evaluation units of the temperature sensor and the arc sensor are forwarded to an electronic storage and to an alarm system, and wherein the alarm system is activated when the signals indicate that the windshield or the component of the windshield is operating outside of acceptable limits.

6. The system according to claim 3, wherein the windshield further comprises

an electrical connector mounted on a surface of the windshield opposite to the outer surface of the windshield,

wherein the sensory portion of each sensor is operatively connected to the heatable member and forwards the signal to the electrical connector and

the evaluation unit of each sensor is electrically connected to the electrical connector to receive the signal from the sensory portion of the sensor.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive member comprises an electrical conducting coating between and connected to the bus bars.

8. The system according to claim 2, wherein the evaluation unit of the arc sensor is electrically connected to at least one of the bus bars and the evaluation unit of the temperature sensor is electrically connected to the heatable member through a thermistor connected to the electrically conductive member of the heatable member.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the evaluation unit of the arc sensor and the evaluation unit of the temperature sensor activate an alarm system when the heatable member is performing outside of acceptable limits set by the temperature sensor and the arc sensor.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the evaluation unit of the temperature sensor and of the arc sensor are connected to an electronic storage to provide a performance history of the heatable member.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the sensory portion of the arc sensor and the evaluation unit of the arc sensor each comprises a signal transmitter and signal receiver;

the evaluation unit of the arc sensor is positioned outside of the aircraft in a selected geographic area; and

communication between the sensory portion of the arc sensor and the evaluation unit of the arc sensor is made by transmitting signals to one another.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the evaluation units of the temperature sensor and the arc sensor share one or more electronic components.

13. The system of claim 2, further comprising an electronic storage unit mounted in the cabinet, along with the evaluation units of the temperature sensor and the arc sensor, wherein the electronic storage unit is configured to collect and store data received from evaluation units of the temperature sensor and the arc sensor.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the window heat controller and the electronic storage are mounted in the cabinet along with the evaluation units, such that the window heat controller and the electronic storage are spaced from, and out of physical contact with the windshield.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the window heat controller and the electronic storage are part of the electronic device along with the evaluation units, such that the window heat controller and the electronic storage are spaced from, and out of physical contact with the windshield.