METHOD OF SURFACE CHARGE DISTRIBUTION

• US 20110096455A1
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Bauman, J. Scott, Rawlings, Diane C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,687,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/218
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/02 Lightning protectors; Static dischargers in general H01T
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 13/00 Installations of lightning conductors; Fastening thereof to supporting structure
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 13/40 Connection to earth
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 13/80 Discharge by conduction or dissipation, e.g. rods, arresters, spark gaps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.

Abstract

A lightning strike protection system for protecting composite structures, an improved lightning strike appliqué (LSA) for such a lightning strike protection system, and a method of protecting composite structures, such as an aircraft fuselage. The LSA is electrically connected to adjacent conductive surfaces, e.g., by a fuzz button or a wire bond inserted in the bottom of the LSA. An adjacent conductive surface may be another LSA, a lightning diverter overlay, or a current return network. Charge, e.g., from a lightning strike to the LSA, flows to the conductive layer through the electrical connector.

Claims

1. A method for preventing static charge buildup comprising:

enabling charge to distribute across a first conductive appliqué

affixed to a surface;

passing charge to a conductor coupled to said first conductive appliqué

; and

directing the charge to a subsurface collection point.

2. A method for preventing static charge buildup as in claim 1, wherein said conductor is another conductive appliqué

in a series of conductive appliqué

s including said first conductive appliqué

, charge being distributed over said series of conductive appliqué

s.

3. A method for preventing static charge buildup as in claim 2, wherein said first conductive appliqué

overlaps a portion of one or more other conductive appliqué

s, charge being distributed among said series of conductive appliqué

s at appliqué

overlaps.

4. A method for preventing static charge buildup as in claim 3, further comprising passing charge from said first conductive appliqué

to said other conductive appliqué

s through orifices through non-conductive layers to conductive layers in each conductive appliqué

.

5. A method for preventing static charge buildup as in claim 4, wherein passing charge comprises passing current through conductors in said orifices attached to the overlapping said conductive appliqué

s.

6. A method for preventing static charge buildup as in claim 5, wherein said conductors are contained subsurface to said overlapping conductive appliqué

s and are selected from the group consisting of a fuzz button and one or more wire bonds.

7. A method for preventing static charge buildup as in claim 2, wherein said structure is a composite material structure.

8. A method for preventing static charge buildup as in claim 7, wherein said structure is a composite aircraft.

9. A method for preventing static charge buildup as in claim 8, wherein said series of conductive appliqué

s provide electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding to said composite aircraft.

10. A method for preventing static charge buildup as in claim 1, wherein said structure is an aircraft and said first conductive appliqué

is a conductive strap passing charge over windows.

11. A method for preventing static charge buildup as in claim 1, wherein said structure is an aircraft and said first conductive appliqué

is one of a plurality of conductive appliqué

s, each being a conductive strap passing charge over a respective aircraft seam or joint.

12. A method for preventing static charge buildup on an aircraft, said method comprising:

distributing charge across each of a series of conductive appliqué

s affixed to a surface, one or more conductive appliqué

s overlapping other adjacent conductive appliqué

s;

passing charge vertically between said conductive appliqué

s at appliqué

overlaps; and

directing accumulating charge from said series of conductive appliqué

s to a subsurface collection point.

13. A method for preventing static charge buildup on an aircraft as in claim 12, wherein said aircraft is a composite aircraft.

14. A method for preventing static charge buildup on a composite aircraft as in claim 13, wherein said series of conductive appliqué

s provide electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding to said composite aircraft.

15. A method for preventing static charge buildup on a composite aircraft as in claim 14, said method further comprising passing charge from overlapping said conductive appliqué

s to said adjacent conductive appliqué

s through orifices through non-conductive layers to conductive layers in each conductive appliqué

.

16. A method for preventing static charge buildup on a composite aircraft as in claim 15, wherein passing charge comprises passing current through conductors in said orifices attached to said overlapping conductive appliqué

s.

17. A method for preventing static charge buildup on a composite aircraft as in claim 16, wherein said conductors are contained subsurface to said overlapping conductive appliqué

s and are selected from the group consisting of a fuzz button and one or more wire bonds.

18. A method for preventing static charge buildup on an aircraft as in claim 13, further comprising passing current through conductive appliqué

s affixed over windows.

19. A method for preventing static charge buildup locally on an aircraft, said method comprising:

distributing charge across the skin of an aircraft, charge passing through conductive appliqué

s affixed over seams and joints;

passing charge vertically at conductive appliqué

edges; and

directing accumulating charge to a collection point.

20. A method for preventing static charge buildup on an aircraft as in claim 19, wherein said aircraft skin is conductive, passing charge vertically comprises passing charge over conductors through orifices through non-conductive layers in each conductive appliqué

to said aircraft skin.