Device for the removal of the ice formed on the surface of a wall, notably an optical or radio-electrical window

• US 5,172,024 A
• Filed: 10/02/1991
• Issued: 12/15/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomson-CSF (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson-CSF (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Leclerc, Pierre, Ceccaldi, Michel C., Broussoux, Dominique
• Primary Examiner(s): BUDD, MARK OSBORNE
• Application Number:
  US07/769,721
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 310/800, 310/366, 310/363, 310/334, 310/321, 310/322, 310/323, 310/311, 310/328
• US Class Current: 310/323.21
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0688 with foil-type piezoelectric elements, e.g. PVDF
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/02 by distortion, beating, or vibration of the surface to be cleaned B08B7/0007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/1484 Windows B64C1/1492 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/163 using electro-impulsive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/02 Arrangements for de-icing; Arrangements for drying-out ; Arrangements for cooling; Arrangements for preventing corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 310/80 Piezoelectric polymers, e.g. PVDF

Abstract

A device to eliminate ice formed on the surface of a wall, notably on the surface of an optical or radio-electric window, comprises a piezoelectric material having a vibrating active surface that mechanically cooperates with the wall to be de-iced, and means for the polarization of this piezoelectric material, comprising an AC voltage source and conducting or semiconducting electrodes placed in contact with this material according to a geometry capable of generating, within this material, an acoustic wave that has a direction of vibration which is oriented longitudinally and/or transversally to said surface to be de-iced, the amplitude of this vibration being sufficient to respectively detach and/or break the deposit of ice formed on said surface. The piezoelectric material is preferably a ferroelectric polymer such as a polymer of the group comprising PVF₂, PVF₂ -TrFE, PVDCN-VAc, PVF₂ -TFE and the mixture of these polymers with one another and/or with PMMA or PEMA. The electrodes are preferably formed into a thin layer deposited on the surface of the piezoelectric material, and their material is then advantageously a material of the group comprising resistive indium-tin oxide, the polymers that are conductive in a matrix, hydrogenated amorphous silicon and polyimides charged with organic salts.

Claims

1. A device to eliminate ice formed on the surface of a wall of an optical or radio-electric window, comprising:

a self-supporting piezoelectric material forming at least a portion of said wall chosen from among the ferroelectric polymers of the group comprising PVF₂, PVF₂ -TrFE, PVDCN-VAc, PVF₂ -TFE and the mixture of these polymers with one another and/or with PMMA or PEMA, said piezoelectric material having a vibrating active surface that mechanically vibrates to eliminate ice on said wall, and

means for polarizing said piezoelectric material, comprising an AC voltage source and electrodes made of a material of the group comprising resistive indium-tin oxide, polymers that are conductive in a matrix, hydrogenated amorphous silicon and polyimides charged with organic salts, the electrodes being in contact with said piezoelectric material according to a geometry for generating an acoustic wave having a direction of vibration which is oriented longitudinally and/or transversally to said surface to be de-iced, the amplitude of said vibration being sufficient to respectively detach and/or break the deposit of ice formed on said surface.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said electrodes comprise a thin layer deposited on the surface of the piezoelectric material, the material of the electrodes and the thickness of the layer being chosen so that the electrodes have a conductivity capable of transferring to the piezoelectric material the electrical excitation voltage and are essentially transparent to the wavelengths of the optical or radio-electric radiation that traverses the window.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said piezoelectric material comprises a film attached to another material forming the body of said wall to be de-iced.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said wall is a corrugated wall comprising an alternation of zones with high curvature and zones with low curvature, the polarization is applied to the low curvature zones of the wall.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the successive zones receiving a polarization receive polarizations with opposite respective directions.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the mechanical rigidity of the low curvature zones of the wall is greater than that of the high curvature zones.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric material is formed into an elongated wire provided with coaxial electrodes, a plurality of the wires being buried in a matrix of a material forming the body of said wall.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric material is formed into a plurality of elements interposed between a peripheral shoulder of another portion of said wall and an assembly support frame for said wall.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the AC voltage source is modulated so as to produce an intermittent voltage.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising, a layer of hydrophobic material on said wall for reducing the wettability of water.