System for warning the flight crew on board an aircraft of pre-flight aircraft icing
First Claim
1. A warning system for detecting pre-flight aircraft icing, comprising:
- parameter sensing means located at a plurality of locations along an aircraft structure, each of said sensing means positioned to sense an outer skin temperature of the aircraft structure at each of said locations and producing signals indicative thereof;
signal averaging means for averaging said signals produced by said sensing means to produce signals representative of the average value of the outer skin temperature in a predefined area;
relative humidity sensing means for producing a signal representative of the ambient relative humidity surrounding the aircraft structure prior to takeoff;
comparing means for comparing the outputs of said averaging means and said humidity sensing means with predetermined values of same defining an icing susceptibility region and producing a signal when the value of the sensed parameters falls within said region; and
indicating means, connected to said comparing means and activated by a signal from the comparing means indicative of icing susceptibility.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A warning system for detecting pre-flight aircraft icing employs parameter sensing means located at a plurality of locations along an aircraft structure, each of said sensing means positioned to sense an outer skin temperature of the aircraft structure at each of said locations and producing signals indicative thereof. Signal averaging means average said signals produced by said sensing means to produce signals representative of the average value of the outer skin temperature in a predefined area. Relative humidity sensing means produce a signal representative of the ambient relative humidity surrounding the aircraft structure prior to takeoff. Comparing means compare the outputs of said averaging means and said humidity sensing means with predetermined values of same defining an icing susceptibility region and produce a signal when the value of the sensed parameters falls within said region. Indicating means, connected to said comparing means and activated by a signal from the comparing means indicative of icing susceptibility, provide an indication to persons within a cockpit of the aircraft or to persons on the ground tending the aircraft of those sensed locations susceptible to icing.
60 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A warning system for detecting pre-flight aircraft icing, comprising:
-
parameter sensing means located at a plurality of locations along an aircraft structure, each of said sensing means positioned to sense an outer skin temperature of the aircraft structure at each of said locations and producing signals indicative thereof; signal averaging means for averaging said signals produced by said sensing means to produce signals representative of the average value of the outer skin temperature in a predefined area; relative humidity sensing means for producing a signal representative of the ambient relative humidity surrounding the aircraft structure prior to takeoff; comparing means for comparing the outputs of said averaging means and said humidity sensing means with predetermined values of same defining an icing susceptibility region and producing a signal when the value of the sensed parameters falls within said region; and indicating means, connected to said comparing means and activated by a signal from the comparing means indicative of icing susceptibility. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A warning system for detecting pre-flight aircraft icing, comprising:
-
strain gage means located at a plurality of locations along an aircraft structure, each of said strain gage means positioned to sense temperature-induced strain corresponding to an outer skin temperature of the aircraft structure at each of said locations and producing signals indicative thereof; signal averaging means for averaging said signals produced by said strain gage means to produce signals representative of the average value of the outer skin temperature in a predefined area; relative humidity sensing means for producing a signal representative of the ambient relative humidity surrounding the aircraft structure prior to takeoff; comparing means for comparing the outputs of said averaging means and said humidity sensing means with predetermined values of same defining an icing susceptibility region and producing a signal when the value of the sensed parameters falls within said region; and indicating means, connected to said comparing means and activated by a signal from the comparing means indicative of icing susceptibility. - View Dependent Claims (19)
-
Specification