Heating device with resistive elements for an aerodynamic profile

• US 6,338,455 B1
• Filed: 05/25/1999
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
• Original Assignee: Eurocopter
• Inventors: Bauchet, Jean-Cyril, Rauch, Patrice
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, TIEN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/318,364
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 244/134.R, 244/134.D, 219/202, 219/520, 219/542, 219/552, 219/545
• US Class Current: 244/134.00D
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 15/12 by electric heating electric heating elements in general H05B
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0236 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2214/02 Heaters specially designed for de-icing or protection against icing
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/00 Ohmic-resistance heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/12 characterised by the composition or nature of the conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/16 the conductor being mounted on an insulating base
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/28 heating conductor embedded in insulating material

Abstract

This concerns a heating device for an aerodynamic profile (10) including, incorporated into the aerodynamic profile near the leading edge (6) of the aerodynamic profile, several resistive elements forming a first set (18) of resistive elements (14,15) running approximately parallel to the leading edge, arranged in a way to form a de-icing circuit. The device includes in addition a second set (19) of resistive elements (16,17) incorporated into the aerodynamic profile and arranged as an anti-icing circuit. The two circuits (18,19) are independent and the relative positions of their elements are a function of the design of the profile.

Claims

1. A heating device for an aerodynamic profile (10) including, incorporated into the aerodynamic profile in the vicinity of a leading edge (6) of the aerodynamic profile, several resistive elements (14,15;

44;

74;

84;

94;

104) forming a first set (18) of resistive elements running approximately parallel to the leading edge, each of said resistive elements being provided at its proximal end with means of connection (28,30) to an electrical supply (20), so-called first electrical supply, the device comprising in addition a cyclical supply control (21,22) in order to supply, from the aforesaid first electrical supply (20), at least some of the resistive elements of the first set (18), one after the other, according to a specified sequence so that the first set of resistive elements forms a de-icing circuit, in which the heating device includes in addition a second set (19) of resistive elements (16,17;

46;

56;

66;

76;

86;

96;

106) incorporated into the aerodynamic profile in the vicinity of the leading edge (6) of the aerodynamic profile and running approximately parallel to the leading edge, each of said resistive elements being provided at its proximal end with means of connection (28,30) to a second electrical supply (23), all the resistive elements of the second set (19) being collectively and selectively supplied by the second electrical supply (23) so that the second set of resistive elements forms an anti-icing circuit, and in which the distal ends of each of the resistive elements of the first (18) and second (19) sets are connected to electrical returns to the first (20) and second (23) electrical supplies, the electrical returns of the first set being independent of the electrical returns of the second set.

2. A heating device according to claim 1, in which the resistive elements of the first set (18) and/or the resistive elements of the second set (19) are made in metallic material.

3. A heating device according to claim 1, in which the resistive elements of the first set (18) and/or the resistive elements of the second set (19) are made of electrically conducting fibres of composite material running approximately parallel to the leading edge (6) of the profile.

4. A heating device according to any of claim 1, in which the resistive elements (14-17) of the first set (18) and of the second set (19) are arranged one beside the other in a heating mat (12) that covers the vicinity of the leading edge (6), at least one resistive element (86) of the second set (19) being located along an lateral edge of the heating mat.

5. A device according to claim 4, in which the second set (19) comprises at least one resistive element (86) located along a lateral edge of the heating mat (12) and at least one resistive element (86) located along the opposite lateral edge of the heating mat.

6. A device according to any of claim 1, in which the resistive elements of the first set (18) and the resistive elements of the second set (19) are arranged one beside the other in a heating mat (12) covering the vicinity of the leading edge (6), at least one element (96) of the second set (19) being located closer to the leading edge (6) than the elements of the first set (18).

7. A device according to any of claim 1, in which the elements of the first set (18) are arranged one beside the other in a heating mat (12) covering the vicinity of the leading edge (6), and at least one resistive element of the second set (19) is superimposed on the elements of the first set (18) in the heating mat (12).

8. A device according to claim 7, in which said second set (19) is composed of a resistive element (46) covering approximately all the width of the heating mat (12), by superposition of the resistive elements (44) of the first set (18).

9. A device according to claim 7, in which at least one resistive element (56) of the second set (19) is superimposed on a part of the width of the heating mat (12) located at right angles to the leading edge (6).

10. A device according to claim 7, in which at least one resistive element (66) of the second set (19) is placed so as to cover a gap separating two adjacent resistive elements (44) of the first set (18).

11. A device according to claim 1, in which some of the returns (15) of the first set (18) of resistive elements are electrically connected to each other, these returns being made in metallic material or made of electrically conducting composite fibre material.

12. A device according to claim 11, in which the returns electrically connected to each other of the first set (18) are arranged on the aerodynamic profile.