Acoustic reflector attachment compatible with native aircraft structure
First Claim
1. A contaminant detection sensor for a wall with an exterior surface and an interior surface, the exterior surface being subjected to airflow in use, the detection sensor comprising a transmitter and receiver coupled to the interior surface of the wall at a first location and providing an acoustic energy pulse forming an acoustic wave transmitted along the wall, and a reflector discontinuity comprising a vibration reflector bonded on the interior surface of the wall at a position spaced from the transmitter, the vibration reflector comprising a bar extending outwardly from the interior surface and operable to reflect the acoustic wave transmitted from the transmitter through the wall and back to the receiver through the wall, and the reflected acoustic wave changing in characteristics when contaminants are present on the wall between the first location and the reflector bar.
3 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasonic ice detector that can be mounted directly to the skin of an aircraft includes a transducer that is coupled to the interior surface of the skin, and transmits acoustic vibrational energy through the skin. A reflector bar having a reflector surface is mounted on the interior surface of the skin at a location spaced from the transducer and is effective to reflect acoustic energy back to the transducer. The reflector bar is raised from the interior surface and preferably has a width equal to the width of the acoustic wave that is generated by the transducer at the reflector location. The transducer and reflector are non-intrusive and do not alter the aircraft skin structural integrity. The arrangement provides an accurate, responsive sensor for determining presence of ice or other contaminants on the exterior surface of the skin.
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Citations
19 Claims
- 1. A contaminant detection sensor for a wall with an exterior surface and an interior surface, the exterior surface being subjected to airflow in use, the detection sensor comprising a transmitter and receiver coupled to the interior surface of the wall at a first location and providing an acoustic energy pulse forming an acoustic wave transmitted along the wall, and a reflector discontinuity comprising a vibration reflector bonded on the interior surface of the wall at a position spaced from the transmitter, the vibration reflector comprising a bar extending outwardly from the interior surface and operable to reflect the acoustic wave transmitted from the transmitter through the wall and back to the receiver through the wall, and the reflected acoustic wave changing in characteristics when contaminants are present on the wall between the first location and the reflector bar.
- 10. A contaminant detection system for a structure having a wall with an exterior surface and an interior surface, the exterior surface being subjected to airflow and subject to having contaminants deposited thereon, the detection system comprising a transmitter and receiver coupled to the interior surface of the wall of the structure at a first location, the transmitter transmitting acoustic energy causing vibrations in the wall of the structure propagated along a vibration wave path in the wall of the structure, and a reflector discontinuity member mounted on and protruding from the interior surface of the wall of the structure at a position spaced from the transmitter and receiver and in the vibration wave path to reflect acoustic energy back to the receiver through the wall of the structure, the reflected acoustic energy being affected by presence of contaminants on the exterior surface of the wall of the structure.
- 13. A method of sensing contaminants adhering to an exterior surface of a wall of a structure over which air flows, comprising mounting an acoustic transducer on an interior surface of the wall, mounting a reflector bar directly on the interior surface of the wall at a location spaced from the transducer, transmitting vibrational energy along the interior surface of the wall in a path toward the reflector, and sensing vibrational energy reflected from the reflector along the interior surface.
- 17. An apparatus for detecting the presence of contaminants along an exterior surface of a curved leading edge of an aircraft wing, the wing having an interior surface opposed to the exterior surface, comprising a transducer acoustically coupled directly to the wing interior surface at a location downstream of the wing leading edge, and including a transmitter for sending an acoustic wave along a wave path that extends in a direction upstream from said transducer, and around the curved leading edge, a reflector bar protruding from acoustically coupled to the wing interior surface, said reflector bar having a reflecting surface that extends outwardly from the interior surface of the aircraft wing for reflecting the acoustical wave sent from the transmitter back to the transducer, the reflected acoustical wave being affected by contaminants on the exterior surface.
Specification