Lightning protection arrangement for an electronic unit
First Claim
1. A lightning protection arrangement for an aircraft for protecting an electronic unit from lightning, which arrangement is capable, during a lightning strike, of diverting a lightning current onto an electrically conductive retaining structure of the fuselage of the aircraft, wherein the electronic unit is attached to an aerodynamic fairing outside the aircraft, the lightning protection arrangement comprising:
- a) an electrically conductive mounting plate which is arranged on an outer side of a CFRP sandwich panel of the aerodynamic fairing;
b) an electrically conductive rear plate which is arranged on an inner side of the CFRP sandwich panel of the aerodynamic fairing and is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the mounting plate;
c) a first electrically conductive and detachable attachment means which connects the electronic unit and the rear plate and further the mounting plate and the rear plate, a second electrically conductive and detachable attachment means which connects the rear plate electrically to the mounting plate and a third electrically conductive and detachable attachment means to connect the mounting plate to the electrically conductive retaining structure;
wherein said first electrically conductive and detachable attachment means is provided to attach the electronic unit to a body, and by which an electrically conducting connection is realised between the electronic unit and the mounting and rear plates arranged on the CFRP sandwich panel, such that during a lightning strike, a low-resistance current path is provided for the lightning current from the electronic unit via the mounting plate and the rear plate, from which current path the lightning current is diverted onto the electrically conductive retaining structure of the lightning protection arrangement which is connected to the mounting plate via the third electrically conductive and detachable attachment means, wherein the electronic unit is arranged in the center of the mounting plate, an anticorrosive sealing layer being placed on the mounting plate and on which the mounting plate is positioned.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Lightning protection arrangement for diverting a current, caused by a lightning strike, from an electronic unit which is fitted to an aerodynamic fairing of an aircraft. The device includes an electrically conductive mounting plate which is arranged on an outer side of a CFRP sandwich panel of the aerodynamic fairing. Furthermore, the device has an electrically conductive rear plate which is arranged on an inner side of the CFRP sandwich panel of the aerodynamic fairing and is connected electrically to the mounting plate. In this respect, a first group of attachment means provided for the electronic unit connects the electrical unit electrically to the rear plate. An electric current generated during a lightning strike is diverted with low resistance from the electrical unit via the rear plate and the mounting plate onto the fuselage of the aircraft.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A lightning protection arrangement for an aircraft for protecting an electronic unit from lightning, which arrangement is capable, during a lightning strike, of diverting a lightning current onto an electrically conductive retaining structure of the fuselage of the aircraft, wherein the electronic unit is attached to an aerodynamic fairing outside the aircraft, the lightning protection arrangement comprising:
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a) an electrically conductive mounting plate which is arranged on an outer side of a CFRP sandwich panel of the aerodynamic fairing; b) an electrically conductive rear plate which is arranged on an inner side of the CFRP sandwich panel of the aerodynamic fairing and is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the mounting plate; c) a first electrically conductive and detachable attachment means which connects the electronic unit and the rear plate and further the mounting plate and the rear plate, a second electrically conductive and detachable attachment means which connects the rear plate electrically to the mounting plate and a third electrically conductive and detachable attachment means to connect the mounting plate to the electrically conductive retaining structure; wherein said first electrically conductive and detachable attachment means is provided to attach the electronic unit to a body, and by which an electrically conducting connection is realised between the electronic unit and the mounting and rear plates arranged on the CFRP sandwich panel, such that during a lightning strike, a low-resistance current path is provided for the lightning current from the electronic unit via the mounting plate and the rear plate, from which current path the lightning current is diverted onto the electrically conductive retaining structure of the lightning protection arrangement which is connected to the mounting plate via the third electrically conductive and detachable attachment means, wherein the electronic unit is arranged in the center of the mounting plate, an anticorrosive sealing layer being placed on the mounting plate and on which the mounting plate is positioned. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeAirbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
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Original AssigneeAirbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE), Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
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InventorsTherond, Frederic, Frontzek, Thomas
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Primary Examiner(s)Swiatek, Rob
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Assistant Examiner(s)SCHWARZ, TIMOTHY S
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Application NumberUS13/016,649Publication NumberTime in Patent Office1,229 DaysField of Search244/1.A, 244/121, 244/129.1, 244/131, 244/132, 361/218US Class Current244/1.ACPC Class CodesH02G 13/00 Installations of lightning ...
