Lightning protection sheet with patterned conductor

• US 8,922,970 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2010
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Hebert, Larry S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kitov, Zeev V
• Application Number:
  US12/761,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20100263898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,720 Days
• Field of Search: 361/217, 361/218, 361/216, 361/220
• US Class Current: 361/217
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/12 Construction or attachment of skin panels
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/02 Lightning protectors; Static dischargers in general H01T
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 13/00 Installations of lightning conductors; Fastening thereof to supporting structure
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 13/80 Discharge by conduction or dissipation, e.g. rods, arresters, spark gaps

Abstract

A lightning protection system is provided, typically for use on an outer surface of an aircraft, which includes the use of a lightning protection sheet that includes an electrically conductive film patterned into a plurality of hill features. The lightning protection sheet may additionally include an electrically non-conductive discriminator layer over the electrically conductive film.

Claims

1. A lightning protection sheet comprising a substantially continuous, metallic, electrically conductive film having a thickness t, where the electrically conductive film is patterned into a plurality of hill features having a height h greater than t;

wherein t is between 0.001 and 100 microns.

2. The lightning protection sheet according to claim 1 wherein h is greater than 3 times t.

3. The lightning protection sheet according to claim 1 wherein h is greater than 10 times t.

4. The lightning protection sheet according to claim 1 wherein t is between 0.01 and 10 microns.

5. The lightning protection sheet according to claim 1 wherein h is between 6 microns and 1 mm.

6. The lightning protection sheet according to claim 1 which contains an amount of electrically conductive material weighing less than 50 g/m².

7. The lightning protection sheet according to claim 1 comprising no electrically conductive layer other than substantially continuous electrically conductive films having a thickness t, where the electrically conductive films are patterned into a plurality of hill features having a height h greater than t.

8. The lightning protection sheet according to claim 1 comprising no electrically conductive layer other than substantially continuous electrically conductive films having a thickness between 0.001 and 100 microns.

9. The lightning protection sheet according to claim 1 additionally comprising an electrically non-conductive support layer underneath the continuous electrically conductive film, where the support layer has an upper surface that has substantially the same pattern of hill features as the electrically conductive film.

10. The lightning protection sheet according to claim 1 additionally comprising an electrically non-conductive discriminator layer over the electrically conductive film.

11. The lightning protection sheet according to claim 1 additionally comprising an electrically non-conductive discriminator layer covering portions of the electrically conductive film, wherein the hill features comprise tops which are not covered by the discriminator layer.

12. The lightning protection sheet according to claim 1 additionally comprising an electrically non-conductive discriminator layer covering the electrically conductive film.

13. The lightning protection sheet according to claim 10 wherein the electrically non-conductive discriminator layer comprises ionizable pigments.

14. The lightning protection sheet according to claim 1 additionally comprising an adhesive layer.

15. The lightning protection sheet according to claim 1 comprising no adhesive layer.

16. The lightning protection sheet according to claim 1 comprising an ionizable paint layer.

17. A composite aircraft structure bearing the lightning protection sheet according to claim 1.

18. The lightning protection sheet according to claim 3 wherein t is between 0.01 and 10 microns.

19. A wind turbine generator structure bearing the lightning protection sheet according to claim 1.