Icing condition detection system
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- a first piezoelectric material having a first surface proximate to a surface of a vehicle and configured to vibrate in a shear mode wherein the first piezoelectric material vibrates in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which waves generated by the first piezoelectric material propagate;
a second piezoelectric material having a second surface remote from the surface of the vehicle and configured to vibrate in the shear mode;
a vibration detector configured to detect a difference in a frequency of vibrations in the first piezoelectric material compared to a frequency of vibrations in the second piezoelectric material to detect a presence of an icing condition on the first surface of the first piezoelectric material; and
an electrical resistive heater configured to remove ice from the surface of the vehicle.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting an icing condition. The apparatus comprises a piezoelectric material and a vibration detector. The piezoelectric material has a surface proximate to a surface of a vehicle. The piezoelectric material is configured to vibrate. The vibration detector is configured to detect a change in vibrations in the piezoelectric material that indicates a presence of an icing condition on the surface of the piezoelectric material.
5 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a first piezoelectric material having a first surface proximate to a surface of a vehicle and configured to vibrate in a shear mode wherein the first piezoelectric material vibrates in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which waves generated by the first piezoelectric material propagate; a second piezoelectric material having a second surface remote from the surface of the vehicle and configured to vibrate in the shear mode; a vibration detector configured to detect a difference in a frequency of vibrations in the first piezoelectric material compared to a frequency of vibrations in the second piezoelectric material to detect a presence of an icing condition on the first surface of the first piezoelectric material; and an electrical resistive heater configured to remove ice from the surface of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus comprising:
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a first piezoelectric material having a first surface proximate to a surface of a vehicle and configured to vibrate in a shear mode wherein the piezoelectric material vibrates in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which waves generated by the first piezoelectric material propagate; a second piezoelectric material having a second surface remote from the surface of the vehicle and configured to vibrate in the shear mode; a vibration detector configured to detect a difference in vibrations in a frequency of vibration of the first piezoelectric material compared to a frequency of vibration of the second piezoelectric material to indicate a presence of ice on the first surface of the first piezoelectric material; and an electrical resistive heater configured to remove the ice from the surface of the vehicle.
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11. An apparatus comprising:
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a first piezoelectric material having a first surface proximate to a surface of a vehicle such that the first surface is exposed to an environment, wherein the first piezoelectric material is configured to vibrate in a shear mode wherein the first piezoelectric material vibrates in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which waves generated by the first piezoelectric material propagate; a second piezoelectric material having a second surface remote from the surface of the vehicle, wherein the second piezoelectric material is configured to vibrate in the shear mode at a second frequency; a vibration generator configured to detect a difference in the first frequency and the second frequency to indicate a presence of an icing condition on the first surface of the first piezoelectric material; and an electrical resistive heater configured to remove ice from the surface of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification