Heatable floor panel and floor heating system for an aircraft

• US 11,808,463 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2019
• Issued: 11/07/2023
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Hegenbart, Matthias, Linde, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuqua, Shawntina T
• Application Number:
  US16/359,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20190309960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/106 Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/18 Aircraft blades, propellers B32B2603/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/18 Floors
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 13/02 solely using resistance heating, e.g. underfloor heating
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 13/024 in walls, floors, ceilings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/003 using serpentine layout
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/026 Heaters specially adapted for floor heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/145 Carbon only, e.g. carbon black, graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/342 heaters used in textiles
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/347 woven fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/00 Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]

Abstract

A heatable floor panel for an aircraft, with a supporting level, a heat-generating level and a heat-conducting level. The heat-generating level comprises a fiber composite layer with fibers and with a matrix surrounding the fibers. The fibers are at least partially formed as conducting fiber, and the conducting fibers are formed as carbon fibers with an electrically insulating coating. The conducting fibers integrated in the floor panel in order to conduct a heating current through them. Due to the electrically insulating coating of the conducting fibers, leakage currents are avoided. The carbon fibers serve not only as heating elements, but, at the same time, also as reinforcing fibers of the fiber composite layer or of the floor panel.

Claims

1. A heatable floor panel for an aircraft, comprising:

a supporting level, wherein the supporting level comprises a honeycomb layer and a thermal insulation layer disclosed below the honeycomb layer,

a heat-generating level disposed above the supporting layer, and

a heat-conducting level disposed above the heat-generating level such that the heat-generating level is between the supporting level and the heat-conducting level, wherein the heat-conducting level is at least partially formed from titanium or a titanium alloy,

the heat-generating level comprising a fiber composite layer with fibers and with a matrix surrounding the fibers,

the fibers comprising a plurality of conducting fibers and a plurality of non-conducting fibers, and

the conducting fibers each being formed as a carbon fiber with an electrically insulating coating which, within the matrix, completely surrounds the carbon fiber, and the non-conducting fibers each being formed as a carbon fiber.

2. The heatable floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the conducting fibers form one or more closed electrical circuits.

3. The heatable floor panel according to claim 1, wherein a form of an arrangement of the conducting fibers in the fiber composite layer is selected from the group consisting of:

individual fibers, fiber bundles, fiber tapes, laid fiber scrims, fiber mats, woven and nonwoven fiber fabrics.

4. The heatable floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the electrically insulating coating has a thickness in a range from 0.1 micrometer to 1 micrometer.

5. The heatable floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the conducting fibers are integrated in the fiber composite layer in such a way that the conducting fibers protrude out of the fiber composite layer, at least at ends of the fibers.

6. The heatable floor panel according to claim 1, wherein the electrically insulating coating is formed as a polymer electrolyte coating.

7. A floor heating system for a cabin floor of an aircraft cabin, comprising:

a floor panel according to claim 1,

a power source configured to provide electrical heating power,

the power source being electrically connected to the floor panel.

8. The floor heating system according to claim 7, wherein the conducting fibers form one or more closed electrical circuits, and the power source is electrically connected to the closed electrical circuit or circuits.

9. The floor heating system according to claim 8, further comprising a control unit comprising temperature sensors, via which the heating power of the power source is controllable.

10. The floor heating system according to claim 8, wherein the floor panel is arranged in a bottom region of an aircraft door.