Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft structure – Ice prevention
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-18
2001-03-27
Poon, Peter M. (Department: 3644)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft structure
Ice prevention
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206325
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to aircraft de-icing and, more particularly, to a system and method of onboard de-icing.
Ice formation on aircraft surfaces, particularly wing surfaces, during cold weather is a problem that can have catastrophic consequences. Ice increases aircraft weight and can reduce lift and interfere with the functioning of moving parts. A number of systems are available and in use for preventing icing or for de-icing an aircraft surface while an aircraft is in flight. These include de-icing devices which remove ice by scraping or cracking, devices which melt the ice with microwave heating and devices which employ electrothermal heating within the structure to be de-iced. These devices are typically slow and inefficient. They must also typically be positioned in or adjacent the area to be de-iced and lack the flexibility to de-ice different surfaces and moving parts of the airfoil.
It has also been proposed to use ground based laser light systems to de-ice aircraft. Such systems typically use complex, bulky and cumbersome booms to hold laser light generators in close proximity to an aircraft surface and to manipulate the laser light generators about the aircraft surface to be de-iced. In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/706,598, filed by the present inventor, a laser de-icing method and system are disclosed which overcome many of the problems of earlier laser de-icing systems. The entire content of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/706,598 is incorporated by reference herein as if set forth fully herein. While laser de-icing offers a relatively fast and efficient way of removing ice from an aircraft and reduces or eliminates the need to spray outer surfaces with glycol solutions for de-icing on the ground, earlier approaches of others to laser de-icing are not without problems. For example, ground based systems proposed by others do not permit in flight de-icing and significantly limit the flexibility of the system to de-ice the aircraft when and where needed. Furthermore, glycol based de-icing systems must use additional glycol mixtures and compounds to enable the aircraft to travel from the de-icing station to the runway and to preserve the ice free condition during take-off. The anti-icing glycol mixtures and compounds provide several minutes of ice free conditions. If the aircraft exceeds the specified “safe” period, the aircraft must return to the de-icing station.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system and method of onboard aircraft de-icing using a laser beam.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system and method of the above type that permits the laser beam to be manipulated so that a footprint of the beam may be moved about the surface of the aircraft.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system and method of the above type that uses a laser beam having a wavelength which is preferentially reflected by aircraft surfaces and absorbed by ice, snow or water.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system and method of the above type that uses a laser beam generator that generates optical energy in the 10 micron to 11 micron wavelength range.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system and method of the above type that uses a CO
2
or CO laser beam generator.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system and method of the above type in which the equipment needed for the system may be easily affixed to and removed from an aircraft.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system and method of the above type that permits de-icing of an aircraft on the ground and in the air.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system and method of the above type that may be powered by auxiliary power sources already present on aircraft or that may be powered by additional power sources installed on aircraft.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system and method of the above type that permits the laser beam that provides the flexibility to de-ice different areas and structures at and about the critical surface areas of the aircraft.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system and method of the above type that provides flexibility in treating hard to reach regions of an aircraft surface.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system and method of the above type that permits a beam generated by a single laser beam generator to quickly and easily treat a large region on an aircraft surface without regard for whether the region is horizontal, vertical, sloping, rounded or any combination thereof.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system and method of the above type which can maintain critical surfaces in an ice free condition during taxiing and takeoff, thereby reducing or eliminating the need to use anti-icing gel fluids that are presently used.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system and method of the above type which can prevent in flight ice formation on critical surfaces without reducing aerodynamic performance of the critical surfaces.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a system and method of the above type in which the radiant energy of the beam is absorbed at or near the surface of the ice so that ice may be melted or vaporized selectively without substantial portions of the optical energy reaching the aircraft surface.
Toward the fulfillment of these and other objects and advantages, the aircraft de-icing system of the present invention involves positioning a laser beam generator on an aircraft, generating a beam of radiant energy, directing the beam toward the aircraft to create a footprint upon a surface of the aircraft, and manipulating the beam so that the footprint is moved about the aircraft surface for removing ice, snow or water from the aircraft surface. The laser beam generator is preferably disposed remotely from the area to be de-iced, and the beam is preferably reflected from a mirror so that the mirror may be manipulated to move the footprint about the aircraft surface. The beam may have a wavelength that is preferentially reflected by the aircraft surface and absorbed by ice, snow and water, so that the beam heats and removes ice, snow and water from the aircraft surface as the beam's footprint is moved thereabouts.
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Nelson Judith A.
Poon Peter M.
Rogers Mark A.
Speed Gary N.
SunLase, Inc.
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