Gkn Aerospace Services Limited

Stuart Martin Lewis

Peter English

Nicholas John Winter

An electrothermal heater mat () is provided for an ice protection system for an aircraft () or the like. The heater mat () is a laminated heater mat and comprises dielectric layers (-), a heater element () and a conductive ground plane (-) for detecting a fault with the heater element (). The dielectric layers (-) are made of thermoplastic material, and the ground plane (-) is formed by spraying metal such as copper onto the thermoplastic material of one of the dielectric layers.

Electrothermal heater mat

A dielectric component with electrical connection is provided for a laminated heater mat () for an ice protection system for an aircraft (). The dielectric component with electrical connection comprises at least one dielectric layer () comprising thermoplastic material, and the dielectric layer () or a stack of the dielectric layers () has first and second main surfaces and a hole () extending between the first and second main surfaces. A first sprayed metal coating () comprises a first portion () deposited on the first main surface () adjacent to the hole () and a second portion () which projects into the hole. A second sprayed metal coating () comprises a third portion deposited on the second main surface () adjacent to the hole () and a fourth portion () which projects into the hole (). The second portion () overlaps the fourth portion () to form a continuous conductive path between the first main surface and the second main surface. This provides a cheap, neat and thin connection through the dielectric layer or the stack of dielectric layers.

Dielectric component with electrical connection

Electrical apparatus such as a heater () for an ice protection system for an aircraft () comprises a laminate such as a heater mat () and a connector (-). The laminate () comprises dielectric layers (-) and an electrical element such as a heater element (), and each dielectric layer of the laminate comprises thermoplastic material. The connector (-) comprises a ribbon having first and second ends and a metal conductor (). The ribbon comprises thermoplastic material and its first end () is embedded in the laminate and is laminated to adjacent first and second ones of the dielectric layers (-) of the laminate. Because the thermoplastic material of the ribbon is the same as or is compatible with the thermoplastic material of the first and second dielectric layers, the formation of an undesirable discontinuity at the interfaces between the first end of the ribbon and the first and second dielectric layers is prevented. Thus, cracks are less likely to be initiated at the interfaces during the use of the electrical apparatus, and de-lamination is less likely to occur.

Electrical apparatus

An electrothermal heater mat () is provided for an ice protection system for an aircraft () or the like. The heater mat () is a laminated heater mat and comprises dielectric layers (-), a heater element () and a temperature sensor (). Each dielectric layer (-) comprises thermoplastic material, and the temperature sensor () comprises a sprayed metal track () deposited on a substrate () comprising thermoplastic material. The substrate may be one of the dielectric layers () or a separate carrier () which is smaller than the dielectric layers (-). The substrate () is laminated to at least a first one of the dielectric layers () and the thermoplastic material of the substrate is (i) the same as the thermoplastic material of the first dielectric layer such that the thermoplastic material of the substrate is dispersed or merged into the thermoplastic material of the first dielectric layer or (ii) compatible with the thermoplastic material of the first dielectric layer such that the thermoplastic material of the substrate is fused to the thermoplastic material of the first dielectric layer. Thus, the formation of an undesirable discontinuity at the interface between the substrate () and the first dielectric layer () is substantially prevented or minimized.

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Luton, United Kingdom

Stuart Martin Lewis