The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 29, 2026
Filed:
Dec. 12, 2023
Textron Aviation Inc., Wichita, KS (US);
Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US);
Steven Ryan Schafer, Wichita, KS (US);
Gonzalo Eduardo Mendoza, Wichita, KS (US);
Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US);
Abstract
A de-icing system for an airfoil includes a flexible skin having one or more stiffening elements embedded therein and one or more actuators positioned within the airfoil and configured to engage an impact area of the flexible skin with a displacement force. The stiffening elements extend substantially parallel to the leading edge of an airfoil and are placed in a chordwise succession proceeding away from the leading edge of the airfoil. The one or more stiffening elements are configured to transmit the displacement force to a non-impact area of the flexible skin adjacent to or near the one or more stiffening elements. The displacement force causes an outer surface of the flexible skin adjacent to the impact area to be distorted and an outer surface of the flexible skin of the non-impact area to be distorted.