Patents Assigned to Northcoast Technologies
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Patent number: 6330986Abstract: An electrothermal zoned de-icing system for an aircraft employs a heat-conducting tape bonded to the leading edge of an aircraft structure. The heat-conducting tape has a spanwise parting strip area, and first and second ice accumulation and shedding zones. The tape comprises a non-metallic electrical and heat conducting layer consisting of flexible expanded graphite foil laminated to an outer heat-conducting layer, in which the thickness of the flexible expanded graphite foil layer in the parting strip area is always greater than the thickness of the foil layer in either of the ice accumulation and shedding zones. Therefore, the parting strip area has a decreased electrical resistance, a greater flow of current, and becomes hotter than the zones in which the foil layer is thinner.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2000Date of Patent: December 18, 2001Assignee: Northcoast TechnologiesInventors: Robert B. Rutherford, Richard L. Dudman
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Patent number: 6279856Abstract: An electrothermal zoned de-icing system for an aircraft employs a heat-conducting tape bonded to the leading edge of an aircraft structure. The heat-conducting tape has a spanwise parting strip area, and first and second ice accumulation and shedding zones. The tape comprises a non-metallic electrical and heat conducting layer consisting of flexible expanded graphite foil laminated to an outer heat-conducting layer, in which the thickness of the flexible expanded graphite foil layer in the parting strip area is always greater than the thickness of the foil layer in either of the ice accumulation and shedding zones. Therefore, the parting strip area has a decreased electrical resistance, a greater flow of current, and becomes hotter than the zones in which the foil layer is thinner.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 1999Date of Patent: August 28, 2001Assignee: Northcoast TechnologiesInventors: Robert B. Rutherford, Richard L. Dudman
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Patent number: 6237874Abstract: An electrothermal zoned de-icing system for an aircraft employs a heat-conducting tape bonded to the leading edge of an aircraft structure subject to an impinging airstream during flight. The heat-conducting tape has a spanwise parting strip area, and first and second ice accumulation and shedding zones. The tape comprises a non-metallic electrical and heat-conducting layer consisting of flexible expanded graphite foil laminated to an outer heat-conducting layer, in which the thickness of the flexible expanded graphite foil layer in the parting strip area is always greater than the thickness of the foil layer in either of the ice accumulation and shedding zones. Therefore, the parting strip area has a decreased electrical resistance, a greater flow of current, and becomes hotter than the zones in which the foil layer is thinner.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 1999Date of Patent: May 29, 2001Assignee: Northcoast TechnologiesInventors: Robert B. Rutherford, Richard L. Dudman
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Patent number: 6194685Abstract: A thermal de-ice and anti-ice system for aircraft surfaces employs a laminate in which flexible expanded graphite foil is an electrical and heat conducting layer that is disposed below an outer heat conducting layer, with an electrically insulating layer below the graphite layer. The flexible expanded graphite layer requires about three times less wattage than known resistance heating pad thermal systems to achieve de-ice and/or anti-ice temperatures. The temperature of the surface is controlled by varying the power supplied to the flexible expanded graphite layer of the laminate in response to a real time temperature value transmitted to a power control.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 1999Date of Patent: February 27, 2001Assignee: Northcoast TechnologiesInventor: Robert B. Rutherford
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Patent number: 5934617Abstract: A thermal de-ice and anti-ice system for aircraft surfaces employs a laminate in which flexible expanded graphite foil is an electrical and heat conducting layer that is disposed below an outer heat conducting layer, with an electrically insulating layer below the graphite layer. The flexible expanded graphite layer requires about three times less wattage than known resistance heating pad thermal systems to achieve de-ice and/or anti-ice temperatures. The temperature of the surface is controlled by varying the power supplied to the flexible expanded graphite layer of the laminate in response to a real time temperature value transmitted to a power control.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 1997Date of Patent: August 10, 1999Assignee: Northcoast TechnologiesInventor: Robert B. Rutherford