Connector for heater
A connector for incorporation into a heater system for inlet struts includes a body having a tapered forward end and an opposite rear end. A plurality of forward electrical terminals are formed on the outer surface of the tapered end. A plurality of rearward electrical terminals are formed on the rear end of the body. The rearward electrical terminals are in electrical connection with the forward electrical terminals. The forward electrical terminals on the tapered end are in electrical contact with a plurality of electrical contacts connected to heating elements formed in a heating mat. The heating mat entirely envelops the connector. The heater mat is formed within a substantially rigid outer shell.
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This invention was made with Government support under N00019-02-C-3003 awarded by the United States Navy. The Government has certain rights in this invention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to turbine engines and more particularly to a connector for a heater for an inner strut of an inlet case of a turbine engine.
Some gas turbine engines, particularly gas turbine engines for military aircraft, include inlet struts in the inlet case in front of the fan. It is possible for snow and ice to accumulate on the inlet struts and to interfere with operation of the gas turbine engine. Accordingly, the assignee of the present invention has developed a heater system for the inlet struts. The heater system includes a flexible polymer mat having a plurality of metal electrical traces or heating elements formed therein. The mat is installed around the inlet strut. Electrical current through the heating elements generates heat in the mat, which melts away any snow and ice that have accumulated on the inlet strut.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a connector for incorporation into the heater system for inlet struts. The connector includes a body having a tapered forward end and an opposite rear end. A plurality of forward electrical terminals are formed on the outer surface of the tapered end. A plurality of rearward electrical terminals are formed on the rear end of the body. The rearward electrical terminals are in electrical connection with the forward electrical terminals.
The forward electrical terminals on the tapered end are in electrical contact with a plurality of electrical contacts connected to heating elements formed in a heating mat. The heating mat entirely envelops the connector. The heater mat is formed within a substantially rigid outer shell.
The rearward electrical terminals of the connector make electrical contact with a socket formed on the inlet strut when the shell and heater mat are inserted onto the inlet strut. Electrical power to the heater mat is thus provided from the socket on the inlet strut through the connector to the heating elements in the heater mat.
Other advantages of the present invention can be understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
A forward end of the inlet strut includes a socket 46 or other electrical connector complimentary to the electrical connector 38 in the heating system 28. Power is supplied to the socket 46 and the electrical connector 38 by a power cable 48 passing through inlet case 24 into the inlet strut 26 in connecting to the socket 46.
Although illustrated in an exploded view in
Referring to
After removal of the mold 49, the volume below the electrical connector 38 and between the outer shell 40 and inlet strut 26 (previously occupied by the mold) may be filled with the filler 50, which may be a polymer, composite, polymer foam or other material as shown in
One of the sockets 68 from inside the connector 38 of
Referring to
To connect the electrical connector 38′ to the electrical contacts 76′, the removable mid-portion 61′ is first removed from the connector 38′. The connection tab 74′ is then folded down over the mid-portion 60′ of the connector 38′, and the portion of the connection tab 74′ with the electrical contacts 76′ is folded back. The removable mid-portion 61′ is then returned to the connector 38′ on top of the connection tab 74′, thereby retaining the connection tab 74′ within the connector 38′. The mid-portion 61′ may be snap fit or friction fit, or even somewhat loosely retained in the connector 38′.
In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope. Alphanumeric identifiers in method steps are for convenient reference in dependent claims and do not indicate a required order of performance of the method steps unless otherwise specified in the claims.
Claims
1) A connector comprising:
- a body having a forward tapered end and a rear end, the tapered end including an outer surface;
- a plurality of forward terminals on the tapered end; and
- a plurality of rearward terminals on the rear end of the body, the rearward terminals in electrical connection with the forward terminals.
2) The connector of claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the tapered end includes a pair of angled surfaces.
3) The connector of claim 2 wherein the plurality of forward terminals are formed on one of the pair of angled surfaces.
4) The connector of claim 3 wherein the pair of angled surfaces are convex.
5) The connector of claim 1 wherein the tapered end includes a removable portion removably secured over the forward terminals.
6) The connector of claim 1 and a heater electrically connected to the plurality of forward terminals on the connector.
7) The connector and heater of claim 6 wherein the heater fully envelops the connector.
8) The connector and heater of claim 7 wherein the heater includes a plurality of electrical heating elements, each connected to at least one of the plurality of forward terminals.
9) The connector and heater of claim 8 wherein the plurality of electrical heating elements includes a plurality of contacts in direct contact with the plurality of forward terminals of the connector.
10) The connector and heater of claim 6 wherein the heater includes a shell in which the connector is mounted.
11) The connector and heater of claim 10 wherein the shell includes a pair of spaced apart walls joined by a forward end, the connector mounted in the forward end of the shell.
12) The connector and heater of claim 11 wherein the shell is a composite shell and the heater includes a heater mat that is a layer in the shell.
13) The connector and heater of claim 6 mounted to a turbine engine structure.
14) The connector, heater and turbine engine structure of claim 13 wherein the turbine engine structure is a strut.
15) A turbine engine including the connector, heater and strut of claim 14, wherein the strut is an inner strut of an inlet case.
16) A heater for a turbine engine strut comprising:
- a heating element; and
- a connector in connection with the heating element, the connector having a contact at a rearward end for mating with a complementary connector on a turbine engine strut.
17) The heater of claim 16 wherein the heating element is one of a plurality of heating elements formed in a pair of spaced-apart walls joined at a forward end.
18) The heater of claim 17 wherein the connector is mounted in the forward end of the pair of walls.
19) The heater of claim 18 wherein the heating element is an electrical heating element.
20) A method of forming a heating system for a strut in a turbine engine including the steps of:
- a) placing a connector adjacent a mold;
- b) placing a plurality of heating elements over the mold;
- c) connecting the plurality of heating elements to the connector;
- d) forming an outer shell over the connector and the mold; and
- e) removing the mold from the outer shell.
21) The method of claim 20 wherein at least a portion of the outer shell is formed over the plurality of heating elements in said step d).
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 7, 2005
Publication Date: Feb 21, 2008
Applicant:
Inventors: Phillip Emerson Alexander (Colchester, CT), David R. Lyders (Middletown, CT), John Vontell (Manchester, CT), George Alan Salisbury (East Hampton, CT)
Application Number: 11/221,195
International Classification: H05B 3/08 (20060101);