Heated aircraft floor panels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional aircraft floor panels with integrated heating elements face challenges such as time-consuming manufacturing processes, mechanical weaknesses, susceptibility to defects, fluid intrusion, and mechanical damage, which affect their reliability and ease of repair.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a core with a conductive core portion, insulated by face sheets and optionally reinforced with prepreg layers, allowing for improved mechanical strength and positioning the heating circuit away from the surface to reduce damage risk, along with a method of depositing and curing conductive ink within the core to create a resistive heating circuit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If traditional etching process is used to form resistive heating elements, then heating function is achieved, but manufacturing time increases and manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidmanufacturing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical etching process with a die-cutting method. Instead of chemically etching foil to create heating elements, the invention uses a die-cutting process to punch out pre-formed heating elements from a continuous foil sheet. This substitution of mechanical cutting for chemical etching significantly reduces manufacturing time and process complexity while maintaining heating element functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Strength

If etched foil heating elements are used, then heating function is provided, but mechanical strength decreases and damage resistance worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical strength of heating elementVSAvoidresistance to mechanical damage

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the floor panel structure into distinct functional layers: a protective top layer, an insulating layer, and a separate heating element layer. The heating element is die-cut from continuous foil and positioned within recesses in the insulating layer, allowing it to be mechanically protected while maintaining its heating function. This segmentation isolates the fragile heating element from mechanical stresses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent provides mechanical protection for the heating element by positioning it within recesses in the insulating layer and covering it with a protective top layer. This layered structure acts as beforehand cushioning, protecting the fragile heating element from mechanical damage before such damage can occur during installation or operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Ease of repair

If etched foil heating elements are incorporated into floor panels, then heating function is achieved, but susceptibility to fluid intrusion increases and ease of repair decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverepairability of heating elementVSAvoidfluid intrusion susceptibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the heating element from the continuous foil sheet through die-cutting, creating discrete, removable heating elements. These individual elements can be easily removed and replaced if damaged or malfunctioning, significantly improving repairability compared to traditional etched patterns that are integral to the foil structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective top layer and insulating layer structure provides beforehand protection against fluid intrusion to the heating element. The heating element is positioned within recesses and covered by these protective layers, preventing fluids from reaching and damaging the electrical components before failure can occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration enhances manufacturability, mechanical strength, and damage resistance, enabling efficient heating while allowing for easier repair and reduced risk of operational failures due to mechanical or thermal stress.

Implementation Method 1

an etched foil heater element supported within the floor panel below a sheet metal surface of the panel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3569496B1Heated aircraft floor panels

Publication Date: 2021.07.14 GOODRICH CORP

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AI summary

An aircraft heated floor panel, comprising a first face sheet (106), a second face sheet (108) opposite the first face sheet, a core (110) with an insulating core portion (124, 126) and a conductive core portion (112), and a lead (102, 104) electrically connected to the conductive core portion, wherein the insulating core portion separates the conductive core portion from the first face sheet, wherein the insulating core portion and the conductive core portion both supporting the first face sheet and the second face sheet, and wherein the conductive core portion is electrically insulated from the external environment by the first and second faces to resistively heat the first face sheet.