Pre-fabricated Metalized Pattern for Aircraft Lightning Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Composite aircraft structures are vulnerable to lightning strikes due to their poor conductivity, which can lead to electrical currents and electromagnetic forces causing damage to flight-critical components.

Innovation Solution

A pre-fabricated article with a dielectric layer and a pre-fabricated metalized pattern is used to divert electromagnetic effects away from critical components, providing lightning strike protection by distributing current over a larger area and reducing the risk of arcing, sparking, and pyrolysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conductive media are provided on or embedded in composite structures to divert lightning current, then lightning strike protection is improved, but the complexity of the structure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelightning strike protectionVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The metalized pattern is pre-fabricated on the dielectric layer before assembly, creating a ready-to-use EME protection system that simplifies the overall manufacturing process while ensuring reliable lightning strike protection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a composite structure combining dielectric material with a metalized pattern, creating a multi-functional layer that provides both structural integrity and electromagnetic effects protection without significantly increasing overall complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Adaptability or versatility

If metalized patterns are fabricated after integration with composite components, then customization is improved, but manufacturing time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomization capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The metalized pattern is fabricated on the dielectric layer before assembly with the composite component, allowing standardization of the protection layer while maintaining customization options through different pattern designs, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The pre-fabricated metalized pattern on dielectric layer can be adapted to various composite components with different EME protection requirements, providing a universal solution that maintains customization capability across different applications

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

The solution effectively protects flight-critical components from lightning strikes by distributing electromagnetic currents, reducing the risk of ignition and damage, and ensuring the safety of composite aircraft structures.

Implementation Method 1

The metalized pattern diverts electromagnetic effects (EME) current away from EME protection areas of the aircraft component

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Implementation Method 2

a pre-fabricated article for a composite aircraft component includes a dielectric layer and a pre-fabricated metalized pattern on the dielectric layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDielectric insulation: Dielectric

Data Source

PatentUS7934676B2Pre-fabricated article for EME protection of an aircraft

Publication Date: 2011.05.03 THE BOEING CO

AI summary

A pre-fabricated article for a composite aircraft component includes a dielectric layer and a pre-fabricated metalized pattern on the dielectric layer. The metalized pattern is fabricated on the dielectric layer prior to integration with the composite aircraft component. The metalized pattern diverts EME current away from EME protection areas of the aircraft component.