Vehicle Surface Heating Layer for Wire-Free Radome Deicing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle surface heating systems, particularly those using wires for heating, face issues such as local overheating, inhomogeneous heat distribution, visibility impairment, and interference with radar signals, while also compromising the outer appearance and durability of vehicle components.
Innovation Solution
A surface heating system utilizing an excitation source and excitable layer that interact via an excitation field, such as an electromagnetic or magnetic induction field, without visible wires, allowing for contactless heating and homogeneous temperature distribution, using materials like magnetic iron oxides or ferromagnetic compounds to generate heat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If wires are used for heating the radome cover, then the ice removal effectiveness is improved, but the risk of local overheating and polymer degradation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wire-based heating system with a contactless induction heating system. The induction heating coil generates an electromagnetic field that induces eddy currents in the radome cover, which then generates heat internally without direct contact. This substitution eliminates the mechanical connection points that caused local overheating and polymer degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate electromagnetic field as the mediator between the power source and the radome cover. Instead of direct electrical contact through wires, the electromagnetic field serves as the intermediary that transfers energy to the radome cover, enabling heating without physical contact and thus avoiding the harmful concentration of heat at connection points.
2Loss of information
If wires are provided only in some areas of the radome cover, then the radar signal transmission is improved, but the heat distribution becomes inhomogeneous and ice removal effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies induction heating across the entire radome cover surface uniformly. The electromagnetic field penetrates the radome cover and induces eddy currents throughout the material, creating homogeneous heat distribution. This eliminates the need to restrict heating elements to specific areas, allowing full-surface heating without compromising radar signal transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
By replacing the discrete wire-based system with a continuous electromagnetic field-based system, the patent achieves uniform heating across the entire radome cover. The electromagnetic field naturally distributes energy uniformly across the surface, eliminating the inhomogeneous heat distribution that resulted from placing wires only in certain areas.
3Shape
If a transparent or translucent radome cover is used for brand logo illumination, then the outer appearance is improved, but the wires become visible and adversely affect the appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the visible wire-based heating system with a contactless induction heating system. The heating coil is positioned behind the radome cover and generates an electromagnetic field that heats the cover without any visible components on the surface. This maintains the aesthetic quality of transparent or translucent radome covers by eliminating visible wires.
Solution Approach 2:
The electromagnetic field serves as an intermediary that enables heating functionality without requiring visible physical components on the radome cover surface. The field penetrates the transparent or translucent material invisibly, allowing the radome to maintain its aesthetic appearance while still providing effective ice removal.
4Productivity
If carbon nanotubes are dispersed in resin to create a heating layer, then the heating functionality is improved, but the radar functionality is impaired due to the electrically conductive surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the carbon nanotube-based resistive heating layer with an induction heating system. Instead of creating a conductive surface layer that interferes with radar signals, the system uses an external electromagnetic field to induce currents within the radome cover material itself, achieving heating without a conductive surface coating.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an external electromagnetic field as an intermediary to transfer energy to the radome cover without requiring a conductive surface layer. The electromagnetic field penetrates the non-conductive radome material and induces internal heating through eddy currents, eliminating the need for carbon nanotube coatings that would block radar signals.
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 system provides effective, homogeneous heating without compromising the appearance or functionality of vehicle components, reducing the risk of overheating and enhancing safety by eliminating the need for wires, thus improving design freedom and mounting ease.
Implementation Method 1
an excitation source providing an excitation field which is at least partially interacting with the excitable layer, the excitation of the excitable material or the particle material resulting in a heat generation inside the excitable layer
Implementation Method 2
utilizing an excitation source and excitable layer that interact via an excitation field, such as an electromagnetic or magnetic induction field
Implementation Method 3
an excitation source providing an excitation field which is at least partially interacting with the excitable layer, the excitation of the excitable material or the particle material resulting in a heat generation inside the excitable layer
Data Source
AI summary
A surface heating system of or for a vehicle is provided. The surface heating system faces or forms at least partially an accessible surface of the vehicle. The surface heating system includes a base body made of a base material and forming a first surface and a second surface. The first surface faces or forms at least a part of the accessible surface of the vehicle. The second surface faces away from the first surface. The surface heating system also includes an excitable layer arranged in or on the base body and in particular at least partially applied to the first surface. The excitable layer includes a material that is excitable by the excitation field or includes particles of a particle material that is excitable by the excitation field. The surface heating system further includes an excitation source.