IP Library Granted Patent US 12692011
Granted Patent B2
US 12692011 · App. 18/359,676 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Embedded thermal sensing within electrical power harness

Inventors: Frederick L. Bourne (Litchfield, CT); Bernard J. Andrews (Shelton, CT); Mark P. Eisenhauer (Stratford, CT); Hans R. Massaquoi (Stratford, CT); Carlo Asaro (Stratford, CT); Elvis Arturo Crespo (Stratford, CT); Timothy R. Budd (Stratford, CT)
Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
B64D41/00G01K3/005B64C27/04B64D15/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12692011
App. No.
18/359,676
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for an overheating control system for an electrical power harness disposed within an enclosure of an aircraft. The system includes a temperature sensor disposed within the enclosure and communicatively coupled to an electronic processor. The electronic processor is configured to monitor, via the temperature sensor, a temperature within the enclosure, compare the temperature to a predetermined threshold, and adjust a power output provided to one or more supply lines of the harness based on an amount in which the temperature exceeds the predetermined threshold.

Claims (29)

1 . An aircraft comprising:

a de-icing system configured to operate according to different power usage profiles to provide a plurality of de-icing rates that are associated with the different power usage profiles;

an electrical power harness disposed within an enclosure of the aircraft and configured to provide power to the de-icing system; and

a control system including a temperature sensor disposed within the enclosure and an electronic processor configured to:

monitor, via the temperature sensor, a temperature within the enclosure;

compare the temperature to a predetermined threshold; and

adaptively adjust a power output provided to one or more power supply lines of the harness by adjusting a power usage profile of the different power usage profiles of the de-icing system of the aircraft while maintaining operation of the de-icing system in response to the temperature exceeding the predetermined threshold, the adjustment of power output being proportional to an amount in which the temperature exceeds the predetermined threshold, wherein the more the monitored temperature exceeds the predetermined threshold, the more the electronic processor reduces the power output.

2 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is a rotor shaft of the aircraft.

3 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the one or more power supply lines include a high-voltage power supply line.

4 . The aircraft of claim 3 , wherein the high-voltage power supply line is a 270 VDC line.

5 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is disposed within the electrical power harness.

6 . The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is configured to adjust the power output by adjusting a duty cycle of the power output.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is a housing of a rotor gearbox.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is disposed within a housing of a rotor gearbox.

9 . A method of controlling an electrical power harness disposed within an enclosure of an aircraft, the aircraft including a de-icing system configured to operate according to different power usage profiles to provide a plurality of de-icing rates that are associated with the different power usage profiles, electrical power harness configured to provide power to the de-icing system, the method including:

monitoring, via a temperature sensor, a temperature within the enclosure;

comparing, via an electronic processor, the temperature to a predetermined threshold; and

adjusting a power output provided to one or more power supply lines of the electrical power harness by adjusting a power usage profile of the different power usage profiles of the de-icing system of the aircraft while maintaining operation of the de-icing system, the adjustment of the power output being proportional to an amount in which the temperature exceeds the predetermined threshold, wherein the more the monitored temperature exceeds the predetermined threshold, the more the electronic processor reduces the power output.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the enclosure is a rotor shaft of the aircraft.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the one or more power supply lines include a high-voltage power supply line.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the high-voltage power supply line is a 270 VDC line.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the temperature sensor is disposed within the electrical power harness.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein adjusting the power output includes adjusting a duty cycle of the power output.

15 . An electronic controller installed in an aircraft including a de-icing system configured to operate according to different power usage profiles to provide a plurality of de-icing rates that are associated with the different power usage profiles, the electronic controller comprising:

an input-output interface configured to receive a signal from a temperature sensor disposed within an enclosure of the aircraft including an electrical power harness;

an electronic processor configured to:

monitor, via the signal received from the temperature sensor, a temperature within the enclosure;

compare the temperature to a predetermined threshold; and

adaptively adjust a power output provided to one or more power supply lines of the harness by adjusting a power usage profile of the different power usage profiles of the de-icing system of the aircraft while maintaining operation of the de-icing system, the adjustment of the power output being proportional to an amount in which the temperature exceeds the predetermined threshold, wherein the more the monitored temperature exceeds the predetermined threshold, the more the electronic processor reduces the power output.