Automatic recycling ice detector

1. A recycling ice detector and ice accumulation indicator for an aircraft, said detector and indicator comprising:

a sensor configured to sense formation of ice on a surface of an aircraft;

a heater and circuit means for melting detected ice;

a first indicator configured to indicate the formation of ice simultaneously with an activation of the heater;

a timing circuit for indicating a time required for melting the sensed ice;

computing means configured to calculate a thickness of ice formed on the surface of the aircraft based at least in part on a summation of a first time required for melting detected ice and a second time required for melting detected ice; and

a second indicator for indicating at least one of the thickness and a weight of accumulated ice.

2. An automatic recycling ice detector and ice accumulator indicator according to claim 1 in which the sensor is a thermo-electric switch and in which said switch is mounted on an outer surface of the aircraft.

3. An automatic recycling ice detector and ice accumulator indicator in accordance with claim 2 in which the formation of ice on said switch closes said circuit means to energize said heater.

4. An automatic recycling ice detector and ice accumulator indicator in accordance with claim 3 in which the melting of ice on said switch opens said circuit means to de-energize said heater.

5. An automatic recycling ice detector and ice accumulator indicator in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising:

a memory and comparison parameters stored in said memory; and

comparison means for comparing the summation of the times required to melt the ice and said stored comparison parameters as an indication of the one of the thickness and the weight of the accumulated ice.

6. An aircraft ice detector for detecting formation of ice on a selected portion of a surface of an aircraft, said detector comprising:

an electric power supply;

an electric circuit and a switch for powering said detector;

ice sensing means powered by said electric power supply for sensing the formation of ice on the surface and an electric heater disposed in said circuit for melting ice formed on said surface;

a first indicator configured to indicate the formation of ice;

said switch configured to simultaneously energize said heater and the first indicator in response to the detection of ice and to simultaneously de-energize said heater and the first indicator in the absence of ice;

timing means for measuring the time between the energizing of said heater and the melting of the ice on said selected portion of said surface of the aircraft;

a computer including data storage means coupled to said timing means and storing data based on a predetermined relationship between the thickness of the ice and the time of heating for melting various thicknesses of ice, the computer configured to calculate a thickness of ice formed on said surface of the aircraft based at least in part on a summation of a first time between the energizing of said heater and the melting of the ice on said selected portion of said surface of the aircraft and a second time between the energizing of said heater and the melting of the ice on said selected portion of said surface of the aircraft;

means for indicating one of the thickness and weight of accumulated ice on the surface.

7. An aircraft ice detector according to claim 6 in which the data is stored in a look up table.

8. An aircraft ice detector according to claim 6 in which said ice sensing means comprises a thermal electric switch.

9. An automatic recycling ice detector and ice accumulation system for an aircraft, said system comprising:

a heater having an outer surface for positioning on a surface of an aircraft;

means for detecting ice on said outer surface of said heater;

a first ice detection indicator configured to alert a pilot of the formation of ice on the outer surface of said heater;

means for simultaneously activating said heater and said first ice detection indicator upon detection of ice on said outer surface of said heater;

means for measuring a time to melt the ice on said outer surface of said heater each time said heater is activated;

means for summing a first time to melt ice on said outer surface of said heater and a second time to melt ice on said outer surface of said heater to thereby provide an indication of the total amount of ice accumulated on the surface of the aircraft; and

a second ice indicator configured to alert a pilot of the summed time to melt the ice on the outer surface of said heater as an indication of the thickness of the ice on the surface of the aircraft.

10. An automatic recycling ice detection and accumulation system for an aircraft in accordance with claim 9 which includes calibration means for converting the summed time to melt the ice to an estimated thickness or weight of ice on the aircraft.

11. An automatic recycling ice detection and accumulation system for an aircraft in accordance with claim 10 in which said heater comprises a relatively flat disc shaped plate conforming to the surface of the aircraft and insulation means for separating said plate from a surrounding surface of the aircraft.