IP Library Granted Patent US 12,371,173
Granted Patent B1
US 12,371,173 · App. 18/629,700 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system

Inventors: Sugumaran Selvaraj (Bangalore, IN); Galdemir C. Botura (Copley, OH); Jin Hu (Cary, NC); Nathaniel Ching (Hartville, OH); Rhushikesh Patil (Bengaluru, IN); Shyam Kumar Dattatri (Bangalore, IN)
Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
B64D15/163B06B1/06B64D15/22H02N2/186H10N30/20H10N30/30
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,371,173
App. No.
18/629,700
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B1
Abstract

A sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system is provided. The system includes at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device and an energy storage device. Responsive to electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being greater than a first threshold, the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device stores the electrical power in the energy storage device. Responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device generates continuous, low-frequency vibrations for anti-icing.

Claims (46)

1. A sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system, comprising:

at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device; and

an energy storage device,

wherein, responsive to electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being greater than a first threshold, storing, by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device, the electrical power in the energy storage device, and

wherein, responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, generating, by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device, continuous, low-frequency vibrations for anti-icing.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device is disposed along an internal portion of a leading edge of an aircraft structure of an aircraft and wherein a low ice adhesion (LIA) coating is applied to an exterior portion of the leading edge of the aircraft structure.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein generating the continuous, low-frequency vibrations for anti-icing utilizes the electrical power from at least one of a power source or the energy storage device.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one deicing device,

wherein responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, drawing, by the at least one deicing device, the electrical power from a power source to generate periodic high-frequency vibrations for deicing by the at least one deicing device.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one deicing device is at least one of a high-frequency ultrasonic prestressed transducer, a high-frequency ultrasonic patch, or a high-frequency ultrasonic disk, wherein the at least one deicing device is disposed along an internal portion of upper and lower portions of an aircraft structure, downstream of a leading edge of the aircraft structure, and wherein a low ice adhesion (LIA) coating is applied to an exterior portion of the upper and lower portions of the aircraft structure, downstream of the leading edge of the aircraft structure.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one deicing device,

wherein responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, drawing, by the at least one deicing device, the electrical power from a power source to generate periodic low-frequency vibrations for deicing by the at least one deicing device.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one deicing device is a low-frequency patch, wherein the at least one deicing device is disposed along an internal portion of upper and lower portions of an aircraft structure, downstream of a leading edge of the aircraft structure, and wherein a low ice adhesion (LIA) coating is applied to an exterior portion of the upper and lower portions of the aircraft structure, downstream of the leading edge of the aircraft structure.

8. An aircraft, comprising:

an aircraft structure; and

a sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system, wherein the sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system comprises:

at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device; and

an energy storage device,

wherein, responsive to electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being greater than a first threshold, storing, by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device, the electrical power in the energy storage device, and

wherein, responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, generating, by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device, continuous, low-frequency vibrations for anti-icing.

9. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device is disposed along an internal portion of a leading edge of the aircraft structure of the aircraft and wherein a low ice adhesion (LIA) coating is applied to an exterior portion of the leading edge of the aircraft structure.

10. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein the sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system further comprises:

a power source,

wherein generating the continuous, low-frequency vibrations for anti-icing utilizes the electrical power from at least one of the power source or the energy storage device.

11. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein the sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system further comprises:

at least one deicing device,

wherein responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, drawing the electrical power from a power source to generate periodic high-frequency vibrations for deicing by the at least one deicing device.

12. The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein the at least one deicing device is at least one of a high-frequency ultrasonic prestressed transducer, a high-frequency ultrasonic patch, or a high-frequency ultrasonic disk, wherein the at least one deicing device is disposed along an internal portion of upper and lower portions of the aircraft structure, downstream of a leading edge of the aircraft structure, and wherein a low ice adhesion (LIA) coating is applied to an exterior portion of the upper and lower portions of the aircraft structure, downstream of the leading edge of the aircraft structure.

13. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein the sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system further comprises:

at least one deicing device,

wherein responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, drawing the electrical power from a power source to generate periodic low-frequency vibrations for deicing by the at least one deicing device.

14. The aircraft of claim 13 , wherein the at least one deicing device is a low-frequency patch, wherein the at least one deicing device is disposed along an internal portion of upper and lower portions of the aircraft structure, downstream of a leading edge of the aircraft structure, and wherein a low ice adhesion (LIA) coating is applied to an exterior portion of the upper and lower portions of the aircraft structure, downstream of the leading edge of the aircraft structure.

15. A method for sustainable hybrid piezoelectric matrix ice protection system, comprising:

receiving, by a controller, an indication of generated electrical power from at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device;

determining, by the controller, whether electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device is greater than a first threshold;

responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being greater than the first threshold, storing, by the controller, the electrical power in an energy storage device; and

responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, providing, by the controller, the electrical power to the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device for generating continuous, low-frequency vibrations for anti-icing.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device is disposed along an internal portion of a leading edge of an aircraft structure of an aircraft and wherein a low ice adhesion (LIA) coating is applied to an exterior portion of the leading edge of the aircraft structure.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the controller provides the electrical power for generating the continuous, low-frequency vibrations for anti-icing from at least one of a power source or the energy storage device.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, providing, by the controller, the electrical power to at least one deicing device for generating periodic high-frequency vibrations for deicing by the at least one deicing device.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the at least one deicing device is at least one of a high-frequency ultrasonic prestressed transducer, a high-frequency ultrasonic patch, or a high-frequency ultrasonic disk, wherein the at least one deicing device is disposed along an internal portion of upper and lower portions of an aircraft structure, downstream of a leading edge of the aircraft structure, and wherein a low ice adhesion (LIA) coating is applied to an exterior portion of the upper and lower portions of the aircraft structure, downstream of the leading edge of the aircraft structure.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

responsive to the electrical power generated by the at least one energy harvester and anti-icing device being less than the first threshold, providing, by the controller, the electrical power to at least one deicing device for generating periodic low-frequency vibrations for deicing by the at least one deicing device, wherein the at least one deicing device is a low-frequency patch, wherein the at least one deicing device is disposed along an internal portion of upper and lower portions of an aircraft structure, downstream of a leading edge of the aircraft structure, and wherein a low ice adhesion (LIA) coating is applied to an exterior portion of the upper and lower portions of the aircraft structure, downstream of the leading edge of the aircraft structure.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 8, 2024
From: BOTURA, GALDEMIR C.; HU, JIN; CHING, NATHANIEL
To: GOODRICH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067038/0088 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 8, 2024
From: GOODRICH AEROSPACE SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED
To: GOODRICH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067038/0321 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 8, 2024
From: SELVARAJ, SUGUMARAN; PATIL, RHUSHIKESH; DATTATRI, SHYAM KUMAR
To: GOODRICH AEROSPACE SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED
Reel/Frame 067038/0450 →
Priority Claims (1)
IN 202441003307 · Jan 17, 2024 · national
References Cited (17)
US 5195046A · Gerardi · 1993 [cited by examiner]
US 5206806A · Gerardi · 1993 [cited by examiner]
US 7737608B2 · Ruggeri · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 8793970B2 · Le Docte · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 8888047B2 · Chuc et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9359081B2 · Clemen, Jr. · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9708929B2 · Szwedowicz et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9873517B2 · MacLean · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 10063164B2 · Apdalhaliem et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10263173B2 · Najafi · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 11492128B2 · Gonidec · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11643967B2 · Bourhis et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20240039429A1 · Lu · 2024 [cited by examiner]
CA 2852444 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 206939090 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
Li, Tao, et al. “Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Technology: From Materials, Structures, to Applications.” Small Structures. (Year: 2022). [cited by examiner]
European Patent Office, European Search Report dated May 19, 2025 in Application No. 25152518.4. [cited by applicant]