Segmented lightning diverter element having integrated ESD protection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10669039-B2
Application number	US-201715679695-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2017
Priority date	Aug 18, 2016
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

A lightning diverter element having integrated ESD protection, including a support and metallic segments disposed on the support is disclosed, wherein the support has a resistance per unit length in a range from 100 kΩ/m to 100 MΩ/m. Furthermore, a high-frequency device is disclosed, wherein such a lightning diverter element is disposed on a surface of a component of the high-frequency device. Finally, a vehicle including such a lightning diverter element and/or such a high-frequency device is disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lightning diverter element comprising a support and metallic segments disposed on the support, wherein the support has a resistance per unit length in a range from 100 kΩ/m to 100 MΩ/m;
wherein the support is doped with an electrically conductive doping material; and
wherein the doping material comprises between, and including, about 3 to 5 volume percent of a material of the support.

2. The lightning diverter element according to claim 1 , wherein the support has a monolithic structure.

3. The lightning diverter element according to claim 1 , wherein a base of the support is an insulating material and wherein the electrically conductive doping material is graphite.

4. The lightning diverter element according to claim 1 , wherein the doping material comprises 3.5 to 4.5 volume percent, of the material of the support.

5. The lightning diverter element according to claim 1 , wherein the support has a homogeneous volume resistance.

6. A high-frequency device, wherein at least one lightning diverter element according to claim 1 is disposed on a surface of a component of the high-frequency device.

7. The high-frequency device according to claim 6 , wherein the high-frequency device comprises at least one of: an antenna, a transmission unit, a reception unit, a connection.

8. The high-frequency device according to claim 6 , wherein the high-frequency device comprises a sheath that is penetrable for electromagnetic radiation, on a surface of which a lightning diverter element is disposed, wherein optionally, at least one of the following options applies:
the surface is free of an anti-static varnish; and
the high-frequency device is a radar device, and the sheath is a radome.

9. The high-frequency device according to claim 7 , wherein the high-frequency device comprises an antenna, for example a low-drag antenna having a metallic basic body, which antenna has a surface on which the lightning diverter element is disposed.

10. A vehicle comprising:
a lightning diverter element comprising a support and metallic segments disposed on the support, wherein the support has a resistance per unit length in a range from 100 kΩ/m to 100 MΩ/m;
wherein the support is doped with an electrically conductive doping material; and
wherein the doping material comprises between, and including, about 3 to 5 volume percent of the material of the support.

11. The vehicle according to claim 10 wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

12. A vehicle comprising:
a high-frequency device comprising at least one lightning diverter element disposed on a surface of a component of the high-frequency device, the lightning diverter element comprising a support and metallic segments disposed on the support, wherein the support has a resistance per unit length in a range from 100 kΩ/m to 100 MΩ/m;
wherein the support is doped with an electrically conductive doping material; and
wherein the doping material comprises between, and including, about 3 to 5 volume percent of the material of the support.

13. The vehicle according to claim 12 wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Weber Lutz
• Kaste Michael
• Kebel Robert
• Ristau Detlef

Classifications

• H01Q1/42

  Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome · CPC title

• H01Q1/281

  Nose antennas · CPC title

• H05K9/0079

  Electrostatic discharge protection, e.g. ESD treated surface for rapid dissipation of charges · CPC title

• H05K9/0067 Primary

  Devices for protecting against damage from electrostatic discharge · CPC title

• H01Q1/002

  Protection against seismic waves, thermal radiation or other disturbances, e.g. nuclear explosion; Arrangements for improving the power handling capability of an antenna · CPC title