Patent ID: 11884055
Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
Field: Surface technology, coating (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B  C | IPC B

Claim 11:
12. A system for erosion protection of an aircraft composite structure, the system comprising:
a substrate surface of the aircraft composite structure, the substrate surface having one or more cut edges, and the aircraft composite structure comprising one of, a wing panel, a barrel section of a fuselage, a passenger door, an access door, a window surround, a horizontal stabilizer, or a vertical stabilizer;
an edge seal layer directly applied over and to the substrate surface;
a primer layer directly applied over and to the edge seal layer; and
a laminated hybrid metallized polymer film directly applied over and to the primer layer, the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film being in a flexible form comprising one of, a tape, an applique, a sheet, or an overlay, the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film comprising:
a metal foil layer comprising one of, a titanium foil layer, a titanium alloy foil layer, a nickel foil layer, a nickel alloy foil layer, a stainless steel foil layer, or a stainless steel alloy foil layer, and the metal foil layer having a configuration comprising one of, a slotted metal foil, a perforated metal foil, an expanded metal foil, or a mesh metal foil;
a laminating adhesive layer directly underlying the metal foil layer, the laminating adhesive layer comprising one of, a urethane adhesive layer including a polyurethane adhesive layer, an epoxy adhesive layer, a polysiloxane adhesive layer, a silicone adhesive layer, or an acrylic adhesive layer, wherein the laminating adhesive layer has a thickness in a range of from 0.0001 inch to 0.0020 inch;
a polymer film layer directly underlying the laminating adhesive layer, the polymer film layer laminated to the metal foil layer with the laminating adhesive layer directly coupled between the metal foil layer and the polymer film layer; and
an adhesive layer directly underlying the polymer film layer, the adhesive layer directly adhering the polymer film layer to the primer layer, wherein the adhesive layer has a thickness in a range of from 0.005 inch to 0.010 inch, and further wherein the adhesive layer and the laminating adhesive layer have a total thickness in a range of from 0.0051 inch to 0.012 inch,

wherein the flexible form of the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film has improved handleability and installation, the installation of the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film being facilitated by a formability of the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film, and further wherein, when the aircraft composite structure is exposed to an airstream, the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film applied over and to the aircraft composite structure provides erosion protection of the aircraft composite structure from the airstream, and prevents or minimizes delamination of the one or more cut edges of the aircraft composite structure.