Patent ID: 7291815

Claim:
A noise-attenuating ice protection heater of an aircraft component, the heater comprising: (a) a pair of electrically insulating layers; (b) a plurality of spaced electric heater elements, each heater element comprising a graphite sheet disposed between the insulating layers; (c) at least one composite support layer, wherein the electric heater elements, the insulating layers, and the support layer include a plurality of spaced openings therethrough; (d) a pair of spaced bus strips in electrical contact with respective opposed portions of each electric heater element; (e) an open cell matrix underlying the insulating layers, the heater elements, and the support layer; (f) wherein the cells of the open cell matrix are in acoustic communication with the spaced openings; (g) wherein the spaced openings are in acoustic communication with an air mass external to the heater and the aircraft component; and (h) wherein the electrically insulating layers, the electric heater elements, the support layer, the bus strips, and the open cell matrix are bonded together to form a unitary structure.