Patent ID: 7775817

Claim:
An apparatus for providing power to a heating element in a moveable portion of an aircraft wing rotatably connected to the aircraft wing, comprising: a first part flexibly attached to the moveable portion and having a conductive surface for transmitting power to the heating element; a second part pivotally connected to the aircraft wing and biased by a spring for contact with the first part, wherein the second part is an electrical contact movable relative to the first part and is removably connected to a power supply by a relay when the second part is in a first position; wherein, when the moveable portion rotates about a pivot, the first part rotates about the moveable portion so that the conductive surface of the first part maintains a contact with the second part as the conductive surface slides over the electrical contact of the second part; and wherein the first part breaks contact with the relay only during the passage of a portion of the conductive surface over the electrical contact so that the current from the power supply stops flowing to the heating element before the first part disengages from the second part.