Patent ID: 7178760

Claim:
An apparatus for inhibiting accretion of airborne material on at least a portion of an external surface of a leading edge portion of an airfoil, the airfoil having an interior space, said apparatus comprising: a) a film adapted to overlie the at least a portion of the external surface of the leading edge portion of the airfoil, said film being characterized by a closed loop configuration whereby said film overlies the at least a portion of the external surface of the leading edge portion of the airfoil and has a portion located within the interior space of the airfoil; and b) a driver mechanism coupled to said film, said driver mechanism being operative to slideably move said film relative to the at least a portion of the external surface of the leading edge portion of the airfoil, said driver mechanism guiding said film such that the portion of the film located within the interior space of the airfoil does not extend across the interior space of the airfoil.