Gregg J Ambrose

US Patent:

59244453, Jul 20, 1999

Filed:

Feb 20, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/803337

Inventors:

Gregg J. Ambrose - Meriden CT
John A. Roncallo - Yalesville CT

Assignee:

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation - Stratford CT

International Classification:

F16K 2400

US Classification:

137549

Abstract:

A fuel intake device (20) for a fuel system (10) having a fuel tank (14) for containing a supply of fuel (16) and an internal fuel feed line (18) which is disposed internally of the fuel tank (14). The fuel intake device (20) is operative to provide uninterrupted fuel flow in icing conditions and is characterized by a flexible fuel filter (40) having a plurality of primary flow apertures (42) apertures therein for facilitating a primary flow P. sub. F of fuel therethrough, a bypass means (50) for providing a secondary flow S. sub. F of fuel to the internal fuel feed line (18) when an accumulation of ice (80) restricts the primary flow P. sub. F of fuel through the primary flow apertures (42), and force bias means (60) for rapidly reconfiguring the flexible fuel filter (40) for forcibly shedding the accumulation of ice (80), thereby restoring the primary flow P. sub. F of fuel. The flexible fuel filter (40) is reconfigurable from an extended position to a collapsed position in response to a threshold pressure differential across the flexible fuel filter (40).