Articulating bifurcated integrated transition duct assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11999503-B2
Application number	US-202318449145-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2023
Priority date	Sep 23, 2016
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

A transition duct assembly includes a shared connector, and a plurality of primary cooling pathways for cooling one or more systems or components. Each primary cooling pathway includes a transition duct in fluid communication with the shared connector, and a transition connector in fluid communication with the transition duct.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotorcraft, comprising:
a fuselage;
one or more engines coupled to the fuselage;
a transition duct assembly coupled to the fuselage, wherein the transition duct assembly comprises:
a shared connector comprising an articulatable partition that forms a plurality of channels within the shared connector;
a plurality of primary cooling pathways for cooling one or more systems or components, wherein each of the primary cooling pathways is in fluid communication with a respective channel within the shared connector:
a respective transition duct in fluid communication with a single respective channel within the shared connector; and
a respective transition connector in fluid communication with the respective transition duct, wherein articulation of the articulatable partition from a first to a second position allows for air flow over most or all of a cooling apparatus.

2. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the articulatable partition is articulated or actuated.

3. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein:
each transition duct comprises at least a portion that is a rigid material, a flexible material, an articulated portion, a flexible portion, or a combination thereof;
the shared connector comprises at least a portion that is a rigid material, a flexible material, an articulated portion, a flexible portion, or a combination thereof; or
each transition connector comprises at least a portion that is a rigid material, a flexible material, an articulated portion, a flexible portion, or a combination thereof.

4. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the transition duct assembly further comprises one or more secondary cooling pathways, wherein each of the one or more secondary cooling pathways comprises a conduit in fluid communication with the transition duct one of the primary cooling pathways.

5. The rotorcraft of claim 4 , wherein each conduit comprises at least a portion that is a rigid material, a flexible material, an articulated portion, a flexible portion, or a combination thereof.

6. The rotorcraft of claim 4 , wherein the conduit is operably coupled with a distributed cooling device.

7. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the shared connector is operably coupled with a shared cooling device.

8. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein each transition connector is positioned in fluid communication with a fan.

9. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of primary cooling pathways comprise two primary cooling pathways; and
the plurality of channels comprise two channels.

10. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , further comprising two secondary cooling pathways.

Assignees

• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Weaver Keith David
• Pujol Michael
• Birkenheuer Andrew Jordan
• Plagianos Nicholas
• Burge Karl
• Mast Thomas

Classifications

• B64D33/08 Primary

  of power plant cooling systems · CPC title

• B64C27/12 Primary

  Rotor drives · CPC title

• F01P1/06

  Arrangements for cooling other engine or machine parts · CPC title

• F01P11/10

  Guiding or ducting cooling-air, to, or from, liquid-to-air heat exchangers · CPC title

• F16H57/0416

  Air cooling or ventilation · CPC title