US 11,999,503 B2
Articulating bifurcated integrated transition duct assembly
Keith David Weaver, North Richland Hills, TX (US); Michael Pujol, Dallas, TX (US); Andrew Jordan Birkenheuer, Arlington, TX (US); Nicholas Plagianos, North Richland Hills, TX (US); Karl Burge, Hurst, TX (US); and Thomas Mast, Carrollton, TX (US)
Assigned to TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC., Providence, RI (US)
Filed by TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC., Providence, RI (US)
Filed on Aug. 14, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/449,145.
Application 18/449,145 is a division of application No. 17/017,789, filed on Sep. 11, 2020, granted, now 11,767,125.
Application 17/017,789 is a division of application No. 15/709,536, filed on Sep. 20, 2017, granted, now 10,793,283, issued on Oct. 6, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/423,371, filed on Nov. 17, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/399,097, filed on Sep. 23, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2023/0391464 A1, Dec. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. B64D 33/00 (2006.01); B64C 27/12 (2006.01); B64D 33/08 (2006.01); F01P 1/06 (2006.01); F01P 11/10 (2006.01); F16H 57/04 (2010.01)
CPC B64D 33/08 (2013.01) [B64C 27/12 (2013.01); F01P 1/06 (2013.01); F01P 11/10 (2013.01); F16H 57/0416 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
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.