United Technologies Corporation

Craig F Johnson

Darryl Mark Toni

William V Forster

Kenneth M Nowak

Larry J Osiecki

Peter L Grant

Steven R Hayse

A duct cover for use with a duct within a vehicle, the duct cover operative for directing a fluid flow. The duct cover being further operative for minimizing the entrance of foreign object debris into the duct. The duct cover has a flow directing honeycomb portion for conducting the passing fluid flow in a preferred direction. The flow directing honeycomb comprises an array of continuous, polygon shaped open cells which are biased with respect to the initial fluid flow direction. The periphery of the flow directing honeycomb is rigidized to stiffen the same for minimizing the displacements thereof. The rigidity is provided by a framing member comprising upper and lower skin structures affixed to a core material. The framing member is preferably adhesively bonded to the flow directing honeycomb by means of a foaming adhesive and a barrier member. The barrier member is operative for minimizing the expansion of the foaming adhesive into the open cells of the honeycomb. In order to improve the low observability characteristics of the structure, the cells of the flow directing honeycomb are preferably coated with a radar absorbent material, such as carbon, which acts to minimize the amount of electromagnetic energy that is reflected therefrom.

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Stratford, CT, United States of America

Craig F Johnson