Ducted support housing assembly

Abstract

An integral structure comprised of inner and outer coaxial shells mutually supported so as to define an annular passageway between the shells. The integral structure may be an air inlet housing for a gas turbine engine and the inner shell may be a hub member having a generally cylindrical passage extending therethrough for rotatably receiving a drive shaft. The inner shell has an outer surface of revolution. A plurality of duct preforms each include an inner duct surface shaped to congruently mate with said outer surface of said inner member, an outer duct surface spaced from said inner duct surface, and first and second lateral walls having opposed lateral surfaces. The duct member preforms are mounted onto the outer surface of the inner member in side-by-side relationship such that the first and second lateral walls on adjacent pairs of duct member preforms are coextensive and engaged. A coaxial outer shell preform is spaced from the inner member. Resin on the duct member preforms and the outer shell preform is cured to form an integral structure comprised of the inner member and outer shell member and a plurality of circumferentially spaced strut members defined by the first and second lateral walls.