IP Library Granted Patent US 12,296,973
Granted Patent B2
US 12,296,973 · App. 18/363,426 · Granted May 13, 2025

Aircraft comprising a structure, a tank and means for fastening the tank to the structure

Inventor: Anthony Mertes (Toulouse, FR)
Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
B64D37/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,296,973
App. No.
18/363,426
Granted
May 13, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An aircraft comprising a structure, a tank housed in the fuselage, and fastening means which comprise a front fastening system, a rear fastening system and a lateral fastening system. The front system comprises a front plate, two lateral connecting rods and a central connecting rod that are fastened between the front plate and the tank. The rear system comprises a rear plate and a rear connecting rod fastened between the rear plate and the tank. The lateral system comprises a lateral connecting rod fastened between the structure and the tank, wherein one of the connection points is behind the other connection point.

Claims (26)

1. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage with a structure,

at least one tank housed in the fuselage and having a vertical longitudinal median plane, and,

for the at least one tank, fastening means which fastens the at least one tank to the structure, wherein the fastening means comprises:

a front fastening system comprising:

a front plate secured to the structure,

a first lateral connecting rod on a first side of the vertical longitudinal median plane of the at least one tank and a second lateral connecting rod on a second side of the vertical longitudinal median plane opposite the first side of the vertical longitudinal median plane, wherein each of the first and second lateral connecting rods is fastened in an articulated manner to the front plate by a first connection point and to the at least one tank by a second connection point, and

at the vertical longitudinal median plane of the at least one tank, a central connecting rod fastened in an articulated manner to the front plate by a first connection point and in an articulated manner to the at least one tank by a second connection point,

a rear fastening system comprising:

a rear plate secured to the structure, and

a rear connecting rod fastened in an articulated manner to the rear plate by a first connection point at the vertical longitudinal median plane of the at least one tank and to the at least one tank by two second connection points that are disposed on either side of the vertical longitudinal median plane of the at least one tank, and

a lateral fastening system comprising a third lateral connecting rod fastened in an articulated manner to the structure by a first connection point and to the at least one tank by a second connection point, wherein one of the first and second connection points is behind the other of the first and second connection points.

2. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the rear connecting rod is doubled.

3. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second lateral connecting rods and the central connecting rod of the front fastening system comprise an additional connection point between the front plate and the at least one of the first and second lateral connecting rods and the central connecting rod,

wherein the additional connection point is activated in case of failure of a primary force path and creates an auxiliary force path between the structure and the at least one tank, and

wherein each additional connection point is made up of a clevis in the at least one of the first and second lateral connecting rods or both the first and second lateral connecting rods and of a pin which is fitted into bores in said clevis and which passes through a bore in the front plate, a diameter of said bore being greater than a diameter of the pin.

4. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the rear connecting rod of the rear fastening system comprises an additional connection point between the rear connecting rod and the at least one tank,

wherein the additional connection point is activated in case of failure of a primary force path and creates an auxiliary force path between the structure and the at least one tank, and

wherein the additional connection point is made up of a clevis realized in the rear connecting rod and of a pin which is fitted into bores in said clevis and which passes through a bore in the at least one tank, a diameter of the bore being greater than a diameter of the pin.

5. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the front plate is doubled.

6. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the rear plate is doubled.

7. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein each front fastening system is fastened to a front beam of the structure,

wherein each rear fastening system is fastened to a rear beam of the structure,

wherein, for each beam, the structure comprises a hoop,

wherein the beam is fastened horizontally along a chord of said hoop, and

wherein, for each beam, the aircraft comprises a V-shaped bar, a tip thereof being fastened in an articulated manner to the beam and an end of each arm thereof being fastened in an articulated manner to the hoop.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2023
From: MERTES, ANTHONY
To: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
Reel/Frame 064881/0768 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240116648A1 · Apr 11, 2024
References Cited (8)
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US 20200369395A1 · Deforet et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
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FR 3097201A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
French Search Report for corresponding French Patent Application No. 2208023 dated Feb. 17, 2023; priority document. [cited by applicant]