IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,534,213
Granted Patent B2
US 12,534,213 · App. 19/043,583 · Granted Jan 27, 2026

Propulsion assembly for an aircraft, having an extraction fan

Inventors: Franck Alvarez (Toulouse, FR); Olivier Verseux (Toulouse, FR)
Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
B64D33/00B64D27/355B64D29/00H01M8/04014H01M8/04231H01M8/04776H01M2250/20
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,534,213
App. No.
19/043,583
Filed
Feb 3, 2025
Granted
Jan 27, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3642
USPC
244/53R
Abstract

An aircraft propulsion assembly that has a nacelle with a front opening and a rear opening, a propeller driven by an electric motor, a fuel cell supplying the electric motor with electric current, an inner channel arranged in the nacelle between the front opening and the rear opening. The electric motor and the fuel cell are disposed in the inner channel. A motorized fan is arranged at the rear part so as to draw in the air present in the inner channel and expel it to the outside through the rear opening. A control unit controls the motorized fan. With such an arrangement, the outside air cools the inside of the nacelle and the dihydrogen is evacuated.

Claims (13)

1 . A propulsion assembly for an aircraft, comprising:

a nacelle extending between a front part and a rear part, wherein the nacelle has a front opening at the front part and a rear opening at the rear part,

a propeller mounted so as to be able to move in rotation in front of the nacelle,

an electric motor arranged to drive said propeller in rotation,

a fuel cell generating an electric current for the electric motor from dihydrogen,

an inner channel arranged in the nacelle and extending between the front opening and the rear opening, wherein the electric motor and the fuel cell are disposed in the inner channel,

a motorized fan arranged at the rear part so as to draw in the air present in the inner channel and expel it to the outside of the nacelle through the rear opening, and

a control unit arranged to command the starting and stopping of the motorized fan.

2 . The propulsion assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the nacelle has a lateral opening, and wherein the propulsion assembly has an additional channel extending between the lateral opening and the inner channel and progressing from the front toward the rear of the nacelle.

3 . The propulsion assembly as claimed in claim 2 , which has a door mounted so as to be able to move between a closed position in which it shuts off the lateral opening and an open position in which it does not shut off the lateral opening and actuation means controlled by the control unit and arranged to move the door alternately from the open position to the closed position.

4 . The propulsion assembly as claimed in claim 2 , which has at least one heat exchanger mounted in the additional channel.

5 . The propulsion assembly as claimed in claim 1 , which has at least one heat exchanger mounted in the inner channel.

6 . An aircraft having at least one propulsion assembly as claimed in claim 1 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2025
From: ALVAREZ, FRANCK; VERSEUX, OLIVIER
To: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
Reel/Frame 070084/0930 →
Priority Claims (1)
FR 2401088 · Feb 5, 2024 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250250019A1 · Aug 7, 2025
References Cited (13)
US 11866185B2 · Labarthe · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 11945593B2 · Kierbel · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 11952134B2 · Carretero Benignos · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12054266B2 · Cottrell · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20200140062A1 · Bar Yohai et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210269152A1 · Wankewycz · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220306306A1 · Labarthe et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220355943A1 · Carretero Benignos et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20240359802A1 · Kierbel · 2024 [cited by examiner]
EP 4067236A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
EP 4086176A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
WO 2023114353A2 · 2023 [cited by applicant]
French Search Report and Written Opinion for corresponding French Patent Application No. 2401088 dated Jul. 30, 2024. [cited by applicant]