# US 12,214,890 B2 · Propeller propulsion unit for an aircraft > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,214,890 B2 - Document ID: US12214890B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/355,779 - Filed: 2023-07-20 - Published: 2024-01-25 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-07-22 - Assignees: Airbus Operations GmbH - Applicants: Airbus Operations SAS - Inventors: Mathieu Mahe; Christophe Labarthe; Frederic Journade; Frédéric Vinches; Franck Alvarez; Lionel Czapla; Emmanuel Vardelle; Rémi Amargier; Kotaro Fukasaku - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214890B2 ## CPC - B64D 27/24: using steam or spring force (jet aircraft B64D27/16) - B64D 27/30: Aircraft characterised by electric power plants - B64D 27/34: All-electric aircraft - B64D 27/355: using fuel cells - H01M 8/2465: Details of groupings of fuel cells - B64D 27/402: {comprising box like supporting frames, e.g. pylons or arrangements for embracing the power plant} - B64D 2041/005: {Fuel cells} - H01M 2250/20: Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A propulsion unit, for an aircraft, comprising a hollow chassis with an opening at the bottom, a propulsion system comprising an electric motor with a propeller, a fuel cell, a tank and a cooling system, and one platform fastened to the chassis through said opening using fasteners and in which at least one element of the propulsion system is fastened to the platform. An aircraft with such a propulsion unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A propulsion unit for an aircraft comprising: a hollow chassis with an opening in the bottom, a propulsion system comprising the following propulsion elements: an electric motor with a drive shaft bearing a propeller, a fuel cell providing electrical power to the electric motor, a tank feeding hydrogen gas to the fuel cell, and a cooling system, and at least one platform, wherein the at least one platform is fastened to said chassis using fasteners and closes said opening, and wherein at least one propulsion element of the propulsion system is fastened to the at least one platform. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The propulsion unit according to claim 1, wherein the hollow chassis further comprises a plurality of arches arranged one after the other and, between two successive arches, beams fastened at ends to the two successive arches, wherein each arch is open at the bottom, and wherein, for two successive arches, two port-side lower ends of the two successive arches are linked by a lower beam and two starboard-side lower ends of the two successive arches are linked by another lower beam. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The propulsion unit according to claim 1, wherein the fasteners each comprise a two-legged yoke, each leg having a bore and being rigidly connected to the platform, a tab rigidly connected to the chassis that has a spherical bore containing a sphere, which is in turn traversed by a bore, and a bolt with a threaded stem that passes through each bore. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The propulsion unit according to claim 1, wherein the fasteners each comprise a first tab that contains a bore and is rigidly connected to the platform, a second tab that contains a bore and is rigidly connected to the chassis, a block made of a flexible material, two threaded stems rigidly connected to said block and arranged coaxially with one another on both sides of the block, and a nut for each threaded stem that is tightened against the corresponding tab. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The propulsion unit according to claim 1, wherein each fastener comprises a connecting rod with three fastening points, in which each fastening point enables rotation about an axis parallel to a transverse direction of the propulsion unit, wherein the connecting rod is fastened by two fastening points to the platform and by one fastening point to the chassis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The propulsion unit according to claim 1, wherein each fastener comprises a connecting rod with three fastening points, in which each fastening point enables rotation about an axis parallel to a longitudinal direction of the propulsion unit, wherein the connecting rod is fastened by two fastening points to the platform and by one fastening point to the chassis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The propulsion unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a nacelle having cowlings, and wherein the fasteners also fasten the cowlings to the chassis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The propulsion unit according to claim 7, further comprising: additional fasteners that directly fasten the cowlings to the platform. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The propulsion unit according to claim 1, wherein the platform comprises a plurality of sub-platforms arranged one behind the other in a longitudinal direction of the propulsion unit, and wherein each sub-platform is fastened to the chassis using the fasteners. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The propulsion unit according to claim 9, wherein the electric motor with the propeller is carried by a frontmost sub-platform. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An aircraft comprising: the propulsion unit according to claim 1.