The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 25, 2026
Filed:
Dec. 11, 2024
Airbus Operations Limited, Bristol, GB;
Henry Edwards, Bristol, GB;
AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED, Bristol, GB;
Abstract
The disclosure is directed to a fuel line terminating in a refuel connector is used to fuel (or defuel) an aircraft, for example with liquid hydrogen. A barrier is deployed around the area where the refuel connector connects to an aircraft fuel port. A gas line supplies inert gas from a supply of gas, for example nitrogen, into the area defined by the barrier. The inert gas flushes out air present around the refuel connector such that the oxygen concentration in that volume is significantly lowered. This prevents ignition of fuel in the event of a fuel leak from the refuel connector. The barrier, the gas supply, and/or the outlets for the inert gas to be supplied through are provided by a part of the aircraft.