Patent Application
20250091718
This application claims priority to and the benefit of EP Patent Application No. 23275135.4, filed Sep. 19, 2023 and titled “GALLEY SHELF,” which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes.
This disclosure relates to a stowable shelf for use in the galley of an aircraft.
A galley of an aircraft is used to prepare food for passengers over the duration of a flight, and therefore must be suitable for storage of foodstuffs, appliances, and more, to aid the preparation and distribution of food and drink. The galley has a very limited amount of storage space, which must be optimized in order to fit in as much as possible for the passengers' comfort. Additionally, the compartments of the galley may have many different purposes throughout the flight, for example a compartment which was used to store food at the start of the flight may be used to store waste after the food is served.
However, a galley is typically a fixed structure, which cannot be easily adapted for different purposes during flight by the members of the flight crew, and typically cannot be re-arranged without the use of tools. This may present a problem where a particular compartment has different uses over the duration of a flight.
The present disclosure aims to provide a solution to non-adaptable galley stowage.
According to this disclosure there is provided an insertable galley unit for an aircraft galley, wherein the insertable galley unit comprises:
Therefore, the skilled person will appreciate that, in at least some examples, the present disclosure provides a shelf which may be adjusted between a stowed and deployed position without the use of tools.
In some examples, the shelf is to be installed in the galley of an aircraft, and be integrated into a galley compartment. The galley unit may be installed into the aircraft during the manufacturing of the aircraft, with a layout that is not able to be changed during the course of operation of the aircraft. A galley unit is typically arranged to receive galley boxes and other equipment to be used during the course of flight.
Including a shelf in the galley unit may allow aircraft crew members to change the layout of the galley compartments very quickly, to adapt the stowage space. The galley of an aircraft is typically a fixed structure, which cannot be changed during flight and requires tools to change when on the ground, meaning that it is not easily reconfigured. Therefore, this shelf may provide a way to sub-divide a galley during flight, which may optimize the on-board storage.
In some examples, the insertable galley unit comprises a side wall and a back wall, wherein the back wall is substantially perpendicular to the side wall. The hinge may be attached to the back wall in addition to being attached to the shelf, e.g. such that the shelf is rotatable relative to the back wall. In some examples, the hinge may be attached to the side wall of the insertable galley unit.
In some examples, the hinge is a piano hinge. The piano hinge may allow for the shelf to take up a minimum amount of space in the galley when it is either deployed or stowed, to allow for maximum stowage space within the galley.
In some examples, the piano hinge extends along the full length of the shelf. This may allow the shelf to support heavy objects along its length without bending or twisting, and may increase the stability of the shelf.
The shelf is rotatable from a stowed position (e.g. upright), to a deployed position via a hinge. In an example, when in the stowed position, the shelf is parallel to the back wall of the galley, and therefore takes up a minimal amount of space within the galley. In the deployed position, the shelf is perpendicular to the back wall. In some examples the shelf is substantially horizontal, allowing for the galley compartment to be easily divided during flight.
In some examples, the retractable latch is arranged to project from the shelf so to engage with the side wall. In some examples, the retractable latch is arranged to at least partially retract into the shelf so to release the retractable latch from being engaged with the side wall, e.g. the retractable latch is stored within the shelf when in a retracted position, and projects out from the shelf when in an un-retracted position, e.g. when engaged with the side wall. The latch may be slid in and out of the shelf, and may be moved by a switch on the surface of the shelf, for easy selection of the shelf position.
In some examples, the retractable latch is parallel to the hinge when engaged with the side wall. Thus, in some examples, the latch projects out of the shelf in a direction parallel to the hinge. In this example the latch is perpendicular to the side wall, which may provide optimal engagement between the latch and the wall to prevent undesired movement of the shelf.
In some examples, the retractable latch is part of a retractable latch mechanism, wherein the retractable latch mechanism is embedded within the shelf. This may minimize the space taken up by the shelf within the galley unit.
In some examples, the switch is on the side of the shelf parallel to and spaced from the hinge. This may allow for the shelf to take up minimal space in the galley whether it is stowed or deployed, e.g. the shelf is flush to the back wall, whilst still allowing easy access to the switch such that the shelf is easily moved.
In some examples, there are two retractable latches, positioned at different ends of the shelf, e.g. the two retractable latches may be positioned at opposite ends of the shelf when the shelf is installed between two side walls within a galley compartment where the first and second side walls are opposite to one another. Each retractable latch is arranged to engage with the respective side wall, to selectively hold the shelf in the stowed position and the deployed position. This may allow for increased stability of the shelf, as, in examples, the shelf is anchored on three sides to the galley, by a hinge to the back wall and by a retractable latch to each of the side walls. This may prevent the shelf from moving around excessively during flight, or falling from the stowed to the deployed positions unintentionally.
In some examples, the retractable latch is bistable, e.g. such that the retractable latch is stable in its engaged (e.g. projected) position and in its disengaged (e.g. retracted) position. This may allow for latch to be retracted for moving the shelf between the stowed and deployed positions (or vice versa), and then reengaged manually once the shelf has been moved into the desired position. In an example where there are two latches, one at each end of the shelf, the user may disengage each latch one at a time, and then move the shelf. This may be useful in an aircraft galley where the shelf is particularly long, or the aircraft is shaking, such that it may be impractical to have to disengage both latches together.
In some examples, the retractable latch is spring-loaded, e.g. such that the retractable latch is biased towards the engaged (e.g. projected) position or the disengaged (e.g. retracted) position. This may allow for the latch to naturally be in an engaged position, e.g. the user may have to hold the switch in order to retract the latch into the shelf and change the position of the shelf.
In an example where there are two latches, one at each end of the shelf, the user may hold both switches in order to disengage both latches and move the shelf. This may made it harder to accidentally disengage the latches and move the shelf, which may be useful during flight where due to moving items in the galley, it may be easy to accidentally move the switch and hence move the shelf, which may be dangerous and damage goods in the galley.
In some examples, the side wall comprises a first aperture arranged to receive the retractable latch when the shelf is in the stowed position, and a second aperture arranged to receive the retractable latch when the shelf is in the deployed position. This allows the retractable latch to be inserted into the side wall in order to hold the shelf in both the stowed and deployed positions. This may allow the shelf to be securely fastened to the wall during flight.
In some examples, the inner perimeter of (e.g. each of) the apertures is larger than the outer perimeter of the retractable latch. This may allow for the aperture to receive the latch easily even at the extremes of the manufacturing tolerances of the apertures and the latch. This may also prevent degradation of the latch from rubbing against the apertures, and additionally make it easier for the shelf to be adjusted between positions.
In some examples, the inner perimeter of (e.g. each of) the apertures is lined with a flexible material, e.g. silicone. This flexible material may provide a soft padding to receive the retractable latch, may be used on top of the stopper to press the latch's pin to the side to prevent rattling of the shelf during flight. This may be useful where the latch is slightly smaller than the aperture, and hence may allow for wider manufacturing tolerances for both the latch and galley.
In some examples, the side wall comprises a bracket, wherein the shelf is arranged to be in contact with (e.g. rest upon) the bracket when in the deployed position. The shelf may be arranged to sit on the bracket, e.g. the underside of the shelf is arranged to be in contact with the upper surface of the bracket. This may hold the shelf in a substantially horizontal position when deployed, and may help to prevent things sliding off the shelf during flight.
The surface of the bracket (that is arranged to be in contact with the shelf, when the shelf is in the deployed position) may be coated with a flexible material, e.g. silicone. This may prevent rattling of the shelf during flight when in the deployed position.
In some examples, a shock absorber may be fixed to the back wall of the galley (e.g. the (e.g. back wall of the) galley unit may comprise a shock absorber), such that when the shelf is in the stowed position, the shock absorber may be situated between the shelf and the back wall of the galley, e.g. the shelf may be arranged to contact the shock absorber when the shelf is in the stowed position. This may prevent rattling of the shelf during flight when in the stowed position. The shock absorber may be made of a flexible material, e.g. silicone.
In some examples, the bracket is vertically adjustable. This may allow the bracket to be moved such that it is in correct alignment with the shelf and to minimize rattling, and optimize the position of the shelf, e.g. to hold the shelf in a substantially horizontal position.
In some examples, the shelf is made of a material which comprises a honeycomb structure. This may allow the shelf to be made of a lightweight material such as cardboard, whilst still having the structural integrity to carry heavy loads within the cabin.
One or more non-limiting examples will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures in which:
The examples described herein may be used for a stowable shelf within the galley of an aircraft. Other applications where a stowable shelf would be required are, however, also envisaged (e.g. on a train or other passenger vehicle) and the examples are not limited to this.
The shelf 102 is connected to the back wall 101 via a piano hinge 104. When in the stowed position shown in
A shock absorber 106 is fixed to the back wall 101, such that when the shelf 101 is in the stowed position, the shock absorber 106 is situated between the shelf 102 and the back wall 101. This may prevent the shelf from rattling around and damaging the back wall 101 during the flight of the aircraft.
The switch 208 is a bistable switch, allowing for the latch 210 to be held stably in either an extended position shown in
By using the retractable switch 208 to adjust the position of the shelf 102 between the stowed and deployed positions, and to hold the shelf 102 in each of the stowed and deployed positions, this allows the cabin crew to easily rearrange the galley without the need for any tools.
The frame 312 is located within a hollow region 314 of the shelf 102. The shelf may be made of a cardboard with a honeycomb structure, which may reduce the weight of the galley. The honeycomb structure may become fragile with a hollow region 314 present, so the hollow region is reinforced with a flange 316, in order to help retain the structural integrity of the shelf 302.
The back wall 101 and side wall 421 may also have a reinforcing strip 427, integrated with the walls 101, 421 in order to reinforce the galley compartments in the positions where the shelf is fixed, in the deployed and stowed positions. This may prevent degradation of the galley compartments as the shelf is moved between the deployed and stowed positions.
A bracket 420 is attached via a pair of screws 422 to the side wall 421, below the first aperture 424. When the shelf is in the deployed position, it can rest on the bracket 420, which may make it easier to extend the latch of the switch into the first aperture 424.
The inside of the second aperture 426 is coated with a flexible material, such as silicone. This may ensure that the shelf does not rattle or cause excessive damage during flight, caused by the latch 210 being smaller than the second aperture 426, especially in the case of misalignment between the latch 210 and the second aperture 426.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23275135.4 | Sep 2023 | EP | regional |
