Systems and methods for refreshing passenger garments onboard an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10752358-B2
Application number	US-201514886530-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2015
Priority date	Oct 19, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

An aircraft includes a fuselage having an internal cabin, and a garment refreshing system located within the internal cabin. The garment refreshing system is operable to refresh a garment of an individual within the internal cabin. A method of refreshing a garment while onboard an aircraft includes positioning a garment refreshing system within an internal cabin of a fuselage of an aircraft, and refreshing a garment of an individual onboard the aircraft with the garment refreshing system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage having an internal cabin; and
a garment refreshing system located within the internal cabin, wherein the garment refreshing system is positioned within a closet of the internal cabin, wherein the garment refreshing system is operable to refresh a garment of an individual within the internal cabin,
wherein the garment refreshing system comprises:
a housing defining a refreshing compartment;
one or more refreshers within the refreshing compartment, wherein the one or more refreshers are operable to refresh the garment; and
one or more one or more dryers within the refreshing compartment, wherein the one or more dryers are operable to dry the garment.

2. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the one or more refreshers comprises one or more of a mister, a steamer, a scent emitter, a detergent emitter, a heater, or an agitator.

3. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the one or more refreshers comprises an ultraviolet light.

4. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the garment refreshing system comprises:
a housing defining an internal refreshing compartment; and
an access door moveable between a closed position in which the refreshing compartment is closed and an open position in which the refreshing compartment is opened, wherein the refreshing compartment receives the garment when the access door is in the open position.

5. The aircraft of claim 1 , further comprising a seat track and at least one fitting on a floor within the internal cabin, and wherein the garment refreshing system securely mounts to the seat track through at least a portion of the at least one fitting.

6. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the garment refreshing system comprises at least one vent operable to control a moisture level within one or both of the garment refreshing system or the internal cabin.

7. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the garment refreshing system comprises a rack onto which the garment hangs.

8. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the garment refreshing system comprises a control unit operatively coupled to a user interface, wherein the control unit operates the garment refreshing system based on operating commands input through the user interface.

9. An aircraft comprising:
a fuselage having an internal cabin;
at least one fitting on a floor within the internal cabin; and
a garment refreshing system positioned within a closet located within the internal cabin, wherein the garment refreshing system securely mounts to at least a portion of the at least one fitting through at least one fitting assembly, wherein the garment refreshing system is operable to refresh a garment of an individual within the internal cabin, and wherein the garment refreshing system comprises:
a housing defining an internal refreshing compartment;
an access door moveable between a closed position in which the refreshing compartment is closed and an open position in which the refreshing compartment is opened, wherein the refreshing compartment receives the garment when the access door is in the open position;
a rack extending into the refreshing compartment, wherein the garment hangs from the rack;
one or more refreshers within the refreshing compartment operable to refresh the garment, wherein the one or more refreshers comprises one or more of a mister, a steamer, an ultraviolet light, a scent emitter, a detergent emitter, a heater, or an agitator;
one or more dryers operable to dry the garment;
at least one vent operable to control a moisture level within one or both of the garment refreshing system or the internal cabin; and
a control unit operatively coupled to a user interface, wherein the control unit operates the garment refreshing system based on operating commands input through the user interface.

10. A method of refreshing a garment while onboard an aircraft including a fuselage having an internal cabin, the method comprising:
positioning a garment refreshing system within a closet of the internal cabin of the fuselage; and
refreshing a garment of an individual onboard the aircraft with the garment refreshing system, wherein the refreshing comprises:
using one or more refreshers within a refreshing compartment of a housing of the garment refreshing system to refresh the garment; and
using one or more dryers within the refreshing compartment of the housing to dry the garment within the garment refreshing system.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more refreshers comprises one or more of a mister, a steamer, a scent emitter, a detergent emitter, a heater, or an agitator.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more refreshers comprises an ultraviolet light.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
moving an access door of the garment refreshing system to expose an internal refreshing compartment of a housing;
receiving the garment within the refreshing compartment; and
closing the access door to close the garment within the refreshing compartment, wherein the refreshing operation occurs after the closing operation.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the positioning operation comprises securely mounting the garment refreshing system to at least one seat track through at least one fitting on a floor within the internal cabin.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising venting moisture from the garment refreshing system.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising hanging the garment on a rack of the garment refreshing system.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising operating the garment refreshing system with a control unit based on commands input through a user interface.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Hills Karen L

Classifications

• D06F73/02 Primary

  having one or more treatment chambers · CPC title

• D06F58/10

  Drying cabinets or drying chambers having heating or ventilating means · CPC title

• B64D11/00 Primary

  Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for · CPC title