Aircraft galley brewing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10932609-B2
Application number	US-201815970633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2018
Priority date	May 3, 2018
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

A brewing apparatus may include a chassis dimensioned to fit within a compartment of an aircraft galley. The chassis may include a front chassis section and one or more guide rails configured to engage one or more tracks in the aircraft galley compartment. The front chassis section may include a brew head assembly with one or more server restraints or one or more brew cup restraints and a brew cup panel assembly. The brew cup panel assembly may include a hinge assembly configured to engage the brew head assembly and a brew cup panel. The brew cup panel may be coupled to the hinge assembly and may be configured to adjust the brew head assembly in a selected direction via actuation of the hinge assembly.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A brewing apparatus, comprising:
a chassis dimensioned to fit within a compartment of an aircraft galley, the chassis comprising:
a front chassis section;
a rear chassis section; and
one or more guide rails configured to couple the front chassis section and the rear chassis section, the one or more guide rails configured to engage one or more tracks in the aircraft galley compartment;

the front chassis section comprising:
a server base including a cavity configured to receive a server;
a brew cup cavity configured to receive a brew cup;
a brew cup shelf including a recess, the recess configured to receive the brew cup;
a brew head assembly, the brew head assembly including at least one of one or more server restraints or one or more brew cup restraints; and
a brew cup panel assembly, comprising:
a hinge assembly configured to engage the brew head assembly; and
a brew cup panel, the brew cup panel forming a portion of an exterior trim of the brewing apparatus, the brew cup panel positioned outside of the brew cup cavity and configured to cover the brew cup cavity, the brew cup panel coupled to the hinge assembly, the brew cup panel configured to adjust the brew head assembly in a selected direction via actuation of the hinge assembly.

2. The apparatus in claim 1 , the brew cup panel including an operator, the operator comprising a slot between a first front surface of the brew cup panel and a second front surface extruded a select distance from a plane defined by the first front surface of the brew cup panel, the first front surface and the second front surface being fabricated as a single component.

3. The apparatus in claim 1 , the hinge assembly comprising:
one or more crossmembers including one or more bushings;
one or more linkage assemblies;
one or more brackets; and
one or more rollers,
the hinge assembly coupled to the front chassis section via at least one of the one or more brackets or the one or more bushings,
the one or more rollers configured to engage one or more tracks on an exterior surface of the brew head assembly.

4. The apparatus in claim 1 , comprising:
at least one detent coupled to the brew head assembly, the at least one detent configured to hold the brew cup panel in a selected orientation.

5. The apparatus in claim 4 , the selected orientation of the brew cup panel including an orientation parallel to a plane generated by a front surface of the front chassis section.

6. The apparatus in claim 4 , the selected orientation of the brew cup panel including an orientation at an angle relative to a plane generated by a front surface of the front chassis section.

7. The apparatus in claim 1 , the front chassis section comprising a chassis bezel.

8. The apparatus in claim 7 , comprising:
a user interface comprising at least one of one or more display devices or one or more user input devices.

9. The apparatus in claim 8 , the user interface coupled to at least one of the chassis bezel or the brew cup panel.

10. The apparatus in claim 1 , the one or more server restraints including one or more protrusions on one or more arms, the one or more protrusions configured to at least one of engage or disengage an exterior surface of the server when the brew head assembly is adjusted in the selected direction via the actuation of the hinge assembly.

11. The apparatus in claim 1 , the one or more server restraints including one or more stoppers, the one or more stoppers configured to at least one of engage or disengage an interior surface of the server when the brew head assembly is adjusted in the selected direction via actuation of the hinge assembly.

12. The apparatus in claim 11 , the one or more stoppers including one or more sensors configured to determine at least one of a position of the server within the cavity of the server base or an amount of liquid in the server.

13. The apparatus in claim 1 , the brew cup comprising:
one or more walls and a bottom, the bottom including one or more holes, the bottom including one or more protrusions; and
a brew cup tray including one or more dimples corresponding to the one or more protrusions of the bottom, the brew cup tray coupled to the one or more walls, the brew cup tray being rotatable within the one or more walls between a first rotated position and a second rotated position, the brew cup tray being orientable within the one or more walls between a first oriented position and a second oriented position.

14. The apparatus in claim 13 , the brew cup tray configured to hold a coffee filter pack, the brew cup tray configured to retain a liquid against the coffee filter pack during a brewing cycle for a selected period of time prior to the liquid exiting through the one or more holes in the bottom of the brew cup tray.

15. The apparatus in claim 13 , the one or more brew cup restraints including a brew head, the brew head configured to at least one of engage or disengage a top edge of the one or more walls of the brew cup when the brew head assembly is adjusted in the selected direction via actuation of the hinge assembly.

16. The apparatus in claim 1 , the chassis comprising:
one or more tanks and one or more solenoids; and
a cover assembly configured to enclose at least one of the one or more tanks or the one or more solenoids.

17. The apparatus in claim 16 , the one or more solenoids comprising:
a brew head solenoid configured to provide a liquid to the brew head assembly,
a brew cup shelf solenoid configured to provide a liquid to the brew cup shelf; and
a faucet solenoid configured to provide a liquid to a faucet.

18. The apparatus in claim 16 , the rear chassis section comprising:
a connector plate, the connector plate including at least one of one or more data couplers or one or more fluidic couplers; and
an access cover configured to provide access to one or more components enclosed by the cover assembly.

19. A brewing apparatus, comprising:
a chassis dimensioned to fit within a compartment of a vehicle, the chassis comprising:
a front chassis section;
a rear chassis section; and
one or more guide rails configured to couple the front chassis section and the rear chassis section, the one or more guide rails configured to engage one or more tracks in the vehicle compartment;

the front chassis section comprising:
a server base including a cavity configured to receive a server;
a brew cup cavity configured to receive a brew cup;
a brew cup shelf including a recess, the recess configured to receive the brew cup;
a brew head assembly, the brew head assembly including at least one of one or more server restraints or one or more brew cup restraints; and
a brew cup panel assembly, comprising:
a hinge assembly configured to engage the brew head assembly; and
a brew cup panel, the brew cup panel forming a portion of an exterior trim of the brewing apparatus, the brew cup panel positioned outside of the brew cup cavity and configured to cover the brew cup cavity, the brew cup panel coupled to the hinge assembly, the brew cup panel configured to adjust the brew head assembly in a selected direction via actuation of the hinge assembly.

20. A brewing apparatus, comprising:
a chassis, comprising:
a front chassis section;
a rear chassis section; and
one or more guide rails configured to couple the front chassis section and the rear chassis section;

the front chassis section comprising:
a server base including a cavity configured to receive a server;
a brew cup cavity conf

Assignees

• Rockwell Collins Inc

Inventors

• Kelly Luke E
• Mills Brian P
• Devlin Byron A

Classifications

• A47J31/4467

  by means of linear guides, e.g. drawer-type engagement · CPC title

• B64D11/04

  Galleys · CPC title

• A47J31/368 Primary

  Permeable cartridges being employed · CPC title

• A47J31/4425

  Supports for beverage containers when filled or while being filled (supports allowing to adapt the beverage making apparatus to the size of the beverage container A47J31/4482) · CPC title

• A47J31/4482

  Details allowing to adapt the beverage-making apparatus to the size of the brewing vessel or the beverage container, e.g. with adjustable support for the beverage container or adjustable hot water outlet · CPC title