Convertible aircraft galley refrigerator/chiller with side door access

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9399516-B2
Application number	US-201414185163-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2014
Priority date	Feb 22, 2013
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

A refrigeration unit for an aircraft galley comprises a frame establishing a main compartment, and a side window that receives a side access compartment, where a the dividing wall separates the side compartment interior space from a main chilled compartment. A side door mounted to the side access compartment allows access to the side compartment but not the main compartment, allowing segregation of snacks and items accessible to passengers via self-serve from those that are only distributed by flight attendants.

First claim

We claim:

1. A refrigeration unit for an aircraft galley, comprising:
a frame defined by a floor, a ceiling, a front surface comprising first and second front doors, a rear wall, a removable first side wall, and an open side window opposed said removable first side wall;
a side access compartment received in the open side window of the frame, the side access compartment comprising a dividing wall, top and bottom panels cooperating with the dividing wall to define a side compartment interior space, the dividing wall separating the side compartment interior space from a main chilled compartment;
a transverse retaining lip spaced from the dividing wall and extending from the top and bottom panels to mount the side access compartment to a fixed galley wall; and
a side door mounted to the side access compartment for gaining access to the side compartment interior space;
wherein the first and second front doors provide access to an interior of the main chilled compartment and the side compartment interior space; and wherein the side door provides access only to the side compartment interior space.

2. The refrigeration unit of claim 1 , wherein the side access compartment includes a rear panel, and wherein the transverse retaining lip extends continuously from the top panel to the rear panel to the bottom panel.

3. The refrigeration unit of claim 2 , wherein the rear panel includes an opening for communicating chilled air into the side access compartment from the main chilled compartment.

4. The refrigeration unit of claim 1 , wherein the fixed galley wall is disposed between the transverse retaining lip and the frame.

5. The refrigeration unit of claim 1 , wherein the side access compartment is formed from a single sheet, shaped to establish the side compartment interior space.

6. The refrigeration unit of claim 1 , further comprising a window enclosing the side access compartment, wherein the side door slides with a groove on said open side window.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Hawkins Aaron B
• Peck Jesse R
• Godecker William J
• Zankich Victor A

Classifications

• B64D11/04

  Galleys · CPC title

• F25D13/02

  with several cooling compartments, e.g. refrigerated locker systems · CPC title

• Y02T50/46

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F25D23/04

  with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners · CPC title

• F25D23/069

  Cooling space dividing partitions · CPC title