Integrated locks with visual indicators for aircraft galley systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9624693-B2
Application number	US-201514637043-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 3, 2015
Priority date	Mar 3, 2015
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

Provided are integrated locks, aircraft galley systems using such locks, and aircraft including such galley systems. An integrated lock has a low profile and provides secure locking and visual indication of the lock status to meet various FAA regulations. The visual indication may be provided mechanically (e.g., by moving a two-color indicator between two positions) or electronically (e.g., by triggering a switch connected to a light or an electro-chromic device). Furthermore, a main indicator may be connected to multiple different locks to provide a combined visual indication of the status of all locks. A visual indicator may be disposed on a galley system frame. Each integrated lock may include a handle portion and a locking portion connected to the handle portion and configured to engage the galley system frame when the handle portion is in the locked position and the door is closed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An integrated lock for use in a galley system of an aircraft, the integrated lock comprising:
a frame;
a door movable with respect to the frame between an open position and a closed position;
a handle portion movably attached to the door,
wherein the handle portion is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position;

a locking portion attached to the handle portion and movable with the handle portion with respect to the door,
wherein, when the handle portion is in the locked position, the locking portion engages the frame and prevents the door from moving away from the frame thereby maintaining the door in the closed position, and
wherein, when the handle portion is in the unlocked position, the locking portion is configured to stay clear from the frame thereby allowing the door to move away from the frame between the open position and the closed position;

a handle compression device connected to the handle portion and outwardly urging the handle portion to the locked position,
wherein the handle compression device is compressible thereby allowing the handle portion to inwardly advance from the locked position to the unlocked position; and

a visual indicator controlled by at least one of the locking portion or the handle portion,
wherein the visual indicator is supported by the frame,
wherein the visual indicator is configured to switch between a locked indication and an unlocked indication,
wherein the visual indicator has the locked indication when the handle portion is in the locked position and the door is in the closed position,
wherein the visual indicator has the unlocked indication when the handle portion is in the unlocked position and the door is in the open position,
wherein the visual indicator has the unlocked indication when the door is in the open position, and wherein the first indicator comprises a first side having a first color and a second side having a second color different from the first color, wherein the first color represents the locked indication of the visual indicator, wherein the second color represents the unlocked indication of the visual indicator, and wherein the frame comprises a frame opening such that the first side is aligned with the frame opening and visible through the frame opening when the handle portion is in the locked position and the second side is aligned with the frame opening and visible through the frame opening when the handle portion is in the unlocked position.

2. The integrated lock of claim 1 , wherein a position of the visual indicator with respect to the frame opening is controlled by the locking portion as the handle portion moves between the locked position and the unlocked position.

3. The integrated lock of claim 2 , further comprises a frame compression device disposed between the frame and the visual indicator,
wherein the frame compression device urges the visual indicator in a direction toward the locking portion when the handle portion is in the locked position.

4. The integrated lock of claim 2 , wherein the visual indicator is movable in a direction substantially normal to the frame opening.

5. The integrated lock of claim 3 , wherein the frame compression device forces the visual indicator away from a portion of the frame contacting the frame compression device such that the visual indicator has the unlocked indication when the locking portion does not contact the visual indicator.

6. The integrated lock of claim 5 , wherein a combination of forces exerted on the visual indicator by the frame compression device and by the handle compression device is such that the visual indicator has the locked indication when no external forces applied to the handle portion and when the door is in the closed position.

7. The integrated lock of claim 1 , wherein the door comprises a door opening, and wherein the door opening aligns with the frame opening when the door is in the closed position.

8. The integrated lock of claim 1 , wherein the door does not extend over the frame opening when the door is in the closed position.

9. A galley system comprising:
an integrated lock comprising:
a frame;
a door movable with respect to the frame between an open position and a closed position;
a handle portion movably attached to the door,
wherein the handle portion is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position;

a locking portion attached to the handle portion and movable with the handle portion with respect to the door,
wherein, when the handle portion is in the locked position, the locking portion engages the frame and prevents the door from moving away from the frame thereby maintaining the door in the closed position, and
wherein, when the handle portion is in the unlocked position, the locking portion is configured to stay clear from the frame thereby allowing the door to move away from the frame between the open position and the closed position;

a handle compression device connected to the handle portion and outwardly urging the handle portion to the locked position,
wherein the handle compression device is compressible thereby allowing the handle portion to inwardly advance from the locked position to the unlocked position; and

a visual indicator controlled by at least one of the locking portion or the handle portion,
wherein the visual indicator is supported by the frame,
wherein the visual indicator is configured to switch between a locked indication and an unlocked indication,
wherein the visual indicator has the locked indication when the handle portion is in the locked position and the door is in the closed position,
wherein the visual indicator has the unlocked indication when the handle portion is in the unlocked position and the door is in the open position,
wherein the visual indicator has the unlocked indication when the door is in the open position, and wherein the first indicator comprises a first side having a first color and a second side having a second color different from the first color, wherein the first color represents the locked indication of the visual indicator, wherein the second color represents the unlocked indication of the visual indicator, and wherein the frame comprises a frame opening such that the first side is aligned with the frame opening and visible through the frame opening when the handle portion is in the locked position and the second side is aligned with the frame opening and visible through the frame opening when the handle portion is in the unlocked position.

10. An aircraft comprising a galley system,
wherein the galley system comprises an integrated lock comprising:
a frame;
a door movable with respect to the frame between an open position and a closed position;
a handle portion movably attached to the door,
wherein the handle portion is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position;

a locking portion attached to the handle portion and movable with the handle portion with respect to the door,
wherein, when the handle portion is in the locked position, the locking portion engages the frame and prevents the door from moving away from the frame thereby maintaining the door in the closed position, and
wherein, when the handle portion is in the unlocked position, the locking portion is configured to stay clear from the frame thereby allowing the door to move away from the frame between the open position and the closed position;

a handle compression device connected to the handle portion and outwardly urging the handle portion to the locked position,
wherein the handle compression device is compressible thereby allowing the handle portion to inwardly advance from the locked position to the unlocked position; a

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Vandewall Cynthia A
• Cheah Kai Shen Elston
• TAN Jun Yuan Dexter

Classifications

• B64D11/04

  Galleys · CPC title

• E05B17/10

  Illuminating devices on or for locks or keys; {Transparent or translucent lock parts; Indicator lights} · CPC title

• E05B41/00 Primary

  Locks with visible indication as to whether the lock is locked or unlocked {(indicator lights E05B17/10)} · CPC title

• E05C1/10

  with operating handle or equivalent member rigid with the latch · CPC title