Universal modular ducting for chilled aircraft galleys

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9987902-B2
Application number	US-201414467583-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2014
Priority date	Aug 29, 2013
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

A universal modular ducting apparatus for chilled aircraft galleys for either air over or air through carts has modular primary supply and return duct assemblies. Outlet port connection adapters are configured to connect chiller supply air duct outlet ports to either air through or air over configurations of aircraft galley food carts. The supply and return duct assemblies are internally insulated, and may be made from thermoformed plastic, prepreg, or a carbon fiber reinforced composite. Supply duct upper and lower portions may be connected by a connection adapter, and return duct upper and lower portions may be connected by a connection adapter, allowing the supply duct upper portion and the return duct upper portion to overlap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A universal modular ducting apparatus for chilled aircraft galleys including an aircraft galley ductwork assembly for chilling at least one aircraft galley food cart in at least one chilled galley food cart bay from a chiller unit, comprising:
a chiller supply air duct assembly configured to supply a chilled supply airflow to at least one aircraft galley food cart, said chiller supply air duct assembly including a chiller supply air duct lower portion having a chiller supply air inlet port configured to receive the chilled supply airflow from a chiller unit, a chiller supply air duct upper portion having chiller supply air duct outlet ports, each of said chiller supply air duct outlet ports including an outlet port connection adapter configured to connect a corresponding chiller supply air duct outlet port to said at least one aircraft galley food cart; and
a chiller return air duct assembly configured to deliver a return airflow from said at least one aircraft galley food cart, said chiller return air duct assembly including a chiller return air duct upper portion having chiller return air inlet ports configured to receive the return airflow from said at least one aircraft galley food cart, each of said chiller return air duct inlet ports including an inlet port connection adapter configured to connect a corresponding chiller return air duct inlet port to said at least one aircraft galley food cart, and a chiller return air duct lower portion having a chiller return air outlet port configured to deliver the return airflow to the chiller unit for cooling of the airflow;
wherein said chiller supply air duct lower portion is releasably connected to said chiller supply air duct upper portion by a chiller supply air duct main connection adapter;
wherein the chiller supply air duct assembly includes interchangeable modular sections configured to interchangeably accommodate an air through galley food cart configuration or an air over galley food cart configuration;
wherein the chiller return air duct assembly includes interchangeable modular sections configured to interchangeably accommodate the air through galley food cart configuration or the air over galley food cart configuration,
wherein the chiller supply air duct outlet ports are configured to supply the chilled supply airflow to at least one upper portion of said at least one aircraft galley food cart,
wherein the chiller return air duct inlet ports are configured to receive the return airflow from the at least one upper portion of said at least one aircraft galley food cart.

2. The universal modular ducting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said chiller supply air duct assembly and said chiller return air duct assembly are internally insulated.

3. The universal modular ducting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said chiller supply air duct assembly and said chiller return air duct assembly are modular.

4. The universal modular ducting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said chiller supply air duct assembly and said chiller return air duct assembly are made of thermoformed plastic.

5. The universal modular ducting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said chiller supply air duct assembly and said chiller return air duct assembly are made of a fibrous material preimpregnated with a synthetic resin.

6. The universal modular ducting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said chiller supply air duct assembly and said chiller return air duct assembly are made of a carbon fiber reinforced composite.

7. The universal modular ducting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of said outlet port connection adapter is configured to connect a corresponding chiller supply air duct outlet port to an air through galley food cart.

8. The universal modular ducting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of said outlet port connection adapter is configured to connect a corresponding chiller supply air duct outlet port to an air over galley food cart.

9. The universal modular ducting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said chiller return air duct lower portion is releasably connected to said chiller return air duct upper portion by a chiller return air duct main connection adapter.

10. The universal modular ducting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said chiller supply air duct upper portion and said chiller return air duct upper portion overlap.

11. A universal modular ducting apparatus for chilled aircraft galleys, comprising:
at least one chilled galley food cart bay for cooling a plurality of aircraft galley food carts removably receivable at a front side of said at least one chilled galley food cart bay; and
an aircraft galley ductwork assembly disposed at a rear side of said at least one chilled galley food cart bay, said aircraft galley ductwork assembly including
a chiller supply air duct assembly configured to supply a chilled supply airflow to said plurality of aircraft galley food carts from a chiller unit, said chiller supply air duct assembly including
a chiller supply air duct lower portion having a chiller supply air inlet port configured to receive the chilled supply airflow from the chiller unit, and
a chiller supply air duct upper portion having a plurality of chiller supply air duct outlet ports each including an outlet port connection adapter configured to connect said plurality of chiller supply air duct outlet ports to said plurality of aircraft galley food carts, and

a chiller return air duct assembly configured to deliver a return airflow from said plurality of aircraft galley food carts to the chiller unit, said chiller return air duct assembly including
a chiller return air duct upper portion having a plurality of chiller return air inlet ports configured to receive the return airflow from the said plurality of aircraft galley food carts, each of said plurality of chiller return air inlet ports including an inlet port connection adapter configured to connect said plurality of chiller return air inlet ports to said plurality of aircraft galley food carts, and
a chiller return air duct lower portion having a chiller return air outlet port configured to deliver the return airflow to the chiller unit for cooling of the airflow, wherein said chiller return air duct lower portion is releasably connected to the chiller return air duct upper portion by a chiller return air duct main connection adapter;

wherein said chiller supply air duct upper portion and the chiller return air duct upper portion overlap in connecting with said plurality of aircraft galley food carts in the chilled galley food cart bays, and said chiller supply air duct lower portion and the chiller return air duct lower portion are positioned side by side;
wherein the chiller supply air duct assembly includes interchangeable modular sections configured to interchangeably accommodate an air through galley food cart configuration or an air over galley food cart configuration;
wherein the chiller return air duct assembly includes interchangeable modular sections configured to interchangeably accommodate the air through galley food cart configuration or the air over galley food cart configuration,
wherein the plurality of chiller supply air duct outlet ports are configured to supply the chilled supply airflow to upper portions of said plurality of aircraft galley food carts,
wherein the plurality of chiller return air inlet ports are configured to receive the return airflow from the upper portions of said plurality of aircraft galley food carts.

12. The universal modular ducting apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said chiller supply air duct assembly and said chiller return air duct assembly are internally insulated.

13. The universal modular ducting

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Burd Peter John Leslie

Classifications

• B60H1/00014 Primary

  for load cargos on load transporting vehicles · CPC title

• B64D11/04 Primary

  Galleys · CPC title

• B64D2013/0629

  with subsystems for cooling food, catering or special loads · CPC title

• F25D15/00

  Devices not covered by group F25D11/00 or F25D13/00, e.g. non-self-contained movable devices · CPC title

• F24F13/0263

  Insulation for air ducts · CPC title