U.S. patent number RE32,176 [Application Number 06/648,184] was granted by the patent office on 1986-06-10 for unitized aircraft food and beverage service.
Invention is credited to Richard L. Vernon.
United States Patent |
RE32,176 |
Vernon |
June 10, 1986 |
Unitized aircraft food and beverage service
Abstract
Food and beverage service can be provided in a comparatively
short period to all of the passengers in a large aircraft through
the utilization of a plurality of wheeled food and beverages
service units. These serving units are separately loaded to contain
some food and beverage items and then are stored in a kitchen area
of an aircraft. Other items to be served to the passengers are
stored loaded within ovens, cold storage units and an ice source in
the aircraft. As the aircraft is in flight those items to be given
to passengers not already on or in the individual serving units are
transferred to these units. Then these serving units are
transported to passenger areas of the aircraft and the individual
passengers are served. After such service the separate serving
units are used to store items remaining after the passenger needs
have been satisfied and are returned to the kitchen area for
storage until the aircraft is landed. This is a Reissue of a Patent
which was the subject of a Reexamination Certificate No. B1
3,517,899, dated Jan., 25, 1983, Request No. 90/000,144, Jan. 27,
1982.
Inventors: |
Vernon; Richard L. (Rancho
Bernardo, CA) |
Family
ID: |
27095331 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/648,184 |
Filed: |
September 6, 1984 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
718691 |
Apr 4, 1968 |
03517899 |
Jun 30, 1970 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
244/118.5;
186/40 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
77/02 (20130101); B64D 11/04 (20130101); B64D
11/0007 (20130101); A47B 2031/002 (20130101); B62B
2202/67 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
77/02 (20060101); B64D 11/04 (20060101); B64D
11/00 (20060101); B64D 011/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;244/118.5 ;186/40
;105/327 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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484488 |
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Jul 1952 |
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CA |
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1126908 |
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Apr 1962 |
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DE |
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Primary Examiner: Blix; Trygve M.
Assistant Examiner: Corl; Rodney
Claims
I claim: 1. In an aircraft having a fuselage containing an upper
deck and a lower deck, the upper deck being adapted to carry
passengers, the improvement which comprises:
a kitchen located on the lower deck .Iadd.for the storage and
preparation of beverage and individual servings of food items to be
served to passengers on the upper deck, .Iaddend.
a service module located above said kitchen on the upper deck, said
service module dividing said aircraft into separate passenger
areas,
.Iadd.a plurality of temperature controllable serving units
normally carried in said kitchen, said serving units having wheels
and being adapted to contain said items to be served to passengers
in said aircraft, .Iaddend.
elevator means disposed within said service module .[.for.].
.Iadd.and .Iaddend.connecting said kitchen and said service module
.Iadd.for providing a passage for aircraft passenger service
personnel between decks during the course of a flight and for
prepositioning individual serving units .Iaddend..[.whereby
items.]. from said kitchen .[.are prepositioned.]. within said
service module .Iadd.at passenger deck level .Iaddend..[.by said
elevator means.].,
.[.a plurality of serving units normally carried in said kitchen,
each of said serving units have wheels and being adapted to contain
items to be served to passengers in said aircraft.].,
said serving units being capable of being transported from said
kitchen to said service module through said elevator means and
being adapted to be stored within said elevator means .Iadd.at
either deck level .Iaddend.and being further adapted to permit
.Iadd.said .Iaddend.items held by said serving units to be
dispensed to the passengers within said aircraft when said serving
unit is in situ within said service module and when circulated
among passengers, .Iadd.and
built-in cold storage means and built-in oven means located within
said kitchen separate from said serving units for use by said
personnel in the performance of food and beverage storage and
preparation tasks..Iaddend. 2. An aircraft as claimed in claim 1
wherein:
said serving units are normally located within said kitchen in a
sequential manner corresponding to the sequence in which said
serving units are to be used. 3. An aircraft as claimed in claim 1
including:
cold storage means and oven means located within said kitchen
adjacent said elevator means so as to be accessible to said serving
units as said serving units are being removed from said kitchen to
be transported to said serving module through said elevator means
so that items can be moved from said cold storage means and said
oven means to said serving units.
An aircraft as claimed in claim 1 wherein:
some of said serving units are beverage serving units and the other
of said serving units are food serving units, said beverage serving
units comtaining beverages, said food serving units containing food
items. 5. An aircraft as claimed in claim 1 wherein:
at least some of these serving units are food serving units,
each of said food serving units including:
a housing having a plurality of drawers located therein,
said drawers being adapted to contain trays to be dispensed to
passengers within said aircraft,
said housing including refrigeration means for cooling trays
located upon said drawers within said housing. 6. An aircraft as
claimed in claim 5 wherein each of said food serving units also
includes:
another housing having a plurality of drawers located therein. 7.
An aircraft as claimed in claim 6 including:
separate cold storage units and oven means located within said
kitchen adjacent to said elevator means so as to be accessible to
said food serving units when said food serving units are being
removed from said kitchen to be transported to said serving module
through said elevator means so that items can be removed from said
cold storage units and said oven means to said food serving
units,
said refrigeration means serving to maintain the items so removed
at less than an ambient temperature within said aircraft,
said heating means serving to maintain items so removed at an
elevated temperature above the ambient temperature within the
aircraft. 8. An aircraft as claimed in claim 1 wherein:
said serving units are adapted to be located in areas of said
aircraft which are not in use during the flight of said aircraft as
other of said serving units are circulated on said upper deck. 9.
An aircraft as claimed in claim 1 including:
trash chute means associated with said elevator means, said trash
chute means being capable of receiving trash from the upper deck of
said aircraft and compacting such trash within the lower deck of
said aircraft as said elevator means is operated. 10. An aircraft
as claimed in claim 9 including:
compactor means located on said elevator means for compacting
trash, as said elevator means are moved downward. 11. An aircraft
as claimed in claim 1 wherein said kitchen further comprises a
separate entrance in said lower deck, said separate entrance
adaptable to ground loading and unloading at a location separate
and distinct from the passenger loading
entrance. 12. In an aircraft an improved food and beverage service
system comprising:
an aircraft having a fuselage, said fuselage being divided into an
upper deck and a lower deck,
a kitchen disposed in said lower deck and located below the floor
of said upper deck and between the side walls of said fuselage,
said kitchen comprising food preparation and storage areas
.Iadd.including oven and cold storage means .Iaddend.and having a
separate entrance below said upper deck for loading and unloading
said kitchen,
a service module located above said kitchen on said upper deck,
said service module dividing said aircraft into separate passenger
areas,
elevator means disposed within said service module for connecting
said kitchen and said service module whereby .Iadd.prepared food
.Iaddend.items .Iadd.in individual serving portions .Iaddend.from
said kitchen in said lower deck are prepositioned on said upper
deck within said service module by said elevator means .Iadd.and
for providing a passage through which personnel may move between
decks,.Iaddend.
.Iadd..[..[.1adder means disposed between said upper deck and said
lower deck for emergency egress,.]..]. and .Iaddend.
a plurality of wheeled serving units normally sequentially
positioned in said kitchen, said serving units adapted to contain
.Iadd.said food .Iaddend.items to be served to passengers in said
upper deck of said aircraft,
said serving units adapted to be transported from said kitchen to
said service module and be circulated among the passengers in said
upper deck of said aircraft to permit items contained therein to be
dispersed to the passengers.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For reasons which are relatively unimportant in the present
invention over the years there has been a gradual increase in the
size of passenger-carrying aircraft. At this time aircraft capable
of carrying in excess of about 200 passengers on a regular,
established commercial basis are in the process of being designed
and constructed, and it is contemplated that within a comparatively
few years such so-called "flying busses" will be in regular
use.
One of the major problems which has plagued passenger carriers in
the aircraft field is the problem of providing food and beverage
service to aircraft passengers as an aircraft is in flight. It is
considered by such carriers that food and beverage service is
exceedingly desirable if not essential for competitive reasons. Yet
it is also acknowledged by them that such service involves a number
of economic considerations.
In any aircraft there is only a limited amount of floor or deck
space which can be utilized to carry passengers. As a result of
this, in prior aircraft used for passenger purposes the amount of
space available to carry passengers has been effectively reduced by
utilizing certain of this space as a kitchen-type area for food and
beverage storage and preparation. Normally, such items as food and
beverages furnished to passengers have been carried from such a
kitchen-type area to the individual passengers by stewardesses
during the time the aircraft is in flight, and dirty dishes and
trash have been returned to the same kitchen-type area for storage
after the needs of the passengers have been satisfied. On a few
occasions various carts, such as collapsible carts, have been used
in aiding in the service of certain specific items to the
individual passengers.
Such kitchen-type areas have frequently been located where they can
be observed by passengers. This is considered to be undesirable
since an airline normally does not desire to have its passengers
observe and/or interfere with the various activities involved in
serving food and beverages and in collecting the trash and dirty
service items remaining after such service. Also, in certain
aircraft the kitchen-type areas used for food and beverages are
located so as to be serviced with new food and other items through
the same door used for loading and unloading passengers. Such dual
use tends to increase the amount of time an aircraft is on the
ground.
From an economic standpoint the type of food and beverage service
procedure indicated in the aforegoing is disadvantageous. The space
used as a kitchen area obviously cannot be used to carry revenue
producing passengers. The amount of labor required to carry dishes
and other items to and from a kitchen area in a comparatively large
aircraft is considered to be unnecessarily large. Further, it is
considered that kitchen areas have in general been located in what
may be considered as undesirable locations. In many prior aircraft
it is considered that the locations of such kitchen areas have
tended to reduce the economic return from the use of an aircraft by
requiring a comparatively long aircraft turn-around period.
As a result of these considerations it is considered that there is
a definite need to improve the manner in which aircraft passengers
are supplied with food and beverages during the flight of an
aircraft. It is also considered that this need is related to an
economic need to handle the food and beverage service problem in
such a manner so as to conserve passenger-carrying space within the
aircraft, in such a manner as to tend to minimize the amount of
labor necessary to accomplish such service, and in such a manner as
to facilitate the servicing of the aircraft.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide food and beverage
service aboard an aircraft in such a manner as to satisfy these
needs. A more specific objective of the present invention is to
develop a type of "unitized" food and beverage service in an
aircraft which does not significantly detract from the
passenger-carrying capacity of an aircraft. A further objective of
this invention is to provide such food and beverage service in an
aircraft in such a manner as to tend to minimize the amount of
labor necessary to accomplish such service.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide food
and beverage service in an aircraft in such a manner that
individual passengers can be easily and conveniently served at a
comparatively nominal cost within a relatively short period. A
still further objective of this invention is to provide aircraft in
which the kitchen area is separated from the normal passenger area
and is located so as to be normally serviced through a separate
door when the aircraft is on the ground.
These various generalized objectives of this invention are
accomplished through the use of a "unitized" type of concept based
upon the use of a plurality of food and beverage service units.
These units are of such a dimension as to be capable of being
wheeled through the passenger areas of an aircraft, and are
constructed in such a manner that food and beverages can be served
or dispensed from them to the individual passengers as they are
being moved through the passenger compartment. They also are
constructed in such a manner that items remaining after such food
and beverage service may be stored in them as the service units
themselves are circulated amongst the passengers and then are
stored in their initial location.
In accordance with this invention this location is below the deck
or level of an aircraft used to carry passengers. This is
considered quite important. Current governmental regulations make
it impractical to increase aircraft seating capacity by installing
seats in the bottom of an aircraft. As a result of this the lower
area of an aircraft fuselage in a comparatively large aircraft,
while utilized for baggage and cargo contains available space which
may be utilized to increase the revenue producing passenger payload
of the aircraft.
The concepts of this invention involve locating a kitchen area in
the lower portion of an aircraft and connecting this area to the
normal passenger deck of the aircraft by elevator means. A door is
preferably provided to provide separate access to this kitchen
area, such a kitchen-type area is constructed so that the food and
beverage service units employed may be stored in it in a sequential
manner so as to be capable of being withdrawn from the kitchen
area, up through the elevator means to the passenger area in the
sequence in which various specific items are to be served to the
passengers. Certain of these service units are constructed so that
separate items such as items held under cold storage or items
heated in an oven may be transferred to them as they are being
removed from the kitchen area to be circulated as indicated.
From this it will be seen that the invention involves aircraft
structures in which a kitchen, or kitchen-type area, is located in
the lower portion of an aircraft fuselage; is constructed so as to
contain movable food and beverage service units; and is constructed
so as to be capable of supplying various items to these units as
they are being employed. Such an aircraft structure also includes
elevator means for transporting these individual service units to
and from the passenger area of the aircraft as the aircraft is in
flight. This invention however also involves a process of supplying
the food and beverage needs of the passengers within the passenger
area while circulating such units from the kitchen area to the
passenger area and then back to the kitchen area.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further details of the present invention as well as various
advantages of it will be apparent from a detailed consideration of
the remainder of this specification and the accompanying drawings
in which:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view, partially in section, of an aircraft
employing a unitized kitchen and food service area in accordance
with this invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partially in section, and partially
broken away, indicating the kitchen area in the aircraft shown in
FIG. 1 and indicating a food service area employed with this
kitchen area;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the kitchen area shown in the
preceding figure;
FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view indicating a wall section of
this kitchen area;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a combined food service unit used
with this invention, this view being partially broken away to
indicate an aspect of the construction of one of the units in the
combined unit; and
FIG. 6 is a perspective view, partially broken away, indicating the
connection between the kitchen area and the service area employed
with this invention.
The various views of the drawings are intended to clearly
illustrate a presently preferred embodiment of this invention.
Those skilled in the field of passenger service in aircraft will
realize that through the use of routine engineering skill or
ability the precise structures illustrated may be modified or
changed without departing from the essential nature of this
invention so that these concepts may be applied to different types
of aircraft or to satisfy certain specific service needs.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the drawings there is shown a complete aircraft 10 of a type
sometimes referred to as a "flying bus" which is adapted to contain
a large number of different passengers. In the specific aircraft 10
a unitized kitchen area and food service area 12 is utilized so as
to separate the fuselage 14 of the aircraft into forward and aft
sections 16 and 18. This fuselage 14 is provided with a more or
less centrally located floor 20 which divides into an upper area or
deck 22 and a lower area or deck 24. In the aircraft 10 the
passengers normally ride in seats 25 on the upper deck 22.
As a result of this space in the upper deck 22 in the aircraft 10
is at a premium. It is normally desired to carry as many passengers
as possible on this upper deck 22 so as to achieve the maximal
economic return from the use of the complete aircraft. To do this
it is necessary to limit to as great an extent as possible the
service areas on the upper deck 22 so as to produce a maximum
revenue by carrying passengers. This consideration has made it
extremely important to remove to as great extent as reasonably
possible kitchen facilities such as are commonly used in aircraft
for the purpose of satisfying the refreshment and food needs of
passengers from the upper deck 22.
With the present invention this is accomplished by dividing the
unitized kitchen area and food service area 12 into two different
separate areas--a kitchen area 26 and a food service area 28. These
two areas 26 and 28 are located so that the kitchen area 26 is
located on the lower deck 24 in such a manner that it cannot and
will not occupy space on the upper deck 22 capable of being
occupied by revenue-producing passengers. On the other hand the
food service area 28 is located on the upper deck 22 so as to
provide for service needs which require immediate attention and
which cannot be conveniently referred back to the kitchen area 26.
These two areas 26 and 28 are connected by elevators 30 as are
indicated in FIG. 6 of the drawing. Access to these elevators is
made available through doors 31.
The complete unitized kitchen area and food service area 12 is
preferably located so that the food service area 28 on the upper
deck 22 divides this upper deck 22 and so that the portion of it
within the section 16 contains one type of passenger, such as the
so-called first class passenger who is expected to receive one type
of treatment aboard the aircraft 10 and so that the portion of it
within the section 18 contains another type of passenger such as
the so-called tourist or second class passenger who is expected to
receive another lesser degree of service within the aircraft. The
invention, however, is equally applicable and can be readily
utilized in aircraft where all passengers receive the same or
substantially the same type of treatment.
In the aircraft 10 the kitchen area 26 is essentially a somewhat
elongated storage room having walls 32 and 34 located parallel to
one another. The wall 32 may conveniently be provided with a known
type of service door 36 utilized in taking food and related items
into the aircraft and in removing trash and the like from this
aircraft. This door 36 may be utilized to take items into and out
of the aircraft 10 without interfering with passenger movement in
this aircraft. This is considered to be significant in reducing the
so-called turn-around time of the aircraft 10 when it is on the
ground. The location of the kitchen area 26 on the lower area or
deck 24 makes this kitchen area inaccessible to passengers. This is
also considered to be desirable.
Adjacent to this door 36 there is located in the wall 32 cold
storage unit 38. Adjacent to it there is located an oven unit 40;
next adjacent to this oven unit 40 there is located a known type of
icemaker and ice storage unit 42. This storage unit 42 terminates
adjacent to a wall 46 in the kitchen area 26. On the wall 34 nearly
opposite the cold storage unit 38 there is located another similar
cold storage unit 48; next to it there is located another
corresponding oven unit 50. A work table counter unit 52 containing
a sink 54 is located between the oven unit 50 and this wall 46.
Appropriate conventional storage cabinets 56 are located both above
and below this counter unit 52 for storing various items needed in
conjunction with the entire kitchen and food service area 12.
It will be noted that the elevators 30 are located adjacent to the
forward wall 46 so as to be spaced between the work table 44 and
the counter unit 52, allowing ready access to both this table 44
and the counter unit 52. The elevators 30 are, of course,
surrounded by an appropriate protective wall 58. It will also be
noted that the curvature of the aircraft 10 has been utilized so as
to locate the units 28, 40, 42, 48, 50 and 52 at a convenient more
or less waist-high level.
In the kitchen area 26 a plurality of separate wheeled serving
units 60L and 60F sufficient to supply the food and beverage needs
of the passengers on the aircraft 10 are normally stored so as to
be positioned remote from the forward wall 46 in a sequence or
order corresponding to the sequence or order in which these units
will be utilized. These units indicated by 60L.sup.1 in the
drawings are intended to contain beverages sufficient to suffice
for the first class passengers within the aircraft. Those units
marked 60L.sup.2 are sufficient to supply the beverage needs of the
lesser class passengers within this complete aircraft.
It will be noted that these L.sup.1 and L.sup.2 service units 60L
are located more closely adjacent to the elevators 30 than the
other units 60 in a position where they may be easily filled with
ice from ice unit 40 when they are to be utilized. During such
utilization ice from the ice unit 42 is located within them and
they are individually transported in the elevators 30 to the upper
deck 22 where they are wheeled between the individual passengers.
When so used they may be temporarily located in various areas of
the upper deck 22 which are not utilized when the aircraft 10 is in
flight so as to be stored there temporarily. Such areas can be
conventional boarding areas or aisles 61 or the like in the
aircraft.
After the various units 60L have been circulated among the
passengers as described the remaining units 60F marked by the
letters F.sup.1 and F.sup.2 are accessible. Further, the movement
of the units 60L in the manner described given sufficient room in
the kitchen area 26 so that a person working in this area can have
access to the cold storage units 38 and 48. Access is
simultaneously available to the oven units 40 and 50. The
individual service units 60F are intended to be utilized in
supplying the food needs of the passengers upon the upper deck 22.
Those units 60F.sup.1 are intended to be utilized by the so-called
first class passengers and those marked 60F.sup.2 are intended to
be used in satisfying the needs of the passengers of the lesser
class.
The construction of the various service units 60F intended to be
utilized in supplying food is best illustrated in FIG. 5 of the
drawings. Here it is seen that each of these units 60F consists of
a housing 62 mounted on wheels 64. Each of the housings 62 contains
a plurality of elongated drawers 66 each of which contains a
plurality of individual food service trays 68 containing some food
items and various food cutlery, napkins and related items. These
trays 68 are best kept at a lightly refrigerated temperature so as
to prevent deterioration of the food items upon them.
For this purpose each of the service units 60F is provided with a
refrigeration unit 70 preferably consisting of a cryogenic system
which cools the air within the interior of the housing 62
throughout the use of a service unit 60F. The drawers 66 fit in
such a manner that the escape of such cooled air is normally
prevented. These drawers 66 are normally covered by a door 71 which
is capable of being rotated upwardly and slid within a service unit
60F when it is desired to have access to the drawers 66. Each of
the food service units 60F also preferably includes a superimposed
housing 74 containing drawers 76 corresponding to the drawers 66,
but of smaller length than the drawers 66. When the service units
60F are supplied to the aircraft on the ground these drawers 76 are
normally empty.
During the utilization of a service unit 60F this unit 60F is moved
so that it is accessible to either of the cold storage units 38 and
48 and either of the oven units, 40 and 50. Food or dishes are
transferred from the cold storage units 38 and 48 to the individual
trays 68 as required and the food is also transferred from the oven
units 40 and 50 to the drawers 76 as required. After this is done
the individual service unit 60F can be transferred to the upper
deck 22 through the use of the elevators 30.
There a hostess or other person attending to the needs of the
passengers may circulate the service units 60F among the individual
passengers. In so doing such an individual will, upon reaching each
passenger, take a hot dish from one of the drawers 76 and insert it
on one of the trays 68 and then give the filled tray 68 to the
passenger. By virtue of this offset construction of the housing 74
with respect to the housing 62 this may be conveniently
accomplished with a minimum of difficulty.
As a service unit 60F is being used in this manner, the various
units 60L may be returned to the lower deck 24 from the upper deck
22 through the elevators 30 so as to be stored in the areas or
portions of the kitchen area 26 originally used to contain the
service units 60F. Then following use of these service units 60F
they may be returned in the same manner after the individual trays
68 have been relocated within them.
During the use of these units 60L and 60F various auxiliary service
functions occasionally must be performed. The food service area 28
contains individual storage areas 96 which are adapted to contain
various supplies needed for such secondary type service. They may
also contain coffee makers 98 so that the passengers in the
aircraft 10 may be supplied with fresh coffee. If desired coffee
can be supplied to passengers through the use of service units
similar to the units 60F and 60L.
Preferably each of the storage compartments 96 is provided with a
lower storage space 100 of such dimension as to easily contain one
of the service units 60L in case it should be desired to supply
passengers with liquid refreshment either during or after food
service.
It will be noted that the wall 58 in effect extends between the
decks 22 and 24 and that the storage units 96 are located on the
outside of the wall 58 on the decks 22. The individual elevators 30
employed are in effect surrounded by this wall 58 so that it
constitutes the elevator shafts. However, the elevators 30 are
separated from one another by vertically extending space 102
located between these elevators. This space 102 may contain an
interior wall 104 extending between the individual elevators which
can be viewed through trash doors 106 located both in the food
service 28 and the kitchen area 26.
Each of the elevators 30 carries a bracket 108 which in turn
pivotally carries a compactor 110. These compactors 110 are mounted
on the brackets 108 so as to swing freely to an essentially
vertical position as an elevator 30 is moved upwardly. The
compactors 110 are of such a nature, however, that when their under
surfaces contact trash which has been inserted in the upper trash
doors 106 they will swing horizontally as shown in FIG. 6 and will
be held in such position by the brackets 108 so as to tend to
compact such trash during downward movement of the elevators 30 to
which they are attached.
Because of the nature of an aircraft it is considered that a
conventional elevator operative mechanism is not suitable for use
in raising and lowering one of these elevators 30. For this reason
each of the elevators 30 is mounted within appropriate guides 112
so as to be capable of being moved through the operation of a
hydraulic cylinder 114. One of these cylinders 114 is provided for
each of the elevators 30. Each cyclinder 114 has an end 116 rigidly
mounted to the elevator 30 and a movable ram 118 mounted
vertically. Each ram 118 carries push rods 120 provided with gear
racks 122. Guides 123 secured to the elevators 30 stabilize the
movement of these rods 120. These gear racks 122 mesh against small
pinion gears 124 secured to spur gears 126. These gears are mounted
on the elevators 30. The spur gears 126 mesh with other gear racks
128 secured to the aircraft 10.
By virtue of this construction whenever appropriate conventional
controls 130 are operated these cylinders 114 are used to raise and
lower the elevators 30 in such a manner that cables or similar
vibrating elements will not cause difficulty. If, for any reason,
the hydraulic power within the aircraft 10 should fail the controls
130 can be operated so as to exercise a throttling effect so that
the individual elevators 30 are returned to positions opposite the
lower deck 24. When this happens the ceiling 132 on these elevators
may be opened so as to permit access to the interiors of the
elevators 30. At such time notches 134 in the elevators 30 may be
used essentially as steps of a ladder to provide communication
between the kitchen area 26 and the food service area 28.
From the preceding portions of this description it will be apparent
that the aircraft 10 is constructed in such a manner as to conserve
space in the upper deck or area 22 for revenue-producing purposes.
This is accomplished by locating the kitchen area 12 beneath the
deck 22 in the lower area or deck 24 in what may be referred to as
the bottom of the complete aircraft. Because of appropriate safety
regulations such as are imposed by governmental authorities it is
not now considered practical to carry passengers on this lower area
or deck 24. The number of uses to which this lower area or deck 24
can be placed are relatively limited, and the space within it can
essentially be regarded as available space, even though it can be
used for such purposes as baggage or the like. In effect the
location of the kitchen area 26 on the deck 24 captures space for
revenue-saving purposes which normally would not be as effectively
utilized.
The location of the kitchen area 26 on the deck 24 has a number of
distinct advantages even beyond this particular type of advantage.
This kitchen area 26 can be serviced as necessary when the aircraft
10 is on the ground through the use of the door 36 without such
servicing interfering with the loading or unloading of passengers.
This is considered to tend to reduce the time an aircraft must be
on the ground between flights. Because the kitchen area 26 is
located away from the region in the aircraft 10 normally occupied
by passengers, such passengers cannot observe the kitchen area
and/or interfere with the various operations performed in it.
The various wheeled service units 60L and 60F employed in the
aircraft 10 are normally stored in this kitchen area 26 so that
they are literally out of the way and so that they definitely do
not interfere with the passenger revenue-producing potential of the
aircraft 10. These units 60L and 60F when stored in the kitchen
area 26 are located so that only a few of these units at any one
time can be "serviced" or filled with required items from the cold
storage units 38 and 48 and the oven units 40 and 50 and the ice
unit 42. As a result of the constructions employed, the various
units 60L and 60F can be serviced from the cold storage units 28
and 48; the ovens 40 and 50 and the ice unit 42 with the person
doing the servicing moving minimum distances.
When various hot and cold items (and/or ice) are located on the
units 60L and 60F, these units 60F may be easily and conveniently
transported by the elevators 30 to the deck 22 where they may be
moved down the aisles between the seats 25. When opposite any
particular seat 25 appropriate item or items to be given to a
passenger in such seat may be conveniently removed from a service
unit 60L or 60F.
Further, after such use these units 60L and 60F may be stored in
necessary, but normally unused, areas of the plane 10 such as
boarding aisles and the like while passengers are given items from
other service units 60L and 60F. After items have been dispensed
from them these units 60L and 60F are of such a category that
glasses, trays and the like may be placed upon them after having
been used. These units 60L and 60F are normally reloaded with such
items as they are referred to locations adjacent the passengers.
Then the units 60L and 60F may be restored to their original
positions in the kitchen area 26 through the use of the elevators
30.
The particular service units 60F are considered to be particularly
advantageous because of the construction of these units. As loaded
on the aircraft 10 the drawers 66 on these units 60F are normally
filled. As they are being loaded and stored the refrigeration units
70 within them will maintain the drawers 66 and the trays 68 at a
proper storage temperature as determined by the nature of the food
items upon them. These trays 68 will also be maintained at this
temperature by the refrigeration units 70 until they are delivered
to the passengers. On the ground the cold storage units 38 and 48
and the ovens 40 and 50 will normally be filled with appropriate
items to be served to the passengers.
During use of the service units 60F those items from within the
cold storage units 38 and 48 will normally be located on the trays
68 within the housing 62 where they will also be maintained at a
lower than normal temperature during the comparatively short
interval until they are delivered to a passenger. As a result, such
items from the cold storage units 38 and 48 will normally be
serviced to a passenger at what may be regarded as a "proper"
temperature.
The items from within the oven units 40 and 50 may be transferred
to the drawers 76 in the housing 74 in the kitchen area 26 and may
be maintained at a desired elevated serving temperature within this
housing until they are taken out of it and located on the trays 68
as these trays are delivered to passengers. As a result of this the
hot items served will always be at substantially a desired
temperature as they are delivered to the passengers.
To a degree these factors may seem insignificant, but as a
practical matter they are very significant. Frequently various air
carriers compete against one another for passenger patronage
primarily on the basis of other factors than the mere cost of
transportation. As a result, if a passenger is more satisfied with
the food and beverage service on one carrier than on another such a
person is most apt to patronize the carrier that pleases him best.
It is considered that the manner in which the food is served on an
aircraft such as the aircraft 10, is such as to lead towards a
favorable impression with any passenger.
To a degree such passenger acceptance will be related to the fact
that a passenger can easily determine that food and beverages being
served are at the proper temperature by seeing service units such
as the service units 60F in use. In other words, a passenger being
served with a portion of meat will know from seeing the service
unit 60F that this portion is served under such temperature
conditions as to be desirable. With the invention this type of
result is achieved with a comparative minimum of labor.
Because of the nature of the serving units 60L and 60F, no one need
carry food or beverage items from a completely separate galley to
the passengers' seats. As a result of this a person will be able to
serve more passengers within a limited time interval using a
service unit 60L or 60F than possible with prior food and beverage
service arrangements used within aircraft.
The service units 60L and 60F are also advantageous for another
type of reason. Different types of passengers, as for example
passengers of different nationalities and/or religious backgrounds
may have entirely different preferences as to food and refreshment.
The present invention is of such a character that different types
of food items can be carried on individual service unit 60F so that
the passenger is being served he or she may obtain a desired type
of food with a minimum of difficulty. Also, different of the
service units 60F may contain entirely different types of food in
order to comply with dietary and related problems.
From a detailed consideration of this description, it will be
apparent to those skilled in the field of providing food and
beverage service in aircraft that this invention may be employed in
a number of different ways through the use of routine skill in this
field.
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