Integrated vehicle galley trash compactor
AssigneeB/E Aerospace, Inc.
InventorsRobert J. Fritz, Mark P. Rezner, Michael T. Zimmerman, JR.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A space-saving in-flight trash compactor, comprising a trash chute, a compactor mechanism disposed above a level of the trash chute, and a storage chamber removably positioned below the compactor mechanism and below a level of the trash chute. The storage chamber is vertically aligned with the compactor mechanism. The trash chute is configured to channel trash disposed through an opening of the trash chute at a level of a counter top and above a level of a top of the storage chamber into an opening of the storage chamber at the top of the storage chamber. The opening of the trash chute may be horizontally offset from the vertical alignment of the storage chamber and compactor mechanism.
Claims20
An aircraft galley trash compaction system comprising:
- an aircraft galley having a workdeck;
- a trash chute;
- a compactor mechanism disposed above a level of the trash chute and above a level of the workdeck;
- and
- a storage chamber removably positioned below the compactor mechanism and below both the trash chute and the workdeck, the storage chamber vertically aligned with the compactor mechanism, the trash chute configured to channel trash disposed through an opening of the trash chute at a level of the workdeck and above a level of a top of the storage chamber into an opening of the storage chamber at the top of the storage chamber, the opening of the trash chute horizontally offset from the vertical alignment of the storage chamber and compactor mechanism.
A method for compacting trash in an aircraft galley, the method comprising:
- providing an aircraft galley with a workdeck;
- depositing trash through a trash chute into a storage chamber positioned during the deposit of the trash below the trash chute under the workdeck such that the trash chute channels the trash at least partially along a horizontal direction between an opening of the trash chute and an opening at a top of the storage chamber into the storage chamber;
- controlling a compactor mechanism to initiate a compaction cycle;
- executing the compaction cycle in which a compactor actuator vertically aligned with the storage chamber extends from a position above a level of the trash chute and above the level of the workdeck into the storage chamber through the opening at the top of the storage chamber to a level below the trash chute compacts the trash;
- ending the compaction cycle in which the compactor actuator retracts from the storage chamber into the position above the level of the trash chute;
- emptying the storage chamber by moving the storage chamber out from under the compactor mechanism and the workdeck into a space accessible from in front of the workdeck, removing the compacted trash from the storage chamber, and replacing the storage chamber in position in vertical alignment under the compactor mechanism.
An aircraft galley trash compaction system comprising:
- an aircraft galley having a workdeck;
- a trash chute;
- a compactor mechanism disposed above a level of the trash chute;
- a generally cylindrical storage chamber removably positioned below the compactor mechanism and below a level of the trash chute and the workdeck, the storage chamber vertically aligned with the compactor mechanism and the workdeck, the trash chute configured to channel trash disposed through an opening of the trash chute at a level of a counter top and above a level of a top of the storage chamber and the workdeck into an opening of the storage chamber at the top of the storage chamber;
- an electronic system controller that controls operation of the compactor mechanism;
- and
- a user interface which interfaces with the electronic system controller to initiate a compaction cycle upon a command input from an operator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.