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.
Claims15
A space-saving in-flight trash compaction system comprising:
- an aircraft galley with a work deck having a space underneath for receiving a galley trolley;
- a first dead space located adjacent to the space under the workdeck, the first dead space is inaccessible from the front of the workdeck;
- and a wall panel with a second dead space behind the panel and above the level of the workdeck that is inaccessible from the front of the workdeck;
- a trash chute;
- a compactor mechanism disposed above a level of the trash chute and above a level of the workdeck in the second dead space inaccessible from in front of the workdeck;
- and
- a storage chamber removably positioned below the compactor mechanism and below the level of the trash chute and the level of the workdeck, the storage chamber vertically aligned with the compactor mechanism and located in the first dead space inaccessible from in front of the workdeck, the trash chute configured to channel trash disposed through an opening of the trash chute at the 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, the method comprising:
- providing an aircraft galley with a workdeck having a space underneath for receiving a galley trolley;
- a first dead space located adjacent to the space under the workdeck, the first dead space is inaccessible from the front of the workdeck, and a wall panel with a second dead space behind the panel and above the level of the workdeck that is inaccessible from the front of the workdeck;
- depositing trash through a trash chute into a storage chamber positioned during the deposit of the trash below a level of the trash chute and under the workdeck in the first dead space 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;
- 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 the level of the trash chute and above the level of the workdeck in the second dead space 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;
- rolling the galley trolley out from underneath the workdeck to permit emptying the storage chamber;
- emptying the storage chamber by moving the storage chamber out from under the compactor mechanism and the workdeck into the space for receiving the galley trolley that is 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 in the first dead space;
- and returning the galley trolley to its original position under the workdeck.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.