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US 9,302,440 B2Granted
Trash compactor trolleys and systems for use on commercial aircraft having mobile and stationary usage
AssigneeDriessen Aircraft Interior Systems, Inc.
InventorsVan Doaran, Thomas Lee, Sohiel Azizi, Patricia Granados, Fred M. Reed, Jeff Felts, Don Nguyen, David Beach, Graham Howell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide a combination trash collection and compaction trolley that has a main front door with a trash door that provides access to an interior of the trolley so that trash can be front-loaded into the trash door, as well as an open top portion, which allows trash to be top-loaded into the open top portion.
Claims18
A trash compaction system, comprising a trash compaction stand and a combination trash collection and compaction trolley configured for both mobile and stationary trash collection,
- the combination trash collection and compaction trolley comprising:
- (a) a trolley body comprising first and second chambers, the first and second chambers separated by a shared dividing wall;
- (b) the first chamber comprising a compaction chamber and a main front door providing access to the first chamber, the main front door further comprising a separate trash door for providing access to the first chamber when the trolley is positioned on the trash compaction stand in its stationary use;
- (c) the second chamber comprising a back wall and shelf dividing the second chamber into a lower storage area accessible via the shared movable dividing wall and an upper trash collection area;
- (d) an open top portion spanning both the first and second chambers, the open top portion providing access to the compaction chamber of the first chamber and the upper trash collection area of the second chamber;
- (e) an open face above and extending between the main front door of the first chamber and the back wall of the second chamber, the open face for receiving the trash compaction stand when the trolley is positioned on the trash compaction stand;
- wherein in use, trash is capable of being top-loaded into the open top portion, front-loaded into the trash door, and loaded into a trash container positioned on the shelf.
4 more elements
A method for collecting and compacting trash on board an aircraft, comprising:
- providing a trolley configured for both mobile and stationary trash collection, the trolley comprising (i) first and second compaction chambers, the first and second compaction chambers separated by a shared dividing wall, the first and second compaction chambers comprising walls that withstand compaction forces, (ii) a shared open top portion between the first and second compaction chambers, (iii) the first compaction chamber comprising a front main door and a separate trash door, (iv) the second compaction chamber comprising a back main door and a separate trash door, and (v) front and back open faces above the front and back main doors for receiving the compaction stand as the trolley is positioned on the trash compaction stand for compaction and stationary use;
- (c) positioning the trolley on the stand and compacting trash in the first compaction chamber;
- (d) removing the trolley from the stand and re-positioning the trolley with the second compaction chamber in a compaction position in order for the platen to compact trash in the single vertical plane in the second compaction chamber;
- and
- (e) compacting trash in the second compaction chamber.
2 more elements
A trash compaction system, comprising a trash compaction stand and a combination trash collection and compaction trolley configured for both mobile and stationary trash use,
- the combination trash collection and compaction trolley comprising:
- (a) a trolley body consisting of first and second compaction chambers;
- (b) the first chamber comprising a compaction chamber and a first main door providing access to the first chamber, wherein the first main door comprises a first separate trash door;
- (c) the second chamber comprising a compaction chamber and a second main door providing access to the second chamber, wherein the second main door comprises a second separate trash door;
- (d) an open top portion spanning both the first and second chambers, the open top portion providing access to the compaction chamber of the first chamber and to the compaction chamber of the second chamber;
- (e) an open portion above and extending between the first main door of the first chamber and the second main door of the second chamber, the open portion configured for accommodating the compaction stand in use;
- the compaction stand comprising a compaction platen configured to be lowered in a single vertical compaction plane in order to compact trash along the compaction plane,
- wherein trash is capable of being top-loaded into the open top portion of either the first or the second chamber when the trolley is in its mobile use and front-loaded into the front trash door or the back trash door when the trolley is in its stationary use,
- wherein for compaction, the trolley is positioned on the compaction stand with the first chamber aligned with the compaction plane, and after trash in the first chamber has been compacted, the trolley is removed and re-positioned on the compaction stand with the second chamber aligned with the compaction plane.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.