System for cooling food in an airplane
First Claim
1. A cooling system for cooling food stored in portable storage containers that are stowed in stowage locations in two or more galleys within a passenger cabin of a pressurized aircraft, the aircraft having a fuselage enclosing the passenger cabin and a hold and a cabin floor arranged within said fuselage, said cooling system comprising at least one central cooling plant arranged in said aircraft below said cabin floor outside said passenger cabin, at least one heat exchanger arranged external to said storage containers at each of said stowage locations, a cooling medium, and a cooling medium distribution conduit system connecting said cooling plant with said heat exchangers, wherein said conduit system includes a supply conduit and a return conduit each connected with said cooling plant, and connector conduits connecting said heat exchangers with said supply and return conduits.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cooling system is provided for cooling food in an aircraft while the food is stored in known catering trolleys that are stowed at prescribed stowage locations, preferably for example at least one on-board galley (3A to 3E) within the aircraft cabin. The cooling system includes at least one central cooling plant (4) located below the cabin floor of the aircraft. Heat exchanger units (9A, 9B, 17A, 17B) are provided in the galleys (3A to 3E). A distribution conduit system, including a supply conduit (5) and a return conduit (6) as well as connector conduits (10A, 10B, 11A, 11B), couples the central cooling plant (4) with the respective heat exchangers (9A, 9B, 17A, 17B) arranged in the galleys (3A to 3E). Connector adapters are provided at various locations along the supply conduit (5) and the return conduit (6), and the connector conduits (10A, 10B, 11A, 11B) include quick connectors that are connectable to the adapters. The galleys may quickly and easily be repositioned as desired within the cabin to achieve different cabin layouts. The heat and noise of the cooling plant is removed from the cabin to an underfloor space, and a more efficient installation and reconfiguration of the system, as well as an overall space and weight saving, is achieved.
137 Citations
19 Claims
- 1. A cooling system for cooling food stored in portable storage containers that are stowed in stowage locations in two or more galleys within a passenger cabin of a pressurized aircraft, the aircraft having a fuselage enclosing the passenger cabin and a hold and a cabin floor arranged within said fuselage, said cooling system comprising at least one central cooling plant arranged in said aircraft below said cabin floor outside said passenger cabin, at least one heat exchanger arranged external to said storage containers at each of said stowage locations, a cooling medium, and a cooling medium distribution conduit system connecting said cooling plant with said heat exchangers, wherein said conduit system includes a supply conduit and a return conduit each connected with said cooling plant, and connector conduits connecting said heat exchangers with said supply and return conduits.
Specification