Vertical conveyor arrangement for the transport of catering service goods in an aircraft with at least two decks arranged one above another

• US 7,137,593 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2004
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Baatz, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Dillon, Jr., Joe
• Application Number:
  US10/514,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20050211832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 244/118.5, 198/468.8, 198/801, 198/799
• US Class Current: 244/118.5
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0007 Devices specially adapted for food or beverage distribution services
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/04 Galleys

Abstract

In a vertical conveyor arrangement for the transport of catering service goods in an aircraft with at least two decks arranged one above another, catering service goods are transported from a lower deck embodied as a freight deck into an upper deck. A conveyor arrangement is embodied according to the invention as a lift carriage, whereby the lift carriage is made up of a top structure with guide elements that are operatively connected with guide rails arranged above the freight deck, and a bottom structure that protrudes into the freight compartment in transport position, and that, for receiving a receptacle, comprises at least one cantilever arm reaching over the top side of the receptacle, a column element, side arms at least partially encompassing the sides of the receptacle, as well as a floor plate. The bottom structure forms a secured receiver for the receptacle.

It is especially advantageous, through avoidance of a fixed lift installation in the freight compartment, not to hinder the throughgoing passability of the freight compartment in the loading with containers. Moreover, a reliable and continuous secure fixing of the transport receptacle is ensured during the lift operation.

Claims

1. Vertical conveyor arrangement for the transport of catering service goods in an aircraft with at least two decks arranged one above another, whereby catering service goods are to be transported from a lower deck embodied as a freight deck into an upper deck, essentially consisting of a conveyor arrangement that cooperates with guide rails arranged above the freight deck, characterized in that the conveyor arrangement is embodied as lift carriage (41), the lift carriage (41) is made up of a top structure (43) with guide elements (44), which are operatively connected with the guide rails (42), and a bottom structure (45) that protrudes into the freight deck in a transport position, and that, for the receiving of a receptacle (3), comprises at least one cantilever arm (48) reaching over the top side of the receptacle, a column element (49), side arms (410) at least partially encompassing the sides of the receptacle (3), as well as a floor plate (46), whereby the bottom structure (45) forms a secured receiver (47) for the receptacle (3).

2. Vertical conveyor arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the bottom structure (45) of the lift carriage (41) forms a C-shaped receiver (47) for the receptacle (3), into which the receptacle (3) can be moved, and the receptacle (3) is latchable by means of a holding flap (411) provided on the upper rim edge of the receiver (47).

3. Vertical conveyor arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that running rollers (44) are provided as guide elements, which run in U-shaped guide rails (42).

4. Vertical conveyor arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the column element (49) comprises a rear wall that includes contact elements (413) as a contact stop for the receptacle (3).

5. Vertical conveyor arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the floor plate (46) is embodied slotted for the possible movement of grasping claws (91) of a horizontal conveyor system (9).

6. Vertical conveyor arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the floor plate (46) is provided with drive-in slopes.

7. Vertical conveyor arrangement according claim 2, characterized in that in the area of the cantilever arm (48), a rotation axis (414) is arranged transversely to the receptacle push-in direction for the holding flap (411), the holding flap (411) takes up a latched condition by rotation about the rotation axis (414) after a pushing-in of the receptacle (3), whereby the receptacle (3) is secured in the push-in direction during the lift transport.

8. Vertical conveyor arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the holding flap (411) comes into function through an activatable actuating cylinder (412) before starting operation of the lift and only then when the receptacle (3) has reached its transport position (3′

) in the bottom structure (45), and that the deactivation of the actuating cylinder (412) in the unloading process (3″

) can be carried out manually or by means of a sensor.

9. Vertical conveyor arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that at least partially the inner surfaces of the bottom structure (45) comprise roller elements (416) for the stabilization and guidance of the receptacle (3).

10. Vertical conveyor arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that a bottom opening (418) closeable with floor flaps (417) is provided instead of the floor plate (46).

11. Vertical conveyor arrangement according to claim 10, characterized in that respectively one floor flap (417) is arranged respectively on one side arm (410) and the floor flaps (417) are controllable by servo-cylinders or control levers at the individual lift stations from the tilted-in into the tilted-out condition (417′

), whereby the flaps (417) as needed form a carrier platform or a receiver opening (418) for the receptacle (3′

), (3″

).