Aircraft galley monument structure

• US 9,359,078 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2013
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Burd, Peter John Leslie
• Primary Examiner(s): Quast, Elizabeth A
• Application Number:
  US13/850,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20130256249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 244/118.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0007 Devices specially adapted for food or beverage distribution services
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0015 Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/003 Stowage devices for passengers' personal luggage
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/04 Galleys
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0046 Modular or preassembled units for creating cabin interior structures
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0076 for crew members, e.g. for sleeping during flight
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

An improved monument structure combining an integrated construction system with carbon fiber reinforced composites to form an exoskeleton chassis. The chassis includes an above work deck subassembly, a below work deck subassembly, and a rear service wall subassembly, each respective subassembly is formed using carbon fiber reinforced composites (CFRC) pre-impregnated panel skins. The subassemblies are reinforced with a unidirectional carbon fiber.

Claims

1. A monument for an aircraft, comprising an above work deck subassembly, a below work deck subassembly, and a rear service wall subassembly, wherein the above work deck subassembly and below work deck subassembly are each manufactured and cured as a complete integrated structural subassembly of carbon fiber reinforced composites (CFRC) pre-impregnated panel skins, and wherein localized reinforcement at mating surfaces is established by application of unidirectional carbon fiber plies at a juncture of the mating surfaces over the CFRC pre-impregnated panel skins.

2. The monument for an aircraft of claim 1, wherein the monument is a refrigerated centerline galley.

3. The monument for an aircraft of claim 2, wherein the above work deck subassembly is formed with an array of compartments sized to house galley inserts (GAINs) in the galley.

4. The monument for an aircraft of claim 3, wherein the array of compartments are formed using a wet lay process where layers of materials are placed in a mold over a wet lay, and then the compartments are reinforced with unidirectional carbon fiber reinforcing plies.

5. The monument for an aircraft of claim 4, wherein a finished molded surface of an above work deck subassembly molding provides an upper section of an air ducting for a chiller in the above work deck subassembly.

6. The monument for an aircraft of claim 1, further comprising a pair of channels on an upper surface of the above work deck that each receive a ceiling mount for mounting the monument to an upper portion of an airframe of the aircraft.

7. The monument for an aircraft of claim 6, wherein the ceiling mount is formed of a composite and have orthogonal plates, including a first orthogonal plate sliding within one of the channels on the upper surface of the above work deck subassembly.

8. The monument for an aircraft of claim 1, wherein the below work deck subassembly includes floor fixtures embedded in the below work deck subassembly during a manufacturing process.

9. The monument for an aircraft of claim 1, wherein fixing points are integrated into the monument using a wet lay process.

10. The monument for an aircraft of claim 1, wherein the above work deck subassembly and the below work deck subassembly are sealed with a plastic extrusion.

11. The monument for an aircraft of claim 1, wherein the rear service wall subassembly includes vents and recesses that cooperate to vent air through the monument.

12. The monument for an aircraft of claim 1, wherein the monument has no supplemental metallic reinforcements.