Abstract
The invention proposes a storage compartment device (1) for a galley of an aircraft, having a storage compartment (2) for receiving at least one rolling container (11) or at least one container (10, 25), wherein foldable guiding and holding devices (8) are provided in the storage compartment (2) and are designed to hold the at least one container (10, 25) in the storage compartment (2) only in a folded-out state and to allow the at least one rolling container (11) to be received in the storage compartment (2) only in a folded-in state. The invention additionally proposes a corresponding storage compartment system.
Claims
1. A storage compartment of a storage assembly for an aircraft galley, the storage compartment comprising, for accommodating at least one rolling container or at least one container: foldable guiding and holding devices movable between a fold-out state supporting the at least one container in the storage compartment and a folded-in state holding the at least one rolling container in the storage compartment.
2. The storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the guiding and holding devices in the folded-in state each form a slide rail for guiding the at least one rolling container in the storage compartment.
3. The storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the guiding and holding devices each include a support, and in the folded-out state of the respective guiding and holding device, the respective support for holding a container is on an inner surface of a wall of the storage compartment.
4. The storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein guiding and holding devices each include a hinge having a first leaf fixed to an inner face of a side wall of the storage compartment and a second leaf rotatable about a hinge axis relative to the first leaf, and the second leaf in the folded-out state of the respective guiding and holding device holds the at least one container and is a slide rail for guiding the at least one rolling container.
5. The storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the foldable guiding and holding devices is provided with an integrated stop for the at least one container.
6. The storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein two or more stops having container-specific insertion depths different from one another are provided in the storage compartment for at least one insertion level of the foldable guiding and holding devices.
7. The storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the storage compartment accommodates and holds containers one behind the other, and further comprises at least one pull-out device for pulling out a rear container in the storage compartment.
8. The storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the storage compartment is convertible by a user from the rolling container receptacle to the container receptacle and vice versa without the addition of components or removal of components and without the use of tools.
9. The storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the storage assembly includes a mechanism for setting the guiding and holding devices in the folded-in state after removal of a container held by this guiding and holding device from the storage compartment.
10. The storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the storage assembly includes a mechanism for automatically setting the guiding and holding devices in the folded-out state.
11. The storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the guiding and holding devices are purely mechanically foldable during normal operation.
12. The storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the storage compartment is designed to accommodate exactly one full-size trolley or at most two half-size trolleys for an aircraft galley, when all guiding and holding devices are in the folded-in state.
13. The storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the at least one container is provided for an aircraft galley, and is an oven insert, a standard unit and/or a drawer.
14. The storage compartment according to claim 1, wherein the guiding and holding devices are provided in the storage compartment to accommodate and hold a plurality of containers of a first type of oven inserts, and a plurality of containers of a second type differing from the first type of drawers.
15. A storage system for an aircraft galley, comprising at least one storage assembly according to claim 1 and comprising at least one rolling container accommodated in the at least one storage assembly, and all of the guiding and holding devices of the storage assembly are in the folded-in state, or comprising one or multiple containers accommodated in the at least one storage assembly and held by the guiding and holding devices set in the folded-out state that are, in particular, oven inserts, standard units and/or drawers.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] To illustrate the proposed storage assembly, embodiments are now with reference to the following figures.
[0029] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the storage assembly with oven inserts accommodated and held therein.
[0030] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the storage assembly with a rolling container accommodated therein.
[0031] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the storage assembly that is configured to accommodate containers on three insertion levels.
[0032] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the storage assembly illustrated in FIG. 3 with six oven inserts accommodated therein.
[0033] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the storage assembly of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 after conversion to accommodate a rolling container.
[0034] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the storage assembly illustrated in FIG. 5 with a rolling container accommodated therein.
[0035] FIG. 7 is a perspective detailed view of a guiding and holding device of an embodiment of the storage assembly in the folded-out state.
[0036] FIG. 8 is a perspective detailed view of the guiding and holding device of the embodiment of the storage assembly previously shown in FIG. 7 in the folded-in state.
[0037] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the storage assembly having a storage compartment with four insertion levels that are occupied by six oven inserts and two drawers.
[0038] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 9, wherein four insertion levels in the storage compartment are occupied by four oven inserts and four drawers.
[0039] In all these figures, identical or similar components are designated with the same reference numerals.
EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0040] FIGS. 1 and 2 schematically illustrate one embodiment of a convertible storage assembly. The storage assembly 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 can accommodate and hold multiple containers in its storage compartment 2. Each of the containers is an oven insert 10 according to a common standard cited above. Three guiding and holding devices 8, which are all in the folded-out state, are provided on the inside face of each of the two side walls 3 and 4 of the storage compartment 2. Each guiding and holding device 8 comprises a support 5, a hinge 6 and a slide rail 7. Two of the guiding and holding devices 8 are mounted in pairs at a common insertion height on the opposing inner faces of the side walls 3 and 4 of the storage compartment and each pair defines an insertion level of the storage compartment. Accordingly, the storage assembly 1 of FIG. 1 has three insertion levels each for accommodating and holding a maximum of two oven inserts 10. The oven inserts 10 are held and supported in the storage compartment 2 by the supports 5 that project into the chamber of the storage compartment 2, or sit on these supports. The slide rails 7 of the guiding and holding device are directed toward the lower bottom of the storage compartment 2 and serve preferably to brace their supports 5 on the adjoining inner face of a side wall 3 or 4. Respective guiding and slide rails 9 are also provided on the inner faces of the side walls 3 and 4 for each insertion level and are spaced to match the width of the oven inserts 10.
[0041] The storage assembly illustrated in FIG. 2 shows the storage assembly 1 previously illustrated in FIG. 1 after being converted to accommodate a rolling container. A rolling container 11 that is supported by its wheels 12 on floor under the storage compartment 2 and is accommodated in the storage compartment 2 of the storage assembly. All the guiding and holding devices 8 are in their folded-in state. The supports 5 closely abut the inner faces of the side walls 3 or 4. The slide rails 7 are folded in against the side walls of the rolling container 11 and are accordingly positioned for guiding and limiting movement of the rolling container 11 in the storage compartment 2.
[0042] Adjacent the side wall 3 of the storage compartment 2 of the described embodiment is an illustrated non-convertible storage compartment with a rolling container 11 accommodated therein and guided by rails 19 and that is structurally identical to the rolling container 11 of FIG. 2 in the convertible storage compartment 2 according to the invention.
[0043] An embodiment of the storage assembly is illustrated in perspective in FIG. 3 through FIG. 6. FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 serve to illustrate the storage assembly 1 configured to accommodate and hold oven inserts. All the guiding and holding devices 8 are in the folded-out position. In addition to the components previously described with respect to the embodiment of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the storage assembly 1 of FIG. 3 through FIG. 6 is provided with two pull-out devices 15 per insertion level for pulling out a rear container accommodated in the storage compartment 2. FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 serve to illustrate the storage assembly 1 configured to accommodate a rolling container. All the guiding and holding devices 8 are in the folded-in position. FIG. 6 shows the limitation on movement of the rolling container 2 in the storage compartment 2 by the slide rails of the folded-in guiding and holding devices 8.
[0044] FIGS. 7 and 8 show perspective detailed views of a guiding and holding device 8 according to one embodiment in the folded-out and in the folded-in state. The guiding and holding device 8 illustrated in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 has the hinge 6 with a rotation axis extending horizontally in the insertion direction, having a first leaf 23 and a second leaf that is a support 5 for holding a container accommodated in the storage compartment. When transitioning from the folded-in state to the folded-out state, the support 5 is pivoted downward by rotation. In the folded-out state, the support 5 is also designed as a guide rail for guiding the container when the container is inserted into the storage compartment. The first and the second leaf are designed as plates extending along the insertion direction. The first leaf is mounted on the inner face of a side wall 3 of the storage compartment. Fixed to the second leaf constituting the support 5 is an orthogonally angled plate 16 having a segment designed as a support body 17. The support body 17 extending orthogonally to the support 5 is designed to carry the support 5 in the folded-out state on the adjacent wall 3 of the storage compartment. The slide rail 7 that, like the first and second leaves, extends longitudinally in the direction of the insertion direction, is attached on a side of the angled plate 16 facing away from the support 5. Located In the region of the front end of the guiding and holding device 8 is a detent 22 for preventing a container from falling out of the storage compartment of the storage assembly. This detent is provided at a rear end of the guiding and holding device 8 with an integrated stop 20 that is a stop buffer and serves for restricting the insertion depth of a container that has been inserted into the storage compartment on the support 5. The side wall 3 is provided with an indentation or recess 21 in the area surrounding the rear end of the guiding and holding device 8. This recess is shown in magnified view in FIG. 8. The recess 21 is designed to accommodate the stop 20 in the folded-in state of the guiding and holding device 8 so that the stop does not project into the chamber of the storage compartment and is therefore inactive. In the folded-in state of the guiding and holding device 8 shown in FIG. 8, the first and the second leaves lie as close as possible on one another, and the slide rail 7 projects into the storage compartment for guiding movements of a rolling container in the storage compartment.
[0045] An embodiment of a storage assembly is illustrated in perspective in FIGS. 9 and 10. The storage assembly is provided with eight guiding and holding devices 8 in four different heights of the storage compartment 2. In the equipping of the storage assembly shown in FIG. 9, six oven inserts 10 are held laterally by the associated lower six guiding and holding devices 8. In contrast, the upper two guiding and holding devices 8 support two drawers 25, one behind the other. In the equipping of the same storage assembly as in FIG. 9 shown in FIG. 10, all eight guiding and holding devices 8 have an additional supporting function for four oven inserts 10 as well as four drawers 25 without the oven inserts 10 being held laterally as shown in FIG. 9. Because the storage assembly of FIGS. 9 and 10 is alternatively designed for laterally holding or for supporting the oven inserts 10, it means that the storage compartment may be flexibly adapted to the required use.
[0046] The foregoing embodiments may also be designed for selective accommodation of oven inserts or standard units or drawers. Since the standard units have a different insertion depth into the storage compartment than the oven inserts, the storage assembly, in addition to the integrated stop that is adapted to the insertion depth of the oven inserts/standard units, includes per insertion level an additional foldable stop in the storage compartment that is adapted to the insertion depth of the standard units/oven inserts. In the case of a design for selectively accommodating drawers, a foldable stop may be provided in the storage compartment that is adapted to the insertion depth of each drawer.
[0047] All illustrated and described embodiments of the storage assembly according to the invention are convertible from the rolling container receptacle configuration to the container receptacle configuration and vice versa by a user without the use of tools, without having to add components to or to remove components from the storage assembly.
TABLE-US-00001 List of Reference Numerals 1 storage assembly 2 storage compartment 3, 4 inner face of a side wall 5 support 6 hinge 7 slide rail 8 guiding and holding device 9 guiding and slide rails 10 oven insert 11 rolling container 12 wheels 15 pull-out device 16 plate 17 support 19 guide rail 20 integrated stop 21 recess 22 detent 23 leaf 25 drawer
