Locking mechanism for a galley container and galley container provided with a locking mechanism

Abstract

A locking assembly for a galley container includes: a picklock arranged on a first galley container part, a locking mechanism arranged on a second galley container part for engaging the picklock, the first and second galley container parts being moveable towards and away from each other to close and open the galley container, the locking mechanism being moveable between a release position, wherein the picklock is released from the locking mechanism, and a lock position wherein the locking mechanism can engage the picklock to lock the first container part to the second container part, characterized in that a blocking element is provided that in a block position prevents the locking mechanism from moving to the lock position and in an unblock position allows the locking mechanism to move to the lock position. A galley container provided with such a locking assembly is also described.

Claims

1. Locking assembly for a galley container, the locking assembly comprising: a picklock arranged on a first galley container part, a locking mechanism arranged on a second galley container part for engaging the picklock, the first and second galley container parts being moveable towards and away from each other to close and open the galley container, the locking mechanism being moveable between a release position, wherein the picklock is released from the locking mechanism, and a lock position wherein the locking mechanism can engage the picklock to lock the first container part to the second container part, wherein the locking assembly comprises a blocking element that in a block position prevents the locking mechanism from moving to the lock position, and in an unblock position allows the locking mechanism to move to the lock position, wherein the blocking element is rotatable about a shaft and comprises a first part and a second part, wherein in the block position the first part is positioned in a path of the picklock for entering the locking mechanism and the second part is positioned to block the locking mechanism from moving from the release position to the lock position, wherein in the unblock position the first part is out of the path of the picklock for entering the locking mechanism and the second part is positioned to allow the locking mechanism to move to the lock position.

2. Locking assembly according to claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism is biased towards the lock position.

3. Locking assembly according to claim 2, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a pair of locking elements that in the release position of the locking assembly are positioned away from each other and in the lock position are positioned towards each other, wherein in the block position the blocking element is positioned between these locking elements.

4. Locking assembly according to claim 2, wherein the blocking element is rotatable about a shaft and comprises a first part and a second part, wherein in the block position the first part is positioned in a path of the picklock for entering the locking mechanism from moving from the release position to the lock position, wherein in the unblock position the first part is out of the path of the picklock for entering the locking mechanism and the second part is positioned to allow the locking mechanism to move to the lock position.

5. Locking assembly according to claim 2, wherein the blocking element is biased towards the block position.

6. Locking assembly according to claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a pair of locking elements that in the release position of the locking assembly are positioned away from each other and in the lock position are positioned towards each other, wherein in the block position the blocking element is positioned between these locking elements.

7. Locking assembly according to claim 1, wherein the blocking element is biased towards the block position.

8. Locking assembly according to claim 7, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a spring element that biases the blocking element towards the block position.

9. Locking assembly according to claim 1, wherein an actuator is provided on the second galley container part, that, upon actuation, moves the locking assembly from the lock position to the release position and allows the blocking element to move from the unblock position to the block position.

10. Galley container provided with a locking assembly according to claim 1.

11. Galley container according to claim 10, wherein the galley container comprises a door and the locking mechanism is arranged on the door.

12. Galley container according to claim 11, wherein the galley container comprises a housing and the picklock is arranged on the housing.

13. Galley container according to claim 10, wherein the galley container is a trolley.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) An embodiment of a locking assembly will by way of non-limiting example be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic, perspective view of an aircraft trolley with a locking assembly,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a close-up perspective view of a prior art locking assembly,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a close-up perspective view of a locking assembly according to an embodiment,

(5) FIG. 4a shows a close-up side view of the locking assembly according to an embodiment, wherein the lip is in the block position, and

(6) FIG. 4b shows a close-up side view of the locking assembly according to an embodiment, wherein the lip is in the unblock position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a galley container in the form of an aircraft trolley 1 with a cabinet housing 2 as the second galley container part and a door 3 as the first galley container part shown in an open position wherein the trolley 1 contents can be accessed. The door 3 is moveable between an open position and a closed position. The door 3 may be connected to the cabinet housing 2 by one or more hinges provided along a hinge edge of the door 3. For reasons of safety, when the door 3 is in the closed position it should be able to withstand a crash and it should be capable of keeping the contents of the trolley 1 inside. Thereto the trolley 1 is provided with a locking assembly 4. The locking assembly 4 comprises a locking mechanism 6 provided on one of the door 3 and the cabinet housing 2 and a picklock 5 provided on the other of the door 3 and the cabinet housing 2. The locking assembly 4 is arranged to lock and unlock the door 3 when it is in the closed position. The locking mechanism 6 and the picklock 5 can engage with each other to lock the door 3.

(8) The picklock 5 and the locking mechanism 6 are provided such that they can engage when the door is in the closed position. The locking assembly 4 as shown is provided with a picklock 5 positioned on one of vertical edges of the cabinet housing 2 adjacent to the door 3 (in closed position). The picklock 5 is constructed in such a way that it engages a locking mechanism 6 arranged on the door 3 when the door 3 is moved towards the closed position. It shall be understood that the picklock 5 can also be arranged on the door 3 while the locking mechanism 6 is arranged on the cabinet housing 2.

(9) Furthermore, a door handle 7 is connected to the locking mechanism 6. When the door 3 is in the closed position, the door handle 7 can be operated in such a way that the locking mechanism 6 (which is engaged to the picklock 5 in the closed position) is disengaged from the picklock 5. As the skilled person will understand, when moving the door 3 from its open position towards its closed position again, the locking mechanism 6 will re-engage the picklock 5.

(10) Additionally, the door 3 is provided with a door grip 22 for pulling or pushing the trolley 1 forwards, for example through the aisle of an aircraft.

(11) FIG. 2 shows a close-up perspective view of a prior art locking assembly 4. For clarity, the door and the cabinet housing are not shown. A picklock 5 is shown in the lower right corner of FIG. 2. The locking mechanism 6 is shown in the upper left part of FIG. 2. In FIG. 2 the picklock 5 and the locking mechanism 6 are not engaged. The locking mechanism 6 is in the lock position, i.e. in a position wherein it can engage and lock the picklock 5. In order to actually engage the picklock 5, the picklock 5 needs to be moved towards the locking mechanism 6 (by closing the door 3), push the locking mechanism 6 to a release position to allow the picklock 5 to enter the locking mechanism 6. Once the picklock 5 entered the locking mechanism 6, the locking mechanism 6 returns to the lock position. The term release position is thus used to indicate that the picklock can move in or out of the locking mechanism. The term lock position is thus used to indicate that the picklock 5 cannot move in and out of the locking mechanism 6.

(12) The picklock 5, that can be situated on or near one the vertical edges of the cabinet housing situated near the door of a trolley, has protrusions that can engage with the locking mechanism 6. According to the embodiment shown, this is provided by a hook-like portion or T-shaped portion 10. The protrusion comprises diagonally cut-off edges, provided to push the locking elements 8a, 8b (see below) of the locking mechanism 6 to the release position, so as to allow a smooth motion of the picklock 5 into the locking mechanism 6. The picklock 5 is furthermore provided with three holes for allowing the picklock 5 to be rigidly connected to, for example, the cabinet housing by means of screws or similar connecting means.

(13) The locking mechanism 6 comprises two locking elements 8a, 8b designed for grabbing the hook-like portion 10 as to close the door. The locking elements 8a, 8b are biased towards moving towards the lock position, preferably in a linear fashion, as to engage the picklock 5. The corners 12a, 12b of the locking elements 8a, 8b turned towards the picklock 5 are partly cut away to allow the locking elements 8a, 8b to grab and enclose the underside of the hook-like portion 10, such that the picklock 5 can be firmly secured in the locking mechanism 6. The locking elements 8a, 8b are furthermore provided with projections 9a, 9b, whose function will be explained later. Optionally, an indicator 11 can be provided to indicate whether the locking assembly 4 is in the lock position or in the release position.

(14) FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 relate to an prior art locking assembly 4, but it will be understood that the above explanation also applies to the locking assemblies 4 described below.

(15) FIG. 3 shows a close-up perspective view of a locking assembly 4 according to an embodiment. Essentially, FIG. 3 is equal to FIG. 2, but now a rotatable lip 15 is present between the projections 9a, 9b on the locking elements 8a, 8b. The lip 15 is rotatable between a block position, wherein the lip 15 blocks the locking elements 8a, 8b from further moving towards each other, and an unblock position wherein the lip 15 is rotated (by the picklock 5) out of the line of movement of the locking elements 8a, 8b. The lip 15 is provided with a spring 19 that biases the lip 15 towards rotating to the block position. Instead of a rotatable lip 15, other shapes, or in a broader sense, other configurations suitable for blocking the movement of the locking elements 8a, 8b can also be used.

(16) The lip 15 as shown comprises a first arm 17 and a second arm 16 that are at an angle with respect to each other (so not parallel). The angle may be in the range of 90-170 degrees. The lip is rotatable about an axis (shaft 18) which runs through a contact line between the first and second arms 17, 16.

(17) When the picklock 5 moves towards the locking mechanism 6 of the locking assembly 4 from the position shown in FIG. 3, the first arm 17 of the rotatable lip 15 is contacted and moved by a contact surface 20 of the pick-lock 5. This causes the second, opposing arm 16 of the lip 15 to rotate away from between the projections 9a, 9b, much like a lever. The lip 15 is configured in such a way that when the lip 15 unblocks the locking elements 8a, 8b, the locking elements 8a, 8b will engage the hook-like portion 10. Now the locking assembly 4 is in the lock position. The advantage of the rotatable lip 15 lies in the fact that it reduces the force required to move the picklock 5 to the locked position, since the picklock 5 is merely required to rotate the lip 15, instead of pushing the locking elements 8a, 8b apart, which requires more force. Thus, the risk of the door not properly being closed is reduced. In order to unlock the locking assembly 4 the door handle 7 is moved by rotation. Upon movement of the door handle 7 the locking elements 8a, 8b are moved away from each other, releasing the picklock 5 from the locking mechanism 6 and allowing the rotatable lip 15 to return to the block position under the influence of the spring's force.

(18) FIG. 4a shows a close-up side view of the locking assembly 4, wherein the lip 15 is in the block position. As mentioned above, when the picklock 5 moves towards the first arm 17 of the rotatable lip 15, in the direction of the arrow B, the lip 15 is pushed to rotate around a shaft 18 in the direction of the arrow A in order to unblock the projections 9a, 9b and the locking elements 8a, 8b.

(19) FIG. 4b shows the result of the movement as described in FIG. 4a, the lip 15 being in the unblock position in FIG. 4b.