CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims priority from U.S. Application No. 61/887,633, filed October 7, 2013, and from U.S. Application No. 14/502,470, filed September 30, 2014, incorporated by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to transport aircraft galley systems, and more particularly, to systems to cool food carts prior to service by the cabin attendants.

Aircraft galley systems for modern transport aircraft incorporate food carts which are cooled to prevent food spoilage prior to use by the cabin attendants for distribution of food to passengers. These food carts are commonly interfaced with cold air supply systems in the galley designed to cool the interiors of the food carts. Such cool air distribution systems interface with the food carts by means of gaskets connecting the food carts to a plenum providing the cool air. Galley cooling systems are typically mounted in a galley cabinet, so that cool air is discharged from the galley cooling system and circulates over or through galley food carts in a galley cabinet to return to the galley cooling system to again be cooled and discharged. Air through galley food carts typically include grills built into a door of the galley food carts to allow air circulation directly over food inside.

It would be desirable to provide an improved chilled air plenum system for aircraft galleys allowing the installation and chilling by an air chiller of air over type galley food carts within the aircraft galley, having a reduced footprint with a reduced depth of about 35.9 to 36.6 inches, with duct work that can be integrated into a back wall of the galley, and having the ability to chill standard size air over carts in the reduced depth galley. It would also be desirable to provide a chilled air return plenum that extends across the back and around the sides of a galley food cart, to provide an efficient air return path around the cart. It would also be desirable to provide a chilled air return plenum having a duct that incorporates centrally mounted and lateral resilient back stops to prevent the cart from impacting the rear of the galley. The present invention meets these and other needs. „

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly and in general terms, the present invention provides for a chilled air plenum system for aircraft galleys adapted to be connected to a chilled galley food cart bay for removably receiving a corresponding aircraft galley food cart at a front portion of the chilled galley food cart bay. The chilled air plenum system allows a standard size cart to be inserted further into a central recess in a return air plenum in the chilled cart bay to provide a reduced foot print air over chilled galley. The chilled air return plenum advantageously extends across a rear portion and lateral sides of the aircraft galley food cart, to provide an efficient air return path around the cart. The chilled air return plenum includes a return air duct having resilient back stops to prevent the aircraft galley food cart from impacting the rear of the galley. The maximum depth for a standard center line galley fitted with air over full size carts can be reduced to 35.9 to 36.6 inches, and the return air plenum can be at least partially integrated into a galley back wall structure.

The present invention accordingly provides for a chilled air plenum system for aircraft galleys adapted to be connected to a chilled galley food cart bay for removably receiving a corresponding aircraft galley food cart at a front portion of the chilled galley food cart bay. The chilled air plenum system includes a galley chiller air return plenum configured to be removably connected to an aircraft galley food cart received in the chilled galley food cart bay. The galley chiller air return plenum includes a return airflow duct configured to be connected to a return airflow duct inlet to a chiller unit, a plurality of primary apertures located along a midline of the return airflow duct and a plurality of secondary apertures located along lateral side edges of the return airflow duct configured to receive return airflow from rear and rear lateral side portions of the aircraft galley food cart. In a presently preferred aspect, the galley chiller air return plenum is configured to be removably connected to the aircraft galley food cart at a rear portion of the chilled galley food cart bay. In another presently preferred aspect, the return airflow duct includes a return airflow duct adapter configured to be connected to the return airflow duct inlet to the chiller unit.

In another presently preferred aspect, the return airflow duct includes a centrally mounted lower back stop located along the midline of the return airflow duct and configured to prevent the cart from impacting the rear portion of the galley food cart bay, and the centrally mounted lower back stop may be mounted on a vacuum formed removable snorkel portion of the return airflow duct. In another presently preferred aspect, the return airflow duct includes a plurality of lateral side edge resilient back stops located along the lateral side edges of the return airflow duct and configured to prevent the cart from impacting the rear of the galley food cart bay. In another presently preferred aspect, the plurality of lateral side edge resilient back stops includes a plurality of upper lateral side edge bump stops, and a plurality of intermediate lateral side edge bump stops.

In another presently preferred aspect, the galley chiller air return plenum includes a plenum body formed from a molded composite or a vacuum formed

thermoplastic, for example. In another presently preferred aspect, the return air plenum is at least partially integrated into a galley back wall structure.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the operation of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the chilled air plenum system for aircraft galleys according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the chilled air plenum system for aircraft galleys of Fig. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the chilled air plenum system for aircraft galleys of Fig. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the chilled air plenum system for aircraft galleys of

Fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, which are provided by way of example, and not by way of limitation, the present invention provides for a chilled air plenum system 10 for aircraft galleys, includes a chilled galley food cart bay 12 for removably receiving a corresponding aircraft galley food cart (not shown) at a front portion 14 of the chilled galley food cart bay. The chilled air plenum system includes a galley chiller air return plenum 16 connected to said chilled galley food cart bay and configured to be removably „

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connected to an aircraft galley food cart at a rear portion 18 of the chilled galley food cart bay. The plenum body may be made from a molded composite or a vacuum formed thermoplastic, for example.

The galley chiller air return plenum includes a return airflow duct 20 having a return airflow duct adapter or connector 22 configured to be connected to a return airflow duct inlet (not shown) for return of airflow from a galley food cart received in the galley food cart bay to an evaporator of a chiller unit (not shown).

The return airflow duct includes a plurality of primary apertures, slots or holes 24, such as an upper midline primary aperture, slot or hole 24a, an intermediate midline primary aperture, slot or hole 24b, and a lower midline primary aperture, slot or hole 24c, all centrally located along a midline 26 of the return airflow duct and configured to receive return airflow from a rear portion of the aircraft galley food cart. The return airflow duct also advantageously includes a plurality of secondary apertures, slots or holes 28, such as upper lateral side edge secondary apertures, slots or holes 28a, intermediate or middle lateral side edge secondary apertures, slots or holes 28b, and lower lateral side edge secondary apertures, slots or holes 28c, all located along the lateral side edges 30a, 30b of the return airflow duct and configured to receive return airflow from lateral side edges of the rear portion of the aircraft galley food cart, so as to produce a desired airflow pattern around the galley food cart. The return air plenum can be at least partially integrated into a galley back wall structure (not shown).

The return airflow duct also advantageously includes a centrally mounted lower back stop 32 located along the midline of the return airflow duct and configured to prevent the cart from impacting the rear of the galley food cart bay. The centrally mounted lower back stop can be mounted on a vacuum formed removable snorkel portion 34 of the return airflow duct, for example. The return airflow duct also advantageously includes a plurality of lateral resilient back stops 36, such as upper lateral side edge bump stops 36a, and intermediate or middle lateral side edge bump stops 36b, located along the lateral side edges of the return airflow duct and configured to prevent the cart from impacting the rear of the galley food cart bay. It will be apparent from the foregoing that while particular forms of the invention have been illustrated and described, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.