Onboard galley monument with charging station

Abstract

Galley monument (M), comprising: at least one galley element (B); and at least one charging station (L) integrated into a drawer of the galley monument (M) for charging electrical energy storage devices of personal electronic devices (G), which has a locking element (R) with a locking mechanism (V), characterized in that the locking mechanism (V) is equipped with an emergency release mechanism for opening the locking element (R) in emergency situations, the charging station (L) comprises outer walls (W) that enclose the charging station (L) on five sides and allow access only from one side, the outer walls (W) are lined with fire-resistant materials or are made of fire-resistant materials, the locking element (R) covers only a part of an outwardly open side wall,so that the visibility of the devices (G) located in the charging station (L) for a user of the galley is already ensured by the uncovered sections, the devices (G) located in the charging station (L) are accessible to air circulation due to the open design, so that heat generated during the charging process of the device (G) can be dissipated convectively, and the entire charging station (L) is easily accessible for cooling and fire-fighting measures due to the open design.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to a galley monument having an integrated charging station for personal electronic devices (PEDs), in particular for installation in passenger aircraft.BACKGROUND ARTPersonal electronic devices (PEDs) are becoming increasingly prevalent and are also being used frequently on board aircraft, both by passengers and by airline operators. Paperless documentation based on tablet PCs or mobile electronic handheld devices increasingly replaces printed documentation documents such as passenger lists, checklists during aircraft maintenance and the like.PEDs often have batteries for their operation, for example on the basis of lithium-ion battery technology. For such accumulators on board aircraft, it is desirable to make appropriate safety precautions to monitor the operation of the PEDs that require them. It is also desirable to recharge the batteries of PEDs during a flight trip in the event of depletion of the electrical energy stored therein.The document DE 20 2015 106 958 U1 discloses an insert for an aircraft galley for storing and charging personal electronic devices.The document DE 20 2015 106 958 U1 describes an insert for an aircraft kitchen for storing and charging personal electronic devices, wherein the insert has at least one physical interface and at least one data and power supply interface according to the ARINC standard.Document WO 02 / 089 288 A1 describes a method for increasing public safety by supplying the population with portable energy for charging their mobile telephones.The document US 2011 / 0 025 263 A1 describes a universal charging system for at least one portable device, the special feature of which consists in that it can be adapted to each version of the portable device from a device by means of at least one adapter, which can be completely or partially specific to the relevant portable device.The document "Summary of FAA Studies Related to the Hazard Produced by Lithium Cells in Thermal Runway in Aircraft Cargo Compartments" by Webster et al., found at https: / / www.fire.tc.faa.gov / pdf / TC-16-37.pdf, contains a compilation of test data and results from projects carried out by the Fire Safety Department in order to determine the risk of transporting lithium batteries / cells as bulk goods in transport aircraft and risk mitigation possibilities.The document "Lithium batteries: safe to fly?", by Bezard et al. to be found at https: / / safetyfirst.airbus.com / app / them / mh_newdesk / pdf.php?p=63889, describes methods for reducing the risks of lithium batteries as part of aircraft construction.The publication DE 10 2005 033 259 A1 describes an emergency opening device for a luggage compartment with a connecting element which can be connected to a holding system for fastening a lowerable shell to a structural component.The publication DE 10 2008 034 778 A1 describes an emergency opening device for a luggage compartment having a connecting element which can be connected to a holding system for fastening a lowerable shell to a structural component.The publication DE 10 2010 016 313 A1 describes a luggage box with a closable cover which is movable about an axis of rotation.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONOne of the objects of the invention is therefore to find improved solutions for monitoring electronic devices equipped with electrical energy stores during charging on board an aircraft.These and other objects are achieved by a galley monument having the features of claim 1 and an aircraft having the features of claim 8.According to a first aspect of the invention, a galley monument comprises at least one galley element and at least one charging station integrated into an insert compartment of the galley monument for charging electrical energy stores of personal electronic devices. The charging station has a locking element with a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism is equipped with an emergency engagement mechanism for opening the locking element in emergency situations. The charging station comprises outer walls, which enclose the charging station from five sides and permit access from only one side. The outer walls are lined with refractory materials or formed from fire resistant materials. The locking element covers only a part of the outwardly open side wall, so that the visibility of the devices located in the charging station for a user of the galley is already given by the non-covered subareas. The devices located in the charging station are accessible to air circulation due to the open design, so that heat generated during the charging process of the device can be convectively transported away. The entire charging station is easily accessible to cooling and fire fighting measures because of the open design.According to a second aspect of the invention, an aircraft comprises a galley monument according to the first aspect of the invention.An essential idea of the invention is to integrate a charging station for personal electronic devices (PEDs) into a galley for an aircraft. This integration may possibly eliminate the need for smoke and / or fire detectors or sensors, since the open design of a galley and the easy accessibility for on-board personnel promote the initiation of emergency measures in the event of a fire of the charging station and / or of the PEDs during a charging process. In addition, members of the boarding personnel are in any case quite frequently located in the vicinity of a galley, so that emergency situations can be detected quickly and in good time.Advantageous embodiments and refinements emerge from the further dependent claims and from the description with reference to the figures.According to some embodiments of the galley monument according to the invention, the at least one galley element can have one or more elements from the group of food containers, roll containers, hot water boilers, coffee machines, hot air ovens, hotplates, sinks, cooling containers and refrigerators.According to some further embodiments of the galley monument according to the invention, the charging station can have a door element.According to some further embodiments of the galley monument according to the invention, dividing walls can be drawn into the charging station in a horizontal or vertical orientation.According to some further embodiments of the galley monument according to the invention, the charging station can have one or more charging interfaces which can be connected to a central power supply of an aircraft via the galley monument.According to some further embodiments of the galley monument according to the invention, the floor of the charging station can be covered with a non-slip floor covering.According to some further embodiments of the galley monument according to the invention, a warning can be applied to the charging station, which user stops to keep the device under constant monitoring during a continuous charging process of a device in the charging station. In this case, in some embodiments, the warning message can be printed on a badge which is attached to a side wall or the locking element of the charging station.The above embodiments and developments can be combined with one another as desired, if appropriate. Further possible embodiments, developments and implementations of the invention also include combinations of features of the invention described above or below with respect to the exemplary embodiments, which combinations are not explicitly mentioned. In particular, the person skilled in the art will also add individual aspects as improvements or additions to the respective basic form of the present invention.BRIEF CONTENT DETAILS OF THE FIGURESThe present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments indicated in the schematic figures. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows an exemplary illustration of a galley monument according to one embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a charging station for personal electronic devices (PEDs) integrated in a galley monument according to a further embodiment of the invention.The accompanying figures are intended to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the invention. They illustrate embodiments and, in conjunction with the description, serve to explain principles and concepts of the invention. Other embodiments and many of the advantages mentioned are evident with reference to the drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily shown to scale with respect to each other. Directional terminology such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "over", "under", "horizontal", "vertical", "front", "rear" and similar information are used merely for illustrative purposes and are not used to limit generality to specific configurations as shown in the figures.In the figures of the drawing, elements, features and components that are the same, have the same function and act in the same way-unless stated otherwise-are each provided with the same reference numerals.DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTSPersonal electronic devices (PEDs) within the meaning of the present invention comprise all electronic devices which can be used for entertainment, communication and / or office work purposes. For example, PEDs may include all forms of consumer terminals, such as laptops, cell phones, smart phones, handhelds, palmtops, tablet PCs, GPS devices, navigation devices, audio equipment such as MP3 players, portable DVD / Bluray® players, or digital cameras.FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a galley monument M (also referred to as a galley), which has galley elements B. For example, the galley elements B can be optimized for preparing foods and / or beverages in the narrowest space. The galley elements B can have, for example, food containers, roll containers (trolleys), hot water boilers, coffee machines, hot air ovens, hotplates, sinks, cooling containers, refrigerators and the like.The galley elements B can be installed in predetermined compartments of the galley monument M, which compartments are standardized in their dimensions if appropriate. One of these compartments may have a charging station L for PEDs. The charging station L of the galley monument M in FIG. 1 is shown on the right-hand side of the illustration alongside an insert compartment for coffee machines and in FIG. 2 in a higher degree of detail.The charging station L comprises outer walls W, which enclose the charging station from five sides and allow access to devices G or terminals A located therein from only one side. This side can be, for example, the side facing the user of the galley. The outer walls W may optionally be lined with refractory materials or formed with fire resistant materials such as steel or the like.If necessary, the charging station L can be secured against access from the outside via a door element or (as indicated in FIG. 2 ) a locking element R with a locking mechanism V, such as a toggle, a lock or a latching element. The door element can be made of transparent material in order to ensure visibility of the devices G located in the charging station L for a user of the galley. The locking element R can, for example, only cover a part of the outwardly open side wall, so that the visibility of the devices G located in the charging station L for a user of the galley is already given by the non-covered subareas.A door element or a locking element R can protect the devices G accommodated in the charging station L from theft or unauthorized removal during flight. For this purpose, the locking mechanism V can be opened, for example, only by authorized flight personnel or by an authorized passenger having a key. Optionally, the locking mechanism V may be equipped with an emergency engagement mechanism that allows an authorized person, such as the flight capitena, to override the locking mechanism V in emergency cases.In the charging station L, one or more devices G can be stored or charged simultaneously. For this purpose, depending on requirements, partition walls can be drawn into the charging station L in a horizontal or vertical orientation (as shown in FIG. 2 ) in order thereby to form different storage compartments. The floor of the respective storage compartments can be covered, for example, with a non-slip floor covering in order to minimize a movement of the devices G accommodated therein, even during flight movements of the aircraft or during turbulences.The device G shown as a PED can be connected, for example, via a USB cable, an HDMI cable or a similar connection cable K on a USB, HDMI or other connection socket of the PED G to a USB, HDMI or other charging interface A in the charging station L, for example at a central connection point for electrical connections which are connected via the galley monument to a central power supply of the aircraft. Of course, other connection possibilities for connecting the PED G to the charging station L can also be used, for example an NFC connection ("near field communication"), a Qi connection or another suitable connection technique for wireless energy transmission by means of electromagnetic induction over short distances.Devices G located in the charging station L can be accessible to air circulation due to the open design, so that heat generated during the charging process of the device G can be convectively transported away. This may contribute to preventing overheating of a device G. Furthermore, explosive gases possibly emerging from the device G can also be convectively transported away. The entire charging station L is easily accessible to cooling and fire fighting measures because of the open design. In addition, cooling fluids such as water are usually directly available in the galley.It can be particularly advantageous if a warning is applied to the charging station L, which user stops holding the device G while continuously monitoring it during a continuous charging process of a device G in the charging station L. The warning message can be printed, for example, on a badge P, which in turn is attached to a side wall of the charging station L or (as shown in FIG. 2 ) on the locking element R.The connection sockets A in the charging station L can be activated or deactivated by central operating elements in the galley monument M. In this case, it can be provided that the connection sockets A can be activated or deactivated together with other galley elements B.In the foregoing detailed description, various features have been summarized to improve stringency of the representation in one or more examples. However, it should be understood that the above description is merely illustrative, not restrictive in nature. It is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents of the various features and embodiments. Many other examples will be immediately and immediately apparent to those skilled in the art from the knowledge of the art in view of the above description.The exemplary embodiments were selected and described in order to be able to best illustrate the principles underlying the invention and their possible applications in practice. This enables those skilled in the art to optimally modify and utilize the invention and its various embodiments with respect to the intended purpose of use. In the claims and the description, the terms "including" and "having" are used as neutral language terminology for the corresponding terms "comprising". Furthermore, a use of the terms "a", "an" and "an" is not intended to exclude a plurality of features and components described in this way in principle.

Claims

Galley monument (M) comprising: at least one galley element (B); and at least one charging station (L) integrated into a plug-in compartment of the galley monument (M) for charging electrical energy stores of personal electronic devices (G), said charging station having a locking element (R) with a locking mechanism (V), characterized in that the locking mechanism (V) is equipped with an emergency engagement mechanism for opening the locking element (R) in emergency situations, the charging station (L) comprises outer walls (W) which house the charging station (L) from five sides and permit access only from one side, the outer walls (W) are lined with refractory materials or are formed from fire-resistant materials, the locking element (R) covers only part of an outwardly open side wall, so that the visibility of the devices (G) located in the charging station (L) for a user of the galley is already provided by the non-covered subareas, the devices (G) located in the charging station (L) are accessible by the open design of an air circulation, so that heat arising during the charging process of the device (G) can be convectively transported away, and the entire charging station (L) is easily accessible to cooling and fire fighting measures on account of the open design.Galley monument (M) according to Claim 1, wherein the at least one galley element (B) has one or more elements from the group of food containers, roll containers, hot water boilers, coffee machines, hot air ovens, hotplates, sinks, cooling containers and refrigerators.Galley monument (M) according to one of Claims 1 and 2, wherein dividing walls are drawn into the charging station (L) in a horizontal or vertical orientation.Galley monument (M) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the charging station (L) has one or more charging interfaces (A), which can be connected via the galley monument (M) to a central power supply of an aircraft.Galley monument (M) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the floor of the charging station (L) is covered with a non-slip floor covering.Galley monument (M) according to one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein a warning is applied to the charging station (L) as to which user stops holding the device (G) under constant monitoring during a continuous charging process of a device (G) in the charging station (L).Galley monument (M) according to Claim 6, wherein the warning message is printed on a badge (P) which is attached to a side wall or the locking element (R) of the charging station (L).Aircraft having a galley monument (M) according to one of Claims 1 to 7.

Images