ANCHORING SYSTEM FOR AN AIRCRAFT SERVICE CART
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- ES · ES
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- GRACIA GIMENEZ FIRELAY (100 00)
- Filing Date
- 2025-05-09
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-06
AI Technical Summary
Aircraft service carts lack a safety system to prevent vertical movement during turbulence, posing a risk of damage or injury to passengers and crew.
An anchoring system with movable mechanisms integrated into the service cart and fixed anchors in the aircraft, allowing male and female elements to engage and disengage to lock the cart vertically, using mechanisms like articulated connections or telescopic structures.
Prevents vertical movement of the service cart during turbulence, enhancing safety by immobilizing it securely.
Abstract
Description
ANCHORING SYSTEM FOR AN AIRCRAFT SERVICE CART Object of the invention The present invention relates to an anchoring system for an aircraft service cart, wherein this service cart is configured to be used on aircraft to supply passengers with various catering products; and wherein the anchoring system increases safety during the use of the service cart by being able to immobilize it for a time when it is stopped along an aisle to serve aircraft passengers more conveniently and safely. Background of the invention It is common practice when traveling by plane for the cabin crew to offer passengers a catering service (food, drinks, newspapers, etc.) during the flight. These products are transported in service carts, each of which is pushed by staff along the aircraft aisle, stopping in areas of said aisle that are aligned between groups of seats, to serve / sell the products to passengers. Each of these carts has only one brake that blocks its movement on a horizontal plane, that is, it prevents the cart from moving forward or backward along the aisle as a result of the movement of the aircraft. However, these carts do not have any type of safety system to prevent them from moving vertically or in directions other than parallel to the floor of the aisle, so if the plane goes through an area of turbulence, this anomaly can cause the cart to rise and / or fall abruptly, potentially causing damage to passengers or cabin crew. Description of the invention In order to achieve the objectives and avoid the drawbacks mentioned in the preceding sections, the invention proposes an anchoring system for an aircraft service cart comprising at least one movable mechanism integrated into the service cart, in combination with at least one fixed anchor integrated into a fixed part of the aircraft, selected from a fixed part of the seats adjacent to an aircraft aisle, and a fixed part of the aircraft aisle floor where the service cart moves during its use, wherein the movable mechanism comprises at least one male element; and wherein the fixed anchor comprises at least one female element. With this arrangement described, the anchoring system is configured so that, in an active position of the mobile mechanism, its male element is deployed and inserted inside the female element, blocking the mobility of the service cart; while, in an inactive position of the mobile mechanism, its male element is folded, thus freeing the mobility of the service cart. In one embodiment of the invention, the service cart includes two opposing movable mechanisms located on both sides of said service cart; wherein the male elements of the movable mechanisms are configured to be inserted into the female elements selected from among female elements located in the seats, and female elements located on legs located below the seats. On the other hand, in a first embodiment of the invention, each male element has a stem-shaped configuration; in a second embodiment of the invention, each movable mechanism comprises a telescopic structure; and in a third embodiment of the invention, each male element has a U-shape comprising two parallel arms and a crossbar configured to fit into the respective female element to lock the mobility of the service cart. Following on from what was said in the preceding paragraph, in both the first embodiment of the invention and the third embodiment of the invention, each male element of the movable mechanisms is coupled by means of a connection selected from an articulated connection and a telescopic connection. Thus, the anchoring system of the invention is configured to prevent the service trolley from moving when it is locked, and more specifically to prevent the service trolley from moving vertically if the aircraft enters a zone of turbulence, thereby solving the problem mentioned in the state of the art. Next, to facilitate a better understanding of this descriptive report and forming an integral part thereof, a series of figures are included in which, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the object of the invention has been represented. Brief description of the figures Figure 1.- Shows a plan view of the anchoring system of an aircraft service cart, the object of the invention; where a movable mechanism is located in an active anchoring position hooked into two side seats. Figure 2.- Shows a plan view similar to that shown in the previous figure, where the moving mechanism is located in an inactive position. Figure 3.- Shows a plan view of the service cart with the incorporation of a mobile mechanism different from that shown in the previous figures. Figure 4.- Shows a perspective view of a service cart resting on an airplane aisle floor. Description of an example of embodiment of the invention Considering the numbering adopted in the figures, the anchoring system of a service cart (1) for aircraft comprises at least one movable mechanism (2, 2, 2) integrated into the service cart (1), in combination with at least one fixed anchor that is integrated into a fixed part of the aircraft, such as a part of the seats (A) adjacent to an aircraft aisle. Normally, the service cart (1) includes two opposing movable mechanisms (2, 2, 2) located on both sides of said service cart (1) to be able to hook or anchor to pairs of seats (A) that are located on both sides of the aisle. The movable mechanism (2, 2, 2) can adopt an active position in which at least one male element (3, 3, 3) of said movable mechanism (2, 2, 2) protrudes outwards with respect to the limits of the service carriage (1), and an inactive position in which it does not protrude outwards with respect to the limits of the service carriage (1), or if it does, it protrudes to a lesser extent than in the active position. In the embodiments of the invention shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the fixed anchors comprise female elements (4) that are located in principle on the sides of the seats (A) adjacent to the aircraft aisle; where said female elements (4) are configured to fit into them the male elements (3, 3, 3) when the movable mechanisms (2, 2, 2) are located in the deployed active position protruding from the limits of the service trolley (1), which will remain in a stable static position while the movable mechanisms (2, 2, 2) are kept in the active position, thus blocking the mobility of said service trolley (1) in the vertical direction. Conversely, when the movable mechanisms (2, 2, 2) are placed in the inactive position, their male elements (3, 3, 3) retract or fold, disengaging from the female elements (4), occupying a space without protruding beyond the limits of the service cart (1), or protruding slightly. In this situation, the service cart (1) can be moved freely along the aircraft aisle. The male elements (3, 3, 3) are retractable elements that are configured to be inserted into the female elements (4) formed by the slotted holes. The male elements (3, 3, 3) are stored inside the service trolley (1) in the inactive position of the movable mechanisms (2, 2, 2), and when the service trolley (1) is placed to serve the passengers, the movable mechanisms (2, 2, 2) are activated, extending their male elements (3, 3, 3), either manually or automatically, thereby inserting the male elements (3, 3, 3) into the female elements (4) to lock and immobilize the service trolley (1). In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 4, each male element (3) has a stem shape, whereas in the embodiment shown in Figure 3, each male element (3) has a U shape comprising two parallel branches (3a) and a crossbar (3b) that is configured to fit into the respective female element (4) to block the mobility of the service cart (1). In contrast, in the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 2, each male element (3) comprises a telescopic structure. On the other hand, the male elements (3, 3), as shown in figures 1, 3 and 4, could be coupled to the service cart (1) by means of articulated connections. The male elements (3, 3, 3) arranged on both opposite sides of the service cart 1 (figures 1, 2, 3 and 4) are installed at a height that coincides with the height of the female elements (4). The movable mechanisms (2, 2, 2") extract and / or insert each male element (3, 3, 3) from the service carriage (1) automatically, either by using a hydraulic / pneumatic system or by using a mechanical system (of those known in the state of the art, such as a rack and pinion mechanism, an articulated quadrilateral mechanism, a connecting rod and crank mechanism) with the help of a small electric motor. Another possibility to what was described in the previous paragraph is that the mobile mechanisms (2, 2, 2") can extract and / or insert the male element (3, 3, 3) of the service cart (1) manually, by means of a mechanical system known in the state of the art (mentioned above, replacing the motor that activates the kinematic chain with the manual action of a person). The female element (4) can be the slotted hole as described above, which can be integrated into a part of the seats (A) located on the sides of the aisle where the service trolley (1) travels. As an alternative to the slotted recess, the female element (4) is at least a recess integrated into a leg (P) that is below the seat (A). The method of use of the anchoring system of the invention would be as follows: Once the cabin crew is ready to sell / offer any product carried by the service cart (1), it is positioned facing the female locking element (4) and the movable mechanism (2, 2, 2") is activated (either manually or automatically), so that the male element (3, 3, 3) is inserted into the female locking element (4), thus preventing the service cart (1) from moving vertically in the event of turbulence or a change in the aircraft's altimetry.
Claims
1. An anchoring system for an aircraft service cart, characterized in that: - it comprises at least one movable mechanism (2, 2', 2'') integrated into the service cart (1) in combination with at least one fixed anchor integrated into a fixed part of the seats (A) adjacent to an aircraft aisle; - the movable mechanism (2, 2', 2'') comprises at least one male element (3, 3', 3''); - the fixed anchor comprises at least one female element (4); wherein the anchoring system is configured such that in an active position of the movable mechanism (2, 2', 2''), its male element (3, 3', 3'') is deployed and inserted within the female element (4), vertically blocking the mobility of the service cart (1); while in an inactive position of the movable mechanism (2, 2', 2''), its male element (3, 3', 3'') is folded, releasing the mobility of the service cart (1). 2.An anchoring system for an aircraft service cart, according to claim 1, characterized in that the service cart (1) includes two opposing movable mechanisms (2, 2', 2'') located on both sides of said service cart (1); wherein the male elements (3, 3', 3'') of the movable mechanisms (2, 2', 2'') are configured to be inserted into female elements (4) selected from among female elements (4) located in the seats (A), and female elements (4) located on legs (P) located below the seats (A).
3. An anchoring system for an aircraft service cart, according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each male element (3) has a stem-like configuration. 4.An anchoring system for an aircraft service cart, according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that each male element (3'') has a U-shape comprising two parallel arms (3a) and a crossbar (3b) configured to engage within the respective female element (4) to lock the mobility of the service cart (1).
5. An anchoring system for an aircraft service cart, according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that each movable mechanism (2') comprises a telescopic structure.
6. An anchoring system for an aircraft service cart, according to any one of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that each male element (3, 3'') of the movable mechanisms (2, 2'') is coupled to the service cart (1) by means of a connection selected from an articulated connection and a telescopic connection.