Waste bin device for aircraft lavatory units

JP2026168530APending Publication Date: 2026-10-16THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2025061649
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-04-03
Publication Date
2026-10-16

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

【0011】 本発明の一実施の形態によれば、フットペダル支持機構と、ペダル前端を除いた残りのフットペダル部分は開閉板およびウェストコンパートメントで隠され、床壁上にはペダル前端が開閉板の前面の下端近傍で前面の外側に露出し位置している。 そのため、航空機用化粧室ユニットの使用者はペダル前端を邪魔に感じず、さほど気にならず、航空機用化粧室ユニットの使用者が化粧室が狭いという印象を受けることを抑制する上で有利となり、狭さを感じさせず化粧室を快適に使用する上で有利となる。 また、フットペダル支持機構は、ペダル前端を開閉板の前面の下端近傍で前面の外側に露出し位置させる構成であるため、フットペダル式ウェストフラップ開閉機構を備えていない既存の航空機用化粧室ユニットの床面積を大きくする必要はなく、同じ床面積でフットペダル式ウェストフラップ開閉機構を備えた航空機用化粧室ユニットを提供することができる。 また、開閉板の前面の前方の床壁上には、床壁の上方の初期位置に位置するペダル前端が位置している構成であり、このペダル前端は、先の出願のように床壁に直接取り付けられておらず、踏み込めるように床壁から離れた上方の箇所に位置している。 そのため、ペダル前端が配置された箇所やその近傍の狭い床壁の箇所を清掃用モップを用いて簡単に短時間で清掃を行なえ、航空機用化粧室ユニットの床壁の清掃作業についての乗務員の負担を軽減する上で有利となり、特に、清掃回数が多くなる国際便における床壁の清掃作業についての乗務員の負担を大幅に軽減する上で有利となる。 また、本発明の一実施の形態によれば、フットペダルの初期位置で、フットペダルの前端側と床壁との間に、清掃用モップにより床壁を清掃できる隙間が確保されている。 そのため、航空機用化粧室ユニットの使用者の目の届く床壁の範囲まで、ペダル前端の下方の床壁箇所からペダル前端側の下方の床壁箇所までをより簡単に短時間で清掃を行なうことが可能となり、航空機用化粧室ユニットの床壁の清掃作業についての乗務員の負担を軽減し、特に、国際便における床壁の清掃作業についての乗務員の負担を大幅に軽減する上でより有利となる。 また、本発明の一実施の形態によれば、フットペダルの長手方向はウェストコンパートメントの奥行方向に沿わせて配置されているので、フットペダルの長手方向が、ウェストコンパートメントの奥行方向に対して交差する方向に配置される場合に比べ、踏み込み部を開閉板の前面に最も近づけて配置でき、手により直接ウェストフラップに触れてごみ投入口を開放させる既存の航空機用化粧室ユニットの床面積を大きくすることなく、フットペダル式ウェストフラップ開閉機構を備えた航空機用化粧室ユニットを得る上で有利となる。 また、本発明の一実施の形態によれば、ペダル後端が側面壁寄りに位置し、ペダル後端側を支点としてフットペダルを揺動可能に支持するフットペダル支持機構を備えている。 そのため、フットペダルの初期位置で、フットペダルのペダル前端側と、床壁との間に、側面壁寄りの箇所まで大きな隙間を確保する上で有利となり、モップによる清掃を簡単に行なう上で有利となる。

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Abstract

To provide a waste bin device for an aircraft lavatory unit that allows for comfortable use of the lavatory without giving the impression of being cramped, and that reduces the burden on crew members by enabling them to quickly and easily clean the lavatory floor and walls. [Solution] The remaining portion of the foot pedal 46, excluding the front end 46A of the pedal, and the foot pedal support mechanism 50 are positioned below the waist compartment 32 so as to be within the contour of the opening / closing plate 40 and the waist compartment 32 when the restroom 20A is viewed from above, and are hidden by the opening / closing plate 40 and the waist compartment 32. The front end 46A of the pedal, which will become the stepping portion 4604, is positioned on the floor wall 2002, exposed on the outside of the front surface 40A near the lower end of the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a trash can device for an aircraft lavatory unit.

Background Art

[0002] The present applicant has already filed an application for a trash can device for an aircraft lavatory unit, which includes a waste compartment disposed above the floor wall of the aircraft lavatory unit, a chute provided at an upper portion of the waste compartment and formed with a trash inlet, a waste flap swingably supported by the chute between a closed position for closing the trash inlet and an open position for opening the trash inlet, and a foot pedal-operated waste flap opening and closing mechanism that swings the waste flap from the closed position to the open position by depressing a foot pedal provided below the waste compartment. According to the trash can device of this prior application, the lid can be opened and closed without touching the lid of the trash can with hands, which is preferable from a hygienic point of view.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] On the other hand, the lavatory inside the aircraft lavatory unit originally has only a minimum necessary space secured from the viewpoint of increasing the number of seats and is narrow. Therefore, various contrivances have been made in the shape and layout of counter tables, toilet bowls, wash basins, and the like, so that users of the aircraft lavatory unit can comfortably use the lavatory without getting the impression that the lavatory is narrow. In the waste bin device described in the previous patent application, a foot pedal support mechanism is mounted on the floor wall of a narrow restroom, and a foot pedal is placed on top of it. As a result, most of the foot pedal support mechanism and foot pedal are exposed on the floor wall of the restroom and within sight, it is highly likely that users of the aircraft restroom unit will find the foot pedal support mechanism and foot pedal to be in the way and bothersome when they enter the restroom. Therefore, users of aircraft lavatory units may get the impression that the lavatory is cramped due to the foot pedal support mechanism on the floor and wall, as well as the foot pedal itself, and some kind of countermeasure was desired.

[0005] Furthermore, during flights, crew members inspect the aircraft's lavatory units and, if the floor and walls are dirty, they clean them using a mop. In the waste bin device described in the previous patent application, the foot pedal and most of the foot pedal support mechanism are located on the floor wall in front of the opening / closing plate, and the foot pedal support mechanism is directly attached to the floor wall. Therefore, when crew members used mops to clean the floor and walls, areas where foot pedal support mechanisms were installed, or nearby areas, could not be cleaned easily or quickly, making cleaning the floor and walls of aircraft lavatory units a troublesome task for crew members. In particular, on international flights, where flight times are long, sometimes 10 or 12 hours, cleaning procedures are required dozens of times, placing a heavy burden on the crew, and some kind of countermeasure was desired.

[0006] The present invention was devised in view of the above circumstances, and the object of the present invention is to provide a trash can device for an aircraft lavatory unit that allows users of the aircraft lavatory unit to use the lavatory comfortably without feeling that the foot pedal support mechanism and foot pedal are in the way or that the lavatory is cramped, and also allows crew members to easily and quickly clean the floor and walls of the lavatory, thereby reducing the burden on the crew. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, one embodiment of the present invention provides a waist compartment provided above the floor wall adjacent to the side wall of an aircraft lavatory unit; an opening / closing plate that closes the front opening of the waist compartment away from the side wall; a chute provided above the waist compartment with a waste inlet formed therein; a waist flap that is pivotably supported on the chute between a closed position that closes the waste inlet and an open position that opens the waste inlet; a foot pedal that is stepped on on the floor wall below the waste inlet; a foot pedal support mechanism that pivotably supports the foot pedal between an initial position and a stepped position; and a mechanism for stepping on the foot pedal from the initial position to the stepped position. A trash can device for an aircraft lavatory unit, comprising a foot pedal type waist flap opening and closing mechanism for swinging the waist flap from the closed position to the open position, wherein the foot pedal has an elongated shape in plan view, with one end of the foot pedal in the longitudinal direction being the front end of the pedal and the other end being the rear end of the pedal, and in plan view, the remaining portion of the foot pedal excluding the front end of the pedal and the foot pedal support mechanism are positioned below the opening and closing plate and the waist compartment so as to be within the contour of the opening and closing plate and the waist compartment, and the front end of the pedal is positioned so as to be steppable in the vicinity of the opening and closing plate, in front of the opening and closing plate, in a direction away from the side wall.

[0008] Furthermore, one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, at the initial position of the foot pedal, a gap is secured between the front end of the foot pedal and the floor wall, allowing the floor wall to be cleaned with a cleaning mop. Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the waist compartment has a depth in a direction that moves away from and toward the side wall, and the foot pedal is arranged with its longitudinal direction aligned with the depth direction. Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the rear end of the pedal is located closer to the side wall, and the foot pedal support mechanism supports the foot pedal so that it can swing with the rear end of the pedal as a pivot point. Furthermore, one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the foot pedal support mechanism is attached to the side wall.

[0009] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the floor pan has a bottom surface that covers the floor wall including the portion below the opening / closing plate and the portion of the west compartment away from the side wall and constitutes the floor surface of the aircraft lavatory unit, and a side surface that rises up from around the bottom surface, wherein the side surface has an upwardly open groove that allows the foot pedal to swing between the initial position and the pressed position, and a gap is secured between the entire length of the foot pedal located on the bottom surface and the bottom surface at the initial position of the foot pedal, allowing the bottom surface to be cleaned with a cleaning mop. Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the foot pedal comprises a pedal body extending from the front end to the rear end of the pedal, and a stepping portion provided at the front end of the pedal body corresponding to the front end of the pedal, wherein the pedal body has a longitudinal direction and a width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the stepping portion is formed by a plurality of rollers rotatably attached to the front end of the pedal body on an axis extending in the width direction of the pedal body and parallel to the floor surface, with a length greater than the width of the pedal body. Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the surface of the opening / closing plate that is separated from the side wall is the front surface, the front surface is parallel to the side wall and has a horizontal width, and the longitudinal direction of the stepping portion is parallel to the width direction of the opening / closing plate.

[0010] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the pedal body is viewed from the side, the pedal body comprises a rear portion of the pedal body that extends linearly parallel to the bottom wall of the waist compartment at a point close to the bottom wall of the waist compartment from the rear end of the pedal to a point closer to the front end of the pedal in the initial position, a bent portion provided at the front end of the rear portion of the pedal body that is bent diagonally downward, and a front portion of the pedal body that extends diagonally upward in a linear direction away from the side wall from the lower end of the bent portion, wherein the stepping portion is provided at the front end of the front portion of the pedal body, and a gap is secured between the stepping portion and the lower end of the front surface of the opening / closing plate away from the side wall to facilitate stepping on the stepping portion. Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the foot pedal support mechanism is characterized in that it comprises a biasing member that constantly biases the foot pedal to the initial position, and the biasing member is composed of a damper, one end of which is pivotably attached to the side wall and the other end of which is pivotably attached to the middle of the foot pedal in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, a stopper is provided at the middle of the longitudinal direction of the foot pedal, which abuts against the floor wall and determines the stepping position, and the stopper is formed of a leg portion extending downward from the middle of the longitudinal direction of the foot pedal, a pedal side plate material having a flat surface provided at the lower end of the leg portion, and a floor surface side plate material provided on the floor wall having a flat surface that can abut against the flat surface of the pedal side plate material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the foot pedal support mechanism and the remaining part of the foot pedal, excluding the front end of the pedal, are hidden by an opening / closing plate and a waist compartment, and the front end of the pedal is positioned on the floor wall, exposed to the outside of the front surface near the lower end of the front surface of the opening / closing plate. Therefore, users of aircraft lavatory units do not find the front of the pedals to be in the way and are not particularly bothered by them. This is advantageous in preventing users from getting the impression that the lavatory is cramped, and is beneficial in making the lavatory more comfortable to use without feeling cramped. Furthermore, since the foot pedal support mechanism is configured to expose the front end of the pedal to the outside of the front surface near the lower end of the front surface of the opening / closing plate, there is no need to increase the floor area of ​​existing aircraft lavatory units that do not have a foot pedal-type waist flap opening / closing mechanism, and it is possible to provide an aircraft lavatory unit equipped with a foot pedal-type waist flap opening / closing mechanism with the same floor area. Furthermore, the front end of the pedal is located on the floor wall in front of the front of the opening / closing plate, in an initial position above the floor wall. Unlike in the previous application, this pedal end is not directly attached to the floor wall, but is positioned above the floor wall so that it can be stepped on. Therefore, the area where the front end of the pedal is located and the narrow floor and wall areas nearby can be easily and quickly cleaned using a cleaning mop, which is advantageous in reducing the burden on crew members when cleaning the floor and wall of aircraft lavatory units, and is particularly advantageous in significantly reducing the burden on crew members when cleaning the floor and wall on international flights, where cleaning is performed frequently. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, at the initial position of the foot pedal, a gap is secured between the front end of the foot pedal and the floor wall, allowing the floor wall to be cleaned with a cleaning mop. Therefore, it becomes possible to clean the floor and walls of the aircraft lavatory unit more easily and quickly, from the area below the front of the pedal to the area below the front of the pedal, within the user's line of sight. This reduces the burden on crew members when cleaning the floor and walls of the aircraft lavatory unit, and is particularly advantageous in significantly reducing the burden on crew members when cleaning the floor and walls on international flights. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, since the longitudinal direction of the foot pedal is aligned with the depth direction of the waist compartment, the foot pedal can be positioned closest to the front of the opening / closing plate compared to the case where the longitudinal direction of the foot pedal is aligned with the depth direction of the waist compartment. This is advantageous in obtaining an aircraft lavatory unit equipped with a foot pedal-type waist flap opening / closing mechanism without increasing the floor area of ​​existing aircraft lavatory units where the waste disposal opening is opened by directly touching the waist flap with the hand. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the rear end of the pedal is located closer to the side wall, and a foot pedal support mechanism is provided that supports the foot pedal so that it can swing with the rear end of the pedal as a pivot point. Therefore, in the initial position of the foot pedal, it is advantageous to secure a large gap between the front end of the foot pedal and the floor wall, extending to the side wall, which is advantageous for easy cleaning with a mop.

[0012] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, when the foot pedal support mechanism is attached to the side wall, the dead space below the foot pedal and near the side wall can be effectively utilized compared to when the foot pedal support mechanism is attached to the floor wall. This increases the degree of freedom in the shape of the components constituting the foot pedal support mechanism and is advantageous in easily securing space for arranging those components. Furthermore, the foot pedal support mechanism can be installed and removed from the restroom side, which is easier than when the foot pedal support mechanism is installed on the floor wall or the bottom wall of the west compartment, making maintenance work easier. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, when the floor pan is placed on a floor wall, at the initial position of the foot pedal, a gap is secured between the entire length of the foot pedal located on the bottom surface and the bottom surface, allowing a cleaning mop to enter and clean the bottom surface with the cleaning mop. Therefore, when crew members inspect the aircraft lavatory unit for dirt during flight, and find that the bottom surface is dirty, there are no obstructions on the bottom surface that would hinder cleaning. This allows for easy, quick, and thorough cleaning of the entire floor surface using a cleaning mop, which is advantageous in reducing the burden on crew members when cleaning the floor and walls of the aircraft lavatory unit. This is especially advantageous for international flights, where flight times are longer, such as 10 or 12 hours, and cleaning is required more frequently, significantly reducing the burden on crew members when cleaning the floor and walls. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the foot-pressing portion is formed by a plurality of rotatable rollers with a length greater than the width of the pedal body. This is advantageous for a user of the aircraft lavatory unit to easily step on the stepping portion with the toe of the foot. Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, since the length direction of the stepping portion is parallel to the width direction of the front face of the opening / closing plate, the stepping portion can be arranged closest to the front face of the opening / closing plate, which is advantageous for obtaining an aircraft lavatory unit provided with a foot pedal type waste flap opening / closing mechanism without increasing the floor area of the existing aircraft lavatory unit in which the waste input port is opened by directly touching the waste flap by hand. Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the pedal body is viewed from a side, at the initial position, the pedal body includes a pedal body rear portion that extends linearly parallel to the bottom wall at a position close to the bottom wall of the waste compartment from the pedal rear end to a portion closer to the pedal front end, which is advantageous for effectively utilizing the dead space under the waste compartment, for example, the arrangement space for the gas damper and the stopper can be easily secured under the pedal. Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the pedal body is viewed from a side, at the initial position, the pedal body is provided with a bent portion bent obliquely downward from the front end of the rear portion of the pedal body, which is advantageous for securing a gap between the stepping portion and the lower end of the front face of the opening / closing plate while securing the stroke between the initial position and the stepping position of the foot pedal, and is advantageous for smoothly performing the stepping of the stepping portion. Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, since the biasing member that constantly biases the foot pedal to the initial position is constituted by a damper, it is advantageous for giving an appropriate resistance when the user of the aircraft lavatory unit steps on the stepping portion. Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, at the stepping position of the foot pedal, the flat surface of the pedal-side plate member of the stopper provided at the intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the foot pedal abuts against the flat surface of the floor-surface-side plate member provided on the floor wall, so that the stepping position of the foot pedal can be reliably determined without causing stress concentration, which is advantageous for enhancing the durability of the foot pedal support mechanism. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013] [Figure 1]This is a perspective view of the aircraft lavatory unit in a state where one of the pair of side walls, the door for opening and closing the entrance, and the opening / closing plate are removed, and the waste container is accommodated in the waste compartment. [Figure 2] This is a plan view of the aircraft lavatory unit cut at a position above the counter table. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the opening / closing plate portion in a state where the front opening of the waste compartment is closed. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the waste compartment, chute, waste flap, floor pan, foot pedal, and stepping portion with the counter table and the opening / closing plate removed. [Figure 5] This is a side view of the foot pedal support mechanism, transmission mechanism, and waste flap opening / closing mechanism portion in a state where the foot pedal is located at the initial position. [Figure 6] This is an enlarged side view of the foot pedal support mechanism portion in a state where the foot pedal is located at the initial position. [Figure 7] This is a side view of the foot pedal support mechanism, transmission mechanism, and waste flap opening / closing mechanism portion in a state where the foot pedal is located at the depressed position. [Figure 8] This is an enlarged side view of the foot pedal support mechanism portion in a state where the foot pedal is located at the depressed position. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of the foot pedal support mechanism as viewed from the front. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view of the foot pedal support mechanism as viewed from the rear. [Figure 11] (A) is a cross-sectional view of the stepping portion, (B) is a cross-sectional view of the support portion of the foot pedal, (C) is a cross-sectional view of the mounting portion of the cylinder of the gas damper to the first side wall, and (D) is a cross-sectional view of the mounting portion of the piston rod of the gas damper to the foot pedal. [Figure 12] This is an explanatory view of the connection plate constituting the transmission mechanism, where (A) is a side view and (B) is a front view. [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0014] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the frame 2001 of the aircraft lavatory unit 20 comprises a floor wall 2002, first side walls 2004 and second side walls 2005 rising from both sides of the floor wall 2002, a rear wall 2006 and a front wall 2008 rising from the front and rear of the floor wall 2002, and a ceiling wall 2010 facing the floor wall 2002, with the interior of these comprising the lavatory 20A. An entrance / exit 2012 is provided in the front wall 2008, which is opened and closed by a door (not shown), the first side wall 2004 is located on the opposite side of the entrance / exit 2012, and the second side wall 2005 is located on the side of the entrance / exit 2012. The toilet bowl 2014 is positioned in front of the rear wall 2006, and the counter table 2016 is provided along the first side wall 2004, extending from the rear wall 2006 to the front wall 2008, with a mirror 2018 positioned above the counter table 2016. The washbasin 2020 is installed near the counter table 2016, which is close to the front wall 2008. The washbasin 2020 consists of a hand-washing bowl 2022 and a faucet 2024.

[0015] A floor pan 24 is placed on the floor wall 2002. The floor pan 24 has a bottom portion 2402 that covers the floor wall 2002, including the lower part of the west compartment 32 described later, and constitutes the floor surface 20B of the restroom 20A, and side portions 2404 that rise up from around the bottom portion 2402. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the side portion 2404 located below the waist compartment 32 has an upwardly open groove 2406 that allows the pair of plate members 4606 that constitute the foot pedal 46 (described later) to swing between the initial position and the pressed-down position. Furthermore, the present invention is of course applicable even when the floor pan 24 is not used. When the floor pan 24 is used, the floor surface 20B of the aircraft lavatory unit 20 is composed of the bottom surface 2402 of the floor pan 24 where the floor pan 24 is placed, and when the floor pan 24 is not used, the floor surface 20B is composed of the upper surface of the floor wall 2002.

[0016] As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the waste bin device 30 of the aircraft lavatory unit 20 includes a waist compartment 32, a waist container 34, a chute 36, a waist flap 38, an opening / closing plate 40 as shown in Figure 6, a pressure plate 42 provided on the opening / closing plate 40, and a fire extinguisher (not shown). The waist compartment 32, waist container 34, chute 36, waist flap 38, and pressure plate 42 are made of fire-resistant materials, such as metal materials represented by aluminum or flame-retardant resins.

[0017] As shown in Figure 4, the west compartment 32 has an internal space that communicates with the inside of the chute 36 and accommodates the west container 34. This internal space is formed by a compartment bottom wall 3202, a compartment rear wall 3204 that rises from the end of the compartment bottom wall 3202 near the first side wall 2004, a compartment upper wall 3206 that faces the compartment bottom wall 3202 below the handwashing bowl 2022, and compartment side walls 3208 on both sides that connect the edges of the compartment bottom wall 3202, the compartment rear wall 3204, and the compartment upper wall 3206. In the aircraft lavatory unit 20, a dead space is provided between the compartment side wall 3208 located near the front wall 2008 and the front wall 2008. In this embodiment, this dead space is utilized, and a connecting plate 60, which constitutes the transmission mechanism 52 of the foot pedal type waist flap opening and closing mechanism 48 (described later), is placed in this gap.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 4, a front opening 3210 for loading and unloading the waste container 34 is provided on the lavatory 20A side of the west compartment 32, in other words, on the front of the west compartment 32 away from the first side wall 2004. The front opening 3210 is closed by a pressure plate 42, shown in Figure 6, which is provided on the back of the opening / closing plate 40. Furthermore, the side of the opening / closing plate 40 opposite to the back side where the pressure plate 42 is provided, that is, the side that is away from the first side wall 2004, is the front side 40A. As shown in Figure 3, the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40 is parallel to the first side wall 2004 and has a horizontal width W1. The opening / closing plate 40 is pivotably attached to or detachably mounted below the counter table 2016, and the opening / closing plate 40 is provided with a waist flap exposure opening 4002 that exposes the waist flap 38. As shown in Figure 6, in the position where the opening / closing plate 40 is used and the front opening 3210 is closed with the pressure plate 42, the waist compartment 32 is covered and hidden by the counter table 2016 and the opening / closing plate 40, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0019] As shown in Figure 6, multiple bosses 3212 provided on the rear wall 3204 of the compartment are attached to the first side wall 2004 via screws. Also, as shown in Figure 4, multiple locations on the compartment side wall 3208 located on the front wall 2008 side are attached with screws with spacers (not shown) interposed between them and the front wall 2008, and are positioned above the floor wall 2002. As shown in Figure 4, the west compartment 32 has a depth D1 in the direction of moving away from and towards the first side wall 2004. With the west compartment 32 positioned in this manner, the compartment bottom wall 3202 is located at a distance above the bottom surface 2402 of the floor pan 24, and the front opening 3210 faces into the restroom 20A.

[0020] As shown in Figure 4, the chute 36 is erected on the upper wall 3206 of the compartment. The chute 36 has a chute front wall 3602 located on the side of the opening / closing plate 40, chute side walls 3604 on both sides, a chute rear wall 3606 located near the first side wall 2004, and a chute top wall 3608. A waste inlet 3610 is provided in the chute front wall 3602, and the chute front wall 3602 has a rectangular frame shape around the waste inlet 3610. The interior space of the chute 36 is connected to the interior space of the west compartment 32 through an opening (not shown) provided in the upper wall 3206 of the compartment. Fire extinguishers (not shown) are installed on the chute 36 or the upper wall 3206 of the compartment. The fire extinguishers spray extinguishing agent from their nozzles into the waste container 34 stored in the waste compartment 32 when the temperature is above a set temperature.

[0021] The waist flap 38 opens and closes the waste disposal opening 3610. As shown in Figure 4, the waist flap 38 comprises a rectangular frame-shaped base portion 3802 and a bulging portion 3804 that bulges out in the center of the base portion 3802 and is inserted into the waste inlet 3610 of the chute front wall 3602. As shown in Figure 5, the upper end of the base plate portion 3802 and the chute upper wall 3608 are connected by a hinge (not shown), and as shown in Figure 4, the rectangular frame-shaped base plate portion 3802 abuts against the rectangular frame-shaped chute front wall 3602, and the bulging portion 3804 protrudes from the waste inlet 3610 of the chute front wall 3602 and the opening 4002 for exposing the waist flap of the opening / closing plate 40, closing the waste inlet 3610, and as shown in Figure 7, the waist flap 38 moves inside the chute 36, opening the waste inlet 3610, and the base plate portion 3802 is pivotable around the pivot shaft 3806 of the hinge between a closed position and an open position where the waist flap 38 moves inside the chute 36, opening the waste inlet 3610. The hinge is equipped with a torsion spring (not shown) that constantly biases it to the closed position, which closes the waste inlet 3610. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, an engagement pin 3808 is provided at the location of the substrate portion 3802 on the front wall 2008 side.

[0022] As shown in Figure 5, the chute 36 is provided with a waist flap opening / closing mechanism 44 that swings the waist flap 38 from a closed position to an open position. The waist flap opening and closing mechanism 44 includes a shaft 4402 rotatably supported on the chute side wall 3604 on the front wall 2008 side via a flange (not shown), a waist flap opening arm 4404 provided inside the chute 36 so as to be rotatable integrally with the shaft 4402, and a first arm 4406 provided outside the chute 36 so as to be rotatable integrally with the shaft 4402.

[0023] The engaging portion 4404A of the waist flap release arm 4404 engages with the engaging pin 3808 of the waist flap 38, which is in the closed position, along the direction in which the waist flap 38 moves from the closed position to the open position. In Figure 5, the first arm 4406 and the waist flap release arm 4404 swing counterclockwise around the axis 4402, causing the waist flap 38 to swing from the closed position to the open position. Furthermore, if the user of the aircraft lavatory unit 20 does not press the foot pedal 46 but instead pushes the bulging portion 3804 with their hand, the waist flap 38 is detached from the waist flap opening / closing mechanism 44, and the waist flap 38 swings from the closed position to the open position, allowing waste to be disposed of from the waste inlet 3610 without pressing the foot pedal 46.

[0024] In the closed position of the waist flap 38 shown in Figures 3 and 4, and in the usage position of the opening / closing plate 40 shown in Figures 3 and 6, the front opening 3210 of the waist compartment 32 is closed by the pressure plate 42 provided on the opening / closing plate 40. When the waste inlet 3610 is closed by the waist flap 38 in this state, a fire containment space that satisfies the Fire Containment requirement of FAR (Federal Aviation Regulations) 25.853 is formed from the chute 36 to the waist compartment 32, preventing the fire from spreading outside the waste bin device 30 when the waste placed in the waste inlet 3610 catches fire.

[0025] Next, with reference to Figure 5, a foot pedal-operated waist flap opening and closing mechanism 48, which swings the waist flap 38 from the closed position to the open position by pressing the foot pedal 46, will be described. The foot pedal-operated waist flap opening and closing mechanism 48 comprises a waist flap opening and closing mechanism 44, a foot pedal support mechanism 50 that pivotably supports the foot pedal 46, and a transmission mechanism 52 that transmits the movement of the foot pedal 46 to the waist flap opening and closing mechanism 44. The foot pedal support mechanism 50 includes a foot pedal 46, a pedal support portion 54 attached to the first side wall 2004 that pivotably supports the foot pedal 46, and a biasing member 56. The foot pedal support mechanism 50, except for the front end 46A of the pedal, is located in the space between the compartment bottom wall 3202 and the floor wall 2002, below the bottom wall 3202.

[0026] As is clear from Figure 9, the foot pedal 46 has an elongated shape in plan view, with one end in the longitudinal direction being the front end 46A of the pedal and the other end in the longitudinal direction being the rear end 46B of the pedal. When the foot pedal 46 is viewed from above, its longitudinal direction extends in the direction of the depth D1 of the waste container 34 shown in Figure 4. As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 6, the front end 46A of the pedal is positioned in front of the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40, in the direction away from the first side wall 2004, when the front opening 3210 of the waste container 34 is closed by the pressure plate 42, and can be stepped on in the vicinity of the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40, while the rear end 46B of the pedal is positioned closer to the first side wall 2004.

[0027] The foot pedal 46 is supported by the pedal support portion 54 so as to be able to swing between an initial position shown in Figures 5 and 6, in which the front end 46A of the pedal can be pressed down above the floor surface 20B, and a pressed-down position shown in Figures 7 and 8, in which the front end 46A of the pedal is pressed down and approaches the floor surface 20B. As shown in Figure 6, the foot pedal 46 comprises a pedal body 4602 extending from the front end 46A to the rear end 46B of the pedal, and a foot-pressing portion 4604 provided at the front end of the pedal body 4602 corresponding to the front end 46A of the pedal.

[0028] As shown in Figure 9, the pedal body 4602 is composed of a pair of narrow steel plates 4606 that extend parallel to each other and face each other from the front end 46A of the pedal to the rear end 46B of the pedal. The pedal body 4602 has a uniform width W2, which is the dimension between a pair of plate materials 4606. Since the pedal body 4602 is composed of a pair of narrow plates 4606 that extend opposite each other, the weight of the pedal body 4602 can be reduced, which is advantageous in reducing the weight of the aircraft lavatory unit 20. As shown in Figure 6, when the pedal body 4602 is viewed from the side, the pedal body 4602 comprises a rear pedal body portion 4602A, a bent portion 4602B, a front pedal body portion 4602C, a stopper 4610, and a foot-pressing portion 4604. The rear end 46B of the pedal is located near the compartment bottom wall 3202 and the first side wall 2004, and the rear part 4602A of the pedal body extends in a straight line parallel to the compartment bottom wall 3202 and the floor wall 2002, from the rear end 46B of the pedal to the front end 46A of the pedal, as it approaches the compartment bottom wall 3202. By positioning the rear part 4602A of the pedal body close to the bottom wall 3202 of the compartment in this manner, it is advantageous to secure space below the rear part 4602A of the pedal body for arranging components that make up the foot pedal support mechanism 50, such as the gas damper 5602 and the stopper 4610.

[0029] The bent portion 4602B is located at the front end of the rear portion 4602A of the pedal body and is bent diagonally downward. The front part 4602C of the pedal body extends linearly from the lower end of the bent part 4602B away from the first side wall 2004, and the foot-pressing part 4604 is provided at the front end of the front part 4602C of the pedal body. The stopper 4610 is located at the rear of the pedal body 4602A, which is below the middle of the waste container 34 in the depth direction D1. By providing the bent portion 4602B, the foot-operated portion 4604 is separated from the lower end of the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40 in the initial position, and the foot-operated portion 4604 can be easily stepped on in front of the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40.

[0030] As shown in Figures 6, 9, and 11(A), a steel shaft 5002 is provided that penetrates a pair of plate materials 4606 that constitute the front end of the front part 4602C of the pedal body from a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the foot pedal 46 and extends in a direction parallel to the floor surface 20B in the width W2 direction of the pedal body 4602. More specifically, a collar 5004 is attached along the entire length of the shaft 5002, and a pair of plate materials 4606 and a plurality of rollers 5006 are individually rotatably attached to the collar 5004 between a retainer 5008 attached to the tip of the shaft 5002 and the head of the shaft 5002.

[0031] As a result, multiple rollers 5006 form a foot-pressing section 4604 with a length L1 that is larger than the width W2 of the pedal body 4602. Therefore, the length L1 direction of the foot-operated portion 4604 is parallel to the width W1 direction of the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40 and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the foot pedal 46. The shaft 5002 and roller 5006 are made of steel, and the collar 5006 is made of synthetic resin with a lower coefficient of friction than the roller 5006. With the roller 5006 supported by the shaft 5002, the outer diameter of the roller 5006 is positioned above the upper end of the plate material 4606, making it easier to step on the footpeg portion 4604. Therefore, the foot-pressing portion 4604 is composed of a plurality of rollers 5006 that are rotatably attached to the front end of the pedal body 4602 on an axis 5002 that extends in the direction of the width W1 of the pedal body 4602 and in a direction parallel to the floor surface 20B.

[0032] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the pedal support section 54 comprises a pair of pedal support members 5402 attached to the first side wall 2004, and pivotably supports the rear end of the pedal body 4602, that is, the rear end of the rear part 4602A of the pedal body, via a steel support shaft 5406 between a pair of opposing support pieces 5404 of the pedal support members 5402. More specifically, as shown in Figure 11(B), a pair of ring-shaped metal plates 5408, each incorporating a ball bearing, are attached to the inner surfaces of a pair of opposing support pieces 5404. The support shaft 5406 is inserted through ball bearings incorporated into a pair of support pieces 5404 and a pair of metal plates 5408. A pair of plate materials 4606 that constitute a pair of pedal bodies 4602 are rotatably supported on a pivot shaft 5406. A first collar 5412, which has a low coefficient of friction with respect to the plate material 4606, is provided between the plate material 4606 and the metal plate 5408. A second collar 5414 is provided between the rear ends of the pair of pedal bodies 4602 on the support shaft 5406 to maintain the dimensions between the pair of plate materials 4606 and to increase the rigidity of the rear ends of the pedal bodies 4602. Furthermore, the second color 5414 is also made of a material with a low coefficient of friction with respect to the plate material 4606.

[0033] The biasing member 56 constantly biases the foot pedal 46 to its initial position. Conventional known members such as compression springs, torsion recoil springs, gas dampers, and oil dampers can be used as the biasing member 56. However, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 6 and 9, a damper 5602 consisting of a gas damper or an oil damper is used to generate appropriate resistance when the foot pedal 46 is pressed down. The damper 5602 is pivotably mounted at one end to the first side wall 2004 and at the other end to the middle of the pedal body 4602 in the longitudinal direction. The damper 5602 comprises a gas-filled cylinder body 5604 and a piston rod 5606 that is provided to protrude from and retract into the cylinder body 5604, and commercially available dampers can be used. As shown in Figure 9, a mounting bracket 5608A is provided at the base end of the cylinder body 5604, and a mounting bracket 5608B is provided at the tip of the piston rod 5606. As shown in Figures 9 and 11(C), the base end of the cylinder body 5604 is pivotably supported via a mounting fixture 5608A and a support shaft 5612 by a support piece 5614 of a damper support member 5610 attached to the first side wall 2004 below the pedal support member 5402. In detail, a support shaft 5612 is inserted through the support piece 5614 of the damper support member 5610 and the mounting fixture 5608A, and the base end of the cylinder body 5604 is pivotably supported on the support piece 5614 via the support shaft 5612 between the head of the support shaft 5612, a washer 5616 with a low coefficient of friction, and a stop ring 5618. The pedal support member 5402 and the damper support member 5610 are attached to the first side wall 2004 from the restroom 20A side by screws, and are designed to be easily attached and detached during maintenance.

[0034] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 9 and 11(D), the tip of the piston rod 5606 is pivotably connected via a mounting bracket 5608B and a shaft 5620 to the pair of plate members 4606 that make up the pedal body 4602 near the bent portion 4602B. Specifically, the third collar 5622 with a low coefficient of friction, the lower end mounting portion 6002 of the connecting plate 60 that connects to the waist flap opening and closing mechanism 44 described later, the fourth collar 5624 with a low coefficient of friction, one of the plate materials 4606 that make up the pedal body 4602, the fifth collar 5626, the attachment 5608B at the tip of the piston rod 5606, the sixth collar 5628, the other plate material 4606 that makes up the pedal body 4602, and the seventh collar 5630 with a low coefficient of friction are arranged in that order, and the shaft 5620 is inserted through them, and the tip of the piston rod 5606 is pivotably connected to the part of the pedal body 4602 closer to the bent portion 4602B by the head of the shaft and the stop ring 5632 attached to the tip of the shaft.

[0035] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, a collar 4612 is provided in the middle of the longitudinal direction of the pedal body 4602, spanning between a pair of plate members 4606. A shaft 4614 is inserted through the collar 4612 and the pair of plate members 4606, and the pair of plate members 4606 are connected by a nut (not shown) screwed onto the exposed tip of the shaft 4614 and the head of the shaft 4614, thereby ensuring the rigidity of the middle of the longitudinal direction of the pedal body 4602 and reinforcing the pedal body 4602.

[0036] The stopper 4610 contacts the floor wall 2002 of the floor pan 24 and determines the stepping position. The stopper 4610 is formed from a pair of legs 4616 extending downward from the longitudinal middle portion of a pair of plate materials 4606 that constitute the pedal body 4602, and a pedal side plate material 4618 made of a steel plate provided at the lower end of the pair of legs 4616 and capable of contacting the floor wall 2002 when stepped on. A floor side plate 4620 is provided on the floor wall 2002 directly below the stopper 4610, which is made of a steel plate having a flat surface 4620A that can abut against the flat surface 4618A of the pedal side plate 4618 of the stopper 4610, and at the stepping position, the flat surface 4618A of the stopper 4610 and the flat surface 4620A of the floor side plate 4620 come into contact. When the two planes 4618A and 4620A come into contact, further pressing of the foot-operated portion 4604 becomes impossible, and the foot-operated position is determined.

[0037] As shown in Figure 5, the transmission mechanism 52 that transmits the movement of the foot pedal 46 to the waist flap opening and closing mechanism 44 is configured to include a steel connecting plate 60. The connecting plate 60 connects the middle section of the pedal body 4602 in the longitudinal direction to the first arm 4406. More specifically, as shown in Figures 9 and 12, the connecting plate 60 comprises a lower end mounting portion 6002 connected to the pedal body 4602, a lower plate portion 6004 extending horizontally below the compartment bottom wall 3202 via a bend from the lower end mounting portion 6002, and a plate body 6008 extending upward from the lower plate portion 6004 via a bend between the compartment side wall 3208 and the front wall 2008, passing through a guide 6006 shown in Figure 4 provided on the compartment side wall 3208, and reaching the side of the chute side wall 3604. The upper end of the plate body 6008 is pivotably attached to the tip of the first arm 4406 via a pin 6010.

[0038] As a result, a foot pedal-operated waist flap opening / closing mechanism 48 is configured such that, at the initial position of the foot pedal 46, the waist flap 38 is in a closed position that closes the waste inlet 3610 shown in Figure 1, as shown in Figure 5, and at the position where the foot pedal 46 is pressed, the waist flap 38 is in a closed position that opens the waste inlet 3610, as shown in Figure 7. In this embodiment using the floor pan 24, as shown in Figure 6, at the initial position of the foot pedal 46, a gap S1 of, for example, 4 cm to 6 cm is secured between the entire length of the foot pedal 46, which is located on the bottom surface 2402 of the floor pan 24, and the bottom surface 2402, allowing a cleaning mop to enter and clean the bottom surface 2402 with the cleaning mop. Furthermore, if the floor pan 24 is not used, the stopper 4610 is located lower down in the middle of the waste container 34 in the depth direction D1, so a cleaning mop can reach the middle of the waste container 34 in the depth direction D1 between the foot pedal 46 and the floor wall 2002, and the floor wall 2002 can be cleaned with the cleaning mop, thus ensuring a gap S1. In this invention, the term "cleaning mop" is not limited to a mop, but includes various conventionally known cleaning tools for cleaning floors, such as floor wipers.

[0039] According to the trash can device 30 of this embodiment, as is clear from Figures 5 and 6, when the restroom 20A is viewed from above, the remaining portion of the foot pedal 46, excluding the front end 46A of the pedal, and the foot pedal support mechanism 50 are positioned below the waist compartment 32 so as to be located within the contours of the opening / closing plate 40 and the waist compartment 32. Therefore, the remaining portion of the foot pedal 46, excluding the front end 46A, and the foot pedal support mechanism 50 are hidden by the opening / closing plate 40 and the waist compartment 32. More specifically, as is clear from Figure 3, the remaining portion of the foot pedal 46, excluding the front end 46A, and the foot pedal support mechanism 50 are covered and hidden by the counter table 2016 and the opening / closing plate 40. Therefore, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the front end 46A of the pedal, which will be the stepping portion 4604, is located on the bottom surface 2402 of the floor pan 24, exposed to the outside of the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40, near the lower end of the front surface 40A. Therefore, users of the aircraft lavatory unit 20 are unlikely to find the front end of the pedal 46A to be in the way and will not be particularly bothered by it. Therefore, the aircraft restroom unit 20 of this embodiment is advantageous in preventing the user from getting the impression that the restroom 20A is cramped, as can be seen with the trash can device of the earlier application, by using the foot pedal 46 and the foot pedal support mechanism 50, and is advantageous in allowing the user to comfortably use the restroom 20A without feeling cramped. Furthermore, since the front end 46A of the pedal is positioned exposed to the outside of the front surface 40A near the lower end of the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40, there is no need to increase the floor area of ​​existing aircraft lavatory units 20 that do not have a foot pedal type waist flap opening / closing mechanism 48, and an aircraft lavatory unit 20 equipped with a foot pedal type waist flap opening / closing mechanism 48 can be provided with the same floor area. Therefore, an aircraft lavatory unit 20 equipped with a foot pedal-operated waist flap opening and closing mechanism 48 can be installed inside the aircraft without narrowing the aisle width of the longitudinal or transverse aisles inside the aircraft, and without reducing the number of rows of seats arranged in the direction of extension of the longitudinal aisle. Furthermore, even in the case of an aircraft lavatory unit 20 that does not use a floor pan 24, the front end 46A of the pedal is positioned on the floor wall 2002, exposed to the outside of the front surface 40A near the lower end of the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40, thus achieving a similar effect.

[0040] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the remaining portion of the foot pedal 46, excluding the front end 46A, and the foot pedal support mechanism 50 are hidden by the opening / closing plate 40 and the waist compartment 32, and the front end 46A of the pedal is located on the bottom surface 2402 of the floor pan 24 in front of the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40, at an initial position above the bottom surface 2402. Furthermore, the front end 46A of the pedal, which is in its initial position, is not directly attached to the floor wall 2002 as in the previous application, but is located above the bottom surface 2402 so that it can be stepped on. Therefore, the area where the front end 46A of the pedal is located and the surrounding area of ​​the bottom surface 2402 can be easily and quickly cleaned using a cleaning mop, which is advantageous in reducing the burden on crew members when cleaning the bottom surface 2402 of the aircraft lavatory unit 20, and is particularly advantageous in significantly reducing the burden on crew members when cleaning the bottom surface 2402 on international flights where cleaning is performed frequently. Furthermore, even in the case of an aircraft lavatory unit 20 that does not use a floor pan 24, the front end 46A of the pedal is positioned above the floor wall 2002, exposed on the outside of the front surface 40A near the lower end of the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40, thus achieving the same effect as described above.

[0041] Furthermore, according to the trash can device 30 of this embodiment, at the initial position of the foot pedal 46, as shown in Figure 6, a gap S1 is secured between the front end 46A of the foot pedal 46 and the bottom surface 2402 of the floor pan 24, allowing the bottom surface 2402 of the floor pan 24 to be cleaned with a cleaning mop. Therefore, it becomes possible to clean the bottom surface 2402 of the floor pan 24 more easily and quickly using a cleaning mop up to the middle of the depth D1 direction of the waist compartment 32 where the stopper 4610 is located. In other words, since the floor surface 20B below the opening / closing plate 40, which is within the user's line of sight of the aircraft lavatory unit 20, can be cleaned more easily and quickly using a cleaning mop, the burden on crew members regarding cleaning the floor surface 20B of the aircraft lavatory unit 20 is reduced, and this is particularly advantageous in significantly reducing the burden on crew members regarding cleaning the floor surface 20B on international flights. Similarly, in the case of an aircraft lavatory unit 20 that does not use a floor pan 24, the same effect is achieved if a gap S1 is secured between the front end 46A of the foot pedal 46 and the floor wall 2002, allowing the floor wall 2002 of the floor pan 24 to be cleaned with a cleaning mop.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, the longitudinal direction of the foot pedal 46 is aligned with the depth D1 direction of the waist compartment 32, so the length L1 direction of the foot-operated portion 4604 shown in Figure 9 extends parallel to the front surface of the waist compartment 32 and the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40. Therefore, compared to the case where the longitudinal direction of the foot pedal 46 is arranged in a direction intersecting the depth D1 direction of the waist compartment 32, the stepping portion 4604 can be positioned closest to the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40 in a plan view, which is advantageous in obtaining an aircraft lavatory unit 20 equipped with a foot pedal type waist flap opening / closing mechanism 48 without increasing the floor area of ​​the existing aircraft lavatory unit 20, which allows the waste disposal opening to be opened by directly touching the waist flap 38 with the hand.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, the rear end 46B of the pedal is located closer to the first side wall 2004, and a foot pedal support mechanism 50 is provided that pivotably supports the foot pedal 46 with the rear end 46B of the pedal as the pivot point. Therefore, in the initial position of the foot pedal 46, it is advantageous to secure a large gap between the front end 46A of the foot pedal 46 and the bottom surface 2402, extending to the area near the first side wall 2004, which is advantageous for easy cleaning with a cleaning mop. Furthermore, even in the case of an aircraft lavatory unit 20 that does not use a floor pan 24, it is advantageous to secure a large gap between the front end 46A of the foot pedal 46 and the floor wall 2002, extending to the area closer to the first side wall 2004, similar to the above.

[0044] Alternatively, the foot pedal support mechanism 50 could be attached to the floor wall 2002, but as in this embodiment, attaching the foot pedal support mechanism 50 to the first side wall 2004 allows for effective use of the dead space below the foot pedal 46 near the first side wall 2004. This allows for greater flexibility in the shape of the foot pedal 46, and also makes it easier to secure space for the damper 5602 and stopper 4610. This increases the flexibility in the shape of the components constituting the foot pedal support mechanism 50 and is advantageous in easily securing space for these components. Furthermore, the foot pedal support mechanism 50 can be installed and removed from the restroom 20A side, which is easier than when the foot pedal support mechanism 50 is installed on the floor wall 2002 or the compartment bottom wall 3202, making maintenance work easier.

[0045] Furthermore, in the initial position of the foot pedal 46, a gap S1 is secured between the entire length of the foot pedal 46 located on the bottom surface 2402 and the bottom surface 2402, allowing a cleaning mop to enter and clean the bottom surface 2402 with the cleaning mop. Therefore, when the crew inspects the aircraft lavatory unit 20 for dirt during flight and finds that the bottom surface 2402 is dirty, there are no components that would get in the way of cleaning, such as the foot pedal and foot pedal support mechanism, as in the aforementioned trash can device. This makes it possible to easily and quickly clean the entire bottom surface 2402 using a cleaning mop, which is advantageous in reducing the burden on the crew when cleaning the bottom surface 2402 of the aircraft lavatory unit 20. In particular, for international flights, where flight times are longer (10 or 12 hours) and cleaning is required more frequently, this is especially advantageous in significantly reducing the burden on crew members regarding cleaning the underside 2402.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 9, the foot-operated portion 4604 is formed by a plurality of rollers 5006 that are rotatably attached to the front end of the pedal body 4602 on an axis 5002 that extends in the direction of the width W2 of the pedal body 4602 and in a direction parallel to the floor surface 20B, with a length L1 that is larger than the width W2 of the pedal body 4602. Therefore, it is advantageous for the user of the aircraft lavatory unit 20 to easily step on the footrest 4604 with their toes. In particular, in this embodiment, since the three rollers 5006 are individually rotatable and supported on the shaft 5002, it is advantageous for smoothly stepping on the stepping portion 4604 not only when stepping on it with the toes from a direction perpendicular to the length L1 direction of the stepping portion 4604, but also when stepping on it with the toes from a direction intersecting the length L1 direction of the stepping portion 4604.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the length L1 direction of the foot-operated portion 4604 is parallel to the width W1 direction of the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40 as shown in Figure 3. Therefore, compared to the case where the length L1 direction of the foot-operated portion 4604 intersects the width W1 direction of the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40 in a plan view, the foot-operated portion 4604 can be positioned closest to the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40. This is advantageous for providing a foot-pedal type waist flap opening / closing mechanism 48 without increasing the floor area of ​​the existing aircraft lavatory unit 20, which allows the waste input opening to be opened by directly touching the waist flap 38 with the hand.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, when the pedal body 4602 is viewed from the side, in the initial position the pedal body 4602 has a rear portion 4602A that extends linearly parallel to the compartment bottom wall 3202 and the floor surface 20B, from the rear end 46B of the pedal to a point closer to the front end 46A of the pedal. This makes it easy to secure space for the damper 5602 and stopper 4610 below the pedal body 4602, which is advantageous for effectively utilizing the dead space below the waist compartment 32. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the pedal body 4602 is viewed from the side, in the initial position the pedal body 4602 has a bent portion 4602B that is bent diagonally downward from the front end of the rear part 4602A of the pedal body. This is advantageous in securing a stroke between the initial position and the pressed position of the foot pedal 46, while also securing a gap between the pressed portion 4604 and the lower end of the front surface 40A of the opening / closing plate 40, and is advantageous in smoothly pressing the pressed portion 4604.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 9, the foot pedal support mechanism 50 is composed of a damper 5602, one end of which is pivotably attached to the first side wall 2004 and the other end of which is pivotably attached to the middle of the foot pedal 46 in the longitudinal direction. This is advantageous in providing appropriate resistance when a user of the aircraft lavatory unit 20 steps on the foot pedal 4604.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 9, when the foot pedal 46 is pressed down, the flat surface 4618A of the pedal side plate material 4618 of the stopper 4610 provided in the middle of the longitudinal direction of the foot pedal 46 comes into contact with the flat surface 4620A of the floor surface side plate material 4620 provided on the floor wall 2002. This ensures that the pressed-down position of the foot pedal 46 is reliably determined without stress concentration, which is advantageous in increasing the durability of the foot pedal support mechanism 50. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0051] 20 Aircraft lavatory units 20A Restroom 20B Floor of the restroom 2001 skeleton 2002 Floor and Wall 2004 1st side wall 2006 back wall 2008 front wall 2010 Ceiling and Wall 2012 entrance / exit 2014 Toilet 2016 Counter Table 2018 mirror 2020 Bathroom sink 2022 Handwashing Bowl 2024 Faucet 24 floor pans 2402 Bottom part 2404 Side part 2406 Groove 30 Trash can device 32 West Compartments 3202 Compartment bottom wall 3204 Compartment rear wall 3206 Compartment Upper Wall 3208 Compartment side wall 3210 Front opening 3212 Boss Section 34 Waste Containers 36 shots 3602 Chute Front Wall 3604 Chute side wall 3606 Chute back wall 3608 Shoot Upper Wall 3610 Waste Inlet 38 Waist flap 3802 Circuit board section 3804 Bulge 3806 Hinge pivot 3808 Engaging pin 40 Opening / Closing Plate 4002 Waist flap exposure opening 40A Front of the opening / closing panel 42 Pressure Plate 44. Waist flap opening and closing mechanism 4402 axis 4404 Waist flap release arm 4404A Engagement part of the arm for opening the waist flap 4406 First Arm 46 Foot pedals 46A Front end of pedal 46B Rear end of pedal 4602 Pedal body 4602A Rear of the pedal body 4602B Bent part 4602C Front of pedal body 4604 Stepping part 4606 Board material 4610 Stopper 4612 Color 4614 axis 4616 Legs 4618 Pedal side panel material 4618A Flat surface of pedal side panel material 4620 Floor side plate material 4620A Flat surface of the floor side panel 48 Foot pedal operated waist flap opening and closing mechanism 50 Foot pedal support mechanism 5002 axis 5004 Color 5006 Laura 5008 Spacer 5010 Retainer 52 Transmission Mechanism 54 Pedal support section 5402 Pedal support member 5404 Support piece 5406 Support shaft 5408 Metal plate 5410 Support shaft 5412 First Color 5414 Second Color 56. Biasing member 5602 Gas Damper 5604 Cylinder body 5606 Piston Rod 5608A Mounting hardware 5608B Mounting hardware 5610 Support member for damper 5612 Support shaft 5614 Support piece 5616 Washer 5618 Stop Ring 5620 axis 5622 Third Color 5624 4th Color 5626 Fifth Color 5628 6th Color 5630 7th Color 5632 Stop Ring 60 Connection Plates 6002 Lower end mounting section 6004 Lower part of plate 6006 Guide 6008 Plate body 6010 pins D1 Depth of the waist compartment W1 Width of the front of the opening / closing panel W2 Pedal body width L1 Length of the footpeg section S1 Gap

Claims

1. A trash can device for an aircraft lavatory unit, comprising: a waist compartment provided above the floor wall adjacent to the side wall of the aircraft lavatory unit; an opening / closing plate that closes the front opening of the waist compartment away from the side wall; a chute provided above the waist compartment with a trash inlet formed therein; a waist flap that is pivotably supported on the chute between a closed position that closes the trash inlet and an open position that opens the trash inlet; a foot pedal that is stepped on on the floor wall below the trash inlet; a foot pedal support mechanism that pivotably supports the foot pedal between an initial position and a stepped position; and a foot pedal type waist flap opening / closing mechanism that pivots the waist flap from the closed position to the open position by stepping on the foot pedal from the initial position to the stepped position, The foot pedal has an elongated shape in plan view, with one end of the foot pedal in the longitudinal direction being the front end and the other end being the rear end. When viewed from above, the remaining portion of the foot pedal, excluding the front end of the pedal, and the foot pedal support mechanism are positioned below the opening / closing plate and the waist compartment so as to be located within the contours of the opening / closing plate and the waist compartment. The front end of the pedal is positioned so as to be steppable in the vicinity of the opening / closing plate, in front of the opening / closing plate, in a direction that is below the opening / closing plate and away from the side wall. A waste bin device for an aircraft lavatory unit, characterized by the following features.

2. At the initial position of the foot pedal, a gap is secured between the front end of the foot pedal and the floor wall, allowing the floor wall to be cleaned with a cleaning mop. A waste bin device for an aircraft lavatory unit, characterized by the following features.

3. The aforementioned west compartment has a depth in a direction that moves away from and toward the side wall, The foot pedal is positioned such that its longitudinal direction is aligned with the depth direction. A trash can device for an aircraft lavatory unit according to claim 1.

4. The rear end of the pedal is located closer to the side wall. The foot pedal support mechanism supports the foot pedal so that it can swing with the rear end of the pedal as a pivot point. A trash can device for an aircraft lavatory unit according to claim 1.

5. The foot pedal support mechanism is attached to the side wall, The waste bin device for an aircraft lavatory unit according to feature 4.

6. A floor pan is placed on the aforementioned floor wall, The floor pan has a bottom portion that covers the floor wall including the portion below the opening / closing plate and the part of the west compartment away from the side wall and constitutes the floor surface of the aircraft lavatory unit, and side portions that rise up from around the bottom portion. The side portion has an upwardly open groove that allows the foot pedal to swing between the initial position and the pressed position. In the initial position of the foot pedal, a gap is ensured between the entire length of the foot pedal located on the bottom surface and the bottom surface, allowing the bottom surface to be cleaned with a cleaning mop. A trash can device for an aircraft lavatory unit according to claim 1.

7. The foot pedal comprises a pedal body extending from the front end to the rear end of the pedal, and a foot-pressing portion provided at the front end of the pedal body corresponding to the front end of the pedal. The pedal body has a longitudinal direction and a width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The aforementioned foot-pressing portion is formed by a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted on the front end of the pedal body on an axis extending in the width direction of the pedal body and parallel to the floor surface, with a length greater than the width of the pedal body. A trash can device for an aircraft lavatory unit according to claim 1.

8. The side of the opening / closing plate that is separated from the side wall is the front surface. The aforementioned front surface has a horizontal width parallel to the side wall, The longitudinal direction of the foot-operated portion is parallel to the width direction of the opening / closing plate. A trash can device for an aircraft lavatory unit according to claim 7.

9. When the pedal body is viewed from the side, the pedal body comprises a rear portion of the pedal body that extends linearly parallel to the bottom wall of the waist compartment from the rear end of the pedal to a point near the front end of the pedal in the initial position, a bent portion provided at the front end of the rear portion of the pedal body that is bent diagonally downward, and a front portion of the pedal body that extends diagonally upward in a linear direction away from the side wall from the lower end of this bent portion. The foot-pressing portion is provided at the front end of the front part of the pedal body. A gap is provided between the stepping portion and the lower end of the front surface of the opening / closing plate, which is separated from the side wall, to facilitate stepping on the stepping portion. The waste bin device for an aircraft lavatory unit according to claim 8.

10. The foot pedal support mechanism includes a biasing member that constantly biases the foot pedal to the initial position. The biasing member is composed of a damper consisting of a gas damper or oil damper, with one end pivotably attached to the side wall and the other end pivotably attached to the middle of the foot pedal in the longitudinal direction. A trash can device for an aircraft lavatory unit according to claim 1.

11. A stopper is provided at the middle of the foot pedal in the longitudinal direction, which contacts the floor wall and determines the stepping position. The stopper is formed by a leg portion extending downward from the middle of the longitudinal direction of the foot pedal, a pedal side plate material having a flat surface provided at the lower end of the leg portion, and a floor side plate material provided on the floor wall having a flat surface that can contact the flat surface of the pedal side plate material. A trash can device for an aircraft lavatory unit according to claim 1.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Aircraft lavatory unit trash can device

    JP6911969B1