Adaptive meal tray positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
During aircraft take-off, the tilting of the cabin causes fluids in meal containers to spill onto the heating elements in galley ovens, resulting in a burning smell that pervades the cabin.
Innovation Solution
The galley oven is equipped with an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the support means for the meal trays to maintain the upper surface of the trays perpendicular to the direction of gravity, preventing fluid spillage during tilting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the meal tray is positioned in a fixed orientation parallel to the aircraft floor, then the device structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but fluid spills from the meal container during aircraft tilting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the meal tray support movable rather than fixed. The support can adjust its orientation dynamically in response to aircraft tilting during take-off and landing. This allows the tray to maintain a perpendicular orientation to the gravity vector throughout the flight phases, preventing fluid spillage while accommodating changing gravitational directions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback through sensors that detect the aircraft's orientation or the tray's fluid level. This feedback information is used to automatically adjust the tray support position, ensuring the tray remains properly oriented relative to gravity. The closed-loop control system responds to detected conditions and makes real-time adjustments to prevent spillage.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the meal tray orientation is adjusted to remain perpendicular to gravity during tilting, then fluid spillage is prevented, but the device complexity increases due to adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the adjustment function from the main oven structure by using a separate, dedicated support mechanism for the meal tray. This modular approach isolates the complexity to only the necessary components while keeping the rest of the oven system simple. The support can be adjusted independently without affecting other oven functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies self-service through automatic adjustment mechanisms that respond to aircraft orientation changes without requiring manual intervention. Sensors detect the tilt angle or fluid level, and the system automatically positions the tray to prevent spillage. This eliminates the need for crew members to manually adjust trays during critical flight phases.
3Reliability
If fixed support is used for meal trays, then the device is easier to operate and maintain, but fluid spills onto heating elements causing burning smell
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically adjusting tray positions in response to detected aircraft orientation or fluid level conditions. This eliminates the need for manual operation during critical phases like take-off and landing, while maintaining simple operation during normal flight conditions where fixed positioning suffices.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism operates periodically rather than continuously - activating automatically during critical phases (take-off, landing) when tilt angles change significantly, and remaining in a fixed, simple state during normal cruise flight. This reduces operational complexity while maintaining reliability when needed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively prevents fluid spillage and the resulting burning smell during aircraft take-off, enhancing passenger comfort and reducing maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor configured to produce an output indicative of the orientation of the oven with respect to the direction of gravity
Implementation Method 2
an electric motor coupled to a pulley system, the pulley system coupled to the support means and the electric motor configured to drive the pulley system to adjust the support means
Implementation Method 3
an electric motor coupled to a pulley system, the pulley system coupled to the support means
Implementation Method 4
a biasing means configured to bias the support means into the default unadjusted state upon disengagement of the adjustment means
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~1D
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
An oven (200) for use in an aircraft, comprising: a heating cavity; a support means configured to support a meal tray (102) within the heating cavity; and an adjustment means configured to, in response to a change in orientation of the oven with respect to the direction of gravity, adjust the support means away from a default unadjusted state such that the upper surface of a meal tray supported thereby is maintained in a plane perpendicular to the direction of gravity.