Rail Transport System for Aircraft Galley Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing elevator systems in aircraft are unreliable, leading to delays and increased costs when they malfunction, as they are essential for loading and unloading the galley, which contains essential supplies for passengers and crew, and there is a lack of a universal solution that can accommodate various aircraft types and staircases.
Innovation Solution
A rail transport system comprising shaped profile running rails with foldable or telescoping sections, powered by electric motors, which can be installed on staircases and used as a mobile elevator replacement, capable of transporting containers between aircraft cabins and allowing for safe passage through passenger aisles without damaging seats, with features like adjustable width and battery operation for power failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional hydraulic scissor lift system is used in the aircraft elevator, then the galley can be loaded and unloaded, but the system is unreliable and causes delays when it malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the hydraulic scissor lift system with an electric motor-driven rail transport system. The new system uses electric motors (57) that drive a transport rail (61) along profiled guide rails (20), eliminating the unreliable hydraulic mechanism while maintaining the vertical transport function between cargo and passenger cabins.
Solution Approach 2:
The transport system is divided into modular components: profiled guide rails (20) that can be folded or telescoped, a separate transport rail (61), and a transport carriage (2). This segmentation allows the system to be stored compactly in the galley when not in use and deployed only when needed, reducing the risk of continuous operational issues.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed elevator system is installed in the aircraft, then cargo transport between cabins is enabled, but the system cannot accommodate various aircraft types and staircase configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The profiled guide rails (20) are designed to be foldable or telescopic, allowing the system to dynamically adapt to different staircase configurations and aircraft types. The rails can be extended or reconfigured based on the specific aircraft geometry, making the system universally applicable without requiring complex custom installations for each aircraft model.
Solution Approach 2:
The rail transport system is designed as a universal solution that can be installed on different aircraft types with various staircase configurations. The system serves multiple functions: transporting galley carts, accommodating different cabin layouts, and adapting to various staircase angles and lengths through the flexible rail design.
3Productivity
If the elevator is used to transport galley carts, then the galley can be loaded, but the system occupies space and cannot be stored when not in use
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into collapsible profiled guide rails (20) and a separate transport rail (61) that can be folded into the transport carriage (2). This allows the entire elevator system to be compacted and stored within the galley space when not in use, eliminating permanent space occupation while maintaining full functionality when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The transport rail (61) and profiled guide rails (20) are designed to nest within each other and within the transport carriage (2) when folded. This nested configuration minimizes the storage volume required, allowing the system to be kept compact within the galley without permanently reducing cargo or passenger space.
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
The rail transport system ensures uninterrupted loading and unloading of the galley, reducing delays and costs by providing a reliable, adaptable, and safe solution for all aircraft types, improving working conditions and reducing manual labor, while optimizing space and energy use.
Implementation Method 1
wherein the profiled guide rails each have several foldable rail cassettes or telescopic rail sections and the two profiled guide rails have at least one electric motor, a transport rail which has at least one further electric motor and several foldable rail cassettes or telescopic rail sections
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4-2
Figure 5~6-2
AI summary
The invention relates to a rail transport system comprising at least two runners (20) having a shaped profile, a transport rail (61) and a transport carriage (2), the runners (20) with a shaped profile being extended over a staircase or over a flat section and the transport carriage (2) being moved along the transport rail (61). The transport carriage is provided with at least one electric motor. The runners (20) having a shaped profile and the transport rail (61) are stored in the transport carriage (2). The invention also relates to a method for constructing a rail transport system and for transporting at least one container for loading and/or unloading the galley of an aeroplane, and to a system for simultaneously loading and/or unloading the galley of an aeroplane.