Surface material fixing structure of service cart

Abstract: A service cart 1 used in a cabin of an airplane for serving in-fight meals comprises a box-shaped body 10 formed of panels, and stores trays mounting tableware in the interior thereof. On the front and back sides of the body 10 are doors 30 supported by hinges 32. On the lower portion of the body 10 are mounted a caster 20, and the service cart 1 may be operated by use of handles 50. On a side wall panel 12 on the body 10 are mounted magnets 80, and a surface material 70 formed of a magnetic thin plate is fixed removably thereto. According to such structure, the surface material 70 could easily be replaced.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present device relates to a fixing structure of a surface material in a service cart for serving in-flight meals on airplanes. The in-flight meal server called a service cart for serving meals and beverages in a cabin of an airplane is equipped with a box-shaped body for storing trays, a caster mounted on the bottom portion of the body, and a space for positioning bottles and the like on the top portion of the body. On the front and back sides of the body are equipped hinged doors, and on the front and back sides of the upper portion of the body are mounted handles for pushing the server. NL 1002515 discloses a service cart for serving in-flight mes 15 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The side wall surfaces of the box-shaped body are covered with a surface material of a decorative sheet and the like. Such surface material of the service cart may attract the attention of passengers, since it passes the eye level of the seated passengers. Therefore, by displaying an advertisement or a trademark of a company, the company may effectively appeal to the passengers the service of the company. However, the surface material of the service cart may easily be damaged, since the cart is used not only in the cabin, but also on land for loading food and the like. Since such damage to the surface attracts the attention of passengers, it is necessary to replace the surface material at once. In the conventional service carts for serving in-flight meals, the surface material thereof is bonded directly to the body. The problem of conventional service carts was that the bond had to be removed when replacing the surface material. The present device provides a fixing structure enabling easy replacement of the surface material in a serving cart of in-flight meals. The surface material fixing structure in a service cart of the present device comprises on a service cart a box-shaped body for storing trays mounting tableware, hinged doors mounted on the front and back sides of said body, and a caster mounted on the lower portion of said body, wherein said surface material fixing structure of said service cart being equipped with magnets mounted inside a honeycomb panel forming a side wall surface of the body, and a surface material being adhered and supported by said magnets so as to cover said honeycomb panel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the service cart for in-flight meals applying the present device; FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the service cart for in-flight meals showing the fixing structure of the surface material on the side wall; and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the service cart for in-flight meals showing the main portion of the fixing structure of the surface material on the side wall. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the service cart for serving in-fight meals applying the present utility model. A service cart shown as a whole by the reference number 1 comprises a body 10 formed of a box-shaped panel material, and a caster 20 mounted on the lower portion of the body 10. On the front and back sides of the body 10 are mounted doors 30, which are supported by hinges 32, enabling the opening and closing movement of the door. On the front surface of the door 30 is mounted a knob 34, and the lock of the door could be released by the operation of the knob 34. The space 40 on the upper portion of the body 10 is used as a space for placing the bottles of beverages, ice, glasses and the like. Handles 50 are placed on the front and back sides of the upper portion of the body 10 so as to enable operation of the service cart. The surface of the side walls of the body 10 is covered with a surface material 70. On the surface material are displayed an appropriate design and the like. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the mounting structure of the surface material according to the present device, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the main portion thereof. The service cart body 10 has a side wall panel 12, and on the surface of the side wall panel 12 is adhered a surface material 70. The side wall panel material is a panel material having a honeycomb structure for example, and the material is light-weighed and has sufficient rigidity. On the surface of the side wall panel 12 are mounted (buried) magnet members 80 with appropriate intervals. The surface material 70 is formed of a thin magnetic metal plate, and an appropriate painting or decoration is provided to the surface thereof. The surface material 70 is adhered and supported by magnets 80. According to such structure, the surface material 70 could easily be removed from the magnets 80 of the side wall panel 12, and therefore, the mending or replacement of the surface material could easily be performed. As explained above, the present device provides a service cart to be used in a cabin of an airplane and the like having a surface material fixing structure enabling easy replacement of the surface material, which could easily be damaged and could easily attract the attention of passengers, supported by magnets on the side wall of the cart. According to such structure, the surface material of the cart may be maintained at all times to an esthetically high quality, and the improvement of services could be achieved.

Claims: A service cart (1), said service cart comprising a box-shaped body (10) for storing trays mounting tableware, hinged doors (30) mounted on the front and back sides of said body, a caster (20) mounted on the lower portion of said body, and a surface material fixing structure of said service cart characterised in that said surface material fixing structure is equipped with magnets (80) mounted inside a honeycomb panel (12) forming a side wall surface of said body, and a surface material (70) being adhered and supported by said magnets (80) so as to cover said honeycomb panel.

Inventors: ODA YUTAKA, SAKU FUMIAKI, ODA, YUTAKA, SAKU, FUMIAKI, Oda, Yutaka c/o Jamco Corporation, Saku, Fumiaki c/o Jamco Corporation
Applicants: JAMCO CORP, JAMCO CORPORATION
Application year: 1998
Main classification: A47B31
IPC codes: A47B95, A47B31