Patent Publication Number: US-2022220965-A1

Title: Aircraft oven with a magnetically coupled fan

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Technological Field 
     The present disclosure relates generally to an aircraft oven, and more specifically to an oven employing a magnetically coupled fan. 
     Description of Related Art 
     Aircraft ovens typically coupled a fan and motor for operating the fan through a mechanical shaft coupling. However, this exposes the motor to extremely high heats and steam and degrades the seals, couplings, and motor itself. Although, conventional components and methods have generally been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose, there is still a need in the art for improved fan coupling for aircraft ovens. The present disclosure provides a solution for this need. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An appliance for use in an aircraft galley is disclosed. The appliance, an oven includes, a body defining an interior space, a motor configured to drive a fan propeller situated on an outside of the body, and a fan propeller situated within the interior space, wherein a shaft of a fan propeller is not in direct contact with a shaft of the motor. The shaft of the fan propeller can be joined to a first magnet array. The shaft of the motor can be joined to a second magnet array. The motor shaft and the fan shaft can be coupled by a magnetic coupling. The motor shaft and the fan shaft can be mechanically un-coupled during operation and be coupled only using a magnetic coupling. 
     The motor and the fan propeller can be separated by a wall. The shaft of the motor and the shaft of the propeller can form a single axis. A barrier can separate the shaft motor and the shaft propeller. The motor shaft can be entirely outside of the interior space. The motor can be driven by aircraft power. The appliance can be a sealed oven. 
     These and other features of the systems and methods of the subject disclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       So that those skilled in the art to which the subject disclosure appertains will readily understand how to make and use the devices and methods of the subject disclosure without undue experimentation, embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below with reference to certain FIGURES, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of an appliance, showing a fan motor and propeller. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an exemplary embodiment of an aircraft appliance in accordance with the disclosure is shown in  FIG. 1  and is designated generally by reference character  100 . The coupling of the motor shaft and fan propeller described herein can be used to improve the reliability and useful life of aircraft ovens. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an oven  100  within and an aircraft galley and powered by aircraft power includes an outer shell or body  102  defining an interior space  104  where food is prepared and warmed. A motor  106  configured to drive a fan propeller  108  is situated outside of the body  102 . The fan propeller  108 , situated within the interior space, includes a shaft  110  that is not in direct contact with a shaft of the motor  112 . The fan propeller  108  is joined by the fan shaft  110  to a first magnet array  114  and the shaft of the motor  112  is joined to a second magnet array  116  resulting in the motor shaft  112  and the fan shaft  110  being by a magnetic coupling and not mechanically coupled. The motor  106  and the fan propeller  108  are separated a wall  102 , which defines the interior creating a sealed oven interior. The wall  102 , which does not include any conduits, holes, or perforations, improves the efficiency of the oven since hot air is better trapped within the oven and requires less energy to heat. This fan-propeller arrangement removes the need for a mechanically coupled shaft coupling, which required using seals, which have a tendency to degrade and have to be serviced and replaced. It also removes the need for using lubricating materials which can also degrade and cause noxious smells and odors to be present within the oven if they degrade due to heat. Finally, this arrangement allows the ovens to be operated at higher heats and for longer periods of time than conventional ovens because there is no risk of seal degradation. 
     The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, provide for an aircraft appliance that is more reliable and longer operating times. While the apparatus and methods of the subject disclosure have been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that changes and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure.