Patent Publication Number: US-2022228753-A1

Title: Galley insert doors

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The present disclosure relates to galley inserts, and more particularly to insert doors for use on galley inserts, such as those found on galley ovens in commercial aircraft. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Many commercial aircraft include a “galley,” which is the internal structure used by the flight attendants to prepare food and beverages for the passengers. Space and weight constraints generally require the equipment (or “inserts”) within the galley to be compact and ordered in a specific way. The inserts can be a variety of powered items such as a coffee brewer, an oven, a trash compactor, refrigerator, or any other electrical appliance that can be found in the galley area. With oven inserts, keeping the external temperatures of the oven door within the required limits can pose challenges. In particular, space and weight considerations make certain solutions unavailable. Additionally, future regulations may require temperature scanning of the door such that the hottest positions (as opposed to an average across the door) also must stay within certain limits, making external temperature limits even harder to meet. 
     The conventional techniques have been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is an ever present need for improved systems and methods for oven door external temperature control. This disclosure provides a solution for this need. 
     SUMMARY 
     A galley insert includes an insert housing defining an interior cavity and an insert door movably connected to the insert housing. The insert door comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface. The interior surface faces the interior cavity when the insert door is in a closed position. The exterior surface is opposite from the interior surface and faces away from the interior cavity when the insert door is in a closed position. A first portion of the interior surface extends further into the cavity when the insert door is in a closed position than a second portion of the interior surface. 
     In some embodiments, the insert door includes a handle connected to the exterior surface. The first portion of the interior surface can be positioned opposite from the handle. The exterior surface of the insert door can include a recessed surface configured and adapted to accommodate for user access to the door. The insert door can include a handle extending across the recessed surface of the door. The first portion of the interior surface can be positioned opposite from the handle. 
     It is contemplated that a first door thickness can be defined between the first portion of the interior surface and the exterior surface opposite from the first portion is greater than a second door thickness defined between the second portion of the interior surface and the exterior surface opposite from the second portion. The galley insert can include a hinge connecting the insert door to the insert housing. The first portion of the interior surface can be further away from the hinge than the second portion of the interior surface. 
     The hinge can be connected to the insert door on a hinge side of the door. The insert door can include an outer side of the door opposite from the hinge side. A door thickness defined between the interior surface and the exterior surface can increase from the hinge side of the door to the outer side of the door. The door thickness can increase from the hinge side of the door to the outer side of the door in a linear manner. The hinge can define a hinge axis. A door cross-section taken perpendicular to the hinge axis can include, on the interior surface of the door, at least one of an arcuate portion, a ramp portion or a stepped portion. A shape formed from first portion of the interior surface can define a longitudinal axis parallel to the hinge axis. 
     The interior surface can include a metallic material. The exterior surface can include a plastic material. The insert door can include insulation material positioned between the interior surface and the exterior surface of the insert door. The galley insert can be an oven insert. The exterior surface of the insert door can include a recessed surface. The first portion of the interior surface can be positioned opposite from the recessed surface. 
     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, preferred embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below with reference to certain figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a galley oven constructed in accordance with the present disclosure, showing the galley oven door in a closed position; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic top plan view of the galley oven of  FIG. 1 , showing the galley oven door in an open position; 
         FIG. 3A  is a schematic perspective view of the galley oven door of  FIG. 1 , showing the interior surface; 
         FIG. 3B  is a schematic top plan view of the galley oven door of  FIG. 1 , showing the first portion of the interior surface extending out further than the second portion; 
         FIG. 3C  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the galley oven door of  FIG. 1 , showing the thickened first portion of the interior surface; 
         FIG. 4A  is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of a galley oven door constructed in accordance with the present disclosure, showing the interior surface; 
         FIG. 4B  is a schematic top plan view of the galley oven door of  FIG. 4A , showing the first portion of the interior surface extending out further than the second portion; 
         FIG. 4C  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the galley oven door of  FIG. 4A , showing the thickened first portion of the interior surface; 
         FIG. 5A  is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of a galley oven door constructed in accordance with the present disclosure, showing the interior surface; 
         FIG. 5B  is a schematic top plan view of the galley oven door of  FIG. 5A , showing the first portion of the interior surface extending out further than the second portion; 
         FIG. 5C  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the galley oven door of  FIG. 5A , showing the thickened first portion of the interior surface; 
         FIG. 6A  is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of a galley oven door constructed in accordance with the present disclosure, showing the interior surface; 
         FIG. 6B  is a schematic top plan view of the galley oven door of  FIG. 6A , showing the first portion of the interior surface extending out further than the second portion; and 
         FIG. 6C  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the galley oven door of  FIG. 6A , showing the thickened first portion of the interior surface. 
     
    
    
     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 embodiment of a galley oven in accordance with the disclosure is shown in  FIG. 1  and is designated generally by reference character  100 . Other embodiments of systems in accordance with the disclosure, or aspects thereof, are provided in  FIGS. 2-6C  as will be described. The systems and methods described herein can provide a galley insert door, such as an oven door, with locally thickened areas which provide more insulation material in areas where it is needed, e.g., at the door cup and latching mechanism. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , a galley insert, e.g. a galley oven  100 , includes an oven housing  102  defining an interior cavity  104  and an oven door  106  movably connected to the oven housing  102 . While the galley insert shown and described herein is an oven, the embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied to a variety of galley inserts, such as coffee brewer, an oven, a trash compactor, refrigerator, or any other electrical appliance. The oven door  106  comprises an interior surface  108  and an exterior surface  110 . The interior surface  108  faces the interior cavity  104  when the oven door  106  is in a closed position. The interior surface  108  comprises a metallic material. The exterior surface  110  comprises a plastic material. The oven door  106  includes insulation material  126  positioned between the interior surface  108  and the exterior surface  110 . The galley oven  100  includes a hinge  120  connecting the oven door  106  to the oven housing  102 . The hinge  120  defines a hinge  120  axis A. The hinge  120  is connected to the oven door  106  on a hinge side  122  of the door. The oven door  106  includes an outer side  124  of the door opposite from the hinge side  122 . 
     With continued reference to  FIGS. 1-2 , the exterior surface  110  is opposite from the interior surface  108  and faces away from the interior cavity  104  when the oven door  106  is in a closed position, shown in  FIG. 1 . A first portion  112  of the interior surface  108  extends further into the cavity when the oven door  106  is in a closed position (shown in broken lines in  FIG. 2 ) than a second portion  114  of the interior surface  108 . In this way, the doors can be thickened relative to traditional galley oven doors (with constant thickness), without interfering with the clearance required to remove a tray from the cavity of the galley oven and without having to be thickened towards the exterior surface  110  as it may stick out to far from the housing. In order adequate clearance such that a meal carrier tray can be moved in and out of the cavity, a certain clearance width W must be maintained when the door is in the opened position. The required clearance width W limits how much the door can be thickened (adding material to the cavity side) proximate to the hinge side  122 . Further away from the hinge  120 , however, more space is opened up for additional thickness. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , the oven door  106  includes a handle  116  connected to the exterior surface  110 . The first portion  112  of the interior surface  108  is positioned opposite from the handle  116 . The exterior surface  110  of the oven door  106  includes a recessed surface  118  configured and adapted to accommodate for user access to the door  106 . The handle  116  extends across the recessed surface  118  of the door  106 . The first portion  112  of the interior surface  108  is positioned opposite from the handle  116 , which tends to experience higher temperature hot-spots on traditional oven doors. However, it is contemplated that thicker “first portion” areas can be placed at a variety of areas across the door  106  depending on the temperature profile across the door  106 . For example, the additional material could be at a recessed portion for the door handle, or could also be used as a solution for other features on the door, e.g., a meal card holder, a hook to hang oven mittens or anything else. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2-3A , a first door thickness T 1  can be defined between the first portion  112  of the interior surface  108  and the exterior surface  110  opposite from the first portion  112  is greater than a second door thickness T 2  defined between the second portion  114  of the interior surface  108  and the exterior surface  110  opposite from the second portion  114 . The first portion  112  of the interior surface  108  is further away from the hinge  120  than the second portion  114  of the interior surface  108 . The overall door thickness defined between the interior surface  108  and the exterior surface  110  increases from the hinge side  122  of the door  106  to the outer side  124  of the door  106 . In general, when referring to the thickness, whether T 1 , T 2  or of the door generally, the dimension is taken in a direction perpendicular to the exterior surface  110 . The figures showing the various thicknesses are not to scale, generally the overall additional thickness, added at T 1  for example, is 5 mm. In the embodiment of  FIGS. 3A-3C , the door thickness increases from the hinge side  122  of the door to the outer side  124  of the door in a linear manner. In  FIG. 3C , a door cross-section taken perpendicular to the hinge axis A includes, on the interior surface  108  of the door  106  a ramp portion going upwards from the hinge side  122  to the outer side  124 . The increased thickness in door  106  provides safe and comfortable external temperature surfaces on galley oven doors and meets more stringent requirements related to point temperature maximums. While the insert door  106  is described as having two portions, first portion  112  and second portion  114 , those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that additional portions with varying thicknesses may be included, e.g. 3 or more thickened portions on the door. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4A-4C  an alternative embodiment of a door  206  can be used in conjunction with the housing  102 . Door  206  is generally the same as door  106  and includes an interior surface  208  and an exterior surface  210 , similar to inner and outer surfaces  108  and  110  of door  106 . The only difference between door  206  and door  106  is the position and shape of the locally thickened area, e.g. the first portion  212 . On door  206 , T 1  at first portion  212  is thicker than T 2  at a second portion  214  to provide similar additional insulation as described above. In  FIGS. 4A-4C , a door cross-section taken perpendicular to a hinge axis A of a hinge  220  (similar to hinge  120 ) includes, on the interior surface  208  of the door, an arcuate portion  213 . A shape formed from first portion  212  of the interior surface  208  defines a longitudinal axis Y parallel to the hinge axis A. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5A-5C  an alternative embodiment of a door  306  can be used in conjunction with the housing  102 . Door  306  is generally the same as door  106  and includes an interior surface  308  and an exterior surface  310 , similar to inner and outer surfaces  108  and  110  of door  106 . The only difference between door  306  and door  106  is the position and shape of the locally thickened area, e.g. the first portion  312 . On door  306 , T 1  at first portion  312  is thicker than T 2  at a second portion  314  to provide similar additional insulation as described above. In  FIGS. 5A-5C , a door cross-section taken perpendicular to a hinge axis A of a hinge  320  (similar to hinge  120 ) includes, on the interior surface  308  of the door, a stepped portion  313 . A shape formed from first portion  312  of the interior surface  308  defines a longitudinal axis Y parallel to the hinge axis A. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6A-6C  an alternative embodiment of a door  406  can be used in conjunction with the housing  102 . Door  406  is generally the same as door  106  and includes an interior surface  408  and an exterior surface  410 , similar to inner and outer surfaces  108  and  110  of door  106 . The only difference between door  406  and door  106  is the position and shape of the locally thickened area, e.g. the first portion  412 . On door  406 , a first portion  412  extends further into a cavity (e.g. cavity  104 ) of an insert housing (e.g. housing  102 ) than a second portion  414  of the interior surface  408  when the door  406  is in the closed position to provide similar additional insulation as described above. Because of the position of first portion  412  on door  406  across from a corresponding recessed portion  418 , T 1  at first portion  412  may or may not be thicker than T 2  at a second portion  414 . In  FIGS. 6A-6C , a door cross-section taken perpendicular to a hinge axis A of a hinge  420  (similar to hinge  120 ) includes, on the interior surface  408  of the door, an arcuate portion  413 . A shape formed from first portion  412  of the interior surface  408  is smaller in one direction, e.g. in the direction of the hinge axis A, but is still positioned in a cross-sectional plane common with a handle  416  and recessed portion  418  in order to provide the additional thermal protection for that area. 
     The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, provide for galley ovens having oven doors with locally thickened areas which provide more insulation material in areas where it is needed, e.g., at the door cup and latching mechanism. 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.