Patent Description:
Airline catering trolleys are used in aircraft to transport and serve soft drinks and other beverages during a flight and typically colntain several drawers that store multiple cans of beverages per drawer. Each standard drawer can carry approximately <NUM> standard cans, which adds excess weight to the aircraft and requires multiple carts to manage the inventory for a flight.

To avoid carrying unnecessary beverages, many airlines attempt to optimize the drinks they carry by having employees manually count drink cans that go on and off after each flight to analyze usage and manage inventory, which can be a time consuming process. Airlines then use the information gathered to develop algorithms and ratios that allow them to optimize drink carried for particular flight times, days of week, destinations, etc. The empty cans after each flight must also be collected, disposed of, and counted to update the drink algorithms.

Cans that are not consumed during a flight also add unnecessary weight to aircraft that increases fuel consumption. For example, it has been estimated that one unused can of soda per year on every flight flown by one aircraft can increase the fuel cost up to $<NUM>.

<CIT>, in accordance with its abstract, states a beverage dispenser for dispensing a beverage that is a mixture of beverage components, the dispenser comprising: a body; a door closable on the body; one or more beverage components positioned in the body; and one or more beverage components positioned in the door.

<CIT>, in accordance with its abstract, states a system for stock management for on-board catering for a vehicle, in particular for an aircraft, which includes a galley which is provided with a control unit for controlling the galley, wherein the control unit is designed to make available stock management data of the galley; a service unit for transporting supplies within the vehicle, wherein the stock management data comprise a stock record of the supplies transported with the service unit; and at least one operator control element which is communicatively connected to the control unit of the galley via a wireless data connection and is designed to record removal of a supply item from the service unit and/or reception of a supply item into the service unit, and to bring about updating of the stock record of the transported supplies on the basis thereof.

<CIT>, in accordance with its abstract, states a system for managing beverage sales and inventory, and for enabling customers to pour their own beverages while preventing shrinkage is disclosed. The system enables a user to access a beverage from a beverage dispenser by presenting a beverage-pour tracking device. The beverage dispenser can prevent a user from accessing the beverage without the beverage-pour tracking device. Further, the system can confirm whether the user is permitted to access the beverage dispenser before enabling the user to access the dispenser.

<CIT>, in accordance with its abstract, states systems and methods for dispensing consumable products. One embodiment of the invention can provide a product dispenser. The product dispenser can include an ingredient matrix operable to receive a plurality of product ingredients. In addition, the product dispenser can include a controller in communication with the ingredient matrix, and operable to execute a set of instructions to receive product data associated with the plurality of product ingredients. Moreover, the controller can further comprise a set of instructions to track usage of the plurality of product ingredients when at least one product is dispensed. Furthermore, the controller can further comprise a set of instructions to update the product data during or after dispensing of a product or installation of one or more product ingredients in the ingredient matrix.

According to an aspect, there is provided an airline catering trolley as defined in claim <NUM>. Optional features of the aspect are set out in the dependent claims.

The example airline catering trolley disclosed herein includes a beverage dispensing system with flavor cartridges for the desired beverages, which eliminates the needs to carry cans on aircraft and saves weight on each flight. Drinks are dispensed using stackable plastic cups, which eliminates aluminum can waste, allows for a more efficient cleanup, and improves the customer experience by offering a larger selection of drink flavors. The example trolley optimizes space on an aircraft for beverages, optimizes the weight of beverages being served, reduces unused beverages, automates data gathering of beverages dispensed, and optimizes flight attendant workload and time by reducing the time looking for specific beverages, serving beverages, collecting and disposing of trash and recyclables, and analyzing beverages not consumed on a flight. The trolley can dispense many different types of beverages by micro-dosing blends of one or more concentrated ingredients with water, sweetener, and other beverage components at the point where the beverage is dispensed. The flavor cartridges store concentrated ingredients and have radio frequency identification chips to detect supplies and to identify when resupplying needs to occur.

The example airline catering trolley also includes a computing device, such as an iPad or other touchscreen computing device, that is used to input beverage selections, control the beverage dispensing system to mix the concentrated flavors and other beverage components to dispense the beverage requested, and manage the inventory of the flavor cartridges and other beverage components. Since the computing device can keep track of beverages dispensed and the amount of the flavor cartridges and other beverage components used, the need to count and restock beverage cans and collect and dispose of empty cans, which saves time during and after each flight. In addition, the computing device can automatically transmit beverage use information, beverage component inventory information, and airline catering trolley and/or beverage dispensing system maintenance information to the aircraft computing system for use in determining restocking and maintenance requirements and allowing airlines to track and make adjustments to the inventory based on the information, again saving additional time.

Referring to <FIG>, an example airline catering trolley <NUM> is shown that generally includes a mobile cart body <NUM>, a beverage dispensing system <NUM>, and first and second computing devices 200A, 200B.

In the example shown, mobile cart body <NUM> is a generally rigid box having a pair of opposing side walls <NUM> and a pair of opposing doors <NUM>, which each have a handle/latch mechanism <NUM> to allow the door <NUM> to be opened, closed, and secured to allow access to the inside of mobile cart body <NUM>. Alternatively, rather than the configuration shown, side walls <NUM> could be doors instead of solid walls, doors <NUM> could be solid walls, or all four sides of mobile cart body <NUM> could be configured as doors, depending on the desired configuration. A bottom wall <NUM> and opposing top wall <NUM> each extend between the pair of opposing side walls <NUM> and the pair of opposing doors <NUM>. As shown, mobile cart body <NUM> can have a width W of approximately <NUM> meters (<NUM> % inches), a height H of approximately <NUM> meter (<NUM> feet <NUM><NUM>/<NUM> inches), and a length L of <NUM> meters (<NUM> feet <NUM>½ inches). A set of casters <NUM> is attached to bottom wall <NUM> to allow mobile cart body <NUM> to be easily moved and maneuvered within the aircraft.

Beverage dispensing system <NUM> is generally disposed within mobile cart body <NUM> and dispenses beverages based on inputs received by first and second computing devices 200A, 200B. In the example shown, beverage dispensing system <NUM> is configured to dispense mainly soft drinks and includes a water reservoir <NUM>, a carbon dioxide reservoir <NUM>, at least one sweetener reservoir, which in the example shown includes non-nutritive sweetener reservoir <NUM> and high fructose corn syrup reservoir <NUM>, a plurality of compact flavor cartridges <NUM>, a mixer <NUM>, and a pump <NUM> within mobile cart body <NUM> and a beverage dispenser <NUM> that extends through and from top wall <NUM> of cart body <NUM> to dispense the requested beverages. Beverage dispensing system <NUM> includes a rechargeable battery <NUM> to power pump <NUM> and possibly power or charge first and second computing devices 200A, 200B.

First and second computing devices 200A, 200B are mounted to cart body <NUM> and are operatively connected to beverage dispensing system <NUM>, for example, through a wired connection or wireless connection, such as Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi, cellular, etc. Although shown in <FIG> with two computing devices, airline catering trolley could also have a single computing device, or more than two computing devices, depending on the configuration desired. In the airline catering trolley of the present invention, the trolley comprises a first computing device removably mounted to the cart body. Meanwhile, returning to the example shown in <FIG>, first and second computing devices 200A, 200B are removably mounted to cart body <NUM> through posts <NUM> secured to top wall <NUM> of cart body <NUM> and brackets/cradles <NUM> that are mounted to posts <NUM> and retain first and second computing devices 200A, 200B. First and second computing devices 200A, 200B can also be configured to be plugged into and/or mounted to the aircraft <NUM>, for example to the bulkhead of aircraft <NUM>, when removed from cart body <NUM>. This allows first and second computing devices 200A, 200B to be assigned to and stay with a particular aircraft and to be used with multiple airline catering trolleys, which allows for the use of less expensive airline catering trolleys and saves space in the aircraft. In the airline catering trolley of the present invention, the first computing device is mountable to an aircraft when removed from the cart body.

In the example shown, first and second computing devices 200A, 200B are identical, therefore, only first computing device 200A will be described in detail herein and it will be understood that second computing devices 200B is the same as first computing device 200A.

Referring to <FIG>, first computing device 200A generally includes a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM> connected to processor <NUM>, an input/output device <NUM> such as a touchscreen connected to processor <NUM>, and a transceiver <NUM> connected to processor <NUM>. Memory <NUM> of first computing device 200A includes computer readable instructions that, when executed by processor <NUM>, configure first computing device 200A to receive a first input from a user regarding a first beverage to be dispensed (a beverage selection) through input/output device <NUM>. Based on the beverage selection from the user, first computing device 200A then determine which beverage components are required for the selected beverage and communicates with beverage dispensing system <NUM> to dispense the selected beverage from beverage dispenser <NUM> based on the beverage selection.

As first computing device 200A receives beverage selections and dispenses beverages through beverage dispensing system <NUM>, first computing device collects data analytics regarding the beverages requested and dispensed and monitors the levels of the beverage components in beverage dispensing system <NUM> of airline catering trolley <NUM>. First computing device 200A can also be configured to communicate service data regarding operation of airline catering trolley <NUM>, such as the data analytics collected regarding the beverages dispensed from beverage dispensing system <NUM>, the levels of each of the beverage components, information regarding service and maintenance requirements of airline catering trolley <NUM>, etc., to aircraft computing system <NUM> of aircraft <NUM> through transceiver <NUM>. This communication with aircraft computing system <NUM> of aircraft <NUM> can be done through a wireless connection, such as a Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi, or cellular connection, or through a wired connection using an appropriate connector <NUM> such as a USB connector, micro USB connector, lightning connector, etc., and can be initiated manually by a user, can be scheduled to occur at predetermined times or intervals, or can be scheduled to occur at specific times, such as at the end of each flight. Communication of this information to aircraft computing system <NUM> allows aircraft computing system <NUM> to communicate with a ground crew system and provide information regarding what supplies and/or maintenance may be required before the aircraft lands and/or reaches its gate so the catering and maintenance ground crews can be ready to provide the supplies and/or maintenance required.

Claim 1:
An airline catering trolley (<NUM>), comprising:
a mobile cart body (<NUM>);
a beverage dispensing system (<NUM>) disposed within the cart body (<NUM>) and including a beverage dispenser (<NUM>) extending from the cart body (<NUM>); and
a first computing device (200A) mounted to the cart body (<NUM>) and operatively connected to the beverage dispensing system (<NUM>), the first computing device (200A) including a processor (<NUM>), a memory (<NUM>), an input/output device (<NUM>), and a transceiver (<NUM>);
wherein the first computing device (200A) is configured to receive a first input regarding a first beverage to be dispensed through the input/output device (<NUM>), and dispense beverages from the beverage dispenser (<NUM>) based on the first input; and
wherein the first computing device (200A) is removeably mounted to the cart body (<NUM>) and is mountable to an aircraft (<NUM>) when removed from the cart body (<NUM>).