Patent ID: 7159821

Claim:
An aircraft comprising: an airframe including a bi-level galley module with a main-deck sub-module and an overhead sub-module disposed above said main-deck sub-module, said overhead sub-module for storing at least one object therein and having a first axis and a second axis disposed generally perpendicular to said first axis; a shaft defined by said bi-level galley module and extending between said main-deck sub-module and said overhead sub-module, said shaft having a longitudinal axis; an integrated transport system for moving an object through said shaft and between said main-deck sub-module and said overhead sub-module, said integrated transport system including a single-unit gantry-lift device comprised of a lift device for moving said object along said longitudinal axis and a gantry device for moving said object along at least one of the group consisting of said first axis and said second axis; a ladder extending between said main-deck sub-module and said overhead sub-module for allowing ingress and egress to said overhead sub-module; a walkway extending generally along said first axis of said overhead sub-module; at least one storage area disposed adjacent to said walkway and offset therefrom in a direction generally along said second axis of said overhead sub-module, said at least one storage area also being located above said walkway; and at least one deployable receptacle disposed within said at least one storage area, said at least one deployable receptacle including a tray and a lever coupled to said tray, said tray for supporting an object thereon and being movable between a storing position and a deploying position, said tray storing said object when said tray is disposed in said storing position and deploying said object when said tray is disposed in said deploying position, said lever coupled to said tray for moving said tray between said storing position and said deploying position; wherein said single-unit gantry-lift device further includes an object carrier for receiving said object, said object carrier having at least one restraint member for securing said object in said object carrier and an unloading mechanism for unloading said object from said object carrier; wherein said gantry device includes a pair of rails coupled to said overhead sub-module, said pair of rails for suspending said object carrier therefrom and preventing said object carrier from tipping, said pair of rails further utilized for moving said object carrier generally along said first axis of said overhead sub-module.