NL1022670C2 - Registration system for modular catering galley on airplanes or trains, comprises data registration module located in galley module and connectable to receiver unit - Google Patents

Abstract

The system comprises a registration module (25) located in at least one catering galley module (6-11) and having data relating to at least one galley module stored on it. A receiver unit (20) which can be connected to the registration module is used to exchange and process data stored on this module. The data can include information relating to identity, companies, weight, contents, connection possibilities and loading time. The galley includes a wall (1) with at least one module secured to it.

Description

Registration system for modular catering assembly for use in passenger transport by plane or train

Field of the invention The present invention relates to a catering assembly for use in passenger transport by plane or train. In the case of passenger transport by plane or train, in particular over longer distances, it is customary for meals, snacks, drinks (including alcoholic and coffee, tea, etc.) and / or tax-free items to be distributed on the plane or the train respectively. sold as many as 10. Often these goods are then driven around by plane or train with a car, a so-called service car, to bring the goods to the passengers. In this context, aircraft and trains are often provided with a galley from which the goods are distributed. Sometimes the galley is part of a restoration, point of sale or otherwise a distribution point where the 15 passengers can come themselves. As will be clear, this catering also requires preparatory work during the trip prior to the trip. Catering companies are often used to equip modules, conventionally usually so-called service cars, which are driven around by the aircraft or train. These modules are then brought to the aircraft or the train and brought on board prior to the flight or train journey. According to the recent invention of the applicant, laid down in NL-application 1021107, not yet published, filed on July 18, 2002, the galley as a whole can also be arranged modularly in the sense that the kitchen equipment, such as deep fryers, coffee makers, cooling device , etc., can also be easily exchangeable by means of modules. The present application relates to a registration system for a modular catering assembly, which registration system is useful both in the catering business and during the journey (on the plane, in the train) and in intermediate phases. The registration system according to the present invention is particularly suitable for modular catering systems, such as for a modular galley, laid down in the aforementioned NL1021107, but also with catering assemblies with modules wholly or partly less easily or possibly not interchangeable.

In particular, the present invention relates to a registration system for use in a modular catering assembly for use with passenger transport by plane or train, wherein the modular catering assembly comprises a wall, optionally displaceable, with at least one module attached thereto. According to the invention, each module can offer storage capacity in various forms (cupboard, drawers, etc.) or accommodate one or more devices, such as an oven, coffee or tea maker, cooling installation, etc.

State of the art

Modular galley tubes are known. For aircraft in particular, these galley are fully assembled by special supply companies to subsequently place them as a unit in the aircraft. Such galley consist of a frame the dimensions of which are dictated by the dimensions of the aircraft at the place where the galley is provided, and of a plurality of modules permanently attached to the frame. According to the state of the art and according to the invention, these modules may comprise cabinets, ovens, cooling devices, such as refrigerators or insulated cabinets provided with a cold medium, water supplies, coffee makers, ovens, water boilers, etc. A number of such modules require a water connection, electricity connection or air connection. These connections are connected in a permanent way with no or at least hardly any standard mounting methods. All this means that such a galley, known in the aircraft world as a galley, is a fixed unit for an aircraft which, once mounted, remains present in the aircraft and cannot be tailored to the specific wishes of the passengers. In practice, it appears that the wishes of passengers are generally dependent on the route on which the aircraft is deployed.

Furthermore, a modularly constructed galley is known from the aforementioned non-prepublished Dutch patent application NL1021107 of the applicant of the present application. This modularly constructed galley makes it possible to assemble a complete galley including modules outside the aircraft, and to place this I as a whole in the aircraft. In addition, this modular galley from I NL1021107 makes it possible to provide the wall of the galley in the aircraft or train in a permanent, but still removable, manner and prior to an I flight or ride the modules or part of the to place modules. This makes it possible, among other things, to supply modules with catering - food, drinks, snacks, etc. - for the flight or trip in question, or to supply kitchen equipment if desired. to be replaced by other kitchen appliances.

In both known systems it is necessary that all information relating to the galley has to be checked manually on the basis of data supplied on paper. This is a difficult process, particularly when using a flexible modular galley that can be arranged, which can quickly lead to errors.

Summary of the invention

The present invention seeks to provide a registration system for a catering assembly, wherein certain characteristic data of the catering assembly can be checked in an automatic manner.

To this end, the present invention provides a registration system for use in a modular catering assembly, such as a modular galley, for use in passenger transport by plane or train, the catering assembly comprising a wall with, at least attachable to, at least one module attached to it, the registration system comprises a registration module which is placed in the at least one module, the registration module being adapted to (electronically) store characteristic data of the at least one module in question, and a receiver unit connectable to the registration module for exchanging and processing the stored characteristic data.

The characteristic data comprises one or more of the following quantities: an identification; a company, society indication, weight, content (device, meal, drink, merchandise), connection capacity of a device present in the module data about the time and duration of loading, or the later opening and closing of the doors of the module in order, for example, to be able to check the quality of the food. With the aid of the present registration system it is possible to automatically register and check all kinds of data associated with the operational use of a catering assembly. This will considerably reduce the chance of errors. For example, it can be stored in which module a particular specially ordered meal for a passenger is located. Furthermore, the receiving unit can be arranged to detect and indicate this if there is no module attached to the wall. Furthermore, the receiver unit can also be arranged to exchange data, for example wirelessly, from which the current position of the wall is apparent.

In a further embodiment, the registration module is connected to one or more measuring devices. The measuring devices can, for example, collect data with regard to the instantaneous power consumption, the instantaneous weight (for example via a measuring element in the wall to which the module is attached), the location of the module in the wall, the water consumption, the temperature trend, usage cycles (due to

maintenance, cleaning, etc.). This data can advantageously be used for the operational use of the modules of the catering assembly, both on board and on the ground.

In a further embodiment, the receiver unit is further adapted to process characteristic data from each of the at least one module of the catering assembly and to transmit it to a further system. This further system can be a display screen at the receiving unit, or another system in the aircraft or train. This allows, for example, a check on the correctness of the identification number or the company indication, the loading data and the power consumption (important for flight operations).

The receiving unit may, for example, be placed on a wall of the catering assembly. If the catering assembly is a movable galley, this allows control both on the ground and in the aircraft / train.

In order to be able to change or add any previously loaded data, the receiver unit is further arranged in a further embodiment to load the recording module with characteristic data. This can be done both on the ground and on board.

A further aspect of the present invention relates to a catering assembly provided with a registration system according to the present invention.

The present invention also relates to a module for use I in a catering assembly according to the previous aspect of the invention.

Finally, the present invention also relates to an aircraft provided with a catering assembly according to the present invention and a train provided with such a catering assembly.

Brief description of the drawings I 1022670 5

The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to a few exemplary embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a modular galley, in which the registration system according to the present invention can be applied;

FIG. 2 shows a simplified block diagram of an embodiment of the registration system according to the present invention; and

FIG. 3 shows a simplified block diagram of a further embodiment of a portion of the registration system according to the present invention.

Detailed description of embodiments

Referring in particular to FIG. 1, a wall 1, called a system wall, is shown. The system wall 1 is, so to speak, subdivided into vertical sections 3, in the present case six pieces.

Instead of the ones shown in FIG. (Possibly displaceable) wall 1 can also be provided with a conventional structure of an aircraft galley, i.e. a frame that forms part of the device of the aircraft in which the different modules 6-12 are placed.

The in FIG. The system wall shown in 1 can be built into an aircraft or train, the modules then being interchangeable, for instance for catering purposes. The 20 in FIG. 1 can also very well form part of a trolley, for example by mounting it on a chassis provided with wheels. Such a trolley can for instance be used by a catering company to guide a plurality of modules together along the various stations in the catering company for the purpose of filling catering modules suspended therefrom. After thus being supplied to the catering company 25, the catering modules, still hanging on the wall of the car, can be transported to the aircraft or the train.

It will be clear that the registration system according to the present invention is very useful both in the plane or the train and also in the car just described above, for example in the catering company.

FIG. 1 shows that a number of modules 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 are suspended on the wall 1. As indicated by the different reference numbers, these modules are of different types and / or of different dimensions. The modules 6 are, for example, all cabinet modules with a door that can be opened and which are intended ΐ r \ / * · * · ..

6 is for storing stocks. The module 7 is for example a drawer module, the module 8 is a module with which ice cubes can be made, module 9 is a coffee and tea making module and the modules 10 are a kind of cupboard modules with a door (not shown) that runs around a horizontal hinge axis along the bottom edge hinges to provide a work surface when folded open. Module 11 is a refrigerator module. It will be clear that these modules are only examples of possibilities and that many other modules are possible and conceivable entirely within the scope of the claims of the present application. For example, one could think of a sink module with a water tap, an oven module, etc.

10 So-called service trolleys 12 can be placed under modules 10 and 11. The service trolley is only shown here as placed under module 10, the service trolley that can be placed under module 11 is not shown for the sake of clarity. For the sake of clarity, the right-hand section 3 of the wall in Figure 1 has also been released. The service trolley 12 can thus be removed from the wall and driven through the cabin to provide the passengers with, for example, the desired snacks.

The wall 1 is provided at the right places with a wall plug 21, which is provided with different connections for the modules 6-12, such as supply and discharge of water, cooling air, etc., but also with electrical connections. The wall is furthermore provided with a receiving unit 20, which is electrically connected to the wall plug 21.

The registration system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown as a simplified block diagram in FIG. 2. Herein, the ones shown in FIG. 1, wall plug 21 and receiving unit 20 parts shown again. The wall plug 21 cooperates with an associated module plug 26, which is placed on each of the modules 6-12 of the modular galley. In operation, when the modules 6-12 are placed on the wall 1, the wall plug 21 and module plug 26 make contact with each other. The module plug 26 is electrically connected to a registration module 25, which is located in one or more of the modules 6-12. In FIG. 2, three registration modules 25 are shown, but it will be clear to the person skilled in the art that the number of registration modules 25 may be larger or smaller, as required.

The receiver unit 20 is in the shown embodiment of FIG. 2 provided with a display screen 22 and an input element 23 (for example a panel provided with push buttons). Furthermore, the receiving unit 20 may be adapted to communicate with one or more further systems 24, for example, control systems of an aircraft or, for example, a loader of the modular galley. management system (for example, a computer). The receiver unit 20 can also be provided in a portable embodiment which can be connected to one or more of the registration modules 25 by means of a wireless connection or a wire connection. This can be advantageous in connection with saving space on the wall 1.

The recording module 25 is shown in more detail in FIG. 3. Here it can be seen that the recording module 25 is provided with processing means 30, such as a processor or other electronic circuits, and a memory 31 connected to the processing means 30. The memory 31 is preferably a memory of the non-volatile type, whereby data stored in the memory 31 is also retained when no supply voltage is present.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the recording module 25 is connected to a plurality of measuring devices 27-29. These may, for example, consist of a power take-up measuring device 27, a weighing device 28 or a water consumption meter 29. It will be clear to the skilled person that other measuring devices 27-29 may also be present. The measuring devices 27-29 can be placed in the module 6-12 or, for example, in the wall 1 (for example via the lifting arm 19 in the wall 1).

The recording module 25 is arranged to store certain characteristic data associated with the relevant module 6-12 in the memory 31. The characteristic data can be one or more of the following parameters: - Fixed data such as a unique identification number of the module, possibly linked to an owner identification; the weight of the module; the maximum power consumption of the module; the content of the module (for example, what kind of device, or which meals, possibly associated with a specific passenger); etc.

- Variable data: instantaneous weight; instantaneous power or water consumption; position of the module on the wall 1; other quantities measured by the measuring devices 27-29; etc.

With the registration system according to the present invention, it is possible to load certain characteristic data for a module 6-12 into the registration module 25, for example when loading the modular galley at a location outside the aircraft and this data at any time or afterwards to be viewed with the aid of the reception unit 1022670 H unit 20 or a further system 24. The characteristic data relates, for example, to the loaded weight per module 6-12, the maximum power consumption of a device in a module 6-12, the content of modules 6 -12, the location of modules 6-12 etc. This makes it possible to follow the modular galley logically precisely, both during the loading of the modular galley, the transport of the modular galley to the aircraft, and the return route. Furthermore, the saved data can also be used for (periodic) maintenance and cleaning of modules 6-12.

Data can be called up and displayed via the receiver unit 20 on the wall 1, and data can also be adapted, for example. In the aircraft it can thus be checked whether the loaded modules 6-12 are of the correct company, and in which module 6-12 which content is present. The latter is particularly advantageous when distributing special meals for a specific passenger.

Via the measuring devices 27-29, data of interest such as temperature (course), instantaneous power consumption, instantaneous weight and the like can be measured and stored in the recording module 25.

Furthermore, the receiver unit 20 can be equipped to use the data stored in the memory 31 to transmit it to further (aircraft) systems 24, possibly after processing of the data. For example, the data regarding the current weight and the position of each module 6-12 in the modular galley, together with the location of the modular galley can be used in the aircraft load calculations. These loading calculations are used to derive certain aircraft parameters that may be important for the operational use of the aircraft (think of additional fuel to be taken along, optimization of the flight height or route, maximum landing weight, etc.). etc.).

Furthermore, for example by measuring instantaneous consumption parameters, an overload of the vehicle electrical system can be prevented (overload protection).

Claims (11)

1. A registration system for use in a modular catering assembly, such as a modular galley, for use in passenger transport by plane or train, wherein the catering assembly comprises a wall with, at least fixable, at least one module attached thereto, characterized in that the registration system comprises - a recording module placed in the at least one module, the recording module being adapted to store characteristic data of the relevant at least one module, and a receiving unit connectable to the recording module for exchanging and processing the stored data characteristic data. 2. A registration system according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic data comprises one or more of the following quantities: an identification; a society, society indication, weight, content, connection capacity of a device present in the module. 3. A registration system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the registration module is further connected to one or more measuring devices. 20 A recording system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the receiving unit is further adapted to process characteristic data from each of the at least one module of the catering assembly and to transmit it to a further system. 25 A registration system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the receiving unit is placed on a wall of the catering assembly. 6. Registration system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the receiving unit is further adapted to load the registration module with characteristic data. 4. r · \ I 10 Module for use in a catering assembly, provided with a registration module for cooperation with a registration system according to one of claims 1 to 6 Catering assembly provided with a registration system according to one of claims 1 to 6. 9. Catering assembly according to NL1021107, in particular according to one of the claims of NL1021107, wherein the catering assembly is provided with a registration system according to one of claims 1 to 6. 10. Aircraft provided with a catering assembly according to claim 8. 11. Train provided with a catering assembly according to claim 8. I 1 Π O O S 7 Π "H u« U