Abstract: The invention provides an improved method for forming a composite material mainly composed of carbon fiber. It is difficult to form an H-shaped structural member formed of a prepreg material having carbon fiber fabric impregnated with epoxy resin into a member having curvature. Thus, the structural member is divided into two bendable constructional elements 110 and 120, which are bent to given curvature then adhesively-bonded to form a structural member having curvature.

Abstract: The invention provides a control system adopting a communication network using wireless visible light and IR light communications in a galley of an aircraft which is subjected to limitations of aviation regulations regarding wired communications. Insert equipments 6a through 6c each having a visible light receiving element and an IR emitting element are disposed in a galley 1 of an aircraft, and a galley controller 2 is disposed within the galley 1 or a circumference area thereof having a visible light emitting panel 4, an IR receiving element 5 and a display/control panel 3 for controlling the insert equipments 6a through 6c. A mutual communication function between the galley controller 2 and the insert equipments 6 and a remote control function for controlling the insert equipments 6a through 6c from the galley controller 2 are realized via transmission and reception of visible light communication data and IR communication data.

Abstract: A latch device for detecting pressure reduction of a cockpit in an aircraft and releasing a bolt and a stopper device are provided so as to prevent a cockpit door from unexpectedly opening by an impact. A main latch device 100 of the cockpit door has a frame 112 fixed to a door panel, and a latch base 120 is mounted to the frame 112 capable of pivotal rotation with a pin 122 as a fulcrum. A bolt 132 is inserted into a catch in conjunction with a door handle 130. A holding/releasing portion 150 holds the latch base 120. When a pressure difference occurs between a cockpit 4 and a cabin 5, a pressure-sensing piston 160 is pushed in, a trigger 170 and a flapper 180 are rotated and the latch base 120 is released. A stopper device 190 regulates movement of the trigger 170 by movement of an inertial piston 192 when an impact force is applied from the cabin 5 side.

Abstract: There is provided a space-saving and compact swing type door structure of an aircraft restroom, in which a door is automatically closed and which is easy to use for a passenger using the restroom. The swing type door (40) is slidably hung at its upper end edge (44) from a rail disposed at an upper portion of a door frame by a guide structure including a slide pin (46) and is turnably connected in a predetermined position different from the hung position to the door frame by a linkage (60). Swinging operation in opening the door (40) deforms a spring provided in an automatic closing device (50). When a hand is released from the door (40), the door (40) is constantly biased in a closing direction by spring resilience through the linkage (60) and automatically returns to a closed position. Therefore, the restroom becomes easy to use, an aisle in front of the restroom can be used in an emergency, and it is possible to avoid contingencies caused by false recognition of an escape hatch.

Abstract: The safety valve is provided on the upstream or downstream side of the regulating valve provided in the water supply passage for supplying water to the steam generator. The safety valve does not completely close the regulating valve while the regulating valve is normally opened and closed by a predetermined drive signal. When the regulating valve is completely opened due to abnormality, the safety valve gradually closes the regulating valve by virtue of a water flow and maintains the complete closing of the water supply passage after a lapse of a predetermined time. According to this constitution, the steam oven comprises a mechanism that singularly automatically stops jetting of water without depending on electrical control.

Abstract: The centrifugal fan for circulating a steam in the cook chamber of a steam oven is rotated in the reverse direction only for a certain time of a set cooking time, whereby a steam circulating flow generated in the cook chamber is changed, and consequently, the foods on the casseroles placed in the cook chamber are uniformly heated.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for automatically opening and closing a lid of a trash bin in noncontact fashion disposed in a lavatory unit of an aircraft. On the upper portion of a trash bin 100 disposed in a lavatory unit of an aircraft is attached a lid 50 that pivots via a shaft 250. The reflective infrared radiation sensor 200 attached to a lid frame 60 irradiates infrared radiation IR and detects an object. When the object is detected, a control means drives the DC motor 220 to pivot the shaft 250 via a rotating lever 240 and link arms 242 and 244 to open the lid 50 downward. The fully closed state and the fully opened state of the lid 50 can be detected by position detecting sensors 260 and 262.

Abstract: To provide an aircraft use water heater that operates by an aircraft power source of an AC variable frequency mounted in an aircraft, that is small, light-weight, safe, and low power consumption, and that can supply warm water stably. In an aircraft use water heater composed of a tank section for heating liquid stored therein and a controlling section for controlling the heating of the liquid by an aircraft power source, a bottom face of the tank section has a baffle plate and, liquid flowing in the tank section collides against the baffle plate to flow in a different direction parallel to the bottom face and is upwardly moved, while being heated, in the vicinity of a helical coil-type heater and is taken out through a liquid outlet.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for continuously forming a composite material shape member having a varied cross-sectional shape. A C-shaped movable mold 100 having a center portion 110 and both end portions 120 and 130 with a smaller surface dimension than the center portion is prepared, and prepreg sheets are laminated in advance to the both end portions 120 and 130 and the center portion 110, then these plies of prepreg sheets are denoted as the laminate 320, so that the whole body has a flat planar surface. Prepreg sheets 300 are drawn out from rolls 210 and 220 and passed through a preforming device 230 so that a C-shaped member 310 having a uniform cross-sectional shape is preformed. The movable mold 100 with pre-laminate 320 is superposed to the preformed member 310, which is passed through a hot press device, an after-cure furnace 260 where thermosetting of the member is completed, and then the movable mold 100 is removed to complete a formed product.

Abstract: A current control circuit (active element) is provided that is connected between a rectifier of a DC power source and a smoothing capacitor in a power frequency converter and that controls a variation in the rectified current caused by a variation in the instantaneous power consumption of the load device. When the rectified current increases, the current control circuit limits the current to have a reference current value or lower and, when the rectified current decreases, the current control circuit increases the current to have a value close to the reference current to thereby suppress the rectified current from the rectifier to a substantially-constant value. This consequently mitigates the influence on the primary power source by the variation in the instantaneous power consumption of the load device, thus clearing the Load Demand Variation specification required for the power source to be used in an aircraft.

Abstract: There is provided a highly safe steam oven capable of controlling the amount of steam generated appropriately. Water dripped from a water feeder to the inside of a cooking chamber is converted into steam by a heater in the cooking chamber. The thus generated steam in the cooking chamber is discharged through a steam channel which keeps the inside of the cooking chamber connected to the outside of the steam oven. The temperature of steam passing through the steam channel is measured by a steam temperature measuring device. The amount of water fed from the water feeder is controlled in response to the measured temperature.

Abstract: A sandwich panel that has excellent practicality as an inner wall material used in aircraft, for example, whereby the abovementioned requirements of flexural strength, peel strength, and in-plane shear strength can be satisfied while having reduced weight.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved water heater and coffee maker for use in an aircraft. A water heater 1 of an aircraft has a water tank 20 to which water from a water tank 10 of the aircraft is fed via a solenoid valve 14 and a flowmeter 16. The water tank 20 is opened to the atmosphere, and it does not form a pressure vessel. The hot water heated by a rapid heating boiler 40 is sent to a coffee server 100, and sprinkled via a hot water shower head 170 into a coffee brewing cup 180. The brewed coffee is pooled in a coffee server 200. An electrostatic level sensor 260 senses the liquid surface level of the coffee, based on which power supply to the boiler is turned off and supply of hot water is stopped.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for continuously preforming a prepreg material impregnated with thermosetting resin in an uncured state. A sheet of prepreg material is drawn out from a roller, laminated, and bent into a given cross-sectional shape via a bending device. The prepreg material is then continuously formed via a mold having a heater into a long product. The heat and pressure applied to the prepreg material in the mold is selected from a heating temperature that does not completely cure the thermosetting resin and a pressure range enabling the prepreg material to maintain the formed state. The above-mentioned preforming method enables to form members having a loose curvature (for example, a radius of 7 m or smaller) or stringers having a continuously varied curvature.

Abstract: The invention provides a prepreg peel ply to be laminated on a surface of a composite material prepreg for forming a member having a concaved portion such as an H-shaped member, wherein the prepreg peel ply is peeled off after performing hardening so as to improve the adhesiveness of the surface of the composite material. A prepreg peel ply impregnated with resin having a hardening property substantially equivalent to that of the composite material prepreg is used as the peel ply to be laminated on a surface of the composite material prepreg. Through use of such prepreg peel ply, it becomes possible to apply a continuously formed prepreg material to form members having concaved portions, such as H-shaped members, and to form excellent members without voids.

Abstract: The invention aims at reducing the beating noise generated from motors of equipments placed in a galley unit of an aircraft. A galley unit 1 of an aircraft includes a cabinet 10 formed of honeycomb panels and the like. The cabinet 10 has a counter 50 for cooking, and a compartment 20 formed under the counter 50 for storing service carts 30. A plurality of ovens 100 for heating warm dishes are provided above the counter 50. Each oven 100 has a fan motor for making the inner heat even. If all the fan motors of the ovens are driven at the same rotation frequency, a beating noise will be generated from the motor and amplified through the compartment 20. Therefore, the rotation frequencies of the fan motors are slightly varied.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for simultaneously forming a surface texturing pattern (embossed pattern) on the surface of an FRP product when manufacturing the FRP product by hot-pressing a prepreg material. A prepreg material 2 is a woven sheet formed by weaving a weft 10 and a warp 20 which is impregnated with thermosetting resin 40. A release film laminate 100 formed by sandwiching an adhesive film 130 between release films 110 and 120 is placed on a surface to be provided with surface texturing, before subjecting the same to hot-pressing. The softening temperature of the adhesive film 130 is close to the curing temperature of the thermosetting resin 40, so as to allow the thermosetting resin 40 to be pushed into the space between hard FRP fibers during hot-pressing and to form the surface texturing pattern on the surface of the member.

Abstract: The invention provides a mixing faucet system for an aircraft capable of minimizing as much as possible the size of the portion visible to the user, to thereby enhance the design flexibility of the wash basin and the lavatory including the wash basin. A mixing faucet system 1 for an aircraft comprises a discharge unit 2 of hot and cold water disposed on the wash basin in a lavatory of an aircraft, and a supply unit 3 separated from the discharge unit 2 and provided at a remote location from the wash basin for supplying to the discharge unit 2 through a hose 4 cold water and hot water either independently or in a mixed state. The discharge unit 2 is not equipped with a mixing function, and the supply unit 3 provided with the mixing function can be placed at a position remote from the discharge unit 2.

Abstract: There is provided a lightweight sandwich panel of exceptional utility, which satisfies the flexural strength and in-plane shear strength requirements for an inner wall material used in aircraft. The sandwich panel comprises a laminating material in which a plurality of fiber bodies_is laminated, and a surface material, the laminating material and the surface material being laminated in the stated order from the inside to the outside on the upper and lower surfaces of a hollow columnar core. The laminating material comprises at least four unidirectional fiber bodies each of which has fibers aligned in a uniform direction and is laminated so that each of the fiber directions thereof is at approximately 0 , +45°, ?45°, and 90°, respectively, in relation to one edge of the sandwich panel. The unidirectional fiber bodies are stitched together using a stitching yarn.

Abstract: The invention provides a means for molding a prepreg material with a curved surface formed by impregnating carbon fiber or glass fiber with thermosetting resin. A prepreg sheet 100 is shaped into an L-shape, and an L-shape preformed channel member 120 is molded via a hot press unit 210 and a cold press unit 220. The curing rate of the perform is 30 to 60%. The preform 120 is molded into a curved member having a radius of curvature R1 in a secondary molding apparatus 300, which is then cut to form channel members 30. The curing rate thereof is 60 to 80%. Then, these channel members 30 used as reinforcements of a plate member are completely cured in an autoclave to form the molded product.