Abstract: A construction of commercial aircraft interior monument employs carbon fiber Spread Tow Fabric (STF) as face sheets (skins) surrounding a paper honeycomb or foam core to produce flat pressed panels of high strength and desirable thickness. Each individual panel is joined with other panels to construct a modular rectangular cubic able to be modularly coupled with additional structures to form the aircraft monument. The use individual STF panels offer a desirable weight and footprint of a fabricated structure as a whole. Also usable in conjunction with other composite reinforcements, the individual STF panels produce hybrid lay-ups for both pressed flat panel and tooled composite moldings offering a high strength to weight ratio of the overall monument.

Abstract: An insulating tile may be attached to an interior or exterior surface adjacent to a chilled compartment of an aircraft galley structure to increase the overall thermal resistance of the galley structure (as well as the capacity of the galley air/liquid chiller system). The insulating tile includes an outer barrier encapsulating a thermally resistant core material within a vacuum, both the outer barrier and the core material resistant to flame propagation and thus suitable for commercial aircraft use. The insulating tile may further include getters within the core material to maintain the vacuum (and thus the thermal resistance of the tile) by absorbing moisture. Scannable passive pressure and/or moisture sensors may be placed within the core material for reporting at a glance the state of the vacuum, so that a particular tile may be serviced or replaced if necessary.

Abstract: A T-divider secures meal carts against lateral movement, and is at least partially deflectable to allow the meal carts to be removed from a restricted environment. The T-divider is secured in linear orientation via a latch with one or more indicators; one indicator indicates if the latch is locked; another indicator indicates if the T-divider is secured. The movement of the T-divider is defined by a track. One or more stops on the track define a linear, secured orientation and a fully deflected orientation.

Abstract: In an illustrative embodiment, an aircraft galley ducting assembly provides airflow to at least one compartment of an aircraft galley monument. The ducting assembly may include a supply air duct that provides a supply airflow path to a compartment that includes an inlet port mounted to a compartment surface. A return air duct may provide an exit airflow path for return air that has circulated throughout the compartment and includes an outlet port mounted to the compartment surface. An airflow adjustment apparatus with an airflow adjustment surface is positioned within the supply airflow path of the supply air duct or the exit airflow path of the return air duct to cause a modification of airflow properties for air passing across or through the airflow adjustment surface.

Abstract: A T-divider secures meal carts against lateral movement, and is at least partially deflectable to allow the meal carts to be removed from a restricted environment. The T-divider is secured in linear orientation via a latch with one or more indicators; one indicator indicates if the latch is locked; another indicator indicates if the T-divider is secured. The movement of the T-divider is defined by a track. One or more stops on the track define a linear, secured orientation and a fully deflected orientation.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a modular galley monument for an aircraft cabin includes a first side panel, a second side panel, and an upper surface connecting the first side panel and the second side panel. The modular galley monument may include dividers partitioning the monument into a number of compartments. The monument may include an upper monument portion and a lower monument portion connected at a periphery via a seal allowing for vertical deflection between the first monument portion and the second monument portion of at least one inch while maintaining contact with both. The monument may include an integrated heating appliance for a compartment, including an insulation shell, a heated compartment positioned within the insulation shell, an electrical heating unit disposed within the insulation shell and configured to provide heat energy to the heated compartment. And a door assembly rotatably connected about an opening of the heated compartment.

Abstract: A construction of commercial aircraft interior monument employs carbon fiber Spread Tow Fabric (STF) as face sheets (skins) surrounding a paper honeycomb or foam core to produce flat pressed panels of high strength and desirable thickness. Each individual panel is joined with other panels to construct a modular rectangular cubic able to be modularly coupled with additional structures to form the aircraft monument. The use individual STF panels offer a desirable weight and footprint of a fabricated structure as a whole. Also usable in conjunction with other composite reinforcements, the individual STF panels produce hybrid lay-ups for both pressed flat panel and tooled composite moldings offering a high strength to weight ratio of the overall monument.

Abstract: In an illustrative embodiment, an insert apparatus for creating an attachment point in an aircraft panel includes a flange insert configured for bonding against an inner surface of a skin of the aircraft panel such that a portion of a load from a component mounted to the attachment point is distributed through the skin. The flange insert may include a wide flange, a bore, and a central opening through the wide flange and the bore, and a nut including an enlarged end and a shaft, where the nut is disposed in the central opening of the flange such that the enlarged end is proximate the wide flange and the shaft extends along the bore. Upon bonding to the aircraft panel, the bore may extend from an underside of the wide flange to proximate an outer surface of the skin of the aircraft panel.

Abstract: In an illustrative embodiment, an upper monument attachment system is provided for retaining aircraft monuments, the system including a first support, a second support, and a joiner connecting a first end of the first support and a first end of the second support, a stay having a first end pivotably connected to the joiner, a tie rod configured to connect the joiner to an attachment point of the aircraft, a first rail having a first base configured to connect to an upper surface of the monument and a first facing configured to connect to the first support and the second support, and a second rail having a second base configured to connect to the upper surface of the monument and a second facing configured to connect to a second end of the stay.

Abstract: In an illustrative embodiment, an aircraft galley ducting assembly provides airflow to at least one compartment of an aircraft galley monument. The ducting assembly may include a supply air duct that provides a supply airflow path to a compartment that includes an inlet port mounted to a compartment surface. A return air duct may provide an exit airflow path for return air that has circulated throughout the compartment and includes an outlet port mounted to the compartment surface. An airflow adjustment apparatus with an airflow adjustment surface is positioned within the supply airflow path of the supply air duct or the exit airflow path of the return air duct to cause a modification of airflow properties for air passing across or through the airflow adjustment surface.

Abstract: In an illustrative embodiment, a retaining assembly secures an equipment item within an aircraft galley compartment. The retaining assembly may include a turn button assembly including a turn button connected to a front edge of the galley compartment to secure the equipment item within the galley compartment. The turn button rotates between a first position for allowing insertion or release of the equipment item from the galley compartment and a second position for securing the equipment item within the galley compartment. A turn button recess on an inner surface of a panel door that is coupled to an edge of an opening for the galley compartment receives the turn button of the turn button assembly when the turn button is in the second position to allow the panel door to fully close over the opening for the galley compartment.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a modular galley monument for an aircraft cabin includes a first side panel, a second side panel, and an upper surface connecting the first side panel and the second side panel. The modular galley monument may include dividers partitioning the monument into a number of compartments. The monument may include an upper monument portion and a lower monument portion connected at a periphery via a seal allowing for vertical deflection between the first monument portion and the second monument portion of at least one inch while maintaining contact with both. The monument may include an integrated heating appliance for a compartment, including an insulation shell, a heated compartment positioned within the insulation shell, an electrical heating unit disposed within the insulation shell and configured to provide heat energy to the heated compartment. and a door assembly rotatably connected about an opening of the heated compartment.

Abstract: In an illustrative embodiment, an aircraft galley ducting assembly provides airflow to at least one compartment of an aircraft galley monument. The ducting assembly may include a supply air duct that provides a supply airflow path to a compartment that includes an inlet port mounted to a compartment surface. A return air duct may provide an exit airflow path for return air that has circulated throughout the compartment and includes an outlet port mounted to the compartment surface. An airflow adjustment apparatus with an airflow adjustment surface is positioned within the supply airflow path of the supply air duct or the exit airflow path of the return air duct to cause a modification of airflow properties for air passing across or through the airflow adjustment surface.

Abstract: In an illustrative embodiment, an intermediate retaining assembly secures a rearmost equipment item of at least two horizontally-stacked equipment items within an aircraft galley compartment. The intermediate retaining assembly may include a manual control coupled to a first end of a rod where rotation of the manual control causes rotation of the rod. A retaining lever may engage a second end of the rod upon moving the rod to an axially extended position such that rotation of the rod causes the retaining lever to rotate between a position for securing the rearmost equipment item and a position for removing the rearmost equipment item from or inserting into the compartment. A mounting plate may be secured to an interior surface of the compartment and may have a recess for receiving the retaining lever, preventing the retaining lever from interfering with the equipment item during insertion into or release from the compartment.

Abstract: An insert is configured for anchoring within a cored panel and has a wide flange on one end, a sacrificial cover and threaded pin on its opposite end and a nut captured therein. The panel is prepared by forming a countersunk hole therein and filling or coating such opening with an adhesive. The insert is fitted into the hole such that the flange is positioned against one surface of the panel while the sacrificial cover and threaded pin protrude from the opposite surface. A screw fixture is threaded onto the threaded pin to maintain the insert in place while the adhesive cures. Subsequent removal of the screw fixture and sacrificial cover completes the anchoring process and exposes the nut that is captured within the insert for receipt of an appropriate fastener.

Abstract: An insert is configured for anchoring within a cored panel and has a wide flange on one end, a sacrificial cover and threaded pin on its opposite end and a nut captured therein. The panel is prepared by forming a countersunk hole therein and filling or coating such opening with an adhesive. The insert is fitted into the hole such that the flange is positioned against one surface of the panel while the sacrificial cover and threaded pin protrude from the opposite surface. A screw fixture is threaded onto the threaded pin to maintain the insert in place while the adhesive cures. Subsequent removal of the screw fixture and sacrificial cover completes the anchoring process and exposes the nut that is captured within the insert for receipt of an appropriate fastener.

Abstract: An insert is configured for anchoring within a cored panel and has a wide flange on one end, a sacrificial cover and threaded pin on its opposite end and a nut captured therein. The panel is prepared by forming a countersunk hole therein and filling or coating such opening with an adhesive. The insert is fitted into the hole such that the flange is positioned against one surface of the panel while the sacrificial cover and threaded pin protrude from the opposite surface. A screw fixture is threaded onto the threaded pin to maintain the insert in place while the adhesive cures. Subsequent removal of the screw fixture and sacrificial cover completes the anchoring process and exposes the nut that is captured within the insert for receipt of an appropriate fastener.