SPACE-SAVING IN-FLIGHT TRASH COMPACTOR

摘要

A storage chamber system for an in-flight trash compactor, comprising:
a galley workdeck delineating a dead space below a level of the galley workdeck, the dead space being inaccessible from in front of the galley workdeck;
a storage chamber disposed below the level of the galley workdeck, the storage chamber constructed to facilitate trash being compacted therein by the in-flight trash compactor when disposed in an operating position in the dead space inaccessible from in front of the galley workdeck;
an elongate chamber axle disposed below the level of the galley workdeck; and
at least one hinge rotatably attached to both the storage chamber and the elongate chamber axle and operable to rotate the storage chamber from the operating position in which the storage chamber is inaccessible from in front of the galley workdeck to a maintenance position in which the storage chamber is accessible from in front of the galley workdeck, the compacted trash being removable from the storage chamber in the maintenance position. A method for compacting trash, the method comprising:
positioning a storage chamber in a chamber operating position within a dead space inaccessible from in front of a workdeck;
receiving trash into the storage chamber while the storage chamber is in the chamber operating position;
executing a compaction cycle that compacts the trash in the storage chamber; and
repositioning the storage chamber into a chamber maintenance position in which the compacted trash is removable from the storage chamber accessible from in front of the workdeck.