In-flight service cart and thermally insulated container for an in-flight service cart

摘要

An in-flight service cart 1 for use on an aircraft for maintaining a payload (e.g. beverages, foodstuffs) within a selected temperature range, including a housing 3 and a removable thermally insulated container(s) 5 having a thermal insulation located between an outer casing 7 and a thermally conductive inner casing (11, figure 5). The thermal insulation includes at least one vacuum insulation panel (9a-e). A closure member 13 closes the opening 29. At least one thermal energy storage unit (TES, 15, figure 6) is located within the inner casing. The inner casing is in thermal contact with TES and provides a thermally conductive pathway for conducting heat entering the container to TES, which includes a phase change material (PCM) arranged to change phase at a temperature greater than or equal to -10°C. The inner casing may be copper or aluminium thinned walled cuboid structure. The closure member (e.g. a door) may have a locking mechanism (14, figure 9) comprising pins (64, 68) moving in opposite directions in response to actuator (60) movement. Preferably the door shuts without operating the actuator. A thermally insulated container (105, 205) is also provided with optional wheels.