In June 2015, Boeing filed 3 patents with the ideas from a studio project with students from Singapore Polytechnic (SP) and The Live Well Collaborative – Singapore (LWC-S). These patents were developed from Boeing Studio 6 which took place from September to December 2013, collaborating with Singapore Airlines (SIA) to investigate Galley operations and how the small workspace affects service standards of flight crew and passengers.

1. Aircraft Galley Sink Stations Having Movable Sink Covers, 14-0615.

Inventors:
Boeing – Vandewall Cynthia A
Singapore Polytechnic – Chew Mun Yee & Hoo Fang Rong Bonnibelle

EXTRA TABLETOP SPACE
Work space in service galleys, such as countertops, may be limited. The system uses movable sink covers to expand the work space in galleys over sinks. When a cover is installed over a sink, the sink cover may be used as a part of the overall countertop and can be used to stage cups when an attendant gets ready to serve drinks to passengers.

EASY CLEANING OF SPILLAGE
Any spillage of unwanted liquids simply flows through the opening in the sink cover. It should be noted that spillages are frequent in aircraft and other similar environments because of vehicle motions.
This liquid passing feature of the sink cover significantly reduces the amount of time needed to clean the galley and allowing flight attendants to spend more time on other tasks during fight, enhancing operational efficiency.

2. Integrated Locks With Visual Indicators For Aircraft Galley Systems, 14-0616.

Inventors:
Boeing – Vandewall Cynthia A
Singapore Polytechnic – Cheah Kai Shen Elston & Tan Jun Yuan Dexter

CLOSE AND LOCK IN ONE ACTION
The integrated lock and handle works by first unlocking the lock by pushing the latch to the right, then pulling the latch backwards to open the cabinet. The cabinet can be locked by pushing the door inwards, thereby closing the cabinet door, then pushing the latch to the left to lock the cabinet.

SAFE AND SECURED
Some conventional locking systems have visual indicators positioned on moving components, such as doors and carts, However, these indicators do not provide required indications. For example, a door may be slightly ajar with its visual indicator still showing the door being locked. This may lead to potentially dangerous conditions, such as Items falling from a cabinet, when the door is not properly secured.

3. Larder Systems Having Interlocking Larder Cases, 14-0613.

Inventors:
Boeing – Vandewall Cynthia A
Singapore Polytechnic – Tan Ming Kwan Esmond, Cheah Kai Shen Elston & Bary Hisham Tarek

INTERLOCKING LARDER CASES
In this larder systems, larder cases are interlocked with each other when inserted into the same compartment. This interlocking feature allows advancing an inner larder case closer to the opening of the compartment when the outer larder case is being removed.

NEED EASY ACCESS TO INNER LARDER
Many conventional larder systems have deep larder enclosures and stack multiple larder cases into the same compartment to achleve more efficient utilization of avallable space.
However, when two larder cases are inserted Into the same compartment and the outer larder case is removed, a user needs to reach deep into the compartmentin order to reach the inner larder case and bring it to the opening of the compartment.

The students received their Boeing Patent Awards at the opening of Singapore Polytechnic’s new aerospace training facility, know as the Aerohub, on 5 Jan 2016. They also made a trip to the Boeing Concept Centre in Seattle USA in June 2015 to speak to Boeing representatives.

Media Coverage
(Click on the below links on media coverage on the event)
– The New Paper

– Today Online

– CAAS