Highliner - Concept design

This project has been permitted in my portfolio by both company and client, as long as it it kept in a secure web page, due to the fact I heavily contributed during the design process.

Factory Design was approached by Maria R. Lacobucci, daughter of Emilio Lacobucci.

For over 25-years Maria, worked alongside her father, gleaning and building experience and know-how within the airline trolley and accessory sector. Before leaving the family company in 2009, Maria concluded contracts for the supply of trolleys with Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, Air France, Eva Air, SAS, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, American Airlines and others.

Now, with 30 years of experience under her belt, 2017 sees Maria R. Lacobucci launch a new company “HIGHLINER”, bringing with it a wave of innovative and pioneering trolley designs, which are set to change the face of the sector.

The problem

Currently, trolleys are built as unappealing back-of-house catering equipment, yet they are the main focus of all customer facing activity on a plane. Airlines disguise their industrial look by fitting doors in the galleys to give more of a ‘boutique hotel’ appearance by hiding away old-fashioned looking trolleys. This merely adds precious weight, making the trolleys bulkier and more complex, whilst passengers often complain about noise levels during opening and closing.

The highliner solution

HIGHLINER believe that the aesthetic design of an airline trolley should fuse in harmony with cabin interiors and are working towards bringing style to the aisle. The trolleys need a stylish face when viewed as a group of loaded carts, so that they appear smarter than a collection of highly-engineered locks and hinges. With a careful and considered design approach, the new trolleys from HIGHLINER will achieve this vision.

HIGHLINER aim to put trolleys into the spotlight of the cabin theatre, working simultaneously with the cabin lighting and adding benefit to trolleys by giving them illuminated parts. Historically analogue trolleys will also become digital and intelligent. An array of technology will be embedded to help with stock and temperature control, whilst also monitoring security on trolleys.

Initial sketches

fRONT INCH BLENDER MOCKUP

concept 4

Chosen by Highliner

Concept 6

Chosen by Highliner

Doors

• For trolleys with doors on both ends, hinges should be on opposite sides.

• Doors shall incorporate a latch-type handle, contain a primary and secondary retaining device to retain contents and have at least one retaining device mounted as part of door.

Wheels

• Trolley must be supported by a min of 4 wheels. Weight of trolley shall be evenly distributed on all wheels.

• Footprint pressure at max load shall not exceed allowable floor loading.

Weight and CG

• Weight and CG of Trolleys need to be close to existing weight and CG of carts to ensure that airline are able to install them

Flammability

• For fire properties and containment, materials to comply with 14CFR25.853 at amendment 25-83 or higher:

• Trolleys must meet the test criteria prescribed in 14CFR25 Appendix F, Part I, IV and V. 60 & 12 sec vertical burn and 15 sec horizontal burn.

General

• Cadmium/Magnesium alloys shall not be used

• Design should meet NASA-STD-3000, Vol 1, Section 6.3 (Crew Safety) for burrs edges, corner and protrusions.

• Interface clearance between cart and galley shall be in accordance with ARINC 810-3 Figure 2-6A to 2-8C (See following slides). SWS to provide details to Factory Design, if required.

• Sufficiently rigid to prevent excessive deflections with door open and to prevent trays or drawers from dropping off the runners and/or the door from unlatching.

concept 4 construction

concept 6 construction

rotating lock c4

sliding lock c6

Turning the handle through 90 degrees clockwise pulls the centrally located sliding lock 5mm out of engagement with the side extrusion.

Sliding the handle across approx. 10mm moves the slider bolt approx. 5mm out of engagement with the door frame.