GB2354990A - Aircraft or train personal hygiene cabins - Google Patents

Abstract

An aircraft or train for transporting passengers has cabins separated optically from a passenger compartment, at least one cabin having a lockable door or access 6. The cabin has a tapping device connected to a fresh water reservoir which may have thermally insulated walls; a collecting device for waste water (which may be a washbasin 1) connected to a line for carrying waste water away; and a lighting device. The cabin further has materials and utensils for applying cosmetics and containers 2 for their reception; a connection 4 for electrical appliances 3 (such as shavers and hair-dryers) connected to an electric power supply such as a battery, accumulator or fuel cell; and a stool, couch or reclining seat. The cabin may be surrounded by walls 7 and may be divided into subcabins by partition elements 5. Alternatively, the materials and utensils by be stored in a central room serving a number of cabins.

Description

2354990 Aircraft or Long-Distance Train for Transport of Passengers The

invention concerns an aircraft or a long-distance train for transport of passengers having pennanently installed cabins, of which at least one has access that is visually separate from the passenger compartment. Fresh water is supplied via a tapping device connected to a fresh water reservoir. A receptacle for waste water connected to a line to drain said waste water is also provided, as well as a lightmig device, Nowadays passengers on long-distance flights or longer rai"I journeys, which often take hours if not even days, enjoy, by way of comparison with earlier times, considerable nuprovements 'in terms of comfort and the possibility of satisfying everyday human needs. For eating, in trains, for example, a dining car is usually provided, while in aircraft the catering cart supplies hot and cold meals. As concerns the sanitary facilities, trains and afficraft: have WCs with washing facilities as well as a wallsocket which is suitable for connecting an electric shaver. For sleeping, besides the known reclining seats in trains, couchette coaches as well as sleeping cars are offered; in large-capacity aircraft rest and sleeping cabins are planned or have already been introduced.

I Many passengers, however, on longer flights or rail journeys, especially after staying overnight in the aircraft or train, feel the need for further cosmetic activities, for example, thorough facial cleaning and care, the application of decorative cosmetics and of doing one's hair, to offer on the one hand other passengers and on the other upon arrival a pleasant appearance that does not reveal the strains of travel. Cosmetic activities are possible for passengers 'in the wash-rooms of aircraft and trains, which can be used by passengers and offer protection against the view. of other passengers. In these places a water tap is available from which fresh water can be taken for washing. The waste water is collected and drained away from the cabin. A lighting device allows the passenger to apply cosmetics such as the self-application of manicures. As an aid for bodily care on journeys, furthermore, a travelling bag for toilet articles is known, which can be included in hand luggage and when opened can be hung up so that the utensils, aids and substances required for personal hygiene are freely accessible.

Nonetheless, cosmetic tasks in the wash-rooms are only possible 'in a limited scope because of the confined space and poor illumination. Moreover, only those utensils and aids can be used that the passenger carries -in the hand luggage, which offers only limited space. Moreover, the few washing-rooms serve simultaneously as WCs, which of course are used by many passengers and therefore for a single individual there is not the time available required for thorough bodily care. Owing to the odours and dirtiness, which frequently occur m such rooms, the performance of personal hygiene tasks and cosmetic applications would hardly appear appealing there anyway.

Against this background, the present invention has the object of creating a possibility by means of which aircraft as well as rail passengers can care for and dress their bodies and especially their faces in peaceful comfort.

In accordance with the invention, this task is solved therein that a cabin is provided with materials and utensils for cosmetic applications and containers for accommodating them, the cabin- contains a connection for electrical equipment, it is connected to a power supply which provides electric current of sufficient power for the equipment and has as well a chair and/or a couch.

In such facilities no dirtying caused by a toilet is to be expected and the user is also not given the impression of preventing other passengers from relieving themselves. The cabins are equipped with utensils and other materials for applying cosmetics and hairstyling work as well as containers to accommodate them. Objects such as mirrors, cosmetics, towels, hairdressing capes, scissors and make-up utensils are provided directly to the user or trained specialist staff. The utensils then no longer have to be carried in hand luggage. Furthermore, the cabin is provided with a connection for electrical equipment. Appliances such as electric shavers, hair-dryers or salon hair-dryers, can be connected there. The cabin power supply provides sufficient power for these appliances.

Because numerous applications, in particular those performed by pretrained specialist personnel on passengers, are better carried out on sitting or lying passengers, the use of devices such as seats, couches or reclining seats are required in the 'inventive cabin. This means the cabins are more comfortable for the user. Such facilities can be installed in the cabin permanently, if necessary, also integrated in the wall so as to fold out.

For the energy supply, the invention recommends the use of an electrochemical energy store, that is, a battery or an accumulator, the latter being preferred due to its rechargeability. Alternatively, the inventive cosmetics cabin can also be supplied with electric energy by a fuel cell.

The water used for cosmetic applications must normally be warmed up. The warming of water requires heavy use of energy which, 'in the inventive cosmetics cabin, is possibly only available 'in a limited scope. Therefore, 'in an advantageous embodiment of the invention a hot-water reservoir is used with thermally insulated walls. This enables the fresh water reservoir to be filled with hot water at the beginning of the use of the cosmetics cabin, without this reservoir suffering significant temperature loss during operation of several hours duration, so that also after a number of hours still pleasantly warm water is available.

Under circumstances it is necessary to equip the cosmetics cabin with a waste water receptacle, which appropriately is connected to the outlet of the washbasm' and which during washing drains the collecting waste water via the washbas -in outlet.

Cosmetic applications also include hair-dressmig where the use of atomised water is very helpful. For this purpose, an atomisation device can be provided 'in the cabin. This device can either be connected to the fresh water supply of the cabin or contain its own water reservoir.

The range of use of fresh water for cosmetic care is multifarious. Washing hands, hair, face or atomisation. are only a few of the applications. It is obvious that depending on the field of application differing temperatures are appropriate. Therefore, the cabin is preferably equipped with a device which permits the adjustment of the fresh water temperature, for example, via two water reservoirs of differing temperature and a water tap for adjusting the ratio of mixture.

During a flight or a train journey, there may be a differing user demand for the cosmetics cabin at different times. Moreover, the space requirement differs according to the cosmetic task. Thus face masks are preferably applied when the person is lying, whereas hair-dressing can be done well when the person is sitting. Thus, the invention proposes to dispose more than one treatment place in one cabin, and, as required, to separate off differing sizes of subcab Mis. Thus the passenger can be offered, at specific times, the luxury of a spacious subcabin, while at times of peak demand the passengers are provided with a larger number of smaller subcabins. Through movable separation elements, such as partition walls and curtains, however, for every single user, under all these circumstances, the atmosphere of an individual, more or less spacious,, separate cabin can be created.

The 'inventive cabin is intended, as already mentioned,- for the performance of cosmetic tasks such as manicures, pedicures, face-mask applications and the application of make-up. In addition, of course, other personal hygiene measures can be performed, such as massages and hair-dressmig work. All this opens up a new dimension of comfort 'in such means of transport.

As a result of the multiplicity of different treatment methods, various shades of make-up or different types of skim and hair, in the cosmetics industry there is an enormous variety of materials and equipment which could be requested by the user. To accommodate such a variety in every 'individual cabin would be very costly and perhaps not possible with the space available in aircraft and trains. An embodiment of the invention therefore foresees making many devices and equipment usable from a plurality of cabins. This may be effected, for example, in that several cabins are disposed around a space in which these devices and equipment are located. A connection between cabins and this space via movable walls or curtains can retain the closed atmosphere. A further possibility would be to store devices and equipment in a central room from which they would be taken to the cabin by personnel on request. Therefore, the use of an extensive cosmetics assortment is possible while requiring relatively little space. Any fresh water or waste water facility, as well as the supply of electricity, can also be provided jointly for a number of cabins.

In the case of an extensive cosmetics assortment, which is accommodated 'in the cabins, it is not unproblematic entrusting the user with utensils and materials for individual use. The consequence could be wastage owing to theft and unnecessarily high wear or damage owing to improper handling of the equipment. For this reason, it appears advantageous to use pretraied personnel in the cabins for the cosmetic treatment of passengers. Cosmetic utensils and materials in the cabins can also be offered to the passengers for purchase. Therefore, if necessary, a more even employment of the specialised staff can be achieved.

Further details, features and advantages of the invention can be taken from the following description part in which with the aid of a drawing a typical embodiment of the invention is explained in greater detail. It shows in a schematic diagram a top plan view of a cabin or subcabin.

The figure shows a cabin or subcabin with wash-basin (1) in which the user can wash, for example, hands, hair or face. The water draining from the outlet of the wash-basin is transferred to a waste water receptacle or in a train possibly CI drained directly onto the tracks. In addition to the basin there are receptacles (2) in the form of a cabinet for materials such as eye-shadow, mascara, nail varnish or shampoo and utensils such as scissors, pencils, brushes or electric shavers. On its top side, which can also be used as a place of deposit, there is a hair-dryer (3) that the user can use for drying hair or to produce a special hair-style and which is already connected to a wallsocket (4). The cabin or subcabi is surrounded by walls (7) or partition elements (5), where the latter can be permanently 'installed or movable. Through movable partition elements, such as curtains or movable walls, an adjacent subcabin can either be separated or a connection can be created to a space 'in which equipment and aids can be stored so as to be accessible from more than one cabin or subcabin. The user can access the cabin through a door (6) and can lock this door as protection against undesired intruders. An attractive atmosphere for personal hygiene and applying cosmetics is thus provided.

Claims (12)

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Aircraft or long-distance train for transport of passengers having permanently installed cabins, of which at least one has access (6) that is visually separate from the passenger compartment. Fresh water is supplied via a tapping device connected to a fresh water reservoir. A receptacle (1) for waste water connected to a line to drain said waste water is also provided, as well as a lighting device, wherein said cabin - is. provided with materials and equipment for applying cosmetics (3) and - containers (2) for accommodating them, - has a connection (4) for electrical equipment (3), - is connected to a power supply which provides electric current of sufficient power for the utensils and - has a chair and/or a couch (8)_

2. Device accordig to claim 1, wherein for the electric power supply a battery (i and/or an accumulator and/or a ftiel cell is/are provided.

3. Device according to one of the preceding clanins, wherein a ftesh water reservoir has thermally insulating walls.

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein there is a waste water receptacle.

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein there is an atomisation device for water.

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein there is an adjusting device for the temperature of the fresh water.

7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein there are receptacles for movable partition elements (5), such as partition walls or curtains, in the cabin.

8. Use of a device according to claim 7, whcrein the cabin is subdivided as required for simultaneous use by more than one passenger.

9. Use of a device according to one of claims 1-7, whe ' rein tasks are performed there for bodily care and hygiene such as massages, hairdressing work and/or cosmetic applications such as manicures, pedicures, face mask applications and/or the application of make-up.

10. Use of a device according to one of claims I to 7, wherein materials and utensils are used by different cabins simultaneously.

11. Use of a device according to one of claims 1-7, wherein there is trained personnel for performing cosmetic tasks.

12. Use of a device according to one of claims 1-7, wherein the passenger is presented for purchase utensils and/or materials for cosmetic tasks.