AU2014361101B2

AU2014361101B2 - Locker system with a temperature control device

Info

Publication number: AU2014361101B2
Application number: AU2014361101A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Lukas Clausen
Original assignee: Locktec GmbH
Current assignee: Locktec GmbH
Priority date: 2013-12-13
Filing date: 2014-11-21
Publication date: 2017-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 2034-11-21
Also published as: WO2015086292A1; AU2014361101A1; DE102013113996A1; EP3090414B1; EP3090414A1; DE102013113996B4

Abstract

The invention relates to a locker system which comprises several lockers, each locker being equipped with a temperature control device.

Description

1 2014361101 08 Sep 2017

Locker system with a temperature control device

The invention relates to a locker system equipped with a temperature control device.

Locker systems comprising a plurality of lockers are already known. A locker system of that kind serves as a transfer point for despatch of goods on the part of a supplier who furnishes one or more of the lockers with an individual consignment of goods. This goods consignment can then be removed from the locker by an authorised customer.

Known locker systems of that kind are, for example, a DHL Packstation [Registered Trade Mark], in the lockers of which goods consignments, packages and/or packets for an individual customer are deposited by the German Post Office. A method for depositing goods in at least one locker and a locker system for carrying out this method are known from EP 1 247 260 B1. This locker system comprises at least one locker equipped with a closable door or flap. In addition, the known locker system includes a computer-controlled electronic locking system for actuating the lock of the door or the flap of the locker by means of an electronic key system of an access-authorised supplier or addressee. Moreover, computer input means for identification of access-authorised parties are provided. Further, the known system is provided with a memory in which at least the addresses and movement data for the goods to be deposited are registered. Furthermore, the known system includes a communication interface for a communication mains, particularly a wired network or a mobile radio network, inclusive of the internet. The computer of the locker system can be cleared or dialled up by a central administration computer or by way of a data terminal or a telephone for access-authorised parties.

Further locker systems are known DE 102 46 649 B4 and DE 102 46 650 B4.

Furthermore WO 2013/170316 A1 reveals a locker system wherein individual lockers can be cooled.

The cooling options are limited whereby the locker system which is known from WO 2013/170316 A1 has a significant energy consumption.

The present invention seeks to indicate a locker system with expanded possibilities of use. 2 2014361101 08 Sep 2017 A locker system with the features indicated hereinbefore has the advantage that it is even possible to store in the lockers thereof articles and foodstuffs which have to be stored at a specific temperature or in a specific temperature range. This applies particularly to foodstuffs. For example, frozen products such as frozen pizzas or icecream have to be stored at a temperature of -18° C, whereas cheese products and vegetable products have to be stored at approximately +7° C.

The temperature control device of each of the individual lockers of the locker system includes one or more Peltier elements. The Peltier-elements are linked to a common temperature pre-controlled circuit constructed for supplying the Peltier-elements by means of temperature control fluid and the common temperature pre-controlled circuit comprises a heating device and a refrigerating unit which are separately connectable into the common temperature pre-controlled circuit in order to bring fluid to a desired temperature.

The Peltier-elements are advantageously arranged in or at a wall of the respective locker and each has an inner side and an outer side, wherein the inner side is oriented in the direction of the interior space of the locker and the outer side is oriented outwardly. In advantageous manner, the temperature of each locker can be individually increased as well as lowered, so that, for example, starting from an instantaneous locker temperature of 0° C one of the lockers can be used for storage of frozen products at -18° C and a further locker can be used for storage of vegetables at +7° C.

The temperature control device of each of the lockers can preferably be individually switched on and switched off. This has the advantage that lockers, which are not currently required, of the locker system do not have to be subject to temperature control, so that the interior region of the respective locker can essentially adopt ambient temperature. Energy is saved by this possibility of being able to switch off temperature control of lockers not currently required.

Advantageously, for control of the temperature control devices of the individual lockers a central control unit is provided which assigns a specific product to individual lockers according to need and presets the target temperature at which the respective product has to be stored. Adaptation of the actual temperature prevailing in the locker to the preset target temperature takes place by means of a regulating unit of the respective locker. 2014361101 08 Sep 2017

2A

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention the temperature control devices are each equipped with cooling ribs. This enables dissipation of heat or coldness from one side wall of the respective Peltier element to the other side wall of the respective Peltier element and conversely. This dissipation of heat or coldness is preferably carried out with use of a fan. 3

In order to be able to better maintain a respectively desired temperature in a locker, each of the lockers is provided in advantageous manner with an insulating layer.

In order to monitor the temperature prevailing in a locker a temperature sensor is provided in each locker. The actual temperature, which is detected by this, of the respective locker is compared in the regulating unit of the locker with a target value, which is preset by the central control unit, for the locker temperature. If actual temperature and target temperature differ from one another then the regulating unit regulates the temperature in the locker to the respective temperature target value.

There is also the possibility of combining several lockers to form a locker module and to assign a common regulating unit to the lockers of this locker module. This reduces the outlay necessary for regulation to the desired target temperature.

In order that a locker system can reliably operate over a wide temperature range, for example from -30°C to +40° C, the outer sides of the Peltier elements used as temperature control devices are connected with a common temperature pre-control circuit constructed for supply of the outer sides of the Peltier elements by means of a temperature-controlled fluid. This common temperature pre-control circuit comprises a heating device and a refrigerating unit, which when required can be introduced into the common temperature circuit and by means of which the fluid can be brought to a desired temperature, for example to a temperature of +10° C. The Peltier elements of the locker system then have merely the task, starting from this temperature, of undertaking control of the temperature of the respective locker to a respectively desired temperature. Since Peltier elements in general can realise merely a temperature difference of approximately 40°, on the basis of the temperature pre-control a temperature lying in the range of -30° C to +50° C would, in this case, be able to be produced in the lockers independently of the ambient temperature of the locker system.

Further advantageous characteristics of the invention are evident from the following explanation thereof with reference to the figures, in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic illustration for explanation of the mode of functioning of a Peltier element, 4

Figure 2 shows a schematic drawing for explanation of the basic construction of a locker, which is equipped with a Peltier element, of a locker system,

Figure 3 shows a block illustration for clarification of the co-operation of a central control unit and the regulating units of the lockers,

Figure 4 shows a schematic drawing of a front view of a locker system and

Figure 5 shows a schematic drawing for clarification of the rear region of the locker system illustrated in Figure 4.

The present invention provides a locker system comprising a plurality of lockers, wherein each of these lockers is equipped with a temperature control device. A locker system of that kind is of advantage particularly for the foodstuffs field, since by means of this locker system the security of a cooling chain is provided when required, in which connection it is be avoided that foodstuffs deposited in frozen state in the lockers of the locker system begin to defrost or even thaw in undesired manner during storage thereof in the respective locker.

The temperature control device of the lockers preferably includes one or more Peltier elements, which are arranged in or at a wall of the respective locker and which each have an inner side facing the interior space of the locker and an outer side facing the exterior space of the locker.

Figure 1 shows a schematic illustration for explanation of the mode of functioning of a Peltier element. A Peltier element of that kind has a current source Q, ceramic plates K, semiconductors HL of different doping and metal bridges MB. By means of such a Peltier element it is possible to produce, by current conduction, a temperature difference between the two sides of the Peltier element. A heat flow is produced in a Peltier element of that kind by electrical energy. In that case, one side of the Peltier element is heated and the other side cooled. If one or more Peltier elements are so arranged in or at a wall of a locker of a locker system that one side of the Peltier elements is placed on the inner side and the other side of the Peltier elements is placed on the outer side, for example a side wall or the back wall of a locker, then a temperature difference between the inner region 5 and the outer region of the locker can be produced. This enables not only cooling, but also heating of the interior region of a locker. Through application of a current, a heat flow from the locker inner side to the locker outer side arises. By reversal of the current direction, the direction of heat flow can be reversed and a respective locker can be selectively heated if a predetermined target temperature is fallen below. In this way, a respectively desired constant temperature can be set in the interior of a locker not only in the case of low, but also in the case of high external temperatures.

In the case of Peltier elements of that kind suitable for producing a temperature difference of approximately 40° C, the heat produced on one side has to be passed on by thermal conduction or convection to the surrounding medium in order to be able to produce lower temperatures on the other side. This also applies in opposite sense to the side to be cooled. Here, too, the heat of the space has to be delivered to the cooling side of the Peltier element by thermal conduction or convection.

This thermal conduction or convection is made possible particularly by cooling ribs, particularly aluminium cooling ribs, being formed on the outer sides of the Peltier elements (thermal conduction) and these cooling ribs in a given case being flowed through by air with use of a blower or fan (convection).

Figure 2 shows a schematic drawing for explanation of the basic construction of a locker, which is equipped with a Peltier element, of a locker system. This locker 19 comprises a housing 1 provided with a door 2. Provided within the housing 1 is an insulating layer 3 which thermally insulates the interior space of the locker relative to the locker environment. A temperature control device which ensures that the interior space of the locker has a desired temperature is arranged in or at the rear wall of the locker. A Peltier element 4, an aluminium block 5, cooling ribs 6 and a fan 7 belong to this temperature control device in the illustrated embodiment. Arranged in the interior of the locker 19 is a temperature sensor 8 by means of which the actual temperature prevailing in the interior of the locker is detected. Moreover, the locker 19 comprises a regulating unit 22, which is not illustrated in Figure 2 and to which a temperature target value for the locker 19 is transmitted by a central control unit 21. The co-operation of the central control unit 21 with the regulating units 22 of the lockers 19 is illustrated in Figure 3.

These regulating units 22 are constructed in such a way that they compare the 6 temperature actual value, which is provided by the respective temperature sensor 8, with the respective temperature target value preset by the central control unit 21 and regulate or set the power and also the current direction through the respective Peltier element 4 in such a way that the respectively desired target temperature prevails within the locker 19.

The central control unit 21 determines the temperature target values for the individual lockers in dependence on the sensor signals s, operating signals b and setting signals e supplied thereto. The sensor signals s are, for example the signals of an outside temperature sensor, the operating signals b are command or information signals input by means of the control unit of the locker system and the setting signals e are, for example, data or command signals established by the operator of the locker system.

As an alternative to the possibility of assigning an own regulating unit to each locker 19 it is also possible for several lockers to be combined to form a locker module and for a single regulating unit to be used per locker module. The outlay on regulation is reduced in this alternative form of embodiment.

The central control unit 21 predetermines for each of the lockers a desired temperature target value which can be regulated to by means of the regulating unit of the respective locker. In that case, the central control unit 21 can undertake assignment of a temperature target value to a respective locker in accordance with need. For example, it can assign to all lockers one and the same temperature target value, but it can also individually predetermine for each individual locker a temperature target value dependent on the currently prevailing need. Lockers which are not needed at the moment can be switched off by the central control unit 21. The locker system can be operated in energy-efficient manner by these measures.

The advantages of a locker system described in the foregoing consist, in summary, that for each locker a desired temperature target value can be predetermined, which then can be set by means of the temperature control device of the respective locker. This setting can take place in the sense of fast regulation. Energy saving can be achieved by deactivation of the temperature control of lockers not currently needed. In addition, at low outside temperatures down to, for example, -10° C a stable locker temperature in the positive temperature range can be set by the heating function of the Peltier elements. No coolant is needed for that purpose. If a fan is not used, the temperature control of the lockers 7 functions almost silently.

However, for preference a locker system according to the invention is suitable for being set up not only in interior rooms of a building in which comparatively small temperature differences prevail, but also in the exterior region of a building even when large temperature differences prevail thereat.

Depending on the time of year and the location of the locker system widely different ambient temperatures can arise in the exterior region of a building. For example, a locker system set up in the exterior region of a building can be exposed in winter to ambient temperatures lying in the region of -30° C and in summer to ambient temperatures lying in the region of +40° C. The temperature control function of the locker system has to be guaranteed not only in the case of very low outside temperatures, but also in the case of very high outside temperatures.

This is hardly possible by means of known Peltier elements, since temperature differences of only approximately 40° C can be produced by means of Peltier elements of that kind. Consequently, in the case of sole use of Peltier elements for temperature control in the presence of high outside temperatures of, for example, +40° C the generation of a deepfreezing temperature of -18° C in the interior of a respective locker is barely feasible.

In order to be able to also use the locker system at installation locations at which large temperature differences of that kind prevail, the outer sides of the Peltier elements are connected with a common temperature pre-control circuit constructed for supply of the Peltier elements by means of a temperature-controlled fluid. This common temperature pre-control circuit preferably comprises a heating device and a refrigerating unit, which can be switched on separately so as to heat or cool the fluid to a desired temperature. This desired temperature is, for example, +10° C. Starting from this temperature of +10° C, which is provided at the outer sides of the Peltier elements, the Peltier elements then only have the task of lowering the temperature prevailing in the interior region of the respective locker to a desired lower temperature or increasing it to a desired higher temperature. For that purpose, the temperature difference of approximately +40° C producible by means of the Peltier elements is sufficient. One or more current-conducting coils, heating strips or heating resistances or a throughflow heater, for example, can be used as heating device and a compression refrigerating unit can be used as refrigerating unit. 8

In the case of a locker system of that kind of construction the fluid consequently keeps the outer sides of the Peltier elements at a constant temperature of, for example, +10° C and thereby provides compensation for temperature differences of the environment. In this way it is possible, for example, to produce low locker temperatures of, for example, -18° C even in the case of very high external temperatures of 40° C. The possibility then also exists of operating all lockers at different temperatures, in the extreme case, for example, at temperatures in the range of +50° C to -30° C.

The desired constant temperature of, for example, +10° C to which the fluid flowing around the outer sides of the Peltier elements is controlled in terms of temperature is preferably provided by use of a refrigerating unit or a heating device which can be separately switched into the temperature pre-control circuit.

This is explained in the following by way of Figures 4 and 5, wherein a schematic drawing of a front view of a locker system is illustrated in Figure 4 and a schematic drawing for clarification of the rear region of the locker system shown in Figure 4 is illustrated in Figure 5.

It is apparent from the front view of the locker system illustrated in Figure 4 that the locker system comprises a plurality of lockers 19 of which in Figure 4 the doors are evident. In the illustrated embodiment the locker system has in total nine lockers of which in each instance three are arranged one above the other and three are arranged adjacent to one another. The lockers of the lower locker row are larger than the lockers of the two upper locker rows. Each of the lockers 19 is - as was explained above - equipped with a Peltier element for temperature control of the respective locker.

The outer sides of the Peltier elements are each provided with a respective aluminium block 5 (see Figure 2) and pipelines 10 (see Figure 5). As additionally apparent from Figure 5, the pipelines 10 are a component of the above-described common temperature pre-control circuit and are supplied with a fluid of predetermined temperature via pipes 9 and 11.

In the case of a cooling function of the lockers the circulating fluid is prepared by a compression refrigerating unit, which comprises a compressor 12, a condenser 13 and a 9 throttle 14, and is transported in the cooled state to the lockers 19, whereby the outer sides of the Peltier elements undertake heating of the fluid and as a result of which cooling of the internal region of the respective locker takes place.

If the locker temperature drops, for example due to lowering of the outside temperature, then the locker temperature control is converted from cooling to heating so as to guarantee the desired constant temperature in the internal region of the respective locker. This takes place through a change in the current direction of the respective Peltier element by the regulating unit of the respective locker. As a result, the direction of heat flow in the Peltier element also changes so that the locker outer side and also the medium which flows therearound are cooled.

If the fluid is cooled by that or through the additional influence of the low outside temperature to such an extent that an additional cooling by the refrigerating unit 12, 13, 14 is a nuisance, then the system cooling process can be terminated by way of valves 15 and the fluid conducted in heated form to the lockers 19 by way of a pump 16 and a heating device 17.

The setting of the valves 15 and the power of the heating device 17 or of the refrigerating unit 12, 13, 14 are predetermined or set by a regulating unit of the common temperature pre-control circuit. This regulating unit evaluates the temperatures, which are measured by the temperature sensors 18, of the fluid and sets the target temperature of the fluid for the common temperature pre-control circuit.

Moreover, it is apparent from Figure 4 that in the illustrated embodiment an operating region 20, in which the usual control elements of a locker system are arranged, is provided on the right and adjacent to the lockers 19. Belonging to these usual control elements are, for example, alphanumeric input means, a chip card reader, a magnetic card reader, a barcode reader, a transponder chip reader, biometric sensors and/or a radio-telephone for identification of an access-authorised party. In addition, display means are also provided in the operating region 20.

The afore-described invention provides in accordance with all that a new locker system which in addition to the usual functions of known locker systems, for example the locker system described in EP 1 247 260 B1, has temperature-controllable lockers, particularly 10 lockers with a cooling and freezing function. This new locker system has, just like known locker systems, a high level of security against vandalism and enables authentication and authorisation of a person for filling and emptying an individual locker.

In a locker system according to the invention the individual lockers of the locker system each have one or more Peltier elements by means of which heating or cooling of the respective locker can be carried out as required. In order to increase the temperature range in which the locker system can operate these Peltier elements are each connected with a common temperature pre-control circuit constructed for supply of the Peltier elements with a temperature-controlled fluid. The common temperature pre-control circuit comprises a heating device and a refrigerating unit, which depending on need can be connected into the common temperature pre-control circuit or removed therefrom. The common temperature pre-control circuit makes available, regardless of the ambient temperature of the locker system of all Peltier elements, fluid of a predetermined constant temperature and thus provides compensation for external temperature fluctuations. The individual Peltier elements can realise a desired temperature in the respective locker on the basis of the fluid temperature individually for each locker regardless of the outside temperature of the locker system.

The target temperatures for the individual lockers and also the temperature of the fluid are predetermined by the central control unit. As a result, improvement in energy efficiency can also be achieved.

In the case of lower loading/utilisation of the locker system with unoccupied lockers the central control unit can switch off the temperature control of the unoccupied lockers so as to save energy.

Individual lockers or locker modules if temperature control thereof is not necessary can also be separated from the temperature control process with use of valves. This can be carried out not only manually, but also by way of the central control unit.

The individual lockers or locker modules are preferably constructed in such a way that the locker system can be enlarged as desired. This enlargement can also be carried out in such a way that the locker system comprises not only temperature-controllable lockers, but also non-temperature-controllable lockers. 11

The temperature control means of a locker can also be realised in the form of an add-on component for a conventional locker. In this case, the temperature-controllable lockers of the locker system have the same dimensions as the non-temperature-controllable lockers of the locker system.

The target temperatures for the individual lockers are - as has been described in the foregoing - predetermined by the central control unit. These target temperatures can be predetermined at the central control unit by the operator of the locker system or also changed during operation of the locker system. This can take place by way of a network or also directly at the locker system by way of a management function.

The central control unit can also predetermine, for example, that a predetermined number of lockers of a specific temperature range always have to be unoccupied. If a free locker is occupied, then the control unit can allocate a new target temperature of this specific temperature range to a free locker unoccupied until then so as to fulfil the default requirement to always have a predetermined number of lockers of a specific temperature range available.

In the case of so-called last-mile systems in which delivery of goods takes place by a loader and goods removal takes place by a collector and in which specific lockers are reserved in advance by way of a network a desired temperature range for the lockers can be set beforehand. The central control unit reserves the lockers of the locker system and presets the selected target temperature. The selection of the temperature can also take place with use of a databank and presetting of the future content of the locker. Thus, for example, it can be selected beforehand that a specific locker is occupied in the near future with fruit and vegetables. An associated temperature, for example +7° C, is assigned to the respective goods in the said databank. Through selection of the goods there is accordingly selection and reservation, by the central control unit of the system, of the locker which fulfils the required criteria such as locker size and temperature.

Alternatively thereto the central control unit can select a new locker having the required size and bring it to the respectively necessary temperature by a change in the target temperature. 12

According to a further form of embodiment when a locker system is present in which the end user would like to temporarily store his or her previous purchases the end user himself or herself can set a locker temperature, which is suitable for storage of his or her previous purchases, at the operating unit of the locker system.

In addition, in many cases the goods which are to be deposited in a locker of the locker system are provided with a barcode or an RFID chip. If the locker system has an appropriate reader, the goods can be identified by reading out the barcode or the RFID chip and a suitable storage temperature determined by way of a databank. A locker with the correct temperature is subsequently offered to the user and, for example, also automatically opened at the same time.

Alternatively thereto the temperature suitable for storage of the goods can also be encoded in the barcode or the RFID chip of the goods themselves so that a databank for determination of a suitable storage temperature is not needed.

An advantageous development of the invention consists of constructing the central control unit in such a way that in a case in which a locker is loaded with different goods it identifies these goods on the basis of the barcode or the RFID chip and offers to the user a distribution of the goods to different lockers, each of which has the temperature suitable for storage of the product concerned.

Advantageously, each locker is equipped with a door sensor which monitors the opening state of the door of the locker. If a locker door remains open too long then an optical or acoustic warning signal can be delivered by the control unit so that the user closes the locker door again as soon as possible. If a predetermined time for a locker door to remain open is exceeded the central control unit can advantageously take the temperature control device of this locker out of operation so as to avoid wasting energy. Moreover, an indication about the unclosed locker door can be reported to the user of the locker system by way of the central control unit and/or a connected network, for example in the form of an automatic telephone call, an SMS, an e-mail or a push notification. A locker taken out of operation is then available again for a customer only if this locker has been closed and the target temperature is again present in the interior of the locker. 2014361101 08 Sep 2017 13 A locker taken out of operation is indicated, by means of a display provided in the operating region of the locker system, as blocked.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention the control unit is constructed in such a way that it monitors the duration of storage of a product in a locker and issues a warning signal if the duration of storage exceeds a predetermined period of time. The control unit can transmit this warning signal, for example, by automatic transmission of a communication signal to the operator of the locker installation and/or to the respective end customer. The recipient of the warning signal then has the possibility of attending to removal of the goods from the respective locker and thereby avoiding spoilage of the goods.

Another advantageous embodiment of the invention resides in constructing the lockers of the locker system to each be unlockable from the inside. This increases the safety of the locker system, since, for example, a person trapped in a locker has the possibility of escaping from the locker with use of force.

The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or admission or any form of suggestion that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. 14

Reference numeral list 1 housing 2 door 3 insulating layer 4 Peltier element 5 aluminium block 6 cooling ribs 7 fan 8 temperature sensor 9 pipe 10 pipelines 11 pipe 12 compressor 13 condenser 14 throttle 15 valve 16 pump 17 heating device 18 temperature sensor 19 locker 20 operating region 21 control unit 22 regulating unit HL semiconductor K ceramic MB metal bridge Q current source b operating signals e setting signals s sensor signals

Claims

Patent claims

1. Locker system including a plurality of lockers, wherein each of these lockers is equipped with a temperature control device, the temperature control device includes one or more Peltier elements wherein, Peltier elements are connected with a common temperature pre-control circuit constructed for supplying the Peltier elements by means of a temperature control fluid and the common temperature pre-control circuit includes a heating device and a refrigerating unit, which are separately connectible into the common temperature pre-control circuit in order to bring the fluid to a desired temperature.
2. Locker system according to claim 1, wherein the or each Peltier element is arranged in or at a wall of the respective locker and has an inner side and an outer side.
3. Locker system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the temperature control device of each locker is individually both raisable and lowerable.
4. Locker system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the temperature control device of each of these lockers is individually switchable on and switchable off.
5. Locker system according to any one of the preceding claims, including a control unit constructed for controlling the temperature control devices of the lockers.
6. Locker system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each temperature control device is equipped with cooling ribs.
7. Locker system according to claim 6, wherein the cooling ribs are acted on by air from a respective fan.
8. Locker system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lockers each have an insulating layer.
9. Locker system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a temperature sensor is arranged in each locker.
10. Locker system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a regulating unit is arranged in each locker.
11. Locker system according to claim 10, wherein the regulating unit is constructed to compare a temperature target value, which is predetermined by the control unit, of the respective locker with a temperature actual value, which is provided by the temperature sensor, of the respective locker and to regulate the temperature control device of the respective locker to the predetermined temperature target value.
12. Locker system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a regulating unit is associated with a locker module consisting of a plurality of lockers and this regulating unit is constructed to compare a temperature target value, which is predetermined by the central control unit, for the locker of the locker module with a temperature actual value, which is measured by a temperature sensor, and to regulate the temperature control devices of the lockers of the locker module to the predetermined temperature target value.
13. Locker system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is constructed for the purpose of presetting for the heating device and the refrigerating unit a target value for the desired temperature.
14. Locker system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein it is equipped with a reading device constructed for identifying a product by reading out a product code provided on the product or the packaging thereof and that the control unit on the basis of the product code determines a locker suitable for storage of the product.
15. Locker system according to claim 14, wherein the reading device is a barcode reader or is constructed for reading out an RFID chip.
16. Locker system according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the control unit is constructed for the output of a signal by which the locker suitable for storage of the product is signalled to the user.
17. Locker system according to claim 16, wherein the signalling is carried out by automatic opening of the door of the locker suitable for storage of the product.
18. Locker system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit is so constructed that it monitors the duration of storage of a product in a locker and issues a warning signal if the duration of storage exceeds a predetermined period of time.