DE102017011165A1 - Package box for and with an exchangeable passive cooling element and method for cooling such a parcel box - Google Patents

Abstract

In a parcel box (10) for and with at least one interchangeable passive cooling element (20), such as a rechargeable battery, for interim storage of one or more packages to be cooled in the parcel box, the proper cooling of packages to be cooled during their intermediate storage in the parcel box improved in that the at least one passive cooling element has at least one communicable with the parcel box transmission means (21) and the parcel box at least one, communicable with the transmission means receiving means (11) and a transmitting means (12), such in that the receiving means detects the presence of the at least one exchangeable passive cooling element within the parcel box and transmits it via the transmitting means (12) to the outside of the parcel box.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a parcel box for and with at least one interchangeable passive cooling element having the features of the preambles of claims 1, 9 or 10 and a method for cooling a parcel box with the features of the preamble of claim 11. Accordingly, the invention provides that a Parcel box by means of at least one exchangeable passive cooling element, such as by means of a cooling battery, during an intermediate storage of one or more to be cooled parcel / s in the parcel box even without electrical power supply is coolable. While the term packet box is the term commonly used for packet receiving boxes, the term packet used for the purposes of this invention is broad and may include e.g. B. include the product itself, such as loose fruit. The presence of a packaging of the goods does not matter.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

With the increase in Internet commerce with refrigerated and frozen products, there is also a growing need to find a way to deliver such products in the absence of recipients. In the process, the rate of successful first deliveries of as much as 100% should be achieved in order to make delivery cheaper and more environmentally friendly. The most common delivery within an agreed time window is costly, expensive, and not comfortable for the consumer. The invention is therefore based on improved package boxes for the "last mile" and an operating method for this, as it is in the WO 2002 058519 A1 The aim is to monitor the temperature as well as to monitor the correct provision of parcel boxes which are to store foodstuffs between their delivery by the supplier into a parcel box and their removal by the consumer from the parcel box without it requires an active, such as an electrical cooling of the parcel box.

Accordingly, the invention is based on the object, in a parcel box for and with at least one exchangeable passive cooling element, such as a cooling battery, for temporary storage of one or more to be cooled parcel / s in the parcel box, a proper cooling of / to cooling packages / s during their intermediate storage in the parcel box as far as possible to ensure.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

With regard to a device, among other things, the invention proposes that, in the case of a generic packet box, at least one passive cooling element has at least one transmission means communicable with the packet box and the packet box comprises at least one receiving means capable of communication with the transmitting means and a transmitting means such that the receiving means detects the presence of the at least one exchangeable passive cooling element within the parcel box and transmits it via the transmitting means to the outside of the parcel box. This makes it possible to monitor from outside the parcel box whether an exchangeable passive cooling element is used for parcel cooling in the parcel box. This basic idea can now be implemented and / or refined in a variety of ways.

As a passive cooling elements u. A. the known per se and in various designs cooling batteries into consideration, such. B. Residual cooling batteries with gel. There are preferably selected different cooling temperatures to meet the temperature requirement of the goods to be cooled. In known cooling batteries can be z. B. adjust the melting point of the gel. For normally chilled goods a melting point at + 2 ° C is optimal because then you can also store minced meat and fish in the parcel boxes. For deep-frozen goods z. B. -18 ° C be determined as the melting point.

Suitable communication-capable transmission means are contacting as well as non-contact means into consideration. The former (contacting transmission means) may be e.g. mechanically or electrically effective contact surfaces of the passive cooling element comprise of which the latter (electrically effective contact surfaces) allow it with low equipment costs to effect a wired transmission of data to the receiving means of the parcel box. Secondary (non-contact means of transmission) also allow the transmission of identity codes and are u. A. as BLE (Bluetooth low energy) tags, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags or as NFC (NearFieldCommunication) tags in a wide variety of forms and in particular as a transponder or radio tag in transceiver systems for the automatic contactless identification and localization of objects known with radio waves. While RFID readers are currently very expensive, the currently more economical solution is to use BLE tags for wireless or wired data transmission to the receiving means.

As communication-capable receiving means turn both touching and non-contact means into consideration. The former may include, for example, switches interacting with the aforementioned contact surfaces of the passive cooling element. The latter also allow the Transmission of identifiers of the respective passive cooling element, such as RFDI readers and can be part of z. B. from the aforementioned transceiver systems for automatic non-contact identification and localization of objects with radio waves.

As transmission means for transmitting the presence data of the passive cooling elements / s outside of the parcel box u. A. WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network), WIFI (Like WLAN), LoRA (From loRaWAN - Low-Power Wide-Area Network), GSM (Global System Mobile Communications), NB-loT (Narrow Band Internet of Things) , It is also within the meaning of the invention if the receiving and / or transmitting means, such as an NB-IoT or LoRa chip, is provided directly in, on or at the at least one exchangeable passive cooling element. This would allow a direct connection between the replaceable passive cooling element (s) and the Internet, ie without a separate sending means in the parcel box or parcel box system. The transmission means, the receiving means and / or the transmitting means may be a combined means or an integrated component.

Finally, parcel boxes according to the invention can also be combined into several, in particular to so-called parcel stations (also known as pack stations). Under parcel boxes within the meaning of the invention, subjects of a parcel box system, such. B. a packing station understood.

In a development of the invention, temperature data of the passive cooling elements and / or of the at least one interior of the parcel box and / or of the parcel (s) to be cooled can also be detected and communicated outside the parcel box. The structure of a parcel box according to the invention can be embodied in various ways: Preferably, a parcel box according to the invention has heat-insulated walls. This is possible both with heat-insulating walls from home and with heat-insulating inner containers. For an intermediate storage of one or more to be cooled, in particular of different degrees to be cooled package / s in the parcel box, the parcel box, as known per se, in at least one level guides for receiving at least one room divider. This may be z. For example, it may be a shelf equipped with insulation to reasonably discourage the at least one replaceable passive cooling element from releasing cold up or down and / or to avoid frost damage on sensitive products. A passive cooling element can then be provided on the underside of the space separator, in particular fixed. A space divider may also consist of the at least one exchangeable passive cooling element and, if desired, serve to form cooling sections.

A decisive improvement is achieved in that the space divider and / or the at least one passive cooling element fills an inner cross section of the parcel box circumferentially cold-sealing. This idea of solution is of inherently inventive significance.

With regard to a generic method for cooling a parcel box by means of at least one exchangeable passive cooling element, such as by means of a rechargeable battery, during interim storage of one or more parcel (s) to be cooled in the parcel box, the invention proposes that at least one of and / or Receiving means installed in the parcel box detects the presence of at least one interchangeable passive cooling element permitting the required cooling of the parcel (s) to be cooled during or immediately after the parcel (s) to be cooled have been placed in the parcel box.

For the process reliability of the intermediate storage, it may be advantageous if the receiving means directly or indirectly causes a release of the intermediate storage with properly existing passive cooling element in the parcel box. So z. B. when using an inappropriate passive cooling element of the error before closing the package still be eliminated.

If desired, the at least one or at least one further receiving means installed on and / or in the parcel box can detect the presence of the at least one or more parcels to be cooled at or immediately after the parcel (s) to be refrigerated is placed in the parcel box , The at least one or at least one further receiving means may cause a release of the intermediate storage directly or indirectly, if the one or more to be cooled parcel / s are properly inserted in the parcel box

The abovementioned and the claimed components and method steps to be used according to the invention described in the exemplary embodiments are not subject to special exceptions in terms of size, shape, material selection and technical design, so that the selection criteria known in the field of application can be used without restriction

Further details, features and advantages of the subject matter of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, as well as from the following description of the accompanying drawings and Table in which - by way of example - an embodiment of a parcel box is shown. Also, individual features of the claims or of the embodiments may be combined with other features of other claims and embodiments.

list of figures

• 1 eine Paketbox in einer ersten Vertikalschnittansicht - Schnitt entlang der Linie I-I gemäß 2;
• 2 dieselbe Paketbox in einer Frontseitenansichtbei fort gelassener Fronttüre sowie
• 3 von derselben Paketbox eine perspektivische Detailansicht einer darin einsetztbaren Isolierbox.

In the drawing show:

• 1 a parcel box in a first vertical sectional view - section along the line II according to 2 ;
• 2 the same parcel box in a front view with the front door left open as well
• 3 from the same parcel box, a perspective detail view of an insulating box insertable therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Out 1 and 2 is apparent: a parcel box 10 how they - except for the cooling technology - from the WO 2002 058519 A1 is known. An exchangeable passive cooling element 20 , here in the form of a gel-filled cooling battery, is used for intermediate storage of one or more to be cooled parcel / s in the parcel box. The at least one passive cooling element is with a communicable with the packet box transmission means 21 provided, and indeed, by way of example, in the form of a known "RFID radio tag". In the RFID tag, a unique identifier may be used to identify the passive cooling element 20 be stored, the u. A. can also give information about the melting point of the gel used. The at least one transmission means 21 can, as can be seen from all figures (with duchgezogenen or dashed lines), at very different points of the exchangeable passive cooling element 20 be provided.

The proportions shown in figures are chosen solely with a view to good comprehensibility.

At the Paketbox is one with the transfer agent 21 communication-capable receiving means 11 appropriate. This may be a commercially available reader for the detection and possibly for reading the transmission medium 21 his. The receiving means 11 is preferred in a control unit 16 integrated, as it is from the WO 2002 058519 A1 is known. A transmission means 12 the parcel box, as it is from the WO 2002 058519 A1 is known, can be arranged separately, but also in the control unit 16 or the receiving means 11 be integrated. The transmission means 12 this is suitable for a detected presence or absence of the at least one exchangeable passive cooling element 20 within the parcel box to outside the parcel box to transfer. The same (possibility of transfer) applies if desired also for an identified identity of the exchangeable passive cooling element 20 and / or other signals. The latter can come from separate (not shown here as well-known) temperature sensors, which are inside the parcel box 10 or on or in the transmission medium 21 can be arranged.

The parcel box 10 can with heat-insulated walls 10A to 10F be equipped on all sides. The wall 10F represents the door of the parcel box 10 in at least one level 13A , ... can guides 14A , ... for receiving the at least one exchangeable passive cooling element and the desired case for the formation of compartments 15A , ... be provided. Guides are understood to mean anything that makes possible an interchangeable passive cooling element in a desired position within the interior of the parcel box 10 usually, even if intermediate packages are inserted. The guides are preferred on a Isolierbox 17A B, which, as shown, inside the parcel box 10 Find space and in particular only when needed can be used in it. The part 17A an independent insulating box 17A B is out 3 seen. The wall serving as a door 10F the parcel box 10 carries - possibly detachable - the part 17B the insulating box. This insulated box concept is of inherently inventive significance. An independent heat insulation function of the insulating box 17A B enveloping parcel box 10 can thus be dispensable. Corresponding conical contact surfaces 18A , B between the parts 17A and 17B the insulating box, as they are made of the 1 to 3 arise, u. A. Continue to improve the closing and heat sealing of the insulating box.

It is preferably provided that the at least one passive cooling element fills an inner cross-section of the parcel box circumferentially cold-sealing. Thus, different temperature zones can be generated within the parcel box and maintained for a relatively long time.

Function and operating modes:

In order to ensure optimum security for all participants in an ordering, delivery and delivery process of products requiring refrigeration using parcel boxes, the deliverer must know in advance whether the parcel box assigned or to be assigned to the recipient is responsible for the receipt of refrigerated / frozen products ready. It must be ensured that the deliverer has correctly operated the parcel box and that the products enter the parcel box with the temperature (s) appropriate for the products are also delivered. Ultimately, a temperature monitoring during the dwell time (interim storage period) should take place in the parcel box - if possible until removal of the products. Temperature deviations should be communicated to the parcel box users / process participants as soon as possible.

To get to this level of security, the parcel box should have appropriate insulation and facilities that allow the insertion of passive cooling elements, such as cooling batteries. Advantageous are sensors that can monitor the temperatures in the various temperature zones in the parcel box. In order to communicate the measurement results to the parcel box user / process participant, the parcel box advantageously has a connection to the Internet. In the back end of the order and supply chain, the process steps are advantageously monitored and communicated to the process participants by email, SMS or via an app or API according to their relevance.

As it often comes with orders of food for simultaneous orders of tobacco and / or alcoholic beverages, a Prozdur be provided for compliance with the youth protection laws.

If an end user orders refrigerated food over the Internet and wants it to be delivered in a parcel box placed in front of his home or business, the deliverers must be sure that they have the appropriate cooling device.

In the embodiment shown in the figures is a made of plastic double-walled Paketbox which can be retrofitted with an inner box of insulating foam or a material with similar function. The door, which is also made of plastic and double-walled, should be suitable or have means to secure a heat insulating panel to the inside of the door, if necessary. But you can also use a fully isolated package box from home.

An Internet connection of the Paketbox can z. Wireless LAN (Wide Area Wide Area Network), Global System Mobile Communications (GSM), Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB) or data transmission technology. This may or may not be connected to a mains or the internet via cable. In a preferred embodiment, the parcel box is powered by batteries.

The interior of the parcel box or the insertable into them heat insulating box including the attached on the inside of the door heat insulating material such. B. from Wärmeisolierschaum, are designed so that no cold bridges can occur when closing. This can z. B. can be achieved with a special profile through which close the (door) plate and the inner box better. Or you use a locking device that holds the (door) plate and the box so strong on each other that it does not come to cold spots.

The exchangeable passive cooling elements are preferably equipped with BLE (Bluetooth low energy), RFID or NFC tags, which more preferably comprise temperature sensors. Each exchangeable passive cooling element must then be uniquely identified via its BLE RFID or NFC tag or similar communication-capable functionality.

In a goods order, a delivery code of the parcel box is preferably communicated via the Internet. This delivery code includes, besides a door opening code, also a message to the parcel box to check the readiness for a food delivery. Via the logic or control built into the parcel box, the delivery code received by the parcel box triggers a readiness check. The logic or control checks whether, or not, one or more exchangeable passive cooling element (s) ready for exchange are present in the packet box, and reports this information e.g. B. via a cloud software service on the Internet to the deliverer. If there is no exchangeable passive cooling element (s) in the box for exchange, the parcel box user is requested by email, app or SMS, for example, to ensure that one or more uncharged exchangeable passive cooling elements are first of all e or one or more replaceable ("cooled") passive cooling element (s) already charged at nominal level are placed in the parcel box. If the check is positive or after the parcel box user has made sure that one or more open or uncharged replaceable passive coolers are placed in the parcel box, the parcel box reports readiness to receive such items. B. to the "backend", which in turn informs the Etailer and / or logistician about the readiness of the parcel box.

The logistician can now drive to the parcel box concerned to carry out the delivery. At the same time, the logistics provider brings along the desired number of exchangeable passive cooling elements cooled / cooled to the required / desired temperature (s). After opening the parcel box, the logistics provider removes the replaceable passive cooling element (s) from the parcel box for replacement and places the cooled passive swap body (s) with them in the parcel box together with thevom Parcel box users ordered goods. It should be ensured that frozen products come separately from the so-called chilled goods of any goods without cooling demand in the parcel box. As coldness sinks down, it is best to always place frozen goods at the bottom, chilled goods in the middle and not refrigerated goods at the top.

Since it is unpredictable how much freezer space, chilled space and / or uncooled space is needed in a particular case, the interior of the parcel box is designed to place the interchangeable passive cooling element (s) at different heights in the parcel box can / can. Only in terms of their total volume, the parcel box has a limit that may vary depending on the box size.

If the replaceable passive cooling element (s) and ordered goods (s) are / are in the parcel box, the door will be closed. In order to avoid cold spots between the possibly different temperature zones also within the parcel box, the interchangeable passive cooling elements and / or the parcel box in their respective height levels are executed circumferentially cold-sealing, including in the door panel. This can be z. B. with suitable sealing profiles, which ensures a completely circumferentially closed and sealed separation between the temperature zones.

As a rule, after the door of the parcel box is closed, the temperature monitoring becomes active. This is triggered in the logic of the parcel box. In order to suppress insufficient initial temperatures, so to speak, the temperature monitoring is preferably active or effective only after a suitable period.

The temperature is monitored z, B, via built-in inside the package box sensors. The sensors are placed so that only a minimum of sensors per height level is required. Preferably, the first measurement of the parcel box logic provides the indication of how high the freezer room is and how high the refrigerated area is. All subsequent measurements are compared with this initial measurement (s) to inform stakeholders as much as necessary in case of deviations.

If the parcel box user removes the goods, the parcel box can send a message to the "backend", which in turn informs all parties involved as necessary. Thereafter, the parcel box switches e.g. on sleep mode until it comes to a new delivery of the relevant Paketbx. The temperature monitoring can be switched off as long as u. A. Save electricity.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Paketbox

10A-F

walls

11

receiving means

12

transmitting means

13A-E

levels

14A-E

guides

15A-D

departments

16

control means

17A, B

insulation box

18A, B

contact surfaces

20

Passive cooling element

21

transmission means

22

temperature sensors

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• WO 2002058519 A1 [0002, 0018, 0020]

Claims (15)

Package box (10) for and with at least one exchangeable passive cooling element (20), such as a cooling battery, for temporary storage of one or more packages to be cooled in the package box, wherein the at least one passive cooling element is at least one, comprising transmission means (21) capable of communication with the parcel box and the parcel box and / or the at least one exchangeable passive cooling element (20) having at least one receiving means (11) capable of communication with the transmission means and a transmitting means (12) such that the receiving means comprises Detects presence of at least one exchangeable passive cooling element within the parcel box and transmits via the transmitting means (12) to the outside of the parcel box. Parcel box after Claim 1 , characterized in that the one or more communication-capable transmission means (21) is / are non-contact means. Parcel box after Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the one or more communication-capable transmission means (21) are capable of storing and transmitting identity codes. Parcel box after one of the Claims 1 to 3 , characterized in that the or the communication-capable transmission means (21) are BLE (Bluetooth low energy) means, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) means and / or NFC (NearFieldCommunication) means. Paketbox (10), after one of the Claims 1 to 4 , characterized in that the one or more communication-capable receiving means (11) are non-contact means. Paketbox (10), after one of the Claims 1 to 5 , characterized in that the at least one temperature sensor (22) is provided in the parcel box, which communicates with the at least one communication-capable transmission means (21), with the at least one communication-capable receiving means (11), with the transmitting means (12), with an Internet Cloud and / or a control means (16) of the packet box (10) is capable of communication. Parcel box (10), after Claim 6 , characterized in that the at least one temperature sensor (22) is provided on or in the at least one exchangeable passive cooling element (20) or in the interior of the parcel box 10. Paketbox (10), after one of the Claims 1 to 7 , characterized in that the parcel box in at least one plane (13A, ...) guides (14A, ...) for receiving at least one space separator, in particular the at least one exchangeable passive cooling element (20), and thus to the formation of at least one coolable compartment (15A, ...) .. Parcel box (10), especially after one of Claims 1 to 8th , with heat-insulated walls (10A, 10B, ...) for and with at least one exchangeable passive cooling element (20), such as a cooling battery, for temporary storage of one or more packages to be cooled in the parcel box, characterized in that a (heat) insulating box 17A, B is provided which fits into the interior of the parcel box 10 and can be used, in particular only when required. Parcel box (10), especially after one of Claims 1 to 9 , with heat-insulated walls (10A, 10B, ...) for and with at least one exchangeable passive cooling element (20), such as a cooling battery, for temporary storage of one or more packages to be cooled in the parcel box, wherein the Parcel box in at least one plane (13A, ...) Guides (14A, ...) for receiving at least one space divider, in particular the at least one exchangeable passive cooling element and the desired case for the formation of compartments (15A, ...) characterized in that the at least one passive cooling element fills an inner cross-section of the package box circumferentially cold-sealing. A method of cooling a parcel box (10) by means of at least one interchangeable passive cooling element (20), such as by means of a rechargeable battery, during interim storage of one or more parcel (s) (30) to be cooled in the parcel box, characterized in that at least a receiving means (11) installed on and / or in the parcel box, the presence of at least one interchangeable passive cooling element permitting the required cooling of the parcel (s) to be cooled during or immediately after the parcel (s) to be cooled are placed in the parcel box detected. Method according to Claim 11 , characterized in that the receiving means causes a release of the intermediate storage directly or indirectly with properly existing passive cooling element in the parcel box. Method according to Claim 11 or 12 characterized in that the at least one or at least one further receiving means (11, 111, ...) installed on and / or in the parcel box indicates the presence of the at least one or more packages to be cooled at or immediately after insertion of the / of packages to be cooled / s detected in the parcel box. Method according to Claim 13 , characterized in that the at least one or at least one further receiving means causes a release of the intermediate storage directly or indirectly with properly inserted in the parcel box / s to be cooled package / s (30). Method according to one of Claims 11 to 14 , characterized in that at least critical temperature information from the parcel box are forwarded to consignors, consignees and / or logisticians.

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