GB2523252A

GB2523252A - Goods storage system and method

Info

Publication number: GB2523252A
Application number: GB1500871.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bob Peak; John Reader
Original assignee: GAH REFRIGERATION PRODUCTS Ltd
Current assignee: GAH REFRIGERATION PRODUCTS Ltd
Priority date: 2014-01-17
Filing date: 2015-01-19
Publication date: 2015-08-19
Also published as: GB201500871D0; GB201400838D0

Abstract

A goods storage system 10 comprises a plurality of compartments 20-60 with doors 21-61 respectively for access to the interior of the compartments. Each compartment is coupled to a cryogenic fluid source (100, Fig. 3) via a control system (110, Fig. 3). The control system (110, Fig. 3) controls flow of cryogenic fluid from the source (100, Fig. 3) to each compartment 20-60 to control the temperature in the interior of each compartment independently of the other compartments. Each compartment may include horizontal rails or runners (22a-22d, Fig. 2) distributed along the height of a compartment to receive totes (150, Fig. 6). The system may have a removable access barrier (160, Fig. 6) coupled to the control system to disable the flow of cryogenic fluid to the compartment when the barrier is moved. The cryogenic fluid may be liquid nitrogen or liquid air. The system is particularly suitable for installing in a vehicle and may be coupled to a computer system with a user interface mounted on or in the vehicle.

Description

Goods Storage System and Method

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a compartmentalized refrigeration system and method and in particular one that is particularly suitable for use in delivery of groceries and the like.

Background to the Invention

Delivery of groceries by supermarkets and the like is increasing in popularity. Typically, a consumer places a shipping order online, it is picked at a supermarket store or warehouse, packed into bags and then loaded into a delivery vehicle for delivery at a pre-agreed time to the consumer.

For economic viability, it is desirable that a delivery vehicle makes multiple deliveries during its journey. Given that the delivery vehicle may have to traverse narrow roads, speed humps and the like, customized vans are typically chosen to serve as delivery vehicles. The rear area of the van is used for storage of the customers' deliveries and is typically divided into an ambient storage area for goods to be held at ambient temperatures, a chilled storage area for goods to be held at a refrigerated temperature and a freezer storage area for frozen goods. A vehicle driven refrigeration system is used to power the chilled and freezer storage areas.

Statement of Invention

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a goods storage system comprising a plurality of compartments, each compartment being coupled to a cryogenic fluid source via a control system and having a door for access to the interior of the compartment, wherein the control system is arranged to control flow of cryogenic fluid from the source to the respective compartment to thereby control temperature in the interior of the respective compartment independently of others of the plurality of compartments.

The goods storage system may be installed within a vehicle such as a delivery van or truck, it may be fixedly installable at a site or it may be portable. In one embodiment, the goods storage system may be installable within and/or arranged to connect to an existing infrastructure such as a vehicle body or a building or wall. In this way, the system could be filled with orders, shipped (by a conventional vehicle) with cooling in operation and then coupled to a delivery vehicle for its final leg or placed within an existing building/unit to allow collection by consumers.

The goods storage system may be arranged to receive boxes such as totes. In one embodiment, each compartment may include opposing horizontal rails, slots, runners or other receiving means for each receiving a corresponding lip or other connector of a box/tote.

Preferably, each box or tote can be slid into and out of the compartment.

In one embodiment, each compartment has a door allowing common access to a plurality of storage areas, each storage area accommodating one or more totes, boxes or other goods carrier. Preferably, each compartment includes a plurality of pairs of opposing receiving means, the pairs being distributed along a height of the compartment whereby the compartment accommodates a plurality of horizontal layers of boxes or totes when loaded. Optionally, a plurality of doors may be provided in each compartment, each door being aligned and allowing access to the layer serviced by one of the pairs of opposing receiving means. In such a way, a plurality of layers may be subject to common cooling but it accessible via individual doors to allow the box/tote to be slid out, goods retrieved and then the door closed. In another embodiment, each compartment may have a single pair of receiving means and only accommodate a single layer of boxes or totes.

In one embodiment, each compartment may include an access barrier to prevent entry into compartment. The access barrier may, for example, be positioned between the respective layers such that boxes or totes could be inserted or removed but anything taller than a box or tote could not enter into the compartment without first removing the access barrier. An appropriate securing member such as a security latch, lock, screw, bolt or similar may restrict removal of the access barrier to prevent only authorized maintenance crews from entering the compartment. In one embodiment, the access barrier is coupled to the control system, wherein the control system is arranged to disable flow of cryogenic fluid to the compartment upon the access barrier or a securing member thereof being removed.

The cryogenic fluid may be liquid nitrogen, liquid air, synthetic liquid air or other cryogenic fluids.

The control system may be coupled to a local and/or a remote computer control system. In one embodiment, where the system is mounted or is mountable in a vehicle, the computer control system may include a user interface mounted on or in the vehicle. In one embodiment, the user interface is mounted in the cab of the vehicle. For example, the user interface may provide a visual indicator on the temperature of each compartment. In one example, the user interface may include controls to cause a change to a target temperature for a compartment, the control system being arranged to control flow of the cryogenic fluid from the source to the respective compartment to thereby control temperature to reach the target temperature.

Preferably, each compartment includes a pressure vent to vent air to the atmosphere upon being displaced by cryogenic fluid entering the compartment.

Figures 1-6 illustrate embodiments of the present invention in more detail but are presented only

by way of example.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a goods storage system 10. The system includes a plurality of compartments 20-60. Each compartment has a door 21-61 for access to the interior of the compartment.

Figure 2 is a sectional view showing the interior of a compartment 20 which also includes pairs of opposing rails 22a-22d.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram. A cryogenic fluid source 100, in the form of a vacuum insulated tank holding liquid nitrogen in this embodiment, is coupled by tubes 23-63 and control valves 24-64 to the respective compartments 20-60.

A central control unit 110 is connected (either wirelessly or via wires) to each control valve and is configured to control each control valve to permit/inhibit flow of the cryogenic fluid into the respective compartments.

In one embodiment, a user interface 120 is connected (either wirelessly or via wires) to the central control unit 110 to allow target temperatures for each compartment to be set. One or more temperature sensors 25-65 may be provided to measure temperature in each respective compartment and provide feedback to the central control unit 110 to determine action needed to maintain a target temperature.

Figure 4 illustrates the embodiment of Figure 1 installed in a vehicle. Figure 5 illustrates an embodiment in which the goods storage system may be delivered (for example on a pallet 200 or similar) via a conventional lorry and connectors then enable the compartments (and in particular the doors 21-61 to couple to existing infrastructure such as a vehicle's (or structure's) walls and/or doors. In this manner, the system can be shipped to a site and connected to a local delivery truck or to a local structure (such as a collection point at a shop, shopping center, railway station, car park or the like). Once all goods had been collected, the system could be disconnected and shipped back to a warehouse etc for re-stocking and further use. The system may alternatively be shipped as an integral unit for stocking, transport to a collection site such as a car park or similar location and remaining on-site for a period of time before being collected and returned for re-stocking. In this way, ordered goods can be shipped to a pre-agreed location and the customer given an access code or similar that enables them to retrieve the goods from the unit at a time that suits them. Preferably in such a scenario, the unit is secure and weather-proof so as to be able to endure the conditions at the collection location.

As shown in Figure 5, each compartment may include plural doors 21a-21c such that an individual layer of totes can be accessed without opening the door to other layers. Not only does this minimize the escape of coolant, it also means that a delivery person can be restricted to a particular layer to pick the delivery (this could be computer automated to guide the pick) or some form of access control (such as a keypad to receive a pin number or similar) could be provided to allow self-service collections as only the relevant door then needs opening.

Figure 6 illustrates a front view of a compartment according to one embodiment. In the view of Figure 6, the door is open and layers of totes 150 can be seen. In between the rows are access barriers 160. Although shown here, there need not be an access barrier between each layer and one, two or more barriers may be used per compartment depending on the design. The access barrier is used to prevent a person entering the compartment and being subject to the lack of oxygen present in the nitrogen based atmosphere that would be present if liquid nitrogen is being used as the cryogenic fluid.

Each compartment may have a specific target temperature (such as one measured in degrees Celsius, Fahrenheit etc), it may alternatively have a selectable target temperature from a set (such as ambient, frozen, chill...). Preferably, any of the compartments can work to any of the target temperatures so there the goods storage system is fully reconfigurable and could be used for wholly frozen goods, wholly ambient temperature goods or any combinations as needed.

Claims

Claims 1. A goods storage system comprising a plurality of compartments, each compartment being coupled to a cryogenic fluid source via a control system and having a door for access to the interior of the compartment, wherein the control system is arranged to control flow of cryogenic fluid from the source to the respective compartment to thereby control temperature in the interior of the respective compartment independently of others of the plurality of compartments.
2. The goods storage system of claim 1 wherein each compartment is arranged to receive a tote.
3. The goods storage system of claim 1 or 2, wherein each compartment includes opposing receiving means for each receiving a corresponding lip or other connector of a tote.
4. The goods storage system of claim 3, wherein the receiving means comprise horizontal rails, slots, or runners.
5. The goods storage system of any of claims 2 to 4, wherein each compartment has a door allowing common access to a plurality of storage areas, each storage area being arranged to receive one or more totes.
6. The goods storage system of claim 5 when dependent on claim 3 or 4, wherein each compartment includes a plurality of pairs of opposing receiving means, the pairs being distributed along a height of the compartment whereby the compartment accommodates a plurality of horizontal layers of totes when loaded.
7. The goods storage system of claim 6, wherein each compartment comprises a plurality of doors, each door being aligned, and allowing access, to the layer serviced by one of the pairs of opposing receiving means.
8. The goods storage system of claim 2, wherein each compartment comprises a single pair of receiving means and accommodates a single layer of boxes.
9. The goods storage system of any preceding claim, further comprising an access barrier to prevent entry into the or each compartment.
10. The goods storage system of claim 9 when dependent on claim 5 or 6, wherein the access barrier is positioned between the respective layers to permit insertion or removal of totes while preventing entry of anything taller than a tote into the compartment.
11. The goods storage system of claim 10, wherein the access barrier is removable.
12. The goods storage system of claim 11, further comprising one or more securing member to restrict unauthorized removal of the access barrier
13. The goods storage system of claim 11, wherein the access barrier is coupled to the control system, the control system being arranged to disable flow of cryogenic fluid to the compartment upon the access barrier being removed.
14. The goods storage system of claim 12, wherein the access barrier is coupled to the control system, the control system being arranged to disable flow of cryogenic fluid to the compartment upon the securing member being removed.
15. The goods storage system of any preceding claim, wherein the cryogenic fluid comprises a selected on of liquid nitrogen, liquid air or synthetic liquid air.
16. The goods storage system of any preceding claim, wherein each compartment includes a pressure vent to vent air to the atmosphere upon being displaced by cryogenic fluid entering the compartment.
17. The goods storage system any preceding claim, wherein the control system is coupled to a local and/or a remote computer control system.
18. The goods storage system of claim 17, wherein the system is mountable in or on a vehicle, the computer control system including a user interface mounted on or in the vehicle.
19. The goods storage system of claim 18, wherein the user interface is mounted in the cab of the vehicle.
20. The goods storage system of claim 180119, wherein the user interface is arranged to provide a visual indicator on the temperature of each compartment.
21. The goods storage system of claim 18, 19 or 20, wherein the user interface includes controls operable to cause a change to a target temperature for a compartment, the control system being arranged to control flow of the cryogenic fluid from the source to the respective compartment to thereby control temperature to reach the target temperature.
22. The goods storage system of any preceding claim, wherein the goods storage system is installable within and/or arranged to connect to an existing infrastructure.
23. A vehicle including the goods storage system of any preceding claim.23. A method of storing goods comprising: storing goods in a plurality of compartments, each compartment being coupled to a cryogenic fluid source via a control system and having a door for access to the interior of the compartment; and, controlling, via the control system, flow of cryogenic fluid from the source to the respective compartment to thereby control temperature in the interior of the respective compartment independently of others of the plurality of compartments.
24. A goods storage system as herein described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
25. A vehicle as herein described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
26. A method as herein described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.