GB2592968A

GB2592968A - Storage unit with charging facility

Info

Publication number: GB2592968A
Application number: GB2003600.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Samuel Mark
Original assignee: Easycabin Holdings Ltd
Current assignee: Easycabin Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 2020-03-12
Filing date: 2020-03-12
Publication date: 2021-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 2040-03-12
Also published as: GB202003600D0; GB2592968B

Abstract

The self-contained storage unit 1 comprises a base, a number of walls and a roof 8. A power systems is partially housed in the housing. A lockable door 4 closes a doorway in a wall to provide access into the housing. A number of lockers 5 are contained by the housing and are accessible from outside the storage unit. At least one of the lockers comprises a power outlet which receives power from the power system. The power system may be renewable solar panel 10 and supported by a back up generator. Under load energy may also be supplied from a battery. The power outlet may include a plug socket.

Description

Storage unit with charging facility The present disclosure relates to a storage unit. In particular to such a storage unit that is self-contained, re-locatable and allows for the secure charging of electrical devices.

For conformance with health and safety legislation, virtually all outside work sites have to provide temporary accommodation and/or welfare facilities for site personnel. To this end, welfare units have been provided. Such units are movable enclosures providing temporary accommodation and welfare facilities, such as basic sanitary and kitchen facilities, to site personnel at work locations where no other accommodation or welfare facilities may be provided. They further provide power outlets suitable for the charging the batteries of powered hand tools or otherwise.

Such welfare units were traditionally provided in the form of steel containers, similar in form to modified shipping containers. More recently lighter weight constructions have been proposed. Whilst these units have provided suitable welfare facilities, they are bulky and require lifting equipment for their relocation. Their position is typically fixed once they are put in place on site.

Workers may be working at a distance from the welfare unit, this is particularly the case for workers operating along a rail line. As work proceeds along the rail line, the distance of the workers from the welfare facilities increases. Among a number of problems caused by this distancing of the workers from the welfare facilities is a loss in productivity as workers have to travel along the track by foot to reach the welfare facilities. The problems are amplified when they must travel back to the welfare unit not only to use the sanitary and kitchen facilities but also for the essential charging of tool batteries. It must be noted that this is not a problem limited to the rail industry. It is, for example, an issue on larger construction sites also, where work moves around the site as construction progresses over time, whilst site welfare facilities typically remain static.

The present invention arose in a bid to provide a solution to the problems mentioned above.

According to the present invention in a first aspect, there is provided a self-contained storage unit, comprising: a housing, which comprises a base, a plurality of walls and a roof; a power system, which is at least partially housed within the housing; a lockable door, which closes a doorway in one of the walls for providing access to the inside of the housing; and a plurality of lockers that are contained by the housing and are accessible from outside the storage unit, wherein one or more of the lockers comprises a power outlet, which receives power from the power system.

Further, preferred, features of the storage unit are presented in the dependent claims.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective front view of a storage unit according to a first embodiment; Figure 2 shows a perspective rear view of the storage unit; and Figure 3 shows a top view of the storage unit (with the roof removed) with the internal details shown.

With reference to the figures, there is shown a storage unit 1. The storage unit 1 represents a self-supporting/self-contained unit that can, by virtue of its size and lightweight construction be easily moved around site. It may, for example, be lifted and relocated as required.

The storage unit comprises a housing 2, a power system 3, a lockable door 4, a plurality of lockers 5, and a power outlet (not shown) in one or more of the lockers, 30 which receives power from the power system 3.

The housing 2 comprises a base 6, a plurality of walls 7 and a roof 8. The roof 8 and base 6 are preferably closed. The housing 2 is preferably weather-sealed. The power supply system 3 is at least partially housed within the housing, as shown in Figure 3. The door 4 closes a doorway in one of the walls for providing access to the inside of the housing 2. The lockers 5 are contained by the housing and are accessible from outside the storage unit, as clearly evident from the figures.

The housing 2 may take any suitable form and may be scaled as appropriate in consideration of storage/charging requirements and portability. As is preferred, in lo the present arrangement, the housing 2 comprises a generally rectangular base/chassis 6, four upstanding walls 7 and the roof B. The base 6 may, for example, be formed by welding together steel components and galvanising the resultant structure, as is well known in the art. To keep weight low, the walls 7 and roof 8 may comprise composite panels. These may, for example, be formed from composite panels comprising an inner glass reinforced plastic layer, a foamed plastic layer, a plywood layer, and an outer galvanised steel layer, laminated in that order. Such a panel is lightweight yet exhibits high strength, rigidity and insulation. Alternative panel structures may also be implemented.

In the present arrangement there are fork lift pockets 9 provided in the base to allow relocation of the storage unit using a fork lift truck. Additionally or alternatively there may be provided lifting hooks attached to allow crane lifting, or otherwise. Yet further, additionally or alternatively, the storage unit 1 could be provided with wheels. Should wheels be provided there may additionally be provided a tow hitch to allow the storage unit to be towed behind a vehicle. The wheels may be retractable, wherein in a deployed state the wheels can support the unit during transportation with the base raised from the ground and in a retracted state, the wheels will be raised above the level of the base so that the base may rest upon the ground. This is preferable to provide a solid, planted, structure in use. Of course, to save costs, the wheels may be otherwise arranged so that they do not retract, in which case, the unit will be supported by the wheels at all times.

The power system 3 preferably comprises one or more solar panels 10, one or more batteries 11 for storing power from the solar panels, a backup electricity generation means 12, and a control means 13 for controlling operation of the backup electricity generation means. The solar panels 10 are mounted on the roof 8 in a conventional fashion, as shown.

The backup electricity generation means 12 may comprise a generator that is powered by a fossil fuel, such as diesel, or a fuel cell, which may comprise a hydrogen fuel cell. In the present arrangement the backup electricity producing means 12 comprises a generator, wherein references to the generator are applicable to the alternative of a fuel cell in arrangements where the generator is replaced by a fuel cell.

The control means 13 is arranged to start the generator when the stored power falls to a predetermined minimum level. By default, power will be drawn from the batteries. The control means is also arranged to permit delivery of power simultaneously from the solar panels, one or more batteries and backup generator simultaneously at times of high load. A wireless data connection to the control means may be provided for connecting to a cellular or local wireless network to allow for dial in diagnostics, software updates or otherwise.

In some arrangements, the storage unit 1 may further comprise a wind turbine in addition to or as an alternative to the solar panel(s). In arrangements comprising both, power generated by the wind turbine may supplement power generated by the solar panels. The wind turbine may operate independently of the solar panels and may operate simultaneously or at different times to the solar panels. Power from the wind turbine will be stored in the one or more batteries and in times of high load may be drawn directly, as in the case of the solar panels, as discussed above.

The housing 2 is of a sufficient size to accommodate the lockers and the necessary components of the power system for providing an uninterrupted supply of off-grid on-demand power. The housing is preferably no bigger than it need be for such purposes, so as to maximise the ease with which the unit may be relocated. The housing preferably has a footprint of length no greater than 2.5m and width no greater than 2m. The depicted, exemplary, arrangement has dimensions as follows: W1740 x L2090 x H2445mm.

It should be noted, however, that in alternative arrangements, the storage unit 1 could be enlarged to double as a welfare unit. The interior may be suitably divided into separate spaces, providing one or more rooms/areas for all of the power generation components and one or more separate rooms/areas for welfare purposes. The spaces may be accessed by a single external door or separate external doors. Example welfare facilities include, but are not limited to, a toilet, a sink, a storage room/space.

Further consideration is now given to the lockers 5: The lockers 5 are lockable. They may comprise integrated locks, operable by key, combination, or otherwise; or suitable hatch locks for receiving padlocks, or otherwise.

The lockers are preferably weather sealed. They may be provided with suitable gaskets/seals for such purpose.

The lockers 5 are provided in banks. In the exemplary depicted arrangements, there are three banks of lockers provided, each of which comprises 12 lockers in a 4 high by 3 wide configuration. The banks clearly may take alternative configurations, as appropriate for the housing. The lockers may be larger or smaller. The storage unit may comprise a mix of larger and smaller lockers.

The lockers 5 are provided in three of the four walls (with a locker bank per wall). There are no lockers provided in the wall that is provided with the door. As will be appreciated, in alternative arrangements, less of the walls may be provided with lockers or all of the walls may be provided with lockers. Each wall that is provided with lockers preferably has at least 30% of its surface covered by lockers and more preferably at least 50% of its surface area covered by lockers. Most preferably at least 50% of the total wall area of the storage unit is covered by lockers.

The lockers 5 are contained by the housing with their doors 14 exposed at the walls of the housing. The lockers are thereby accessible from outside the housing. Users of the lockers need not access the inside of the housing, which houses the components of the power system, for accessing the lockers. It is preferable that each locker door 14, when shut, is substantially co-planar with a respective one of the walls. In other words, it is preferable that the locker doors are substantially flush with the walls of the housing when they are shut.

A suitable connection is provided between the power system 3 and the lockers 5. It is preferable that every locker 5 is provided with power so that the secure storage and charging of one or more electrical devices is possible in every locker. In alternative arrangements, however, it may be that some of the lockers do not have a power connection. In such an arrangement there will be designated charging lockers along with storage only lockers. The lockers that are provided with power are preferably provided with a suitable electrical outlet. Most preferably, the outlet comprises a suitable plug socket.

Claims

Claims 1. A self-contained storage unit, comprising: a housing, which comprises a base, a plurality of walls and a roof; a power system, which is at least partially housed within the housing; a lockable door, which closes a doorway in one of the walls for providing access to the inside of the housing; and a plurality of lockers that are contained by the housing and are accessible from outside the storage unit, wherein one or more of the lockers comprises a power outlet, which receives power from the power system.
2. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the housing comprises two, three or more walls provided with lockers.
3. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the lockers comprises a locker door that is exposed at a respective one of the walls of the housing.
4. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the locker door, when shut, is substantially co-planar with the respective wall of the housing.
5. A storage unit as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 4, wherein one or more or all of the walls provided with the lockers has at least 50% of its surface area covered by the lockers.
6. A storage unit as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 5, wherein at least 50% of the total surface area of the walls of the housing are covered with lockers.
7. A welfare unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the housing has a footprint of length no greater than 2.5m and width no greater than 2m.
8. A storage unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the power system comprises an electricity producing means using a renewable energy source, one or more batteries for storing electrical power generated by the renewable energy source and a control means for controlling the power system.
9. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the electricity producing means using a renewable energy source comprises one or more solar panels.
10. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 8 or 9, wherein the power system further comprises a backup electricity generation means.
11. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the backup electricity generation means comprises a fossil fuel powered generator or a fuel cell.
12. A storage unit as claimed in Claim 10 or 11, wherein the control means is arranged to start the backup electricity generation means when the stored power falls to a predetermined minimum level.
13. A storage unit as claimed in any of Claims 10 to 12, wherein the control means is arranged to permit delivery of power simultaneously from the electricity producing means using a renewable energy source, the one or more batteries and the backup electricity generation means at times of high load.
14. A storage unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the power outlet comprises a plug socket.