WO2023179901A1

WO2023179901A1 - System for providing foods in an interior of a vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2023179901A1
Application number: PCT/EP2022/083472
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jacques Hélot; Christian Wall
Original assignee: Audi Ag
Priority date: 2022-03-21
Filing date: 2022-11-28
Publication date: 2023-09-28
Also published as: DE102022106519A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for providing foods (10) in an interior (14) of a vehicle (12) of a fleet of multiple vehicles (12), wherein the system comprises multiple standardised containers (2) for receiving foods (10) and the fleet of vehicles (12), wherein, for a respective one container (2), a first dimension corresponds to an integer multiple of a first basic dimensional unit and at least one second dimension corresponds to an integer multiple of at least one second basic dimensional unit, wherein the vehicle (12) of the fleet has at least one standardised securing module for precisely securing at least one standardised container (2).

Description

System for providing food in an interior of a vehicle

DESCRIPTION:

The invention relates to a system for providing food in an interior of a vehicle.

The document EP 3 722 155 A1 describes a vehicle with a storage compartment that is accessible from the outside.

A system for ordering and delivering food to a consumer using a vehicle is known from publication DE 44 19 602 C2.

The publication DE 29 50 766 A1 describes a stowage system with several reusable transport containers for transporting food and goods in a vehicle.

Against this background, it was a task to appropriately store containers for food in a vehicle.

This task is solved by a system with the features of patent claim 1. Embodiments of the system emerge from the dependent claims and the description.

The system according to the invention, for example a circulatory system, is for providing food or foodstuffs, for example food and drinks, in an interior of a vehicle that belongs to a fleet of several Belonging to vehicles, trained. The system has several, for example modular, standardized three-dimensional containers for holding and/or transporting food, with a three-dimensional shape of each container depending on at least two dimensions, with a first dimension being an integer for each container or box multiples of a first elementary and/or minimum dimension unit provided for all containers, and at least one second dimension corresponding to an integer multiple of at least a second elementary and/or minimum dimension unit provided for all containers. In addition, the system has the fleet of vehicles, with each vehicle in the fleet having at least one standardized and/or standardized security module for precisely fitting and/or dimensionally appropriate securing, for example receiving and/or fixing, at least one standardized container of the several standardized containers.

It is envisaged that the at least one security module is arranged in the interior of the vehicle. It is possible here for seats for occupants of the vehicle to be arranged in the interior, whereby this interior can also be referred to as a passenger compartment and/or a cockpit. It is also possible for the interior to be designed or designated as a trunk and/or luggage compartment.

Each vehicle in the fleet has several standardized security modules in its interior, which can be the same size or different sizes, with each standardized security module being able to accommodate at least one standardized and/or standardized container, i.e. just one container or several containers. is trained. The dimensions of the security modules correspond to the sizes or corresponding packing dimensions of the standardized containers provided.

In one embodiment, the fleet vehicle has at least one, usually standardized, receiving compartment and/or a storage compartment as the at least one security module for receiving and/or storing at least one container. In an embodiment, such a receiving compartment is accessible from the interior by a person or an occupant in the interior of the vehicle through an opening of the receiving compartment in the interior of the vehicle and is designed to hold the at least one container at least partially, if necessary completely, with a precise fit or to accommodate it to size and to enclose the at least one container at least partially, if necessary completely, with a precise fit or to size. It is possible that the opening of the receiving compartment can be closed or closed with a flap.

The at least one security module, which is arranged in the interior of the vehicle, is accessible from the outside through an opening in an outer wall, for example a body, of the vehicle from an environment outside the vehicle, this opening being in a further embodiment through a The flap can be closed or can be closed. The opening can be an opening for a door and the flap can be a wing for the door of the vehicle, which is also used by passengers to get into the vehicle and also to get out of the vehicle. However, it is also possible for the at least one externally accessible and lockable security module to be located in a separate storage space as a design of an interior of the vehicle, which is separated from both the passenger compartment and the luggage compartment.

Each security module in each vehicle has at least one security element which is designed to secure and/or fix the at least one container. It is possible here for such a security element to be designed as a wall, it being further possible for several such walls to delimit an interior space for accommodating at least one container in the security module, with at least one such security module also being designed and/or closed as a receiving compartment is designated. Such a receiving compartment can, for example, enclose a cuboid-shaped interior or a cylindrical interior and/or limit, whereby it is also possible to arrange the at least one container between two opposite walls as security elements.

Each container has an outer wall that encloses an interior space of that container for containing the food. At least one securing element can also be arranged on the outer wall, which interacts temporarily and releasably, for example mechanically and/or magnetically, to secure the container with at least one securing element of a security module, the securing elements of the container and the security module interlocking with one another and/or mess with each other. It is also possible for a securing element of the container and/or the securing module, which can also be designed and/or referred to as a fixing element, to be designed as a hook, as a magnet, as a spring and/or as a rusting element, with a respective container and / or a security module can also have differently designed security elements.

In a further embodiment, the vehicle has several security modules that interact with one another. A first security module is designed as a conveyor belt, which connects the opening in the outer wall with the interior, usually with the passenger compartment, and is designed to hold the at least one container after it has been arranged on the conveyor belt through the opened opening. from this opening to a second security module, for example a receiving compartment, into the interior, for example the passenger compartment, of the vehicle. The conveyor belt, which can also be designed and/or referred to as a treadmill, has precisely fitting securing elements, for example fixing elements, hooks, magnets and/or rusting, for securing the at least one container so that it can be stored during transport, for example When inserted into the interior or passenger compartment of the vehicle, it cannot wobble. It is possible for the system to have several standardized containers of different sizes and, accordingly, security modules of different sizes in the vehicles. Here, among other things, a distance between two security elements of each security module is taken into account, whereby this distance, taking into account a tolerance, corresponds to an integer multiple of one of the intended dimension units.

It is possible here for a smallest security module to be designed only to accommodate a smallest container, and for a largest security module to be designed to accommodate at least one largest container and/or several smaller standardized containers of the system.

Typically, each container, for example transport container and/or receptacle, for foodstuffs is defined by at least two spatial dimensions, with each dimension of the respective container corresponding to n times the elementary and/or indivisible spatial dimension unit provided for this purpose. It is possible here for a first possible dimension to be a length of a respective container, for which in turn an elementary unit of length is provided as a dimension unit. A second possible dimension is a width of a respective container, for which an elementary unit of width is provided as a dimension unit. A third possible dimension is a height of a respective container, for which an elementary height unit is provided as a dimension unit. Such a container, which is defined by its length, width and height, is usually cuboid and can be accommodated in a corresponding cuboid interior of a security module. It is also possible for a radius to be provided as a fourth possible dimension for a respective container, for which in turn an elementary radius unit is provided as a dimension unit. In such a case, it is possible for a respective container to be cylindrical and defined by its height and radius and to be accommodated or accommodated in a correspondingly cylindrical, precisely fitting interior of a security module. The intended dimensions and the corresponding elementary dimension units provided for this apply to all containers in the system. It is possible here that an elementary dimension unit for a dimension is defined as the largest common divisor for the respective dimension of all containers. In one embodiment, it is provided for each container that its length L = x*LE is the integer x-times of the elementary length element LE, its width B = y*BE is the integer y-times of the elementary width element BE, its height H = z* HE corresponds to the integer z-fold of the elementary height element RE and/or its radius R = r*RE corresponds to the integer r-fold of the elementary radius element RE. For example, a container is x times as long, y times as wide and/or z times as high as another smaller container.

It is also possible for a preparation module, for example a cooking area, for food or food, for example for food, to be arranged in one of the vehicles in the fleet for heating and/or preparing the food. It is also possible for a cooling device for food to be arranged in at least one vehicle. It is also possible for the preparation module or the cooling device to be combined with and/or integrated into at least one security module of the vehicle.

An outer wall of a respective container is thermally insulating and designed to keep a cooled food cool relative to an environment of the container or to keep a heated food warm relative to the environment.

Furthermore, it is possible for at least one usually machine-readable and/or coded identification element to be attached or arranged on each container, for example on its outer wall, and/or in the container. It is possible for the at least one identification element to be arranged on and/or in a label, for example on the outer wall, of the respective container and integrated into the label. It is possible lent that the usually machine-readable identification element is designed as an optical code, for example as a barcode or QR code. It is also possible for at least one machine-readable identification element to be designed as a radio element and to be read or read out using radio support and/or wirelessly and/or to be identified or identified using electromagnetic waves, using RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology is used for such an identification element. It is also possible to track or trace one container at a time via the at least one identification element.

A respective container is further provided and/or equipped with an access module, which in turn has a closure element, for example a lock, and only allows an authorized person to open the container to transport the food.

The at least one identification element of the respective container can be identified and/or read out automatically and without contact using electromagnetic waves. This identification element contains information about food as the contents of the container. It is also possible for the at least one identification module in combination with the access module to allow authorized persons access to the container, whereby the container can be opened. In addition, it is possible to use the at least one identification module to transmit information to the vehicle that indicates how to proceed with the food in the container and, for example, to indicate whether the food needs to be cooled or warmed.

While the vehicle is traveling, the respective container in the interior of the vehicle is or is secured against movements of the vehicle. The system also allows space in the vehicle's interior to be used efficiently. Furthermore, when the container is secured with the security module, it can be opened, whereby food can be removed from the contents of the container and consumed by people in the interior of the vehicle. The presented system includes reusable universal standardized containers for food and thus for food for eating and beverages for drinking in the vehicle, the containers being stackable. It is envisaged that the system has a number of containers, with at least two of these containers being designed differently and/or at least two containers being of the same type or construction. Each container is adapted to a type of food to be contained therein. It is also possible for different containers to have different sizes, with the containers having a maximum size and a minimum size. In addition, at least an average size between the maximum and minimum size can be provided for other containers. It is also possible to arrange a smaller container in a larger container or to stack several containers, each of the same and/or different size.

At least one storage compartment as a security module in the vehicle, which is accessible from the outside and can be closed via the flap in the outer wall of the vehicle, is used when the vehicle is parked. It is intended that food will be delivered to the vehicle by a service provider in standardized containers. The service provider can authenticate himself to the vehicle with a terminal that exchanges authentication information with the at least one identification element of the container via electromagnetic waves. After such authentication, the service provider can open the flap arranged in the outer wall of the vehicle and place the container in the receiving compartment. It is also possible for the receiving compartment and/or the flap to be matched and/or dimensioned to a container with the maximum size. It is possible for a security module designed, for example, as a receiving compartment for one container to be arranged, for example, in a glove box, in the center console, in the trunk or a side door of the vehicle. Food that is in a respective container can be safely stored and transported in the vehicle via a respective security module. The reusable standardized containers can be used modularly by the service provider, for example a delivery service. It is possible, for example, for food that was provided to the vehicle in a container on a first day to be arranged, for example by the driver as an occupant of the vehicle, in the receiving compartment accessible from the outside after consumption of the food and thus after the container has been emptied thus be deposited. If the service provider delivers a second container of food the following day, the service provider may remove the empty first container from the first day or previous day from the receiving compartment and place the second container therein instead, exchanging the first container for the second container.

It is possible to integrate the containers into a closed-loop system that can take into account an entire food supply chain. Food is first prepared in a kitchen as a location and deposited in a container that is transported or delivered to the vehicle by the service provider and is arranged in the receiving compartment in the interior of the vehicle that is accessible from the outside of the vehicle. After the container has been emptied, it is returned to the place where the food or meal was prepared and cleaned.

By using the containers, you can avoid disposable packaging that would otherwise be thrown away and cause pollution.

It is understood that the features mentioned above and those to be explained below can be used not only in the combination specified in each case, but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the present invention. The invention is shown schematically using embodiments in the drawing and is described schematically and in detail with reference to the drawing.

Figures 1 a, 1 b show a schematic representation of an example of a container as a component of an embodiment of the system according to the invention.

Figures 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d show a schematic representation of options for handling the container from Figure 1.

Figures 3a, 3b show a schematic representation of further details of the embodiment of the system according to the invention.

The characters are described coherently and comprehensively. The same components are assigned to the same reference numbers.

The example of the container 2, shown schematically in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, as a standardized container 2 among several standardized containers 2 of the system according to the invention has a housing 4 which is connected to a lid 6 via a hinge and can also be closed with this . When the lid 6 is closed, the container is cuboid and has an interior that is designed to hold food or foodstuffs 10, here for example food and drinks.

Figure 1 a also shows that a label 8 is arranged on the housing 4 and has two identification elements, with a first identification element being designed here as a machine-readable QR code. A second identification element as part of this label 8 can be read or read out via electromagnetic waves.

Figures 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d each show a vehicle 12 with an interior 14, with a passenger seat between two seats, here a driver's seat on which a person 18 sits, and a passenger seat (not shown). Teleconsole 16 is arranged. Furthermore, Figure 2c shows an opening on an outer wall and thus a body of the vehicle 12, this opening being provided for a receiving compartment 20 as an example of a security module in the vehicle 12, the opening being closable with a flap, not shown, the receiving compartment 20 is accessible from the outside when the flap is open.

If a person now drives the vehicle 12 to a counter of a service provider 22 that sells food, and if this counter of the service provider 22 is also designed or can be referred to as a so-called drive-thru or drive-through counter, the prepared ones Food is deposited in the standardized container 2, which is handed over directly to the person 18 in the vehicle 12 by the service provider 22 through a side window of the vehicle 12.

As Figure 2b shows, the standardized container 2 with the food 10 is arranged in the interior 14 of the vehicle 12. It is therefore no longer necessary to deposit food 10 loosely in the interior 14, these foods 10 being crossed out in FIG. 2b, since they are now arranged in the container 2 as a replacement. It is possible that the person 18 has previously prepared the food 10 and then arranged it in the container 2.

Figure 2c shows a schematic representation of how the service provider 22 arranges the container 2 with food from the outside in the absence of the person 18 in the receiving compartment 20 of the vehicle 12 through an externally accessible opening in an outer wall of the vehicle 12 and deposits it therein.

Figure 2d shows a schematic representation of how the container 2 can be arranged and secured in a further receiving compartment as a security module below the center console 16. 2d shows, as further components of the system, a display field 44 or display on which instructions for preparing the food in the vehicle 12 are displayed. The system also includes a food preparation module 46 arranged in the interior 14 of the vehicle 12.

3a shows schematically, a conveyor belt 30 is provided as a further component of the system presented, which is integrated into the receiving compartment 20 and is designed to connect the opening for the receiving compartment 20 in the outer wall of the vehicle 12 to the interior 14 of the vehicle 12 . This conveyor belt 30 rotates around at least one roller 32. Securing elements 36 are arranged on an outside of the conveyor belt 30. Accordingly, securing elements 34 are also arranged on the outer wall of a container 2. It is provided that the securing elements 34 on the outer wall of a respective container 2 and the securing elements 36 on the conveyor belt 30 interlock, for example releasably lock, and thus releasably fix and/or position the respective container 2 on the conveyor belt 30, thereby ensuring a secure Transport of one container 2 with the conveyor belt 30 within the vehicle 12 is possible. Figure 3a also shows that two containers 2 can be stacked on top of each other. It is also possible here for securing elements 34 on the outer wall of a first container 2 and securing elements 34 on the outer wall of a further container 2 to interlock and secure, for example position and/or fix, the two containers 2 relative to one another.

The illustration from Figure 3b shows, in addition to the already presented center console 16 of the vehicle 12, a control panel 38 and a side door 40. Here, three storage compartments 42 are arranged in the center console 16 as security modules for container 2. Furthermore, a receiving compartment 42 is also arranged in the control panel 38 and in the side door 40 as a security module for a container 2. REFERENCE SYMBOLS:

2 containers

4 housings

6 lids

8 label

10 foods

12 vehicle

14 interior

16 center console

18 people

20 storage compartment

22 service providers

30 assembly line

32 role

34, 36 securing element

38 electrical panel

40 side door

42 storage compartment

44 display field

46 preparation module

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS:

1. System for providing food (10) in an interior (14) of a vehicle (12) of a fleet of several vehicles (12), the system having several standardized containers (2) for holding food (10) and the fleet of vehicles (12), wherein for each container (2), a first dimension corresponds to an integer multiple of a first elementary dimension unit and at least one second dimension corresponds to an integer multiple of at least a second elementary dimension unit, the vehicle (12) of the fleet having at least one standardized security module for precisely securing at least one standardized container (2).

2. System according to claim 1, in which the vehicle (12) has a receiving compartment (20, 42) as the at least one security module for receiving at least one container (2).

3. System according to claim 1 or 2, in which the at least one security module is arranged in the interior (14) of the vehicle (12).

4. System according to one of the preceding claims, in which the at least one security module is accessible from the outside through an opening in an outer wall of the vehicle (12), this opening being closable by a flap.

5. System according to claim 4, in which at least a first security module of the vehicle (12) is designed as a conveyor belt which connects the opening to the interior (14) of the vehicle (12) and is designed to hold the at least one container (2). to be transported from the opening to at least one second security module in the interior (14) of the vehicle (12). System according to one of the preceding claims, in which a first dimension is a length of a respective container (2), for which an elementary unit of length is provided as a unit of measurement, in which a second dimension is a width of a respective container (2), for which one elementary width unit is provided as a dimension unit, in which a third dimension is a height of a respective container (2), for which an elementary height unit is provided as a dimension unit, and / or in which a fourth dimension is a radius of a respective container (2), for which an elementary radius unit is provided as a dimension unit. System according to one of the preceding claims, in which a food preparation module (10) is arranged in the vehicle (12). System according to one of the preceding claims, in which at least one machine-readable identification element is arranged on each container (2), which is designed as a QR code and/or can be read out via a radio element.