Cooled storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10018397-B2
Application number	US-201515118495-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2015
Priority date	Feb 19, 2014
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

A cooled storage system comprises a grid structure ( 20 ) of storage cells, where each cell is arranged to accommodate a vertical stack of storage bins and having a top level, at least one remotely operated vehicle ( 27 ) arranged to move at the top level of the grid structure ( 20 ) and receive a bin from a storage cell at the top level of the grid structure ( 20 ), where there is provided thermal insulation between at least a section of the grid structure ( 20 ) and the remotely operated vehicle ( 27 ), and said section of the grid structure ( 20 ) has a temperature that is lower than the temperature of the remotely operated vehicle ( 27 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Cooled storage system comprising:
a grid structure of storage cells, where each cell is arranged to accommodate a vertical stack of storage bins and having a top level,
a remotely operated vehicles arranged to move at the top level of the grid structure and receive a bin from a storage cell at the top level of the grid structure,
where there is provided thermal insulation between at least a section of the grid structure and the remotely operated vehicle, and said section of the grid structure has a temperature that is lower than the temperature of the remotely operated vehicle, the thermal insulation comprising a number of insulated covers arranged at each storage cell at the top level of the grid structure,
wherein the grid structure comprises a plurality of columns interconnected by top rails, and that the cooled storage system comprises a plurality of remotely operated vehicles arranged to move on the top rails of the grid structure and receive a bin from a storage cell at the top level of the grid structure, the plurality of remotely operated vehicles comprising a first section for storing vehicle driving means and a second section for receiving a top level storage bin stored in a stack within the storage system, and further wherein a first remotely operated vehicle is arranged to move the insulated cover to a neighboring location and to return to collect a storage bin thus accessible in the storage cell.

2. Cooled storage system according to claim 1 , wherein a second remotely operated vehicle is arranged to lift a storage bin in the storage cell.

3. Cooled storage system according to claim 1 or 2 , where a first remotely operated vehicle is arranged to lift both the insulated cover and the storage bin.

4. Cooled storage system comprising:
a grid structure of storage cells, where each cell is arranged to accommodate a vertical stack of storage bins and having a top level,
a remotely operated vehicles arranged to move at the top level of the grid structure and receive a bin from a storage cell at the top level of the grid structure,
where there is provided thermal insulation between at least a section of the grid structure and the remotely operated vehicle, and said section of the grid structure has a temperature that is lower than the temperature of the remotely operated vehicle, the thermal insulation comprising a number of insulated covers arranged at each storage cell at the top level of the grid structure,
wherein the grid structure comprises a plurality of columns interconnected by top rails, and that the cooled storage system comprises a plurality of remotely operated vehicles arranged to move on the top rails of the grid structure and receive a bin from a storage cell at the top level of the grid structure, the plurality of remotely operated vehicles comprising a first section for storing vehicle driving means and a second section for receiving a top level storage bin stored in a stack within the storage system where the grid structure is sub-divided into a number of sections, which sections are separated from each other by thermal insulation.

5. Cooled storage system according to claim 4 , where at least one of the sections is connected to a cooling unit.

6. Cooled storage system according to claim 5 , where the cooling unit is an evaporator.

7. Cooled storage system according to claim 4 , where there are at least two sections of grid structure, where the two sections are cooled to different temperatures.

8. Cooled storage system according to claim 1 or 2 , comprising:
a grid structure of storage cells, where each cell is arranged to accommodate a vertical stack of storage bins and having a top level,
a remotely operated vehicles arranged to move at the top level of the grid structure and receive a bin from a storage cell at the top level of the grid structure,
where there is provided thermal insulation between at least a section of the grid structure and the remotely operated vehicle, and said section of the grid structure has a temperature that is lower than the temperature of the remotely operated vehicle, the thermal insulation comprising a number of insulated covers arranged at each storage cell at the top level of the grid structure,
wherein the grid structure comprises a plurality of columns interconnected by top rails, and that the cooled storage system comprises a plurality of remotely operated vehicles arranged to move on the top rails of the grid structure and receive a bin from a storage cell at the top level of the grid structure, the plurality of remotely operated vehicles comprising a first section for storing vehicle driving means and a second section for receiving a top level storage bin stored in a stack within the storage system, and further comprising a bin lift device arranged to receive a bin from a vehicle at the top level of the grid structure and to convey the bin down in a vertical direction to a delivery station, or port.

Assignees

• Jakob Hatteland Logistics As
• Autostore Tech As

Inventors

• Hognaland Ingvar

Classifications

• B65G1/02

  Storage devices (furniture A47B; shop fittings A47F) · CPC title

• B65G1/0464 Primary

  with access from above · CPC title

• F25D25/04

  by conveyors (in general B65G) · CPC title

• F25D13/04 Primary

  the compartments being at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25D2201/10

  with respect to heat · CPC title