Delivery vehicle and systems or parts thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10618447-B2
Application number	US-201715785053-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2017
Priority date	Oct 17, 2016
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to improve delivery vehicles with storage compartments for items and product containers. In some embodiments, the storage compartments have a plurality of horizontally-mounted support rails mounted on opposite sides of the storage compartment to receive the product containers and retractable retaining elements disposed adjacent ends of the support rails proximate storage compartment openings to help retain the product containers. In another configuration, the horizontally-mounted support rails are movable, such that the product containers supported by the support rails permit are movable. By one approach, the delivery vehicle includes a conveyor mechanism to move the horizontally-mounted support rails. In yet another embodiment, the delivery vehicle may include a temperature-controlled compartment for receiving product containers, a door providing access to the temperature-controlled compartment, and an insulating panel configured to retain air, such as chilled air, in the temperature-controlled compartment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A delivery vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
storage compartments disposed within the vehicle body, the storage compartments configured to receive a plurality of product containers;
a plurality of horizontally-mounted first and second support rails in each of the storage compartments, the first and second support rails mounted on opposite sides of the storage compartments and configured to support and receive a portion of the product containers thereon, the plurality of horizontally-mounted first and second support rails permitting multiple product containers to be stored atop one another with each of the product containers having the first support rail disposed along a first side thereof and the second support rail disposed along a second, opposite side thereof;
retractable retaining elements disposed adjacent ends of the first and second support rails proximate storage compartment openings, the retractable retaining elements having a first position and a second position, the retractable retaining elements configured to securely retain the product containers within the storage compartments during transit in the first position and the second position permitting quick loading of the storage compartments;
first and second conveyor chains disposed on opposite sides of the storage compartments, the first and second conveyor chains configured to vertically move the horizontally-mounted first and second support rails that are securely attached to the first and second conveyor chains to move the product containers supported thereon;
a temperature-controlled compartment configured to receive a plurality of product containers within the temperature-controlled compartment;
a door providing access to the temperature-controlled compartment; and
an insulating door panel or a movable curtain disposed at a temperature-controlled compartment opening, the insulating door panel or the movable curtain configured to retain air in the temperature-controlled compartment.

2. The delivery vehicle of claim 1 wherein the retractable retaining elements comprise a system of hydraulic knobs.

3. The delivery vehicle of claim 2 wherein the system of hydraulic knobs are at least one of individually retractable or systemically retractable.

4. The delivery vehicle of claim 3 wherein the system of hydraulic knobs further comprises an engagement switch configured to position the hydraulic knobs into the first position configured to securely retain each of the product containers within an associated slot in the storage compartments.

5. The delivery vehicle of claim 1 wherein the retractable retaining elements comprise spring-loaded knobs.

6. The delivery vehicle of claim 1 wherein the movable curtain is configured to retain air in the temperature-controlled compartment and further comprising a rod disposed at a top of the temperature-controlled compartment opening and the movable curtain configured to be wound around the rod to expose a portion of the temperature-controlled compartment to permit access thereto.

7. The delivery vehicle of claim 6 wherein the movable curtain is insulated to help retain chilled air in the temperature-controlled compartment.

8. The delivery vehicle of claim 7 further comprising an electric switch wherein the insulated movable curtain is configured to be wound, at least partially, around the rod when the electric switch is engaged thereby exposing a portion of the temperature-controlled compartment opening to permit access thereto.

9. The delivery vehicle of claim 7 further comprising a pulley and a chain configured to be pulled to thereby wind the insulated movable curtain around the rod associated with the pulley and the chain thereby exposing a portion of the temperature-controlled compartment opening to permit access thereto.

10. The delivery vehicle of claim 1 wherein the insulating door panel is disposed adjacent an inside wall of the door.

11. The delivery vehicle of claim 10 wherein the insulating door panel is segmented such that segments of the insulating door panel are movable to permit access to the temperature-controlled compartment without moving the remainder of the insulating door panel from the temperature-controlled compartment opening.

12. The delivery vehicle of claim 11 wherein the insulating door panel comprises a movable panel portion and a non-movable panel portion.

13. The delivery vehicle of claim 12 wherein the first and second conveyor chains and the product containers supported thereon are movable such that an uppermost product container may be moved to a lowermost position.

14. A delivery vehicle comprising:
storage compartments configured to receive a plurality of product containers;
a plurality of horizontally-mounted first and second support rails in each of the storage compartments, the first and second support rails mounted on opposite sides of the storage compartments and configured to support and receive a portion of the product containers thereon, the plurality of horizontally-mounted first and second support rails permitting multiple product containers to be stored atop one another with each of the product containers having the first support rail disposed along a first side thereof and the second support rail disposed along a second, opposite side thereof;
first and second conveyor chains disposed on opposite sides of the storage compartments, the first and second conveyor chains configured to vertically move the horizontally-mounted first and second support rails that are securely attached to the first and second conveyor chains to move the product containers supported thereon;
a temperature-controlled compartment configured to receive a plurality of product containers within the temperature-controlled compartment;
a door providing access to the temperature-controlled compartment;
an insulating door panel or a movable curtain disposed at a temperature-controlled compartment opening, the insulating door panel or the movable curtain configured to retain air in the temperature-controlled compartment; and
retractable retaining elements disposed adjacent ends of the first and second support rails proximate storage compartment openings, the retractable retaining elements having a first position and a second position, the retractable retaining elements configured to securely retain the product containers within the storage compartments during transit in the first position and the second position permitting quick loading of the storage compartments, the retractable retaining element being spring-loaded knobs; and
a first plate or an inner shaft onto which the spring-loaded knobs are mounted and a second plate or an outer sleeve with openings therein through which the spring-loaded knobs are configured to extend when the spring-loaded knobs are disposed in the first position to thereby retain the product containers in position in the storage compartments.

15. The delivery vehicle of claim 14 wherein the first plate or inner shaft and the second plate or outer sleeve are slidable relative to one another such that the spring-loaded knobs are moved to the second position when the second plate or the outer sleeve is disposed over the spring-loaded knobs and the spring-loaded knobs are moved to the first portion when the second plate or the outer sleeve is moved such that the spring-loaded knobs extend through the openings in the second plate or the outer sleeve.

16. The delivery vehicle of claim 14 wherein the movable curtain is configured to retain air in the temperature-controlled compartment and further comprising a rod disposed at a

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Putcha Sai Phaneendra Sri Harsha Viswanath
• Reynolds Luke M
• Munoz Christian James

Classifications

• B60P7/0892

  by preventing lateral movement of the load, e.g. using stop blocks · CPC title

• B60P3/007 Primary

  for delivery of small articles, e.g. milk, frozen articles · CPC title

• B60P3/205 Primary

  with means for dividing the interior volume, e.g. movable walls or intermediate floors · CPC title

• B60P3/20

  Refrigerated goods vehicles (air treatment of goods space B60H; {air-conditioning means for freight cars, isothermic wagons B61D27/0027; superstructures for refrigerated goods vehicles B62D33/048}) · CPC title

• B60P1/36

  using endless chains or belts thereon · CPC title