Cooled storage system having sections separated by thermal barrier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11466923-B2
Application number	US-202016874701-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2020
Priority date	Feb 19, 2014
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

A cooled storage system includes a grid structure of storage cells. Each cell may be arranged to accommodate a vertical stack of storage bins and having a top level. At least one remotely operated vehicle may be 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. Additionally, a thermal insulation is provided between at least a section of the grid structure and the remotely operated vehicle, and the section of the grid structure has a temperature that is lower than the temperature of the remotely operated vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A storage system comprising:
a grid structure of storage cells, wherein each storage cell is arranged to accommodate a vertical stack of storage bins and having a top level, the grid structure comprises a plurality of vertical aluminum columns interconnected by top rails, the columns forming adjacent rows of storage cells;
at least one remotely operated vehicle arranged to move on the top rails and receive a storage bin from a storage cell at the top level of the grid structure,
the grid structure comprises at least a first section and a second section which are separated from each other by a thermal barrier arranged such that the first section has a lower temperature than the second section,
wherein the thermal barrier extends from a floor, upon which the grid structure is arranged, to the top rails.

2. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one remotely operated vehicle moves between the first and the second section on the top rails.

3. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one remotely operated vehicle moves the storage bin between a storage cell in the first section of the grid structure to a storage cell of the second section of the grid structure.

4. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the thermal barrier comprises at least a first part accommodated in a row of storage cells arranged between the first and second section.

5. The storage system according to claim 4 , wherein the first part of the thermal barrier comprises a wall, boards, plates or mats comprising an insulating material.

6. The storage system according to claim 5 , wherein the insulating material is polystyrene.

7. The storage system according to claim 4 , wherein the first part of the thermal barrier extends from the floor, upon which the grid structure is arranged, to the top rails.

8. The storage system according to claim 7 , wherein the row of storage cells accommodating the first part of the thermal barrier is adjacent to a row of storage cells in the first section and adjacent to a row of storage cells in the second section.

9. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the storage cells of the first section and the second section accommodates vertical stacks of storage bins.

10. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the first section is connected to a cooling unit.

11. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the second section is connected to a cooling unit.

12. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the first section is a freezer section and the second section is a cooling section.

13. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein thermal insulation is provided between at least the first section of the grid structure and the remotely operated vehicle and the first section of the grid structure has a temperature that is lower than the temperature of the remotely operated vehicle.

14. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the remotely operated vehicle comprises:
a vehicle body,
a first vehicle section for storing vehicle driving means,
a first set of wheels connected to the vehicle body allowing movement of the remotely operated vehicle along a first direction within the storage system during use,
a second set of wheels connected to the vehicle body allowing movement of the remotely operated vehicle along a second direction in the storage system during use, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, and
a second vehicle section for receiving the storage bin from a stack of storage bins.

15. The storage system according to claim 14 , wherein the remotely operated vehicle is arranged to move upon the top rails when the storage bin is in the second vehicle section.

16. The storage system according to claim 14 , wherein the remotely operated vehicle has a single vehicle lifting device at least indirectly connected to the vehicle body, the single lifting device is for lifting any of the storage bin and an insulated cover into the second section.

17. The storage system according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of the remotely operated vehicle.

Assignees

• 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

• F25D2201/10

  with respect to heat · CPC title

• F25D25/04

  by conveyors (in general B65G) · CPC title

• F25D13/04 Primary

  the compartments being at different temperatures · CPC title