Multitemperature storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12313325-B2
Application number	US-202117996112-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2021
Priority date	Apr 17, 2020
Publication date	May 27, 2025
Grant date	May 27, 2025

Abstract

A multitemperature storage system includes a storage structure including a plurality of upright members, a plurality of horizontal members supported by the upright members and forming a grid pattern defining a plurality of grid cells and allowing containers to be arranged in stacks beneath the grid cells defined by the grid pattern, and a track structure on top of the horizontal members, the track structure being configured to allow a load-handling device to move across the storage structure to retrieve a container from a stack; and including temperature-control to maintain a first-temperature region within the storage structure at a first temperature and a second-temperature region within the storage structure at a second temperature.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A multitemperature storage system, comprising:
a storage structure including a plurality of upright members, a plurality of horizontal members supported by the upright members and forming a grid pattern defining a plurality of grid cells and allowing containers to be arranged in stacks beneath the grid cells defined by the grid pattern, and a track structure on top of the horizontal members, the track structure being configured to allow a load-handling device to move across the storage structure to retrieve a container from a stack; and
temperature-control means configured to maintain a first-temperature region within the storage structure at a first temperature and a second-temperature region within the storage structure at a second temperature, the temperature-control means including a temperature-control plant and tubing providing a closed loop along which temperature-control fluid is configured to flow from the temperature-control plant to the first-temperature region within the storage structure and from the first-temperature region within the storage structure to the temperature-control plant; and
an air curtain configured to reduce exchange of thermal energy between the first-temperature region and the second temperature region.

2. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tubing comprising:
outbound tubing configured to carry temperature-control fluid to the first-temperature region.

3. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the tubing comprises:
return tubing configured to carry temperature-control fluid away from the first-temperature region.

4. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 1 , comprising:
an additional temperature-control plant, the additional temperature-control plant being configured to supply temperature-control fluid to at least one of the first-temperature region and the second-temperature region via a fluid carrier.

5. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 1 , comprising:
a flow aid configured to assist flow of the temperature-control fluid to the first-temperature region of the storage structure.

6. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 5 , comprising:
a solid partition configured to reduce exchange of thermal energy between the first-temperature region and the second-temperature region.

7. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 5 , comprising:
a sensor configured to monitor an atmospheric condition within the first-temperature region.

8. A controller for the multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 7 , comprising:
processing means which are configured to generate and send instructions to control the temperature-control means to maintain the first-temperature region at the first temperature and the second-temperature region at the second temperature.

9. The controller as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to receive data from the sensor and to generate the instructions in dependence on the received data.

10. The controller for a multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 9 , comprising:
processing means which are configured to generate and send instructions to control the temperature-control means to maintain the first-temperature region at the first temperature and the second-temperature region at the second temperature.

11. The controller as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to generate and send instructions to the flow aid.

12. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the closed loop provided by the tubing comprises:
multiple branches.

13. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tubing comprises:
a flow-control valve configured to control flow of temperature-control fluid along the tubing.

14. The controller for a multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 13 , comprising:
processing means which are configured to generate and send instructions to control the temperature-control means to maintain the first-temperature region at the first temperature and the second-temperature region at the second temperature.

15. The controller as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to generate and send instructions to the flow-control valve.

16. The multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tubing comprises:
a shaped section configured to concentrate temperature-control fluid in the first-temperature region.

17. A method of controlling the temperature of a multitemperature storage system which includes a plurality of upright members, a plurality of horizontal members supported by the upright members and forming a grid pattern defining a plurality of grid cells and allowing containers to be arranged in stacks beneath the grid cells defined by the grid pattern, and a track structure on top of the horizontal members, the track structure being configured to allow a load-handling device to move across the storage structure to retrieve a container from a stack;
temperature-control means configured to maintain a first-temperature region within the storage structure at a first temperature and a second-temperature region within the storage structure at a second temperature, the temperature-control means including a temperature-control plant and tubing providing a closed loop along which temperature-control fluid is configured to flow from the temperature-control plant to the first-temperature region within the storage structure and from the first-temperature region within the storage structure to the temperature-control plant; and
an air curtain configured to reduce exchange of thermal energy between the first-temperature region and the second-temperature region,
the method comprising:
providing temperature-control fluid to the first-temperature region to maintain the first-temperature region at the first temperature; and
retrieving temperature-control fluid from the first-temperature region.

18. The method of controlling the temperature of the multitemperature storage system as claimed in claim 17 , comprising:
determining, based on data received from one or more sensors, how to optimally provide temperature-control fluid to the first-temperature region.

19. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause performance of the method of claim 17 .

Assignees

• Ocado Innovation Ltd

Inventors

• Meuth Benjamin
• Reid Brian
• Boateng Eric
• Chaplin Fliss
• Evans Gavin
• Cristescu Ovi
• Tahir Ribka

Classifications

• F25D2700/12

  Sensors measuring the inside temperature · CPC title

• F25D29/00

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title

• F25D25/04

  by conveyors (in general B65G) · CPC title

• F25D25/005

  using containers · CPC title

• F25D17/005

  in cold rooms · CPC title