US 11,667,456 B2
Temperature controlled storage system
Lars Sverker Ture Lindbo, Hatfield (GB); Mark Fryer, Hatsfield (GB); Martyn Lee Bates, Hatsfield (GB); Kevin Faux, Hatsfield (GB); Timothy Deighton Steiner, Hatsfield (GB); and Siddique Shaihk, Hatsfield (GB)
Assigned to OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED, Hatfield (GB)
Appl. No. 15/579,108
Filed by OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED, Hatfield (GB)
PCT Filed Jun. 3, 2016, PCT No. PCT/EP2016/062632
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 1, 2017,
PCT Pub. No. WO2016/193419, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 8, 2016.
Claims priority of application No. 1509661 (GB), filed on Jun. 3, 2015; and application No. 1604096 (GB), filed on Mar. 10, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2018/0170650 A1, Jun. 21, 2018
Int. Cl. B65D 81/26 (2006.01); B65G 1/04 (2006.01); F25D 13/00 (2006.01); B65D 21/02 (2006.01); F25D 13/02 (2006.01); F25D 25/00 (2006.01); F25D 13/06 (2006.01); B65D 25/14 (2006.01); F25D 25/04 (2006.01)
CPC B65D 81/263 (2013.01) [B65D 21/0209 (2013.01); B65D 25/14 (2013.01); B65G 1/0464 (2013.01); F25D 13/00 (2013.01); F25D 13/02 (2013.01); F25D 25/005 (2013.01); B65D 2205/02 (2013.01); F25D 13/06 (2013.01); F25D 25/04 (2013.01); F25D 2317/0664 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A storage system, comprising:
two substantially perpendicular sets of rails forming a grid above a workspace, the workspace having a plurality of stacked containers, each stack of containers in the workspace corresponding to an opening in the grid;
a plurality of robotic load handling devices operating on the grid above the workspace, the load handling devices having a body mounted on wheels, a first set of wheels being arranged to engage with at least two rails of the first set of rails, a second set of wheels being arranged to engage with at least two rails of the second set of rails, the first set of wheels being independently moveable and driveable with respect to the second set of wheels such that, when in motion, only one set of wheels is engaged with the grid at any one time, thereby enabling movement of the load handling devices along the rails to any point on the grid by driving only the set of wheels engaged with the rails, the load handling devices accessing one or more stacked containers through the corresponding opening in the grid;
at least one heater and/or at least one chiller for generating a temperature controlled gas, and at least one fan for circulating the temperature controlled gas through the storage system;
a plenum for receiving the temperature controlled gas; and
a duct arrangement including one or more substantially vertical ducts extending from the workspace through a mezzanine floor and a substantially horizontal duct located beneath the mezzanine floor and connected to the one or more substantially vertical ducts for channelling the temperature controlled gas under the workspace towards the plenum.