A refrigerated container and a refrigeration method

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of container technology, and specifically discloses a refrigerated container and a refrigeration method, including a container body, a receiving cavity, and an inlet / outlet communicating with the receiving cavity. A storage rack is disposed within the receiving cavity of the container body; a movable rack, which can enter or exit the receiving cavity through the inlet / outlet, and is used to place items to be refrigerated; a handling assembly, located within the receiving cavity, used to handle items to be refrigerated from the movable rack to the storage rack; a refrigeration assembly, disposed within the receiving cavity, used to generate cold air; and an operating system, connected to the handling assembly and the refrigeration assembly, used to control the opening and closing of the handling assembly and the refrigeration assembly. Through the above method, this invention can improve refrigeration efficiency and reduce the risk of human exposure to cold.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of container technology, and in particular to a refrigerated container and a refrigeration method. Background Technology

[0002] In existing technologies, refrigerated containers can be used for frozen storage of food, offering large storage capacity while saving space and facilitating transfer. Currently, the food or goods to be stored are typically moved into the refrigerated container manually.

[0003] The inventors of this invention discovered that during the manual handling of food or goods, the human body is in a low-temperature environment, and the human body is easily frozen in the low-temperature container, which can seriously cause damage to the human body and is quite inconvenient. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a refrigerated container and refrigeration method, which overcomes the problems of low efficiency of manual handling of food or goods, and the fact that people are easily frozen in the low temperature of the container, which may cause serious injury to the human body and is quite inconvenient.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a refrigerated container is provided, comprising: a container body having a receiving cavity and an inlet / outlet communicating with the receiving cavity, wherein a storage shelf is provided within the receiving cavity of the container body; a movable frame, the movable frame being movable into or out of the receiving cavity through the inlet / outlet, the movable frame being used to place items to be refrigerated; a handling assembly located within the receiving cavity, the handling assembly being used to handle items to be refrigerated located on the movable frame to the storage shelf; a refrigeration assembly located within the receiving cavity, the refrigeration assembly being used to generate cold air; and an operating system connected to the handling assembly and the refrigeration assembly, the operating system being used to control the opening or closing of the handling assembly and the refrigeration assembly.

[0006] In one alternative embodiment, the operating system includes an input screen disposed on the outer surface of the enclosure. The input screen can input different shelf information on the storage shelf into the handling component and / or input information about the items to be refrigerated into the handling component. The handling component acquires the different shelf information on the storage shelf and the information about the items to be refrigerated, and then moves the items to be refrigerated onto the corresponding shelf of the storage shelf.

[0007] In one alternative embodiment, a slide rail is provided on the top wall of the housing, the slide rail extending along the length of the receiving cavity; the handling assembly includes a lifting assembly and a palletizer, one end of the lifting assembly is connected to the palletizer, the other end of the lifting assembly is installed in the slide rail, and the other end of the lifting assembly can slide along the slide rail.

[0008] In one alternative embodiment, the lifting assembly includes a telescopic rod and a connecting sleeve. One end of the telescopic rod is connected to the palletizer, and the other end of the telescopic rod is inserted into the connecting sleeve. The other end of the connecting sleeve, facing away from the telescopic rod, is installed in the slide rail. The telescopic rod can extend and retract relative to the connecting sleeve.

[0009] In one alternative embodiment, the palletizer includes a machine body, a first fork, a second fork, and a rotating screw. The first fork and the second fork are connected to the machine body via the rotating screw, and the first fork and the second fork can be positioned away from or close to each other.

[0010] In one alternative embodiment, the palletizer further includes a camera electrically connected to the machine body, the camera being used to acquire photos or videos of items to be refrigerated.

[0011] In one optional embodiment, a retrieval opening is provided on one side wall of the housing, and the retrieval opening communicates with the receiving cavity; the housing also includes a dispatch cabinet, which is provided with a dispatch channel, the outlet of the dispatch channel is opposite to the retrieval opening, the inlet of the dispatch channel is located inside the receiving cavity, and the inlet of the dispatch channel is located above the outlet of the dispatch channel, and the dispatch channel is an inclined slide; the handling assembly can transport refrigerated items to the inlet of the dispatch channel, and the refrigerated items slide along the inclined slide to the outlet of the dispatch channel.

[0012] In one alternative embodiment, the housing includes a top plate, a bottom plate, and a plurality of side plates connected in sequence. The top plate is connected to one end of the plurality of side plates, and the bottom plate is connected to the other end of the plurality of side plates. The top plate, the bottom plate, and the plurality of side plates connected in sequence enclose the receiving cavity, and the inlet and outlet are located on the top plate.

[0013] In one alternative embodiment, the housing includes a partition plate disposed within the receiving cavity, the partition plate dividing the receiving cavity into a first space and a second space, the partition plate being provided with a connecting hole, the first space and the second space being interconnected, the refrigeration assembly being disposed within the second space, and the storage shelf being located within the first space.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration method is provided, comprising the following steps: placing an item to be refrigerated on the movable rack; pushing the movable rack into the receiving cavity; and the conveying assembly conveying the item to be refrigerated on the movable rack to the storage shelf.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention are as follows: unlike the prior art, the embodiments of the present invention are provided with a housing, a mobile frame, a handling component, a refrigeration component, and an operating system. The enclosure includes a receiving cavity and an inlet / outlet connecting to the receiving cavity. A storage shelf is installed within the receiving cavity. The movable shelf can enter or exit the receiving cavity through the inlet / outlet. The movable shelf is used to place items to be refrigerated. A handling component is located within the receiving cavity and is used to move the items to be refrigerated from the movable shelf to the storage shelf. A refrigeration component is located within the receiving cavity and is used to generate cold air. An operating system is connected to the handling component and the refrigeration component and can be used to control the opening and closing of the handling component and the refrigeration component. When a user needs to refrigerate items, they can pre-place the items on the movable shelf, then push the movable shelf into the receiving cavity. The operating system can then control the handling component to move the items to be refrigerated from the movable shelf to the storage shelf, thus achieving refrigeration. Throughout the process, the human body avoids contact with the cold air, preventing frostbite and reducing the risk of injury, making it quite convenient. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in specific embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. In all the drawings, similar elements or parts are generally identified by similar reference numerals. In the drawings, the elements or parts are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a refrigerated container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a refrigerated container in one state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a side sectional view of a refrigerated container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of another side of the refrigerated container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the overall structure of the refrigerated container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 6 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the handling components of a refrigerated container according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more detailed description is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that when an element is described as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element, or one or more intermediate elements may exist between them. When an element is described as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element, or one or more intermediate elements may exist between them. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this specification are for illustrative purposes only.

[0024] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. The term "and / or" as used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0025] Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of this application described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0026] Please see Figures 1-4 The refrigerated container 1000 includes a container body 10, a movable frame 20, a handling assembly 30, a refrigeration assembly 40, and an operating system 50. The movable frame 20 can enter or exit the container body 10. The handling assembly 30 and the refrigeration assembly 40 are disposed within the container body 10. The operating system 50 is connected to both the handling assembly 30 and the operating system 50. The container body 10, the movable frame 20, the handling assembly 30, the refrigeration assembly 40, and the operating system 50 are described in detail below.

[0027] For the aforementioned housing 10 and movable frame 20, as Figures 1-3 As shown, the box body 10 is provided with a receiving cavity 10a and an inlet / outlet 10b communicating with the receiving cavity 10a. A storage shelf 11 is provided inside the receiving cavity 10a of the box body 10. The storage shelf 11 can be used to place refrigerated items. The inlet / outlet 10b facilitates the entry and exit of the movable shelf 20 into the receiving cavity 10a. The movable shelf 20 can be used to place items to be refrigerated. It should be noted that the movable shelf 20 in this application includes, but is not limited to, multiple layers, each layer of which can hold the same or different items to be refrigerated.

[0028] Specifically, the cabinet 10 includes a top plate 101, a bottom plate 102, and a plurality of side plates 103 connected in sequence. The top plate 101 is connected to one end of the plurality of side plates 103, and the bottom plate 102 is connected to the other end of the plurality of side plates 103. The top plate 101, the bottom plate 102, and the plurality of side plates 103 connected in sequence enclose the receiving cavity 10a, and the inlet / outlet 10b is located on the top plate 101. Optionally, a retrieval port 10c is provided on one side wall of the cabinet 10. The retrieval port 10c communicates with the receiving cavity 10a, and the retrieval port 10c facilitates the user to retrieve refrigerated items.

[0029] The housing 10 also includes a shipping cabinet 104, which is provided with a shipping channel 104a. The outlet of the shipping channel 104a is opposite to the retrieval port 10c. The inlet of the shipping channel 104a is located inside the receiving cavity 10a, and the inlet of the shipping channel 104a is located above the outlet of the shipping channel 104a. The shipping channel 104a is an inclined slide. Users can use the handling component 30 to move refrigerated items to the inlet of the shipping channel 104a. Under the action of gravity, the refrigerated items slide along the inclined slide to the outlet of the shipping channel 104a, and users can retrieve the goods from the retrieval port 10c.

[0030] In some embodiments, the housing 10 includes a partition plate 105 disposed within the receiving cavity 10a, dividing the receiving cavity 10a into a first space 10aa and a second space 10ab. The partition plate 105 is provided with a connecting hole, allowing the first space 10aa and the second space 10ab to communicate with each other. The refrigeration component 40 is disposed within the second space 10ab, and the storage shelf 11 is located within the first space 10aa. The refrigeration component 40 and the storage shelf 11 are located in different spaces. This arrangement reduces the impact on the refrigeration component 40 during the storage of refrigerated items to the storage shelf 11, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the refrigeration component 40.

[0031] In some embodiments, please refer to the following: Figure 4The top wall of the housing 10 is provided with a slide rail 106, which extends along the length of the receiving cavity 10a. The slide rail 106 is used to install some components of the handling assembly 30, thereby enabling the handling assembly 30 to move along the length of the receiving cavity 10a, facilitating the handling of refrigerated items in different locations, which is quite convenient. It should be noted that the housing 10 is usually placed on the ground. The inner side wall of the housing 10 closest to the ground is defined as the bottom wall, and the top wall of the housing 10 refers to the inner side wall opposite to the bottom wall, and the top wall and the bottom wall are spaced apart.

[0032] For the aforementioned cooling component 40 and operating system 50, such as Figures 2-5 As shown, the refrigeration component 40 is disposed within the receiving cavity 10a. The refrigeration component 40 is used to generate cold air. The operating system 50 is connected to the conveying component 30 and the refrigeration component 40, and the operating system 50 can be used to control the opening or closing of the conveying component 30 and the refrigeration component 40. Optionally, the refrigeration component 40 includes a cooler.

[0033] In some embodiments, the operating system 50 includes an input screen 501 disposed on the outer surface of the housing 10. The input screen 501 can input different shelf information on the storage shelf 11 into the handling component 30, and / or, the input screen 501 can input information about the items to be refrigerated into the handling component 30. The input screen 501 is convenient for inputting and displaying relevant data information, such as the specific location information of a refrigerated item on the storage shelf 11. The handling component 30 acquires the different shelf information on the storage shelf 11 and the information about the items to be refrigerated, and then moves the items to be refrigerated to the corresponding shelf on the storage shelf 11.

[0034] It should be noted that the information on different shelves on the storage shelf 11 includes the number of shelves and the size of the shelves, while the information on the items to be refrigerated includes the type of item, the weight of the item, and the overall size of the item. Moving the items to be refrigerated to the corresponding shelf on the storage shelf 11 means that the items are only moved to the shelf on the storage shelf 11 if the size of the shelf on the storage shelf 11 is greater than or equal to the size of the items to be refrigerated. The process of the handling component 30 moving the items to be refrigerated can be automated using a control chip, or semi-automatically. The user can control the handling component 30 to move the items to the corresponding shelf on the storage shelf 11 based on the information on different shelves on the storage shelf 11 and the information on the items to be refrigerated. The handling method of the handling component 30 is not specifically limited in this application.

[0035] For the aforementioned conveying component 30, such as Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, the conveying assembly 30 is located within the receiving cavity 10a, and the conveying assembly 30 is used to convey items to be refrigerated from the movable rack 20 to the storage rack 11.

[0036] Specifically, the handling assembly 30 includes a lifting assembly 31 and a palletizer 32. One end of the lifting assembly 31 is connected to the palletizer 32, and the other end of the lifting assembly 31 is installed in the slide rail 106 and can slide along the slide rail 106, thereby driving the palletizer 32 to slide along the length of the receiving cavity 10a. The lifting assembly 31 itself can move up and down, thereby driving the palletizer 32 to move up and down in the vertical direction. Thus, the palletizer 32 can move vertically and horizontally (along the length of the receiving cavity 10a), facilitating the palletizer 32 to handle refrigerated items in different locations, or facilitating the palletizer 32 to handle refrigerated items in different locations on the storage shelf 11 to the entrance of the shipping channel 104a. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the other end of the lifting assembly 31 can rotate relative to the box 10, thereby driving the palletizer 32 to rotate, facilitating the palletizer 32 to handle goods.

[0037] In some embodiments, the lifting assembly 31 includes a telescopic rod 311 and a connecting sleeve 312. One end of the telescopic rod 311 is connected to the palletizer 32, and the other end of the telescopic rod 311 is inserted into the connecting sleeve 312. The other end of the connecting sleeve 312, facing away from the telescopic rod 311, is installed in the slide rail 106. The telescopic rod 311 can extend and retract relative to the connecting sleeve 312. It is understood that, in order to enable the palletizer 32 to move vertically, the structure of the lifting assembly 31 is not limited to the above description and may also be other structures.

[0038] In some embodiments, the palletizer 32 includes a machine body 321, a first fork 322, a second fork 323, and a rotating screw 324. The first fork 322 and the second fork 323 are connected to the machine body 321 via the rotating screw 324. The first fork 322 and the second fork 323 can be far apart from each other or close to each other. The first fork 322 and the second fork 323 are provided with connecting screw holes. The rotating screw 324 is screwed into the connecting screw holes on the first fork 322 and the second fork 323 and is rotatably connected to the machine body 321. The thread direction of the connecting screw hole on the first fork 322 is opposite to the thread direction of the connecting screw hole on the second fork 323. Thus, when the machine body 321 controls the rotating screw 324 to rotate, the first fork 322 and the second fork 323 can move closer to each other or further away from each other, thereby realizing the adjustment of the distance between the first fork 322 and the second fork 323. In addition, refrigerated or refrigerated items of different sizes can be clamped between the first fork 322 and the second fork 323. It should be noted that this application does not specifically limit whether the first fork 322 and the second fork 323 are closer to each other or further apart depending on the rotation direction of the rotating screw 324. For example, when the rotating screw 324 rotates clockwise, the first fork 322 and the second fork 323 are closer to each other, and when the rotating screw 324 rotates counterclockwise, the first fork 322 and the second fork 323 are further apart.

[0039] In some embodiments, the palletizer 32 further includes a camera 325, which is electrically connected to the machine body 321. The camera 325 can be used to acquire photos or videos of items to be refrigerated. Users can acquire photos or videos of items to be refrigerated or refrigerated items through the camera 325, facilitating handling by the handling assembly 30.

[0040] In this embodiment of the invention, a housing 10, a movable frame 20, a handling component 30, a refrigeration component 40, and an operating system 50 are provided. The housing 10 has a receiving cavity 10a and an inlet / outlet 10b communicating with the receiving cavity 10a. A storage shelf 11 is provided within the receiving cavity 10a. The movable frame 20 can enter or exit the receiving cavity 10a through the inlet / outlet 10b and is used to place items to be refrigerated. The handling component 30 is located within the receiving cavity 10a and is used to move items to be refrigerated from the movable frame 20 to the storage shelf 11. The refrigeration component 40 is located within the receiving cavity 10a and is used to generate cold air. The operating system 50... The system 50 is connected to the conveying component 30 and the refrigeration component 40. The operating system 50 can be used to control the opening and closing of the conveying component 30 and the refrigeration component 40. When a user needs to refrigerate items, the user can place the items to be refrigerated on the mobile rack 20 in advance, and then push the mobile rack 20 into the receiving cavity 10a. The operating system 50 can control the conveying component 30 to move the items to be refrigerated on the mobile rack 20 to the storage shelf 11, thereby realizing the refrigeration of the items. Throughout the process, the human body can avoid contact with cold air, avoid the human body from freezing, thereby reducing the damage to the human body, which is more convenient.

[0041] The present invention also provides an embodiment of the refrigeration method using the above-described refrigerated container, the refrigeration method comprising the following steps:

[0042] S1: Place the items to be refrigerated on the mobile rack 20;

[0043] S2: Push the movable frame 20 into the receiving cavity 10a;

[0044] S3: The handling component 30 handles the items to be refrigerated on the mobile rack 20 to the storage rack 11.

[0045] The items to be refrigerated are placed on the mobile rack 20 by manual labor or external equipment, and then the mobile rack 20 is pushed into the receiving cavity 10a by manual labor or external equipment. Finally, the handling component 30 moves the items to be refrigerated on the mobile rack 20 to the storage shelf 11 to complete the storage of the items to be refrigerated. The whole process avoids direct contact between the human body and the cold air, reducing the risk of the human body getting cold, and is relatively safe and convenient.

[0046] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the content of the present invention's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigerated container, characterized in that, include: The box body is provided with a receiving cavity and an inlet and outlet communicating with the receiving cavity, and a storage shelf is provided inside the receiving cavity of the box body; A movable rack, which can enter or exit the receiving cavity through the inlet and outlet, and can be used to place items to be refrigerated; A handling assembly, located within the receiving cavity, is used to handle items to be refrigerated from the movable rack to the storage shelf; A refrigeration component is disposed within the receiving cavity, and the refrigeration component is used to generate cold air; An operating system is connected to the conveying component and the cooling component, and the operating system can be used to control the opening or closing of the conveying component and the cooling component; The handling assembly includes a lifting assembly and a palletizer; the palletizer includes a machine body, a first fork, a second fork, and a rotating screw. The first fork and the second fork are provided with connecting screw holes. The rotating screw is screwed into the connecting screw holes on the first fork and the second fork and rotatably connected to the machine body. The thread direction of the connecting screw hole on the first fork is opposite to the thread direction of the connecting screw hole on the second fork. The lifting assembly is used to drive the palletizer to move vertically.

2. The refrigerated container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The operating system includes an input screen disposed on the outer surface of the cabinet. The input screen can input different shelf information on the storage shelf into the handling component, and / or, the input screen can input information about the items to be refrigerated into the handling component. The handling component acquires information about different shelves on the storage rack and information about the items to be refrigerated, and then moves the items to be refrigerated to the corresponding storage rack.

3. The refrigerated container according to claim 2, characterized in that, A slide rail is provided on the top wall of the box, and the slide rail extends along the length of the receiving cavity. One end of the lifting component is connected to the palletizer, and the other end of the lifting component is installed in the slide rail, and the other end of the lifting component can slide along the slide rail.

4. The refrigerated container according to claim 3, characterized in that, The lifting assembly includes a telescopic rod and a connecting sleeve. One end of the telescopic rod is connected to the palletizer, and the other end of the telescopic rod is inserted into the connecting sleeve. The other end of the connecting sleeve, away from the telescopic rod, is installed in the slide rail. The telescopic rod can extend and retract relative to the connecting sleeve.

5. The refrigerated container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The palletizer also includes a camera, which is electrically connected to the machine body. The camera can be used to acquire photos or videos of items to be refrigerated.

6. The refrigerated container according to claim 1, characterized in that, A retrieval opening is provided on one side wall of the box, and the retrieval opening is connected to the receiving cavity; The container also includes a shipping cabinet with a shipping channel. The outlet of the shipping channel is opposite to the picking port. The inlet of the shipping channel is located inside the receiving cavity and is located above the outlet of the shipping channel. The shipping channel is an inclined slide. The conveying assembly can move refrigerated items to the inlet of the shipping channel, and the refrigerated items slide along the inclined slide to the outlet of the shipping channel.

7. The refrigerated container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The enclosure includes a top plate, a bottom plate, and a plurality of side plates connected in sequence. The top plate is connected to one end of the plurality of side plates, and the bottom plate is connected to the other end of the plurality of side plates. The top plate, the bottom plate, and the plurality of side plates connected in sequence enclose the receiving cavity, and the inlet and outlet are located on the top plate.

8. The refrigerated container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The enclosure includes a partition plate disposed within the receiving cavity, which divides the receiving cavity into a first space and a second space. The partition plate is provided with a connecting hole, and the first space and the second space are interconnected. The refrigeration component is disposed within the second space, and the storage shelf is located within the first space.

9. A refrigeration method using a refrigerated container according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Place the items to be refrigerated on the mobile rack; Push the movable frame into the receiving cavity; The handling component moves the items to be refrigerated from the mobile rack to the storage shelf.

Images