System and cassette for loading and unloading containers to and from a vehicle

Abstract

Cassette 20 for housing and transporting a plurality of containers, the cassette is moveable and includes a plurality of locating portions 32 for location of at least one container, the containers are

Description

The invention to which this application relates is to a system and cassette for loading and loading containers containing items to and from a vehicle to be delivered at specific locations and, in particular, items that are to be delivered from a distribution centre such as a warehouse, supermarket or the like to a domestic residence such as a home of a customer. The items are typically shopping items that have been ordered by the customer online and are delivered by the retailer directly to the customer’s residence by a delivery operative. The popularity of home deliveries, an alternative to customers travelling to a store themselves, purchasing their desired items and returning with them in their personal mode of transport, has increased in recent years due to convenience. The most common form of home delivery for retail and / or grocery shopping is so-called “online shopping”, wherein a customer places an order for an item, or more frequently a series of items, with a retailer over the internet. The retailer then dispatches the customer’s order directly to their location of residence via a delivery operative. A delivery operative will often drive a motorised vehicle, such as a van or lorry, containing numerous orders to corresponding residential addresses such that multiple deliveries can be completed in one dispatch from the retailer’s distribution centre in an effort to be more time and / or fuel efficient and reduce transportation costs. Orders placed by customers are often transported in individual portable containers referred to as “totes”. Totes are comprised of an open-topped container for the location of one or a number of items therein, with each tote corresponding to one customer’s delivery. Totes are often stacked by hand within the delivery operative’s vehicle one on top of the other to form stacks. The totes are stacked in an order corresponding to the delivery order that the delivery operative must follow, as deliveries are planned before the operative is dispatched in order to allow pre-scheduled delivery time slots at corresponding delivery addresses to be met. The manual movement of the tote containers is physically demanding, as there are often a large number of totes to be loaded to the vehicle that are often full of items to be delivered and, as such, are relatively heavy. The stacking of the totes is hazardous as, if not aligned correctly, the tote stacks risk collapsing when the vehicle is transported causing damage to the items contained and / or mixing the items to be delivered. Furthermore, if a delivery is missed for a particular reason e.g. the customer is not available for a scheduled time slot or the address is unreachable or input incorrectly, the tote containers must be rearranged to access the totes for the next delivery. This is an inconvenience to the delivery operative due to the time necessary for such rearrangement, and the limited space within the vehicle to manoeuvre the totes. An aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a means to unload and load containers from a delivery vehicle in a manner that requires little physical exertion from the delivery operative. A further aim of the invention is to provide a means to store and remove the containers from the vehicle, such that the removal of one container does not impact the ability to remove subsequent containers from the vehicle individually and independently. In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a cassette for housing and transporting a plurality of containers, the cassette movable via movement means, and the cassette including a plurality of locating portions for the location of at least one container therein, the locating portions configured such that the containers are selectively individually and independently movable into, retained by and removable from the cassette in use. In one embodiment the locating portions are separately defined, such that the removal of a container from a cassette does not affect the position of further containers retained with the cassette. In one embodiment the locating portions include an end stop, such that the movement of the container within the locating portion is limited by the end stop. In one embodiment the locating portions include a common entry and exit port or side and retaining means are provided which, when engaged act to retain the container located within the respective locating portion and hence effectively lock the container in position. Typically the retaining means includes at least one paddle member. In one embodiment the paddle member is biased towards a retaining position by a biasing means and selectively movable to an open position by a user in use. I none embodiment a plurality of retaining members are provide at spaced apart intervals on a support member such that movement of the support member causes the said plurality of retaining means to be moved simultaneously between open and retaining positions. In one embodiment the locating portions include at least one guide member to locate the container within the locating portion and / or guide the removal of the container from and / or the placement of the container within the locating portion. Typically the guide member includes guide rails and / or at least one protruding portion which further restricts and guides the movement of the container. Typically the guide members are angled such that the containers retained by the cassette in use are angled below horizontal, such that there is a reduced likelihood that the containers fall from the cassette in use. In one embodiment the guide member includes a movement means to facilitate the movement of the container along the guide member. Typically the movement means includes a series of rollers. In one embodiment the cassette includes a linking means such that the cassette may be selectively linked with at least one other cassette. Typically the linking means includes a linking member located with a frame of the cassette to be bound to a frame of a second cassette. In one embodiment the linking member includes a strap with a buckle riveted to the frame of a first cassette and wrapped around a frame of a second cassette in use. In one embodiment the movement means include a braking means and / or certain of the guide means may be restricted in terms of the direction of movement, such that the movement means may be locked by the braking means to prevent movement of the cassette in use. Typically, the location portions are configured such that there is space between the containers in use to allow airflow between the same. This therefore enables effective refrigeration of the contents of the containers by a refrigeration unit maintaining the temperature of the environment in which the cassette is located in use. In one embodiment the locating portions are configured such that a face of the container located within the same in use is exposed. This provides the advantage that an identifying label, such as a barcode or the Eke, may be presented to a user without the need for the container to be removed from the cassette. In one embodiment the movement means of the cassette are engageable with guide members provided on at least one surface of a storage area and said members are located such as to restrain movement of the movable members, and hence cassette, in at least one but most typically two or more axes of movement Typically the cassette is engageable with retaining means which are provided, typically in conjunction with said rail members, to prevent movement of the cassette in a further axes in the storage area. Preferably the cassette includes a retaining means anchor and / or a retaining means guide. In one embodiment, the cassette has a profile such that the cassette may be nested with or partially located within the profile of another cassette of the same or comphmentary profile. In one embodiment, the profile is a Z-shaped profile. In one embodiment the cassette includes a handle member configured such that the handle portion does not engage with another cassette if the cassettes are located adjacent. In one embodiment handle members are provided on opposing side walls of the cassette and are vertically spaced apart such that when adjacent walls of the cassettes are moved together the handles effectively “nest” such that the floor space taken up by the side by side cassettes is minimised. In one embodiment the cassette includes a location guide to limit the movement of the container with respect to the locating portion in which the same is located in use. Typically the location guide engages with a wall of the container in use. In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for loading a plurality of containers of items stored therein onto a vehicle to be delivered to specific locations, the system including: at least one movable cassette configured to selectively house and transport the plurality of containers in use; a vehicle in which the at least one movable cassette is to be located; and a lifting means to selectively raise the cassette between a first height and a second height, the second height substantially level with a floor of the vehicle; wherein the cassette is configured such that the containers are selectively individually loadable and independently removable from the same. In one embodiment the at least one movable cassette is movable by movement means across a surface. Typically the movement means include a series of castors and / or rollers actuatable by a user such that the cassette is manipulatable by hand. In one embodiment the said cassettes are introduced into an area of the vehicle through a door located at the rear of the vehicle and, once in the vehicle moved laterally to a position for transport. In one embodiment the cassette includes a Unking means such that the cassette may be selectively linked with at least one other cassette. In one embodiment the floor of the vehicle defines the location at which the cassette is to be located when the vehicle is moving. Preferably, a portion of the floor of the vehicle and / or a member located with the floor of the vehicle on which the cassette is located is angled towards a wall of the vehicle, such that the cassette is forced towards the wall of the vehicle in use. In one embodiment the vehicle includes at least one pen for the location of the cassette. Typically, the pen includes guide members to prevent movement of the cassette within the pen in use. Preferably the guide members include rails mounted with the floor of the vehicle. In one embodiment the vehicle includes retaining means to maintain the position of the cassette within the vehicle in use. Typically the retaining means includes an restraining member binding a portion of a frame of the cassette with a wall of the vehicle. Preferably the restraining member includes a lashing strap, the lashing strap including a ratchet system such that the tension of the lashing strap is selectively adjustable. In one embodiment the system includes an identification system such that the containers retained by the cassettes and / or their position and / or their status may be identified by the identification system. Typically the identification system includes a barcode label located on the container and a barcode scanner being operable by a user. In a yet further aspect of the invention, there is provided a lifting means for raising the height of a movable cassette for housing and transporting a plurality of containers, the lifting means movable between a first and a second height by an actuating means. In one embodiment the lifting means includes a platform on which the cassette is located in use. Typically the platform is large enough to accommodate the cassette and at least one operator. In one embodiment the platform includes at least first and second side walls to retain the position of the cassette with respect to the platform in use. In one embodiment the platform includes at least one gate movable between an open and closed position. In one embodiment the platform includes a bridging plate configured to be located on a floor of a vehicle and / or a ground surface such that the movable cassette may be moved onto and from the platform via the bridging plate. Typically the bridging plate is movable between an extended position and a storing position by a movement means. In one embodiment the actuating means includes a hydraulic scissor Eft mechanism. In one embodiment the actuating means and / or the bridging plate and / or the gate is controllable by a control means. Typically the control means is an electronic control means. Preferably the control means is located with the platform so as to be operable by an operator located on the platform in use. In one embodiment the Efting means includes a movement means such that the Efting means is manoeuvrable with respect to a ground surface on which the lifting means is located in use. Thus, there is provided a means to move multiple containers onto a vehicle such that the containers may be dehvered to a specific location, wherein the containers may be individuaUy and independently removed from the vehicle without having to rearrange the remaining containers, and also removing the need for the containers to be ordered in a specific order when loaded onto the dehvery vehicle. There is further provided a movable cassette such that the plurality of containers may be moved at once, removing the need for a delivery operative to individually load the vehicle. Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the following figures, wherein: Figure 1 illustrates a known tote container of the prior art; Figure 2 illustrates a plurality of known tote containers in a stacked configuration; Figures 3a-c illustrate a perspective, front and side view respectively of a cassette locating a plurality of containers in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figures 4a-d illustrate a perspective, plan, front and side view of the frame of the cassette of Figures 3a-c; Figure 5a illustrates a detail view of a retaining mechanism of the cassette of Figures 3a-c in an open configuration; Figure 5b illustrates a detail view of a retaining mechanism of the cassette of Figures 3a-c in a closed configuration; Figure 6 illustrates a detail view of an actuating means for the retaining mechanism of Figures 5a-b; Figure 7 illustrates a detail view of a handle of the cassette of Figures 3a-c; Figure 8 illustrates a detail view of a container aligning mechanism of the cassette of Figures 3a-c; Figure 9 illustrates a detail view of a retaining means mount of the cassette of Figures 3a-c; Figure 10 illustrates a perspective view of two linked cassettes in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; Figure Ila illustrates a detail view of the linking means of the two linked cassettes of Figure 10; Figure 11b illustrates a detail view of the container retaining means of the linked cassettes of Figure 10; Figure 12 illustrates a perspective view of a lifting means in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 13 illustrates a perspective view of the lifting means of Figure 12 in use with linked cassettes and a delivery vehicle; Figure 14 illustrates a perspective section view of a vehicle containing a plurality of cassettes retaining containers in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 15a illustrates a detail view of the retaining means of the vehicle of Figure 14; Figure 15b illustrates a detail view of the pen of the vehicle of Figure 14; Figures 16a-c illustrate a perspective, top and side view of a lifting means in accordance with another embodiment of the invention in a lowered position; Figures 17a-b illustrate a perspective and side view of the lifting means of Figures 16a-c in a raised position; Figures 18a-d illustrate a perspective, side, top and front view of a lifting means in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; Figures 19a-d illustrate a perspective, top, side and front view of a cassette in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention; Figure 20 illustrates a perspective view of two cassettes as illustrated in Figures 19a-d in a nested configuration; Figures 21a-b illustrate side and front views of the cassette of Figures 19a-d locating a plurality of containers; and Figures 22a-b illustrate detail views of components of the cassette of Figures 19a-d. Referring firstly to Figure 1, there is illustrated a known tote container 2 defining a cavity 4 in which items to be delivered (not shown) may be contained. The tote container 2 includes two apertures 6 defining handles such that a user of the tote may pick up and carry the same. The tote 2 further includes a first and second movable member 8 which is movable with respect to the cavity. The movable members 8 are shown in the open position in Figure 1, and are movable about a hinge joint 10 to a closed position wherein the members 8 rest in grooves 12 and extend across the cavity. This enables multiple totes 2 to be stacked within the cavities 4 of each other when the totes are empty when the members 8 are in the open position, or allows the totes to be stacked directly on top of each other when the members 8 are in the closed position, as illustrated in Figure 2, forming a stack 14. The stack of totes 14 may be located on a dolly 16 for manoeuvrability, however it will be appreciated that only the top tote is accessible at one time. If the bottom tote is required, every tote above it must be removed and restacked. Furthermore, as the dolly 16 does not have a braking means and does not offer support extending the length of the stack 14, it is unsuitable to locate the same in a moving vehicle. As such, the totes 2 must be manoeuvred to a vehicle on the dolly 16, and then individually removed from the same and stacked within the vehicle. Referring now to Figures 3a-c and 4a-d, there is illustrated a cassette 20 in accordance with a first aspect of the invention for selectively retaining a plurality of tote containers 2. The cassette comprises a frame 22 including a base 24 on which is mounted four movement means, in this example castor wheels 26. The castor wheels 26 include a braking mechanism 28 such that the cassette 20 may be manoeuvred by hand and fixed in position by activating the brakes 28. The frame 22 defines a plurality of locations 30 in which the containers 2 are located in use. Each location 30 is defined by a pair of rails 32 extending between front and rear portions of the frame 22, and a back stop rail 34. The rails 32 engage with the base of the container, and act as a means to guide the container 2 into the location 30. When located with the cassette 20, the containers 2 are supported by their base resting on the rails 32. The movement of the container 2 into the cassette 20 is limited by the back stop rail 34, which prevents the container 2 from falling from the rear of the cassette 20. The frame 22 includes a top rail 35 for the attachment of an anti-tip member such as a strap of a vehicle in which the cassette 2 is located. The top rail 35 can also acts as an anchor location for any sheet covering that may be located over the cassette 2 and provides structural rigidity to the frame generally. The containers 2 may be retained with the cassette 20 by way of a retaining mechanism 36, shown in greater detail in Figures 5a-b and 6. Each retaining mechanism 36 includes a series of paddles 38 interspaced along a common shaft 40. The paddles 38 are spaced such that at least one paddle is located corresponding to each opening into a container location 30, so as to prevent movement of the container out from the cassette when the retainer paddle is in a retaining position. The shaft 40 is rotatable ninety degrees between an open position 42a and a closed retaining position 42b. The rotation of the shaft 40 is limited in the open position 42a by a stop 44 and is limited in the closed position 42b by being locked in that position with respect to the frame. The shaft 40 is retained in the open position by the lowermost paddle 38 being located within a groove 46 of the stop 44, and is locked in the closed retaining position in the gap created between the container 2 and the offset stop 44. To release the shaft 40, the shaft is partially lifted to enable rotation. The rotation and / or lifting of the shaft 40 is carried out via a handle 48 located on the shaft 40. In another example, a further locking means may be applied to the handle 48. In this embodiment the cassette 20 includes two retaining mechanisms 36 for each of the two columns of cassettes. In this way, half of the containers 2 may be selectively retained and / or released by a user at one time whilst the other half is independently retained and / or released. The cassette 20 includes a pair of offset handles 50, illustrated in greater detail in Figure 7. The handles 50 are mounted at different heights on the frame 22 of the cassette 20 and extend outwardly only so much as to fit in the gap formed between the angled sides of neighbouring containers 2. In this way, when the frames 22 of multiple cassettes 20 are brought together, the cassettes 20 are more effectively nested, as the handles 50 do not engage or clash with the handle of the adjacent cassettes 20, which might otherwise prevent nesting and / or damage the handles 50. The cassette 20 includes guide members 52, illustrated in greater detail in Figure 8, mounted the rails 32 of the frame 22. As the containers 2 typically have converging side walls towards the base in order to facilitate stacking of the same, the base of the container 2 typically has a narrower width than the lips 18. The guide members 52 extend into the locations 30 to contact this narrower cross section to prevent lateral movement of the container 2 within the locations 30 that might otherwise misalign the container 2 and / or cause movement and instability of the containers with the cassettes 2. A guide plate 54 is mounted with the frame 22 to allow for the guiding of an anchor member with respect to the cassette 2. A flexible elongate anchor member, such as a strap mounted with a wall of a vehicle, is passed through to opening 56 of the guide slot 58 such that the anchor member does not slide laterally with respect to the cassette 20 in use. Referring now to Figures 10 and lla-b, there is illustrated another embodiment of a first and second linked cassette 120 selectively retaining a plurality of tote containers 2. The cassettes 120 comprise a tubular frame 122 mounted on a movable base 124. The base 124 includes a series of castor wheels 126 that include a braking means such that the cassette 120 may be manoeuvred by hand and fixed in position by activating the braking means. The frames 122 include a series of locating portions 128 defined by guide members 130, in this example guide rails. One tote container 2 is removably located within each locating portion 2, and rests on the pair of guide rails 130 defining the same. The guide rails 130 include rollers (not shown) such that the totes 2 may be slid along the guide rails 130 by a user with relative ease, allowing the tote 2 to be inserted into and / or removed from the cassette 120 along its length. In another example, the guide rails 130 are angled towards the base 124, such that the totes 2 are further retained with the cassette 120 and are less likely to fall out of the cassette due to their weight acting along the angle of the rail. The locating portions 128 are configured such that a handle 6 and face of the tote 2 is freely accessible to a user for grasping the tote 2 and moving the same. The locating portions 128 are further configured such that the containers are held with a gap 132 between successive totes 2. This means that there is no interference between the totes 2 if one is removed from the cassette 120 and the other is to remain. It will be appreciated that this provides the advantage that any of the totes 2 may be individually removed from the cassette 120 without the need to rearrange or remove other totes 2. The gap 132 also provides the advantage that a user may observe the contents of the tote 2 without the need to remove the same from the cassette 120, and also that there is provided suitable ventilation to the contents of the tote 2, which is particularly beneficial if the interior of the vehicle in which the totes are to be transported is to be refrigerated. The cassettes 120 are selectively linked by a linking member 134 as illustrated in greater detail in Figure Ila. The linking member 134 includes a material webbing strap 136 that is riveted to one of the frames 122, looped around the frame 122 of the second cassette 120 and coupled by a buckle 138. This ensures that the tension of the strap 136 is adjustable via the buckle 138, and the cassettes 120 are detachably linked. The linking of the cassettes 120 allows for multiple cassettes to be manoeuvred at once by a single user, and also allows for ease of retaining the plurality of cassettes 120 within a moving vehicle. The totes 2 are retained with the cassettes 120 by a series of retaining means 140 located on a front side of the cassettes as illustrated in greater detail in Figure 11b. The retaining means in this example are a paddle member, that is movable between a closed position and an open position, as illustrated in 140’. The paddle is pivotable about a hinge 142 mounted with the frame and is biased towards the closed position by a spring within the hinge 142. The paddles 140 in the closed position extend across the locating portion 128 and contact a face of the tote 2, preventing the same from being removed from the cassette 120. In the open position, the paddles 140’ are raised from the path of the tote 2 and the same may be inserted or removed from the cassette 120. The locating portions 128 are further defined by a back stop in the form of a bar (not shown) towards the rear of the cassette 120 to prevent the movement of the tote 2 from the back of the cassette 120. In another example, the retaining means 140 are located on a second side of the cassette 120 such that the totes 2 may be inserted / removed from the cassette 120 from either the front or back sides. Referring now to Figures 12 and 13, there is illustrated a lifting means 150 to move linked cassettes 20 or 120 from a first level to a second level. This lifting means 150 includes a platform 152 movable by a hydraulic scissor Eft 154. The platform 152 includes a cage 156 with a width slightly greater than the width of the cassettes 120, and a length suitable for the two linked cassettes 20 or 120 and a user 158 to be located on the same. This effectively positions the cassettes 20 or 120 on the platform 152 and prevents movement of the same whilst the platform 152 is moving. The cage 156 includes a first and second access gate 160 movable between an open position to allow the cassettes 20 or 120 to be moved onto / off the platform 152 when the same is at the first or second level, and a closed position when the platform 152 is transitioning between the levels. A first and second bridging plate 162 is movable between a raised position to retain the cassettes 120 and a lowered position to allow the movement of the cassettes 20 or 120 to and from the platform 152, forming a continuous path. The first level allows the cassettes 20 or 120 to be transferred to and from a ground level 164, which may be a warehouse floor or a loading dock or the like. The second level allows the cassettes 20 or 120 to be transferred to and from a floor 166 of a transport vehicle 170. The lifting means 150 is mounted to the floor 164, but may in another embodiment include a movement means such as castor wheels to be manoeuvrable about a warehouse etc. Referring now to Figures 14 and 15a-b there is illustrated a storage compartment or trailer 170 of a delivery vehicle in which the cassettes of embodiment 20 or 120 are positioned. The cassettes 20 or 120 are manoeuvred through an opening at the rear of the vehicle and when within the vehicle 170 to predefined pens 172 within the same. The cassettes 20 or 120 are positioned within the vehicle 170 such that every one of the totes 2 retained with the cassettes 20 or 120 is accessible to a user, and therefore every tote 2 may be individually and independently removed by a user fo example when the vehicle is at the appropriate location for delivery of the goods held within that tote container or containers. Once located within the pens 172, the cassettes 120 are retained within the same by retaining means 174. Figure 15a illustrates the retaining means 174 in more detail. The retaining means 174 includes a lashing strap 176 with is attached at one end to an upper bar 178 of the frame 122 of the cassette 20 or 120 and at the other end to a mounting ring 180 attached to a wall of the vehicle 170. The lashing strap 176 is selectively tensioned by a ratchet mechanism 182. This enables a user to release the tension of the lashing strap 176 to undo the retaining means 174, and to tension the strap 176 to locate the cassette 20 or 120 against the wall of the vehicle 170. It should be noted that the cassette 20 or 120 may further be locked in position within the vehicle 170 on activation of the braking means of the wheels 126 of the cassettes 120. Figure 15b illustrates the pens 172 of the vehicle 170 in greater detail. The pen 172 is defined by a pair of rails 184 that are approximately spaced the same width as the wheels 126 of the cassettes 120. When located within the pens 172, this prevents lateral movement of the cassettes 20 or 120. In another example, the wheels 126 are located on the rails 184 in use, in the rails are angled towards the wall of the vehicle 170, forcing the cassette 20 or 120 against the same and further retaining the cassette 120 due to its own weight. Referring now to Figures 16a-c and Figures 17a-b, there is illustrated a further lifting apparatus 200. The lifting apparatus 200 comprises a platform 202 for the reception of one or more cassettes thereon and movable with respect to a frame 204. The frame 204 includes a U-shaped base member 206 mounted on a series of castor wheels 208. The lifting apparatus 200 is able to be raised from a lowered position as in Figures 16a-c to a raised position as in Figures 17a-b by a first and second lifting means 210,212. The first and second lifting means 210,212 includes a hydraulic actuating mechanism, such that a first and second strut 214,216 of the platform 202 located with the lifting means 210,212 may be actuated by the same to raise or lower the height of the platform 202. The actuation of the lifting means 210,212 may be controlled by a control mechanism 218 mounted with the frame. In alternative embodiments, the control mechanism may be mounted with the platform 202 or the lifting means 210,212 may be remotely controlled. The platform 202 includes a forward ramp 220 and a rear ramp 222. The ramps are pivotably mounted with the platform 202 by respective hinge connections 224,226. The ramps 220,222 may be configured between a lowered and raised position about the hinge connections 224,226. In the lowered position, the ramps act as a bridging plate between a support surface and on which the cassettes are to be located and the platform 202. In the raised position, the ramps act as a stop to prevent the cassettes from rolling from the platform 202 in use. The platform 202 also includes a first and second side rail 228,230, between which is bridged by a securing tether 232. The side rails and securing tether further stabilise any cassette located on the platform 202. Stabilising feet 233 movable with respect to the base member 206 by an actuating mechanism may further stabilise the movement means 200 on a support surface. The frame base 206 includes a handle portion 234 mounted thereon. The handle portion is pivotably movable with respect to the base 206 to allow the same to be folded to a storage position. A user may manipulate the lifting means 200 via the handle portion 234 to manually manoeuvre the means 200 by the castor wheels 208. In an alternative embodiment, the movement means 208 may be powered such that the lifting means may be remotely controlled and / or automated. A different lifting means 300 is illustrated in Figures 18a-d. The lifting means 300 comprises a ramping unit 302 that is pivotably connected with a first surface 304. The ramping unit 302 includes a ramp plate 306 that is pivotably movable with the respect to the surface 304 by an actuating means (not shown). The actuating means may include a hydraulic or pneumatic mechanism. The ramp plate 306 includes a pivotably connected bridging plate 308 that may be raised between a bridging position and a storage position. In use, the actuating means of the ramp plate 306 raises the same such that a first end 310 on which the bridging plate 308 is pivotably connected is raised above the level of a base 312 of a trailer 314 of a goods movement vehicle. The bridging plate 308 is then raised to a bridging position. The trailer 314 is then brought towards the bridging plate 308 such that the plate 308 at least partially extends into the trailer 314. The actuating means of the ramp plate 306 then lowers the level of same and the bridging plate 308 until the plate 308 rests on the base 312 of the trailer 314. As such, there is a continuous path created between the surface 304, the ramp plate 306, the bridging plate 308, and the base 312 of the trailer 314. One or more cassettes may then be moved along this bridged connection to transfer the cassettes between the surface 304 and into the trailer 314. Figures 19-22 illustrate a cassette 400 in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. Similarly to the cassette 20, the cassette 400 comprises a frame 422 including a base 424 on which is mounted four movement means, in this example castor wheels 426. The frame 422 defines a plurality of locations 430 in which container 2 are located in use, as illustrated in Figures 21a-b. As seen most clearly in Figure 19b, the base 424 and complimentary top frame 425 are formed of a Z-shaped profile, which allows cassettes 400,400’ to be closely nested with each other when the containers 2 have been removed for storage purposes, as seen in Figure 20. The cassettes are rotationally symmetrical, such that the front of one cassette 400 is brought into contact with the rear of another cassette 400’ as illustrated in Figure 20. As seen in front views Figure 19d and 21b, the handles 450 of the cassette are mounted at different heights, which allows the cassettes to be nested without the handles 450 contacting and preventing the nesting. The locating portions 430 of each column of the cassette, each defined by a pair of rails 432, each include a paddle 438 moveable by a shared retaining mechanism 436, as illustrated in Figure 22b. The retaining mechanism 436 includes a spring 440, as seen in Figure 22a, configured such that it biases the rotation of the retaining mechanism to a closed, and therefore retaining, position.

Claims

1. A cassette for housing and transporting a plurality of containers, the cassette movable via movement means, and the cassette including a plurality of locating portions for the location of at least one container therein, the locating portions configured such that the containers are selectively individually and independently movable into, retained by and removable from the cassette in use.

2. A cassette according to claim 1, wherein the locating portions are separately defined, such that the removal of a container from a cassette does not affect the position of further containers retained with the cassette.

3. A cassette according to any preceding claim, wherein the locating portions include an end stop, such that the movement of the container within the locating portion is limited by the end stop.

4. A cassette according to any preceding claim, wherein the locating portions include a common entry and exit port or side and retaining means are provided which, when engaged, act to retain the container located within the respective locating portion.

5. A cassette according to claim 4, wherein a paddle member of the retaining means is biased towards a retaining position by a biasing means and selectively movable to an open position by a user in use.

6. A cassette according to any of claims 4-5 wherein a plurality of retaining means is provide at spaced apart intervals on a support member such that movement of the support member causes the said plurality of retaining means to be moved simultaneously between open and retaining positions.

7. A cassette according to any preceding claim wherein the locating portions include at least one guide member to locate the container within the locating portion and / or guide the removal of the container from and / or the placement of the container within the locating portion.

8. A cassette according to claim 7, wherein the at least one guide member is angled such that the containers retained by the cassette in use are angled below horizontal, such that there is a reduced likelihood that the containers fall from the cassette in use.

9. A cassette according to any of claims 7-8, wherein the guide member includes a movement means to facilitate the movement of the container along the guide member.

10. A cassette according to any preceding claim, including a Unking means such that the cassette may be selectively linked with at least one other cassette.

11. A cassette according to claim 10, wherein the linking means includes a linking member including a strap located with a frame of the cassette to be bound to a frame of the at least one other cassette.

12. A cassette according to any preceding claim, wherein the movement means include a braking means and / or certain of the guide means may be restricted in terms of the direction of movement, such that the movement means may be locked by the braking means to prevent movement of the cassette in use.

13. A cassette according to any preceding claim, wherein the movement means of the cassette are engageable with guide members provided on at least one surface ofa storage area and said members are located such as to restrain movement of the movable members, in at least one axes of movement.

14. A cassette according to any preceding claim, wherein the location portions are configured such that there is space between the containers in use to allow airflow between the same.

15. A cassette according to any preceding claim, wherein the locating portions are configured such that a face of the container located within the same in use is exposed to a user to be accessible to the same.

16. A system for loading a plurality of containers of items stored therein onto a vehicle to be delivered to specific locations, the system including: at least one movable cassette configured to selectively house and transport the plurality of containers in use; a vehicle in which the at least one movable cassette is to be located; and a lifting means to selectively raise the cassette between a first height and a second height, the second height substantially level with a floor of the vehicle; wherein the cassette is configured such that the containers are selectively individually loadable and independently removable from the same.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the movement means include a series of castors and / or rollers actuatable by a user such that the cassette is manipulatable by hand such that the cassette is movable across a surface.

18. A system according to claims 16-17, wherein the floor of the vehicle defines the location at which the cassette is to be located when the vehicle is moving, wherein the location includes a portion of the floor of the vehicle and / or a member located with the floor of the vehicle on which the cassette is located which is angled towardsa wall of the vehicle, such that the cassette is forced towards the wall of the vehicle in use.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the location includes at least one pen for the location of the cassette, wherein the pen includes guide members to prevent movement of the cassette within the pen in use.

20. A system according to claims 16-19, wherein the vehicle includes retaining means to maintain the position of the cassette within the vehicle in use.

21. A system according to claims 16-20 including an identification system such that the containers retained by the cassettes and / or their position and / or their status may be identified by the identification system.

22. A lifting means for raising the height of a movable cassette for housing and transporting a plurality of containers as defined in claim 1, the lifting means movable between a first and a second height by an actuating means.

23. A lifting means according to claim 22, wherein the lifting means includes a platform on which the cassette is located in use.

24. A lifting means according to claim 23, wherein the platform includes at least one gate movable between an open and closed position, and further includes a bridging plate configured to be located on a floor of a vehicle and / or a ground surface such that the movable cassette may be moved onto and from the platform via the bridging plate.

25. A lifting means according to claim 24, wherein the actuating means and / or bridging plate and / or gate is controllable by a control means operable by an operator on the platform in use.T +44(0)30 0300 2000A

Images