Temperature-controlled delivery vehicle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Temperature-controlled delivery vehicles often waste space and face access issues due to inefficient storage configurations, where larger areas are kept at refrigerated or freezing temperatures, and desired items are difficult to access.
Innovation Solution
A delivery vehicle with a temperature-controlled compartment and a conveyor mechanism that allows easy access to items within the compartment, operated by a control circuit to position items adjacent to an access door based on inputs such as GPS data and delivery route information, minimizing cooling loss and reducing access time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a larger area is kept at refrigerated or freezing temperatures to ensure item preservation, then temperature control reliability is improved, but energy consumption and cooling costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The storage compartment is divided into multiple temperature zones (refrigerated zone and freezing zone) with independent temperature control. This segmentation allows only the necessary areas to be kept at low temperatures, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining reliable temperature control for preserved items.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the storage compartment are assigned different temperature characteristics (refrigerated vs. freezing zones) based on the specific storage needs of items in each location. This local differentiation optimizes energy usage by applying cooling only where and when needed.
2Volume of stationary object
If traditional storage configuration is used to maximize space utilization, then storage capacity is improved, but item access difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
A conveyor mechanism is introduced to dynamically move items between storage positions and the access door. This dynamic system maintains high storage capacity while enabling easy access to items, as the conveyor can transport any stored item to the door without requiring manual retrieval from deep within the storage space.
3Device complexity
If manual item retrieval is used to access items in the storage compartment, then device complexity is reduced, but delivery time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor mechanism automates item transport to the access door, significantly reducing the time required to retrieve items for delivery. While this adds some device complexity, the substantial improvement in delivery speed and efficiency justifies the added mechanism, especially when considering the automated control system that integrates with GPS and route information.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical retrieval process is replaced with an automated conveyor system controlled by electronic controls that receive inputs from GPS and route information systems. This substitution transforms manual labor into an automated process, improving delivery speed while the integration with existing electronic systems minimizes the net increase in overall system complexity.
4Ease of operation
If the access door is opened frequently to retrieve items, then item access ease is improved, but cooling loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor mechanism pre-positions items at the access door before they are needed for delivery. This preliminary action allows items to be retrieved without opening the door frequently, as the conveyor can transport items to the door through the existing access opening or minimize door opening time, thereby reducing cooling loss while maintaining easy access.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, systems, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to temperature-controlled delivery of items. A conveyor mechanism disposed within a temperature-controlled compartment of a delivery vehicle can provide easy access to items within the compartment. In some embodiments, the conveyor mechanism can be operated by a control circuit to convey items within the compartment to position the items adjacent to the access door according to various inputs.