Device and system for insulating items during delivery by a mobile robot

• US 10,005,609 B1
• Filed: 11/09/2017
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starship Technologies Ou (Starship Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starship Technologies Ou (Starship Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Biene, Tommy, Vin, Lauri, UUstal, Piret, Annus, Sylvia-Johanna
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumbess, Yolanda R
• Application Number:
  US15/808,152
• Time in Patent Office: 229 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/38 with thermal insulation vacuum bottles or the like A47J41/00 ; thermal insulation of domestic water storage heaters F24H1/182
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3888 wrappers or flexible containers, e.g. pouches, bags for shock absorbing purposes B65D81/03
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/389 formed of foam material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3897 formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/30 using a wired architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

An insulated bag reduces heat exchange between temperature-sensitive items and ambient surroundings. The insulated bag has a bag body which can be covered by a bag lid. The bag lid is provided with a first portion of a securing element. The insulated bag is suitable for insertion into an item space of a mobile delivery robot. The mobile robot has a robot lid provided with a complementary second portion of the securing element. After the insulated bag is inserted into the item space, the two portions of the securing element are connected. Thereafter, when the robot lid is opened, the bag lid is also opened, permitting access to its contents.

Claims

1. A mobile robot (1000) adapted to deliver temperature-sensitive items to recipients, said robot (1000) comprising:

a robot body (1010) comprising a robot item space (1030);

a robot lid (1040) adapted to assume at least an open position and a closed position;

wherein;

the robot lid (1040) is adapted to fit on top of the robot body (1010) in the closed position, so as to cover the robot item space (1030); and

the robot lid (1040) is adapted to be lifted to the open position, so as to allow access to the robot item space (1030); and

an insulated bag (1) located within the robot item space (1030) and comprising;

a bag body (2) comprising a body inner surface (22), a body outer surface (24) and a body cavity (26) configured to receive one or more items for delivery; and

a bag lid (4) comprising a lid inner surface (42) and a lid outer surface (44), the bag lid (4) adapted to fit on top of the bag body (2) in a closed position, and further adapted to be lifted to an open position, so as to allow access to the body cavity (26);

wherein;

the bag lid (4) is adapted to assume an open position when the robot lid (1040) assumes an open position; and

the bag lid (4) is adapted to assume a closed position when the robot lid (1040) assumes a closed position.

2. The mobile robot (1000) according to claim 1, further comprising a container (100) fitted within the robot item space (1030), and wherein the insulated bag (1) is located in the container (100).

3. The mobile robot (1000) according to claim 1, wherein:

the robot lid (1040) comprises a robot lid inner surface (1042); and

the insulated bag (1) further comprises a securing element (40) adapted to attach the bag lid (4) to the robot lid inner surface (1042).

4. The mobile robot (1000) according to claim 1, wherein:

the insulated bag (1) further comprises a sensor adapted to measure at least one of temperature and humidity inside the insulated bag (1); and

,

the sensor is further adapted to send measurements to the mobile robot (1000) for processing.

5. The mobile robot according to claim 4, wherein:

the robot (1000) is adapted to send out an alert signal if the sensor'"'"'s measurements are not within a predefined range.

6. The mobile robot (1000) according to claim 1, wherein, in the insulated bag (1):

at least one of the bag body (2) and the bag lid (4) comprises at least one inner layer (16) adapted to reduce conductive heat transfer between the body cavity (26) and the ambient surroundings.

7. The mobile robot (1000) according to claim 6, wherein the at least one inner layer (16) comprises a foam-based material.

8. The mobile robot (1000) according to claim 6, wherein the at least one inner layer (16) has a thermal conductivity of 0.03 to 0.05 W/mK.

9. The mobile robot (1000) according to claim 1, wherein, in the insulated bag (1):

at least one of the bag body (2) and the bag lid (4) comprises at least one intermediate layer (14) adapted to reduce radiative heat transfer between the body cavity (26) and the ambient surroundings.

10. The mobile robot (1000) according to claim 1, wherein, in the insulated bag (1):

at least one of the bag body (2) and the bag lid (4) comprises at least one outer layer (12) adapted to be removed and/or replaced.

11. The mobile robot (1000) according to claim 10, wherein:

the at least one outer layer (12) comprises a polymer material covering the body inner surface (22) and a low static elastic material covering the body outer surface (24).

12. The mobile robot (1000) according to claim 1, wherein:

the insulated bag (1) further comprises a plurality of flaps (6) attached to the body inner surface (22) between the body cavity (26) and the bag lid (4);

the flaps (6) are adapted to at least partially cover at least part of the body cavity (26) in the closed position of the bag lid (4); and

the flaps (6) are adapted to at least partially fold away from the body cavity (26) in the open position of the bag lid (4).

13. The mobile robot (1000) according to claim 1, wherein:

the insulated bag (1) further comprises at least one compartment (28) located on the body inner surface (22) and/or the bag lid inner surface (42); and

the at least one compartment is adapted to hold a heating element and/or a cooling element.

14. The mobile robot (1000) according to claim 1, wherein:

the insulated bag (1) further comprises at least one separating wall (50) removably attached to the bag body (2) of the insulated bag (1) in at least one of a horizontal configuration and a and a vertical configuration.

15. The mobile robot (1000) according to claim 1, wherein:

the insulated bag (1) further comprises at least one securing element (40) adapted to releasably attach the bag lid (4) to the robot lid (1040).

16. The mobile robot (1000) according to claim 1, wherein:

the securing element (40) is adapted to withstand a force of at least 5 N, before the bag lid (4) is detached from the robot lid (1040).

17. The mobile robot (1000) according to claim 1, wherein, in the insulated bag:

the securing element (40) is attached to the lid outer surface (44); and

at least one of the bag body (2) and the bag lid (4) comprises;

at least one inner layer (16) adapted to reduce conductive heat transfer between the body cavity (26) and the ambient surroundings;

at least one intermediate layer (14) positioned on either side of the at least one inner layer (16), the at least one intermediate layer (14) adapted to reduce radiative heat transfer between the body cavity (26) and the ambient surroundings; and

at least one outer layer (12) positioned on either side of the at least one intermediate layer (14), the at least one outer layer adapted to reduce radiative heat adapted to be removed and/or replaced, and wherein;

the inner, intermediate and outer layers are different from one another in material composition.