Automated blast cell loading and unloading

{
  "publication_number": "US11988435B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Automated blast cell loading and unloading",
  "abstract": "A system for blast-freezing items includes a plurality of cells arranged side-by-side, each cell including a housing with a bay space, a plenum, a front air passage, a rear air passage, and a fan. The fan is positioned in the plenum and configured to circulate air through the bay space. Each cell also includes a plurality of channels to separate pathways of air to segments of the bay space. The system also includes a plurality of crane rails extending between rows of cells and at least one crane capable of traveling along the plurality of crane rails to load or unload each of the plurality of cells.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system for cooling items, the system comprising: a blast chilling area in a facility; a plurality of blast cells positioned in the blast chilling area, wherein the plurality of blast cells are separated by aisles, each of the plurality of blast cells comprising: a housing defining (i) a bay space, (ii) a first air passage in a first end of the bay space, and (iii) a second air passage in an opposing second end of the bay space, wherein the bay space, the first air passage, and the second air passage collectively provide a closed-loop within which air is circulated within the housing, wherein the bay space includes a plurality of layers that are each configured to hold one or more rows of items to be cooled, a plurality of channels arranged within the rear air passage, each of the plurality of channels defining a fluid pathway that is fluidly separate from other fluid pathways provided by others of the plurality of channels, the plurality of channels configured to, over their length, turn a direction of airflow from the rear end of the bay space through the plurality of layers, and a door positioned on a side of the housing configured to be opened and closed to load and unload the items onto the one or more rows of the plurality of layers in the bay space; and at least one autonomous machine configured to automatically move in the aisles separating the plurality of blast cells in the blast chilling area, the at least one autonomous machine further configured to load and unload the items in each of the plurality of blast cells.",
    "2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first end of the bay space is a front end of the bay space and the second end of the bay space is a rear end of the bay space.",
    "3. The system of claim 1, wherein the side of the housing is orthogonal to a play between the first and second ends of the bay space.",
    "4. The system of claim 1, wherein the blast chilling area comprises a rail system in the aisles separating the plurality of blast cells, wherein the at least one autonomous machine is configured to automatically move along the rail system to perform loading and unloading operations in the blast chilling area.",
    "5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one autonomous machine comprises multiple autonomous machines, wherein each of the multiple autonomous machines is configured to automatically move in a respective row in the blast chilling area.",
    "6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one autonomous machine is further configured to automatically move the items from the blast chilling area to one or more storage locations in the facility.",
    "7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one autonomous machine is a crane.",
    "8. The system of claim 7, wherein the crane is an aisle-switching crane.",
    "9. The system of claim 7, wherein the crane comprises a crane component and a retrieving component configured to retrieve and support at least one of the items being loaded and unloaded in each of the plurality of blast cells.",
    "10. The system of claim 7, wherein the crane is coupled to a vertical movement rail and configured to move vertically up and down the vertical movement rail to access multiple layers amongst the plurality of layers in each of the plurality of blast cells.",
    "11. The system of claim 1, wherein the door is positioned on the side of the housing to load and unload the items in a direction that is lateral or perpendicular to a direction of airflow through the bay space.",
    "12. The system of claim 1, wherein the door is a first door and each of the plurality of blast cells further comprises a second door positioned on a second side of the housing that is opposite the first door.",
    "13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first door is configured to be opened and closed to load and unload a first portion of the items onto a first portion of the rows of the plurality of layers in the bay space and the second door is configured to be opened and closed to load and unload a second portion of the items onto a second portion of the towards of the plurality of layers in the bay space.",
    "14. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of layers is configured to hold 4 rows of the items to be cooled.",
    "15. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the 4 rows comprises 16 item positions.",
    "16. The system of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is configured to hold 64 items to be cooled.",
    "17. The system of claim 1, wherein the items comprises pallets of items.",
    "18. The system of claim 1, wherein the housing further defines a plenum positioned above the bay space, wherein the first air passage fluidly connects the first end of the bay space to a first end of the plenum, wherein the second air passage fluidly connects the second end of the bay space to an opposing second end of the plenum.",
    "19. The system of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of channels extends from an end of a corresponding layer of the plurality of layers to the second end of the plenum.",
    "20. The system of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of blast cells further comprises a second plurality of channels arranged within the first air passage, each of the second plurality of channels defining a second fluid pathway that is fluidly separate from other second fluid pathways provided by others of the second plurality of channels, wherein each of the second plurality of channels define a second fluid pathway that extends from a first end of a corresponding layer of the plurality of layers to the first end of the plenum, the second plurality of channels configured to, over their length, turn a direction of airflow from the first end of the plenum to the first end of the bay space."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This specification generally relates to technology for efficiently cooling physical items in a blast cell system.\n\nConvective air blast freezing is a process by which freezing of items like foodstuffs is facilitated by flowing very cold air over the items via mechanical force. Such air blast freezing can be typically used for very large volumes of goods that are carried on pallets. Airflow of thousands of cubic feet per minute (CFM) can be used for freezing. Blast freezing is typically used on perishable foods (e.g., fruits and meats) geographically near their point of initial food processing. Such goods may then be stored for a short or long period in frozen warehouse, and then shipped to a point close to their use, such as to a grocery store or a warehouse operated by a particular grocer.\n\nSuch food decays largely because it includes water, which when not frozen, is a hospitable environment for bacteria and other pathogens. Blast freezing can prevent this process and thus is employed broadly in the food distribution industry. Blast freezing can be a large and expensive consumer of electricity, natural gas, or other mechanisms needed to operate chillers, fans, and other equipment required to perform such large-scale cooling.\n\nThis document generally describes technology for providing improved blast cells and systems for cooling of items, such as perishable foodstuffs.",
  "cpc": [
    "F25D 17/06",
    "B66C 19/00",
    "F25D 13/02",
    "F25D 17/005",
    "F25D 17/045",
    "F25D 17/067",
    "F25D 23/02",
    "F25D 2317/063",
    "F25D 2317/067",
    "F25D 2317/0682",
    "F25D 2317/0684",
    "F25D 2400/28",
    "F25D 2400/30",
    "F25D 25/04",
    "F25D 2500/02"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B66C 19/00",
    "F25D 17/04",
    "F25D 17/06",
    "F25D 23/02",
    "F25D 25/04"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Lineage Logistics LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Daniël Walet",
    "Alexander Ming Zhang",
    "Claire O'Connor",
    "Ben Philipsen"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2023-06-21",
  "publication_date": "2024-05-21",
  "grant_date": "2024-05-21",
  "priority_date": "2021-12-01",
  "application_number": "US-202318339006-A",
  "family_id": "84943479",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
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}