An automated order fulfillment system is disclosed having different temperature zones and robots and containers capable of and/or configured to work in these different temperature zones. Containers include insulated wall panels and a thermal insert which may be chilled to maintain a temperature within the container below ambient temperature. Structure within a storage location for the containers may be used to open and close the containers to facilitate cooling of the thermal insert.

A refrigerator includes a cabinet, a first inner case that defines a freezing compartment, a second inner case that defines a refrigerating compartment, a thermal siphon unit that is configured to carry a working fluid for heat transfer and that has a closed loop shape that includes a first part arranged at an outer side of the first inner case and a second part arranged at an outer side of the second inner case, and a cool air storage unit arranged in a space partitioned in the first inner case. The cool air storage unit is configured to accommodate cool air of the freezing compartment and transfer the cool air to the first part of the thermal siphon unit arranged outside of the first inner case.

A robust, durable, easy to use, reusable shipping container is disclosed that is capable of protecting contents from surrounding high temperatures up to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum of at least three and a half hours. The container includes an inner chamber surrounded by an outer chamber. A phase change liquid (PCL) is sequestered in a porous support matrix contained in the inner chamber, while the outer chamber is filled with high temperature insulation, forming an outer barrier layer that is designed to reduce heat flux into the inner chamber.

A storage unit comprises a casing defining an interior space for holding at least one item, a thermal element lining an interior surface of at least one side of the casing, and at least one thermal battery thermally coupled to the thermal element.

A cooler has a body and a lid that co-operate. The lid is movable between closed and open positions. The lid is a freezable reservoir. A filler port is located inside the lid. The entrance of the filler port into the lid is located at a height part way between the inside and outside walls of the lid. The lid has a downwardly extending hollow peripheral formation. The filler port is spanwise inset from the peripheral formation. The lid has spanwise extending internal formations that stiffen the lid and divide the internal chamber into sub-volumes connected by necks through which liquid can flow. The inside and outside walls of the lid may be connected. The lid is provided with a “fill to” line visible from the filling port to discourage over-filling. The lid may have an insulated cap, and the cooler may have an insulated jacket.

In a transport container for transporting temperature-sensitive transport goods, there is a chamber for receiving the transport goods and a shell enclosing the chamber. The shell has at least one first latent heat storage element wherein the heat storage element is arranged in a heat exchanging relationship with the chamber. The at least one first latent heat storage element includes a carrier material which is dimensionally stable at use temperature, and a phase change material distributed within the mass of the carrier material, so that the at least one first latent heat storage element is dimensionally stable in a temperature range both below and above the melting point of the phase change material. The at least one first latent heat storage element is designed as a casting part which surrounds the chamber in one piece, seen in cross section, at least over half the circumference.

Transport container 1 for temperature-controlled transport of temperature-sensitive goods, comprising a container wall 2 which, in a closed state, completely encloses an interior space 3, the container wall 2 comprising three side wall elements 21a, 21b, 21c, a top element 22, a base element 23 and a door element 24, which door element 24 can be arranged on the transport container 1 in such a way as to completely close an opening 10 of the transport container 1, and wherein at least one receiving strip 4 is arranged on each of the three side wall elements 21a, 21b, 21c in such a way as to attach temperature storage elements 5 thereto, and wherein on at least one of the side wall elements 21a; 21c, a receiving frame 6 with at least one receiving strip 4 for the attachment of temperature storage elements 5 is movably arranged in such a way that, in the closed state of the transport container 1, the opening is at least partially covered and, in an open state of the transport container 1, the opening 10 is completely uncovered.

An automated order fulfillment system is disclosed having different temperature zones and robots and containers capable of and/or configured to work in these different temperature zones. Containers include insulated wall panels and a thermal insert which may be chilled to maintain a temperature within the container below ambient temperature. Structure within a storage location for the containers may be used to open and close the containers to facilitate cooling of the thermal insert.

Methods and apparatuses for loading, removing, accessing, positioning or preserving one or more items in a presence of dry ice are provided. The apparatus includes a tapered container that has a barrier-like structure which can partition the inner volume of the tapered container into an internal product storage volume and a dry icechamber. Each of the regions remain substantially undisturbed during handling, operation, use and transport of the tapered container. Methods for selectively introducing dry ice into the dry ice chamber of the tapered container and engaging the barrier-like structure within the tapered container can be achieved with a novel guiding assembly apparatus. The methods and apparatuses are particularly useful when loading and retrieving one or more items in the presence of dry ice for tapered containers that have single restrictive access openings and/or other characteristics which make access and handling difficult.

The present application generally relates to devices and methods for transporting items, and it more specifically relates to crate liners for use in delivering temperature-controlled items such as perishable food. The crate liners of the present application being insulated to maintain a temperature-controlled environment within the liner. The crate liners of the present application being collapsible to minimize the space required for storing the crate liner when not in use.