Delivery Vehicle with a Mobile Attachment

Abstract

System, delivery vehicle and delivery container, wherein the delivery container for accommodation by a delivery vehicle has a plurality of compartments, wherein the compartments are accessible from the outside and each compartment is designed to accommodate a plurality of packages. Furthermore, a plurality of closure elements are provided for closing the compartments and a connecting element is provided for connection to a delivery vehicle.

Claims

1. A delivery container for accommodation by a delivery vehicle comprising: a plurality of compartments, wherein the compartments are accessible from the outside and each compartment is designed to accommodate a plurality of packages; a plurality of closure elements for closing the compartments; and a connecting element for connection to a delivery vehicle.

2. The delivery container according to claim 1, wherein the closure elements are doors or roller gates and/or all closure elements are arranged on an unloading side.

3. The delivery container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the compartments extends over the entire width of the delivery container.

4. The delivery container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the compartments is accessible via a loading side, wherein the loading side is arranged opposite an unloading side.

5. The delivery container according to claim 4, wherein at least one closure element is arranged on the loading side for closing the loading sides of the compartments, in the form of a roller gate or a segment gate or a sliding gate.

6. The delivery container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the compartments is formed on a slant.

7. The delivery container according to claim 6, wherein each compartment has an indicator element for indicating the compartment for the removal of a package.

8. The delivery container according to claim 1 further comprising rollers on an underside of the delivery container for moving the delivery container.

9. A delivery vehicle with a vehicle base and a delivery container according to claim 1, wherein the delivery container is reversibly connected to the vehicle base.

10. The delivery vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle base has a bulky goods box for the accommodation of bulky goods between a driver's cab and the delivery container.

11. The delivery vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle base has a generator and/or a control unit and the vehicle base is connected to the delivery container by means of a wired plug connector.

12. A system for the delivery of packages with a delivery vehicle according to claim 9 and a loading station for loading the delivery container.

13. The system according to claim 12 further comprising an unloading station for unloading undelivered packages, wherein the unloading station has a guide, wherein due to the guide the sides of the delivery container are arranged at different heights, so that packages can slide out of a loading side.

14. A method for operating the system according to claim 12 comprising: loading a delivery container with packages; driving to destination addresses along a delivery route; and delivering the packages to the destination addresses.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the steps after driving to a delivery address: releasing a compartment, by means of the terminal; removing a package; closing the compartment; and delivering the package to a recipient.

16. The method according to claim 14 further comprising unloading undelivered packages after driving along the entire delivery route, via an unloading side of the delivery container.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein loading within a compartment takes place in an order of delivery.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the delivery route has at least two segments, wherein each segment comprises a sequence of a plurality of delivery addresses, wherein individual compartments are loaded with packages of a segment of the delivery route.

19. The delivery container according to claim 4, wherein exactly one closure element is arranged on the loading side for closing the loading sides of the compartments, in the form of a roller gate or a segment gate or a sliding gate.

20. The delivery vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle base has contact elements and wherein the delivery container has corresponding contact elements, which come into contact with each other when connecting the delivery container to the vehicle base for the transmission of current and/or control signals.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] In the following, the invention is explained in more detail on the basis of a preferred embodiment with reference to the attached drawings. In the figures:

[0059] FIG. 1 shows a delivery container according to the present invention,

[0060] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a delivery vehicle according to the present invention

[0061] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the delivery container and

[0062] FIG. 4 shows a system according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0063] The delivery container 10 according to the present invention has an upper side 12, a front 14, a back 16, a lower side 18 and a left side 20 (FIG. 3) and a right side 22. Furthermore, the delivery container 10 has a plurality of compartments 24 for the accommodation of packages 28 or other consignments, which are arranged in particular on different levels 24a, 24b, 24c. The compartments 24 have unloading openings 32 which are accessible from the outside. The unloading openings 32 of the compartments 24 are closed with closure elements, in the form of doors 26, so that packages are prevented from falling out during transportation. Alternatively, the doors 26 can be at least partially in the form of roller gates. The compartments 24 extend from the left side 20 of the delivery container 10 to the right side 22 of the delivery container. Furthermore, on the left side 20 of the delivery container 10 a loading side is formed for loading the individual compartments 24. The right side 22 forms an unloading side on which packages 28 can be removed through the unloading openings 32 of the compartments 24 during delivery. In this case, the bottom surfaces 30 of the compartments 24 are formed at an angle and thus have a gradient running from the loading side to the unloading side. Thus, packages 28 are moved from the loading side over the slanted bottom surface 30 towards the extraction opening 32 due to gravity or by means of a drive. This ensures that when the door 26 is opened, the packages 28 can be reached by the delivery person and can thus be removed through the unloading opening 32.

[0064] Furthermore, in particular in the top level 24a drawers 25 are provided for the accommodation of packages or other consignments. In the example of the figures, two drawers 25 are provided as an example. The number of drawers 25 provided can vary and can be adapted to the respective application. Also, drawers 25 may be provided in other or further levels 24b, 24c, wherein in particular drawers may have different sizes for holding package of different sizes.

[0065] Furthermore, the compartments 24 can have different sizes, so that the packages 28 can be assigned to the individual compartments according to their size and thus can be arranged in the delivery container 10 in a space-saving manner. This can increase the number of packages that can be accommodated by the delivery container 10.

[0066] The loading side arranged on the left side 20 has a sliding door 34. All compartments 24 of the delivery container 10 are commonly available via the sliding door 34. Thus, the loading side for all compartments 24 has a common closure element in the form of a sliding door 34, which is shown in FIG. 3 in an open position. In this position of the sliding door 34 loading of the compartments 24 can then be carried out.

[0067] Furthermore, each door 26 has an actuator for unlocking the door, so that the door 26 can be opened or will be opened on activating the actuator. An actuator can also be provided on the sliding door 34 of the loading side. The actuator of the loading side ensures that the sliding door 34 remains in an open position and does not fall unintentionally. This ensures safety during the loading process.

[0068] Furthermore, rollers 31 are arranged on the underside 18 of the delivery container 10, so that the delivery container 10 can be moved manually. In particular, a brake is provided for manual braking of the delivery container.

[0069] Standing boards 36 are arranged below the compartments 24 on the unloading side. The standing boards 36 are either provided in the delivery container 10 or arranged in a vehicle base 40, as shown in FIG. 2. The standing boards 36 are moved from a retracted position to a deployed position. Due to the standing boards it is possible for the delivery person to remove packages from the upper compartments 24 once the delivery person is standing on the respective standing board 36.

[0070] Furthermore, each door 26 has an indicator element in the form of an LED lamp 42. The LED lamp signals to the delivery person which compartment is to be opened for delivery of the next package at the current delivery address. Instead of an LED lamp, the indicator element can also be of a mechanical form and, for example, when the door 26 is opened can signal to the delivery person the compartment in which the next packages 28 to be delivered is located. Thus, the delivery person can immediately see where the package 28 for delivery is located. There is no need for a cumbersome search of a plurality of shelves, which reduces the delivery time for the delivery person.

[0071] FIG. 2 shows a delivery vehicle 44 with a vehicle base 40. The vehicle base 40 is connected to the delivery container 10. In particular, the vehicle base 40 accommodates exactly one delivery container 10. In particular, the delivery container 10 is secured on the vehicle base 40 by means of connecting bolts.

[0072] Furthermore, the vehicle base 40 has a bulky goods box 46, which is also closed by means of a door or a roller gate 48. The bulky goods box 46 is used to accommodate bulky goods which cannot be accommodated in the compartments 24.

[0073] FIG. 4 shows a system according to the present invention consisting of a loading station 50, a delivery vehicle 44 and a terminal 52 for controlling the functionality of the delivery container 10. For this purpose, the delivery container 10 is connected to a control unit (not shown) for controlling the indicator elements or the actuators for opening the respective doors. The terminal 52 is connected to the control unit. The terminal 52 is connected to the control unit in particular via a wireless communications connection.

[0074] Furthermore, the terminal 52 is designed to download a delivery route with a sequence of delivery addresses, for example from a server 54. For this purpose, for example, identification of the delivery container can be carried out on the basis of a unique marking, such as a QR code or a numerical code, which is captured by the terminal, and then the corresponding delivery route is downloaded to the terminal from the server 54. If the delivery vehicle 44 then reaches the delivery address along the delivery route, this is confirmed by the delivery person or automatically captured by the terminal 52. Next, the release of the corresponding compartment 24 is transmitted by the terminal 52 to the control unit, which activates the corresponding actuator for the release of the door 26 of the corresponding compartment 24. Then the door is opened (for example by a spring force) or can be opened by the delivery person. The corresponding compartment 24 contains the package belonging to the delivery address, which is removed from compartment 24 by the delivery person and then delivered. The delivery person closes the door 26 and continues to follow the delivery route.

[0075] In the individual compartments 24 the packages 28 are arranged according to an order of delivery, so that a package which has to be delivered earlier on the delivery route is arranged within a compartment starting from the unloading opening 32 in front of packages which have to be delivered later on the delivery route. This ensures that the package nearest the front starting from the unloading opening 32 within a compartment is always the package within the respective compartment which will be delivered next. Re-sorting of packages within a compartment is therefore not required.

[0076] Furthermore, individual compartments 24 can be assigned to individual segments of a delivery route, wherein the packages are still arranged within the compartments according to an order of delivery within the respective segment. If, therefore, a change in the order of leaving the individual segments of the entire delivery route changes, only the sequence of the compartments to be opened changes. The order within the respective compartments per segment remains unchanged. Cumbersome re-sorting is not necessary, and the delivery route can be dynamically adapted to conditions such as traffic jams, closures or the like.

[0077] Thus, a flexible system is created, wherein more space is provided in the delivery container for the transport of packages, wherein the packages are arranged accordingly and thus finding by the delivery person is facilitated. This reduces the delivery time, and a larger number of packages can be delivered within the same time compared to known delivery vehicles.