Walmart Inc.
TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED RECEIVING TUNNEL

Abstract:

Examples provide an adjustable, temperature-controlled receiving tunnel for receiving after-hours delivery of pallets or other items and/or providing temporary overflow storage of items. The receiving tunnel includes a set of cooling units and drop-down bulkheads creating temperature-controlled storage zones within the receiving tunnel. A guidance system provides instructions to a delivery truck driver connecting to the receiving tunnel. An extension device enables the tunnel to connect to a delivery truck which is unaligned with the end of the receiving tunnel. An autonomous pallet jack can autonomously move pallets from the delivery truck storage area into the interior of the receiving tunnel. A set of doors associated with the receiving tunnel can be locked or unlocked providing a pass-through tunnel into a receiving facility storage area for transport of pallets from the delivery truck into the storage area of the receiving facility.