Package for drone delivery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10035623-B1
Application number	US-201615241721-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 19, 2016
Priority date	Aug 19, 2016
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

A package enclosure for use on an aerial vehicle including an outer skin having left and right side walls and a front end and a rear end, a base positioned within the outer skin exerting a force against inner surfaces of the left and right side walls of the outer skin, and a handle upwardly extending from the base.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A package enclosure for use on an aerial vehicle comprising:
an outer skin having left and right side walls and a front end and a rear end;
a base positioned within the outer skin, the base having a front section attached to the front end of the outer skin and a rear section attached to the rear end of the outer skin; and
a handle upwardly extending from the front section of the base and from the rear section of the base;
wherein prior to construction of the package enclosure, the front end and rear end of the outer skin lie flat, and an inner surface of the front end faces an inner surface of the rear end with at least a portion of the handle positioned between the front end and the rear end of the outer skin, and the front section of the base lies flat against the rear section of the base; and
wherein downward movement of the handle causes the front and rear sections of the base move into a horizontal position while drawing in the right and left side walls into contact with the front and rear sections of the base.

2. The package enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the base exerts a force against the inner surfaces of the front and rear ends of the outer skin.

3. The package enclosure of claim 1 , further including a content holder positioned above the base with the handle extending therethrough.

4. The package enclosure of claim 3 , wherein the content holder exerts a force against inner surfaces of the left and right side walls, and also exerts a force against the inner surfaces of the front and rear ends of the outer skin.

5. The package enclosure of claim 3 , wherein the content holder includes cutouts adapted for holding contents within the outer skin.

6. The package enclosure of claim 3 , wherein outwardly extending tabs are positioned on the content holder that extend through slots positioned within the right and left side walls of the outer skin.

7. The package enclosure of claim 6 , wherein outwardly extending tabs are positioned on the content holder that extend through slots positioned within the front and rear ends of the outer skin.

8. The package enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the right and left side walls of the outer skin slope upwardly and outwardly from the base; and
wherein the front and rear ends of the outer skin slope upwardly and outwardly from the base.

9. The package enclosure of claim 8 , wherein the outer skin has an aerodynamic shape having a coefficient of drag of 0.35 or less.

10. The package enclosure of claim 1 , further including a lower base section attached to a bottom of the right and left side walls, wherein outwardly extending tabs are positioned on the lower base section that extend through slots positioned within the right and left side walls of the outer skin.

11. The package enclosure of claim 1 , wherein a stabilizing footing extends outwardly from a bottom of the outer skin beyond the left and right side walls of the outer skin.

12. The package enclosure of claim 1 , further including:
a first extension extending inwardly from a top of the left side wall and a second extension extending inwardly from a top of the right side wall;
a first tab upwardly extending from an upper surface on a first side of the handle and a second tab upwardly extending from an upper surface on a second side of the handle;
wherein the first tab extends through a slot on the first extension; and
wherein the second tab extends through a slot on the second extension.

13. The package enclosure of claim 1 , further including:
a first section downwardly extending from a bottom of the left side wall of the outer skin;
a second section downwardly extending from the bottom of the left side wall of the outer skin;
a first section downwardly extending from a bottom of the right side wall of the outer skin;
a second section downwardly extending from the bottom of the right side wall of the outer skin;
wherein the first section extending from the bottom of the left side wall of the outer skin has a tab that extends through a first slot positioned in the left side wall;
wherein the first section extending from the bottom of the right side wall of the outer skin has a tab that extends through the first slot positioned in the right side wall;
wherein the second section extending from the bottom of the left side wall of the outer skin has a tab that extends through a second slot positioned in the left side wall;
wherein the second section extending from the bottom of the right side wall of the outer skin has a tab that extends through the second slot positioned in the right side wall; and
wherein the base is sandwiched between portions of the first and second sections extending from the left side wall, and the base is also sandwiched between portions of the first and second sections extending from the right side wall.

14. The package enclosure of claim 1 , wherein a front end of the base is integrally attached to the front end of the outer skin, and a rear end of the base is integrally attached to the rear end of the outer skin.

15. A package enclosure for use on an aerial vehicle comprising:
an outer skin having left and right side walls and a front end and a rear end;
a base positioned within the outer skin exerting a force against inner surfaces of the left and right side walls of the outer skin; and
a handle upwardly extending from the base;
wherein outwardly extending tabs are positioned on the base that extend through slots positioned within the front and rear ends of the outer skin.

16. A method of constructing a package enclosure comprising the steps of:
providing an outer skin with right and left side walls, front and rear end walls, a base, and a handle, wherein the base comprises first and second base sections secured to the handle, and the first base section include a first tab extending from a front end of the first base section, and the second base section includes a second tab extending from the second base section;
inserting the first tab into a slot in the front end wall of the outer skin;
inserting the second tab into a slot in the rear end wall of the outer skin; and
pushing down on the handle to move the first and second base sections into a horizontal position while drawing in the right and left side walls into contact with the first and second base sections.

17. The method of claim 16 further including the step of inserting a content holder within the outer skin and extending the handle through a slot in the content holder.

18. A method of constructing a package enclosure comprising the steps of:
providing a package enclosure comprising:
an outer skin having left and right side walls and a front end and a rear end;
a base positioned within the outer skin, the base having a front section attached to the front end of the outer skin and a rear section attached to the rear end of the outer skin; and
a handle upwardly extending from the front section of the base and from the rear section of the base;

wherein prior to construction of the package enclosure, the front end and rear end of the outer skin lie flat, and an inner surface of the front end faces an inner surface of the rear end with at least a portion of the handle positioned between the front end and the rear end of the outer skin, and the front section of the base lies flat against the rear section of the base; and
wherein downward movement of the handle causes the front and rear sections of the base move into a horizontal position while drawing in the right and left side walls into contact with the front and rear sect

Assignees

• X Dev Llc

Inventors

• Prager Andre
• Sopper Clark
• Liske Kyle A

Classifications

• B64C2201/128

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B65D5/4208 Primary

  Means facilitating suspending, lifting, handling, or the like of containers (handles B65D5/46) · CPC title

• B64C39/024

  of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV · CPC title

• B65D5/4266

  Folding lines, score lines, crease lines · CPC title

• B64D1/22 Primary

  Taking-up articles from earth's surface · CPC title