Smart locker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10559154-B2
Application number	US-201715831693-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2017
Priority date	Dec 14, 2016
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

An example portable container is described. The example portable container includes a body, a handle, a pair of wheels, a wheel lock, and an authenticator. The body includes walls that form an inner chamber configured and dimensioned to receive one or more items. The handle is mounted to the body, and the pair of wheels is mounted to the body. The wheel lock is configured to selectively engage and disengage at least one wheel of the pair of wheels. Engagement of the at least one wheel with the wheel lock restricts rotation of the wheel. The authenticator is configured to authenticate a user for transporting the portable container. If the authenticator fails to authenticate the user, the wheel lock is actuated to engage the at least one wheel of the pair of wheels to restrict rotation of the wheel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A portable smart locker, comprising:
a body including walls that form an inner chamber configured and dimensioned to receive one or more items;
a handle mounted to the body;
a pair of wheels mounted to the body;
a wheel lock configured to selectively engage and disengage at least one wheel of the pair of wheels, engagement of the at least one wheel with the wheel lock restricting rotation of the wheel; and
an authenticator configured to authenticate a user for transporting the portable smart locker, the authenticator comprising a fingerprint scanner configured to authenticate the user by scanning one or more fingerprints of the user;
wherein the wheel lock is actuated to engage the at least one wheel of the pair of wheels to restrict rotation of the wheel when the handle is retracted into a storage compartment in a stored position;
wherein the fingerprint scanner continuously scans the one or more fingerprints of the user during use of the portable smart locker to authenticate the user; and
wherein the inner chamber is separated into multiple individual inner chambers, the portable smart locker comprising a temperature control system configured to independently regulate a temperature within each of the multiple individual inner chambers of the inner chamber such that each of the multiple individual inner chambers is capable of having a different temperature environment.

2. The portable smart locker of claim 1 , comprising a second pairs of wheels mounted to the body.

3. The portable smart locker of claim 1 , wherein the wheel lock includes a brake configured to selectively engage and disengage the at least one wheel of the pair of wheels.

4. The portable smart locker of claim 1 , wherein the handle is hingedly coupled to the body such that an angle of the handle relative to the body is adjustable depending on a height of the user.

5. The portable smart locker of claim 1 , wherein if the authenticator fails to authenticate the user, the wheel lock is actuated to engage the at least one wheel of the pair of wheels to restrict rotation of the wheel.

6. The portable smart locker of claim 1 , wherein the authenticator is disposed on the handle and is contoured or molded to wrap around the handle such that gripping of the authenticator by the user results in wrapping of fingers of the user around the authenticator and scanning of the fingerprints of the fingers of the user.

7. The portable smart locker of claim 1 , wherein the authenticator includes a proximity sensor configured to detect a proximity of the user relative to the portable smart locker.

8. The portable smart locker of claim 7 , wherein the proximity sensor is configured to detect the proximity of a handheld device of the user relative to the portable smart locker.

9. The portable smart locker of claim 1 , comprising a power source configured to rotationally power the pair of wheels.

10. The portable smart locker of claim 9 , comprising an actuator for selectively rotationally powering the pair of wheels with the power source.

11. The portable smart locker of claim 9 , wherein the pair of wheels are automatically rotationally powered by the power source upon successful authentication of the user with the authenticator.

12. A method of transporting items, comprising:
providing a portable smart locker, the portable smart locker including:
a body including walls that form an inner chamber;
a handle mounted to the body;
a pair of wheels mounted to the body;
a wheel lock configured to selectively engage and disengage at least one wheel of the pair of wheels, engagement of the at least one wheel with the wheel lock restricting rotation of the wheel; and
an authenticator configured to authenticate a user for transporting the portable smart locker, the authenticator comprising a fingerprint scanner;
authenticating the user via the authenticator to transport the portable smart locker by continuously scanning one or more fingerprints of the user with the fingerprint scanner during use of the portable smart locker;
actuating the wheel lock to engage the at least one wheel of the pair of wheels to restrict rotation of the wheel when the handle is retracted into a storage compartment in a stored position; and
wherein the inner chamber is separated into multiple individual inner chambers, the portable smart locker comprising a temperature control system configured to independently regulate a temperature within each of the multiple individual inner chambers of the inner chamber such that each of the multiple individual inner chambers is capable of having a different temperature environment.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein if the authenticator fails to authenticate the user, the wheel lock is actuated to engage the at least one wheel of the pair of wheels to restrict rotation of the wheel.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the authenticator includes a proximity sensor, the method comprising authenticating the user by detecting a proximity of the user relative to the portable smart locker.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Wilkinson Bruce W
• Mattingly Todd Davenport

Classifications

• F25D29/003

  for movable devices · CPC title

• F25D23/06

  Walls (F25D23/08 takes precedence; containers with thermal insulation B65D81/38) · CPC title

• F25D19/00

  Arrangement or mounting of refrigeration units with respect to devices {or objects to be refrigerated, e.g. infrared detectors} · CPC title

• G07C2009/00769

  with data transmission performed by wireless means · CPC title

• A45C5/145

  with immobilising means, e.g. means for blocking the wheels · CPC title