Underground storage system with gravitational and buoyancy force-based package delivery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10683172-B2
Application number	US-201816046734-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2018
Priority date	Jul 26, 2018
Publication date	Jun 16, 2020
Grant date	Jun 16, 2020

Abstract

A system for dispensing packages from an underground storage facility is disclosed, more specifically to disclose systems for handling packages using gravity and buoyancy. An underground storage system comprises a storage facility and at least one open air fluid column. The storage facility has an above ground portion connected to a hollow underground portion with a bottom. A helical ramp extends from the above ground portion to the bottom of the storage facility. Devices are located adjacent to the helical ramp to dispense packages to the helical ramp. A conveyor is located at the bottom of the underground portion to receive packages from the helical ramp. An airlock is located adjacent to the bottom of the underground portion and is connected to a conveyor. Packages are discharged from the storage facility via the airlock.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An underground storage system comprising:
a storage facility comprising:
an above ground portion connected to a hollow underground portion having a bottom;
a helical ramp extending from the above ground portion, through the underground portion to the bottom of the storage facility;
a plurality of package dispensaries adjacent the helical ramp to dispense packages to the helical ramp;
a first conveyor at the bottom of the underground portion connected to the helical ramp to receive packages from the helical ramp; and
an airlock adjacent the bottom of the underground portion connected to the first conveyor;

at least one open air fluid column having a fluid surface open to the open air, the at least one open air fluid column being adjacent and connected to the underground portion of the storage facility through the airlock.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the packages on the helical ramp slide to the bottom via gravitational force.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid of the open air fluid column is water.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein a single open air fluid column surrounds at least the entire outer circumference of the underground portion of the storage facility.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein a package dispensed to the helical ramp from the package dispensary travels down the helical ramp to the first conveyor at the bottom of the underground portion, to the airlock along the first conveyor, from the airlock to the open air fluid column and through the open air fluid column and as the package travels on the first conveyor to the air lock, the package is wrapped in a protective packaging and at least one floatation device is attached.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the protective package further comprises a RFID tag and is waterproof.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein a drone picks up the package at the surface of the open air column.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the drone queries a RFID tag within the protective packaging of the package to identify the package for pick and deliver to an end user.

9. A method of dispensing packages from a storage facility comprising the steps of:
a computer receiving instructions to dispense at least one package to a helical ramp of an underground portion of a storage facility extending to a bottom of the storage facility;
the computer dispensing the at least one package to the helical ramp from at least one package dispensary, the at least one dispensed package being encased within protective packaging and having at least one attached flotation device;
the computer transporting the dispensed package within the protective packaging and the at least one attached flotation device to an airlock;
the computer sealing the airlock;
the computer flooding the airlock from a column of fluid adjacent to the underground portion of the storage facility to transfer the dispensed package to the column of fluid, such that the flotation device moves the dispensed package to an open air surface of the column of fluid;
the computer dispatching a drone to the open air surface of the column of fluid to pick up the package.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the steps of delivering the package to an end user by the drone.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the packages on the helical ramp slide to the bottom via gravitational force.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the fluid of the open air fluid column is water.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein a single open air fluid column surrounds at least the entire outer circumference of the underground portion of the storage facility.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the protective package further comprises a RFID tag and wherein the package is waterproof.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the drone queries the RFID tag within the protective packaging of the package to identify the package for pick-up and delivery to an end user.

16. An underground storage system comprising:
a storage facility comprising:
an aboveground portion connected to a hollow underground portion having a bottom, the underground portion filled with a fluid;
a first conveyor in the aboveground portion receiving packages and transporting packages to the underground portion, each of the packages being wrapped in a protective covering and including an attached floatation device, an attached compressor and a detachable ballast;

at least one open air fluid column having a surface open to the open air, the at least one open air fluid column being connected to the underground portion of the storage facility, such that each of the packages is transported to the bottom of the underground portion through the fluid;
when a package is to be dispensed to an end user, the compressor attached to the package to be dispensed is activated, inflating the floatation device attached to the package to be dispensed, such that the floatation device initiates travel of the package to be dispensed from the bottom of the underground portion of the storage facility to the open air surface of the open air fluid column.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the compressor further comprises an RFID tag.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein a drone picks up the package at the surface of the open air column.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein when the compressor is activated and the floatation device is inflated, the ballast is detached.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the drone queries a RFID tag to identify the package for pick and deliver to an end user.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Anders Kelley
• Boss Gregory J
• Rakshit Sarbajit K
• Fox Jeremy R

Classifications

• B65G1/1376 Primary

  the orders being assembled on a commissioning conveyor · CPC title

• G06Q10/047 Primary

  Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem · CPC title

• B65G47/82

  Rotary or reciprocating members for direct action on articles or materials, e.g. pushers, rakes, shovels {(means for pushing glass articles onto a conveyor C03B9/453)} · CPC title

• B65G37/00

  Combinations of mechanical conveyors of the same kind, or of different kinds, of interest apart from their application in particular machines or use in particular manufacturing processes (series of co-operating belt conveyor units B65G15/22; series of co-operating chain conveyor units B65G17/26; sequence control of combined conveyors B65G43/10) · CPC title

• B65G11/063

  for articles · CPC title