Systems for automated carriage of items for delivery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10899449-B2
Application number	US-201715851516-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2017
Priority date	Dec 21, 2016
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

Methods and systems for attaching and detaching an item satchel from an autonomous delivery unit. An attachment system includes an attachment system frame, and a satchel comprising a plurality of external pins. The attachment system also includes a plurality of hooks, mechanically attached to the frame, each hook including a first engagement surface and a second engagement surface, one or more electric actuators, mechanically attached to the frame, and mechanically connected to the plurality of hooks. Each of the first engagement surfaces engage a corresponding pin of the plurality of external pins at a first position between the horizontal and vertical positions, and each of the second engagement surfaces engage the corresponding pin of the plurality of external pins at the vertical position to secure an item satchel to an autonomous delivery unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An item attachment system, comprising:
an attachment system frame;
a satchel comprising a plurality of external pins;
a plurality of hooks, mechanically attached to the frame, each hook comprising a first engagement surface and a second engagement surface;
one or more electric actuators, mechanically attached to the frame, and mechanically connected to the plurality of hooks, the one or more electric actuators configured to rotate the hooks between a horizontal and a vertical position; and
an electronic controller, configured to energize the one or more electric actuators to rotate the hooks from the horizontal to the vertical position, such that each of the first engagement surfaces engages a corresponding pin of the plurality of external pins at a first position between the horizontal and vertical positions, and each of the second engagement surfaces engage the corresponding pin of the plurality of external pins at the vertical position.

2. The item attachment system of claim 1 , further comprising a fixed latch, mechanically attached to the frame, and configured to horizontally engage a pin of the plurality of pins.

3. The item attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the satchel comprises a bottom portion and a top portion movably coupled to the bottom portion by a hinge.

4. The item attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller is further configured to rotate the hooks from the vertical position to the horizontal position, so as to release the satchel from the attachment system frame.

5. The item attachment system of claim 4 , further comprising an autonomous delivery vehicle mechanically attached to the attachment system frame.

6. The item attachment system of claim 5 , wherein the autonomous delivery vehicle further comprises a control processor configured to:
detect a signal from a proximity sensor associated with a delivery point; and
navigate the autonomous delivery vehicle based on the signal.

7. The item attachment system of claim 6 , wherein the proximity sensor is located proximate to a receptacle, and wherein the control processor is further configured to navigate the autonomous delivery vehicle to the receptacle based on the signal from the proximity sensor.

8. The item attachment system of claim 7 , wherein the control processor is further configure to land the autonomous delivery vehicle on an interior platform of the receptacle based on the signal from the proximity sensor.

9. The item attachment system of claim 7 , wherein the control processor is further configured to move at least a portion of the autonomous delivery vehicle through an opening of the receptacle based on the signal from the proximity sensor.

10. The item attachment system of claim 5 , wherein the satchel further comprises a beacon generator configured to generate a beacon signal, and wherein the autonomous delivery vehicle further comprises a control processor, the control processor configured to detect the beacon signal and navigate the autonomous delivery vehicle based on the beacon signal.

11. An autonomous delivery vehicle comprising:
an attachment system comprising:
a plurality of fixed latches, each fixed latch comprising a slot configured to accept an external pin of an item;
a plurality of hooks, each hook associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of fixed latches, each hook rotatable between a first orientation in which an external pin can enter or leave the corresponding fixed latch, and a second orientation in which an external pin is prevented from entering or leaving the corresponding fixed latch; and
one or more electric actuators mechanically connected to the plurality of hooks, the one or more electric actuators configured to rotate the plurality of hooks between the first orientation and the second orientation; and

a control processor configured to:
detect wireless signals associated with at least one of an item and a delivery point; and
navigate the autonomous delivery vehicle based at least in part on the wireless signal.

12. The autonomous delivery vehicle of claim 11 , wherein each hook comprises a first engagement surface and a second engagement surface, and wherein the control processor is further configured to energize the one or more electric actuators so as to rotate the hooks from the first orientation to the second orientation, such that each of the first engagement surfaces engages a corresponding external pin of the item at a first position between the first orientation and the second orientation, and each of the second engagement surfaces engage the corresponding pin at the second orientation.

13. The autonomous delivery vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the wireless signals comprise a location signal associated with an item to be picked up, and wherein the control processor is further configured to:
navigate the autonomous delivery vehicle to a location associated with the location signal;
cause the autonomous delivery vehicle to move into a carry position such that a plurality of external pins of the item are engaged within the fixed latches;
cause the one or more electronic actuators to rotate the plurality of hooks from the first orientation to the second orientation to secure the item to the autonomous delivery vehicle by retaining the external pins within the fixed latches; and
navigate the autonomous delivery vehicle away from the location while the item is secured to the autonomous delivery vehicle.

14. The autonomous delivery vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the wireless signals comprise a beacon signal emitted from a predetermined location of the item, and wherein the control processor is further configured to cause the autonomous delivery vehicle to move into a carry position relative to the item based at least in part on the beacon signal.

15. The autonomous delivery vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the wireless signals comprise a location signal associated with a delivery point for an item being carried by the autonomous delivery vehicle, and wherein the control processor is further configured to:
navigate the autonomous delivery vehicle to a location associated with the location signal;
cause the one or more electronic actuators to rotate the plurality of hooks from the second orientation to the first orientation to release the item from the autonomous delivery vehicle by releasing the external pins from the fixed latches; and
navigate the autonomous delivery vehicle away from the item.

16. The autonomous delivery vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the location signal is associated with a receptacle comprising an opening, and wherein the location associated with the location signal comprises a location in which at least a portion of the autonomous delivery vehicle is disposed within the opening and the item is disposed within the receptacle.

17. The autonomous delivery vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the fixed latches are sized and spaced to accommodate external pins of an item satchel having external pins in a predetermined arrangement compatible with the autonomous delivery vehicle.

18. The autonomous delivery vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the attachment system further comprises a spring force element configured to retain the hooks in the second orientation.

19. The autonomous delivery vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the autonomous delivery vehicle comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle.

20. The autonomous delivery vehicle of claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of wheels for travel along the ground.

Assignees

• United States Postal Service

Inventors

• Luckay Ryan M
• Dixon Jr Robert E
• Cooil Gregory

Classifications

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title

• B64U2101/60

  for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons · CPC title

• B62D55/065

  Multi-track vehicles, i.e. more than two tracks {(soil-shifting machines E02F; mining machines E21C)} · CPC title

• B62D33/02

  Platforms; Open load compartments {(flat wagons including posts or standards B61D3/08)} · CPC title

• B64D1/22 Primary

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