Drone delivery platform to facilitate delivery of parcels by unmanned aerial vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11445846-B2
Application number	US-202117215481-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2021
Priority date	Dec 6, 2018
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

An elevated delivery platform having a delivery surface that can be placed at a location off the ground to better facilitate delivery of parcels by unmanned aerial vehicles, such as delivery drones, is provided. By placing the elevated delivery platform in an area above the ground, such as atop a home or a pole, a drone is more capable of making deliveries because it avoids obstacles nearer to the ground that typically make drone delivery challenging. The elevated delivery platform raises and lowers parcels to a position where they can easily be retrieved. Some systems also provide a deployable cover to protect parcels from adverse weather conditions while awaiting pickup or following delivery. The elevated delivery platform can be used as part of a drone delivery system that can also include a containment unit, a computer application, or any combination of these aspects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A delivery platform to facilitate delivery of parcels by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the delivery platform comprising:
a delivery surface, the delivery surface comprising a stationary surface and an elevating surface;
a lift cable extendable from the delivery platform, the lift cable secured to the elevating surface, wherein extending the lift cable lowers the elevating surface from an elevated position to a lowered position and retracting the lift cable raises the elevating surface from the lowered position to the elevated position; and
a track system secured to the delivery platform, wherein the delivery platform moves along the track system from a first position to a second position, the first position higher in elevation than the second position.

2. The delivery platform of claim 1 , further comprising a cover extendable from a retracted position to a covered position, the cover extending over a top of the delivery surface when the cover is in the covered position.

3. The delivery platform of claim 2 , wherein the cover comprises a plurality of segments that stack together when the cover is in the retracted position and extend end to end when the cover is in the covered position.

4. The delivery platform of claim 2 , wherein the cover is pivotably secured to the delivery platform at a pivot such that rotation about the pivot in a first direction moves the cover from the retracted position to the covered position and rotation about the pivot in a second direction opposite the first direction moves the cover from the covered position to the retracted position.

5. The delivery platform of claim 1 , further comprising a chamber below the stationary surface, wherein a bottom of the chamber corresponds to the elevating surface, the chamber formed by lowering the elevating surface away from the stationary surface.

6. A delivery system to facilitate delivery of parcels by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the delivery system comprising:
a track system; and
a delivery platform movably coupled to the track system such that the delivery platform moves about the track system from a first position to a second position, the first position having a higher elevation than the second position, wherein the delivery platform comprises:
a delivery surface comprising a stationary surface having a stationary edge about a periphery of the stationary surface; and
an outer rim extending upward and away from the stationary edge.

7. The delivery system of claim 6 , further comprising a chamber below the stationary surface.

8. The delivery system of claim 7 , wherein the chamber comprises a bottom portion corresponding to an elevating surface of the delivery surface, the chamber formed by lowering the elevating surface away from the stationary surface.

9. The delivery system of claim 7 , wherein the chamber comprises a top rim, the top rim horizontally aligned with the stationary surface, and the chamber comprises a sidewall extending from the top rim to the elevating surface.

10. The delivery system of claim 8 , wherein the elevating surface contacts a threaded shaft extending below the stationary surface, and wherein the elevating surface is lowered by rotating the threaded shaft in a first direction and is raised by rotating the threaded shaft in a second direction opposite the first direction.

11. The delivery system of claim 8 , further comprising an elongated member having a pivot joint end pivotably affixed to a bottom of the elevating surface and a movable end opposite the pivot joint end, the movable end coupled to a shaft such that movement of the shaft in a first direction lowers the elevating surface and movement of the shaft in a second direction raises the elevating surface.

12. The delivery system of claim 6 , further comprising a cover extendable from a retracted position to a covered position, the cover extending over a top of the delivery surface when the cover is in the covered position.

13. The delivery system of claim 12 , wherein the cover is pivotably secured to the delivery platform at a pivot such that rotation about the pivot in a first direction moves the cover from the retracted position to the covered position and rotation about the pivot in a second direction opposite the first direction moves the cover from the covered position to the retracted position.

14. A delivery platform to facilitate delivery of parcels by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the delivery platform comprising:
a delivery surface comprising an elevating surface movable from an elevated position to a lowered position, the elevated position having a higher elevation than the lowered position;
a lift cable secured to the elevating surface, wherein extending the lift cable lowers the elevating surface from the elevated position to the lowered position and retracting the lift cable raises the elevating surface from the lowered position to the elevated position; and
at least one of an arm extending away from the delivery surface to a mount and a guide wheel secured to the elevating surface and extending away from the elevating surface.

15. The delivery platform of claim 14 , wherein the delivery surface further comprises a stationary surface, the stationary surface having a stationary edge and an outer rim extending upward and away from the stationary edge.

16. The delivery platform of claim 14 , further comprising a cover extendable from a retracted position to a covered position, the cover extending over a top of the delivery surface when the cover is in the covered position.

17. The delivery platform of claim 14 , further comprising a chamber below the delivery surface, the chamber comprising a bottom portion corresponding to the elevating surface, and comprising a sidewall extending from a top rim of a stationary surface of the delivery platform, the chamber formed by lowering the elevating surface below the stationary surface.

18. The delivery platform of claim 14 , further comprising a guide wheel extending away from the elevating surface.

Assignees

• United parcel service america inc

Inventors

• Gil Julio
• Ganesh Bala
• Ramsager Thomas

Classifications

• B64D1/02

  Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles (jettisonable fuel reservoirs B64D37/12) · CPC title

• A47G29/30

  Accessories, e.g. signalling devices, lamps, means for leaving messages · CPC title

• A47G2029/149

  with central server link · CPC title

• B65G67/00

  Loading or unloading vehicles (by means incorporated in the vehicles B60-B64, e.g., B60P1/00, B61D9/00, B63B27/00, B64D9/00; ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations for aircraft B64F1/32) · CPC title

• A47G29/22 Primary

  having rotatable or reciprocable parts · CPC title