Systems for automated carriage of items for delivery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11511860-B2
Application number	US-202117157760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2021
Priority date	Dec 21, 2016
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

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. A method of attaching an item attachment system to a satchel, the method comprising:
sliding an attachment system frame relative to a satchel comprising a plurality of external pins, the frame comprising a plurality of fixed mating structures;
engaging each of the plurality of external pins with a corresponding one of the fixed mating structures;
rotating, by one or more electric actuators, a plurality of hooks mechanically attached to the frame from a horizontal position to an intermediate position, wherein each of the plurality of hooks comprises a first engagement surface and a second engagement surface;
engaging each of the first engagement surfaces with a corresponding pin of the plurality of external pins; and
further rotating, by the one or more electric actuators, the plurality of hooks from the intermediate position to a vertical position such that each of the second engagement surfaces engages the corresponding pin of the plurality of external pins.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the fixed mating structures comprises a fixed latch or a slot configured to horizontally engage a corresponding pin of the plurality of pins.

3. The method 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 method of claim 1 , further comprising rotating the hooks from the vertical position to the horizontal position to release the satchel from the attachment system frame.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the attachment system frame is mechanically attached to an autonomous delivery vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the autonomous delivery vehicle comprises a control processor configured to slide the attachment system frame relative to the satchel by navigating the autonomous delivery vehicle.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the autonomous delivery vehicle 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.

8. The method of claim 7 , 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.

9. The method 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.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the item attachment system further comprises a spring force element configured to retain the hooks in the vertical orientation.

11. A method of operating an autonomous delivery vehicle, the method comprising, under control of a control processor:
navigating an autonomous delivery vehicle to a position proximate a satchel comprising a plurality of external pins, the autonomous delivery vehicle comprising an item attachment frame having a plurality of rotatable hooks attached thereto;
moving the autonomous delivery vehicle to a position in which each of the plurality of rotatable hooks is located proximate a corresponding one of the plurality of external pins;
rotating the plurality of rotatable hooks from a horizontal position to an intermediate position in which a first engagement surface of each of the plurality of rotatable hooks engages the corresponding one of the plurality of external pins; and
further rotating the plurality of rotatable hooks from the intermediate position to a vertical position in which a second engagement surface of each of the plurality of rotatable hooks engages the corresponding one of the plurality of external pins, wherein further rotating the plurality of rotatable hooks draws the satchel toward the autonomous delivery vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, after further rotating the plurality of rotatable hooks to the vertical position:
detecting a wireless signal associated with a delivery point; and
navigating the autonomous delivery vehicle based at least in part on the wireless signal to deliver the satchel to the delivery point.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
at the delivery point, rotating the plurality of rotatable hooks from the vertical position to the horizontal position to release the satchel from the autonomous delivery vehicle; and
navigating the autonomous delivery vehicle away from the satchel.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the delivery point includes a receptacle comprising an opening, the method further comprising navigating the autonomous delivery vehicle to a location in which at least a portion of the autonomous delivery vehicle is disposed within the opening and the satchel is disposed within the receptacle.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the autonomous delivery vehicle further comprises a plurality of fixed latches each corresponding to one of the rotatable hooks, each fixed latch comprising a slot configured to accept the corresponding one of the plurality of external pins, wherein the external pins can enter or leave the corresponding fixed latches while the rotatable hooks are in the horizontal position, and wherein the external pins are prevented from entering or leaving the corresponding fixed latches while the rotatable hooks are in the vertical position.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein moving the autonomous delivery vehicle to the position in which each of the plurality of rotatable hooks is located proximate the corresponding one of the plurality of external pins comprises causing the autonomous delivery vehicle to travel horizontally while the rotatable hooks are in the horizontal position, such that the external pins enter the corresponding fixed latches.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the satchel further comprises a beacon generator configured to generate a beacon signal, and wherein the control processor navigates the autonomous delivery vehicle to the position proximate the satchel based at least in part on the beacon signal.

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

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

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the autonomous delivery vehicle further comprises 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

• B64D1/22 Primary

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

• B62D33/02

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

• B60R11/00

  Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for · CPC title