Stackable housing containers and related systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11636771-B2
Application number	US-202016888288-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2020
Priority date	Sep 8, 2019
Publication date	Apr 25, 2023
Grant date	Apr 25, 2023

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to house a vehicle, including a first container leg disposed on a first corner of a first container, a second container leg disposed on a second corner of the first container, a third container leg disposed on a third corner of the first container, a fourth container leg disposed on a fourth corner of the first container, at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth container legs each having an upper portion with a ramped receiving slot and a lower portion with a first ramped foot, and wherein the ramped receiving slot is to receive a protrusion associated with a second ramped foot of a second container different from the first container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus to house a vehicle, comprising:
a first container leg disposed on a first corner of a first container;
a second container leg disposed on a second corner of the first container;
a third container leg disposed on a third corner of the first container;
a fourth container leg disposed on a fourth corner of the first container, at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth container legs having an upper portion with a ramped receiving slot and a lower portion with a first ramped foot, and wherein the ramped receiving slot is to receive a protrusion associated with a second ramped foot of a second container different from the first container;
a hinged wall cover extending between the first corner and the second corner of the first container, the hinged wall cover having a wall actuator to open and close the hinged wall cover; and
a landing pad, an actuator arm operative to extend and retract the landing pad to retrieve a rotorcraft.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a post disposed within the first container, the post including one or more connectors.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , further including one or more fluid lines coupled to the one or more connectors, the fluid lines to transfer fluid from a liquid refilling tank to the rotorcraft.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , further including one or more connecting wires coupled to a power source, the power source to provide electrical power to at least one of the wall actuator and the actuator arm.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a controller to control at least one of the wall actuator and the actuator arm based on communication data from the rotorcraft.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ramped receiving slot has a tapered edge.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the hinged wall cover is actuated by two wall actuators.

8. An apparatus for a container, comprising:
a plurality of ramped feet on a first end of the container, the ramped feet including first angled faces and protrusions;
a plurality of ramped receiving slots on a second end of the container opposite the first end, the ramped receiving slots including second angled faces and openings; and
a landing pad disposed within the container.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further including a hinged cover, the landing pad to extend over the hinged cover when the hinged cover is in an open position.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , further including a multi-rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and an actuating arm, the actuating arm to at least one of (a) remove or (b) install a battery on the multi-rotor UAV.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the actuating arm is further to insert the battery into a charging station.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the protrusions includes a bore to receive a retaining pin.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the container is a first container, the ramped receiving slots are first ramped receiving slots, and the openings are first openings, further including a second container to stack with the first container, the second container including a plurality of second ramped receiving slots including third angled faces and second openings, the second openings to receive the protrusions.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second ramped receiving slots include tapered edges to urge the protrusions towards a base edge and wherein the first angled faces interface with the third angled faces.

15. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the container is a first container, further including a second container and a third container, the second and third containers to house drones, the first, second, and third containers fluidly and electrically coupled with a daisy chain connection.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Barker Mark E
• Wells Aaron A
• Bauer Bradley J
• Maddox Troy K

Classifications

• G08G5/54

  for approach or landing · CPC title

• B64U80/70 Primary

  in containers (B64U80/60 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B64U10/14

  with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters · CPC title

• B64U70/90

  Launching from or landing on platforms · CPC title

• B64U80/25

  for recharging batteries; for refuelling · CPC title