Systems and methods for self-loading a modular robot into a delivery vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11724897-B2
Application number	US-202117201720-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2021
Priority date	Mar 15, 2021
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

A modular robot system which may be configured to accommodate packages of varying sizes is provided. The modular robot may include a base having omni-directional wheels and cameras and sensors, one or more modular containers, and a lid, which may be releasably linked together to form a small, medium or larger units. The base may include a lifting mechanism to vertically raise the robot to a desired height in alignment with a delivery vehicle. Moreover, retractable loading arms of the vehicle may be extended from the vehicle to engage with the robot to facilitate self-loading of the robot into the delivery vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A system for self-loading items into a delivery vehicle, the system comprising:
two or more robots configured to be releasably coupled to one another, each of the two or more robots comprising one or more modular containers and a base configured to be releasably coupled to the one or more modular containers; and
a plurality of sensors, comprising one or more cameras and one or more fiducials, the plurality of sensors configured to generate data to facilitate alignment of the two or more robots with the delivery vehicle,
wherein at least one of the one or more cameras is coupled to each of the two or more robots and at least one of the one or more fiducials is coupled to the delivery vehicle,
wherein the base comprises a plurality of wheels and a lifting mechanism configured to vertically lift the one or more modular containers to a height relative to the plurality of wheels at a substantially constant angle relative to a ground surface with which the plurality of wheels are in contact,
wherein the height is selected to align the two or more robots with the delivery vehicle to facilitate self-loading of the two or more robots into the delivery vehicle, and
wherein the lifting mechanism comprises a locking mechanism configured to lock, responsive to the data generated by the plurality of sensors, when the one or more modular containers are at the height.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a loading arm configured to retractably extend from the delivery vehicle to engage with the two or more robots when the one or more modular containers are at the height to facilitate the self-loading of the two or more robots into the delivery vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the loading arm comprises an L-shaped loading arm.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein a short portion of the L-shaped loading arm is configured to support a bottom surface of the two or more robots when the one or more modular containers are at the height.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the base comprises a platform configured to be releasably coupled to the one or more modular containers, such that the lifting mechanism is configured to vertically lift the platform relative to the plurality of wheels.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the loading arm is configured to engage with the two or more robots via the platform of the base.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the lifting mechanism is configured to retract the plurality of wheels toward the one or more modular containers when the two or more robots are engaged with the loading arm.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the loading arm is configured to retract into the delivery vehicle when the plurality of wheels are fully retracted toward the one or more modular containers to thereby position the two or more robots within the delivery vehicle.

9. The system of claim 2 , further comprising an additional loading arm configured to engage with the two or more robots on an opposite side of the lifting mechanism from the loading arm.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wheels are configured to position the two or more robots adjacent to the delivery vehicle to facilitate alignment of the two or more robots with the delivery vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lifting mechanism comprises a scissor lift.

12. A method for self-loading items into a delivery vehicle, the method comprising:
positioning two or more robots, configured to be releasably coupled to one another and each comprising a base releasably coupled to one or more modular containers, adjacent to the delivery vehicle via a plurality of wheels of the base;
generating, by a plurality of sensors comprising one or more cameras and one or more fiducials, data to facilitate alignment of the two or more robots with the delivery vehicle, the plurality of sensors comprising one or more cameras and one or more fiducials, at least one of the cameras coupled to each of the two or more robots and at least one of the fiducials coupled to the delivery vehicle;
sensing, responsive to the data, a position of the two or more robots relative to the delivery vehicle;
vertically lifting the one or more modular containers to a height relative to the plurality of wheels at a substantially constant angle relative to a ground surface with which the plurality of wheels are in contact via a lifting mechanism of the base, the height selected to align the two or more robots with the delivery vehicle, the lifting mechanism comprising a locking mechanism configured to lock, responsive to the data, when the one or more modular containers are at the height;
extending a loading arm from the delivery vehicle to engage with the base of at least one of the two or more robots;
retracting the plurality of wheels toward the one or more modular containers while the loading arm is engaged with the base; and
retracting the loading arm into the delivery vehicle to thereby position the two or more robots within the delivery vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the loading arm comprises an L-shape.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the lifting mechanism comprises a scissor lift.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising extending an additional loading arm from the delivery vehicle to engage with the base of at least one of the two or more robots, the additional loading arm configured to engage with the at least one of the two or more robots on an opposite side of the lifting mechanism from the loading arm.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Galin John

Classifications

• B65G67/20 Primary

  Loading covered vehicles · CPC title

• B60P3/007

  for delivery of small articles, e.g. milk, frozen articles · CPC title

• B60P3/06

  for carrying vehicles (B60P3/12 takes precedence; caravans, camping, or like vehicles with vehicle-carrying means {B60P3/36}) · CPC title

• B66F9/063 Primary

  Automatically guided · CPC title

• B66F9/065

  non-masted (mobile jacks of the garage type mounted on wheels or rollers B66F5/00) · CPC title