Package retrieval system with funneling mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11767114-B2
Application number	US-202117558765-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2021
Priority date	Dec 22, 2021
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

A payload retrieval apparatus is provided including a stand or base, wherein the base or stand has an upper end and a lower end, a first sloped surface positioned over the upper end of the stand or base, a second sloped surface positioned over the upper end of the stand or base and adjacent the first sloped surface, a tether slot positioned in a channel having a first end and a second end, the channel positioned under or near the first sloped surface, and a payload holder positioned at the second end of the channel, wherein the payload holder is adapted to secure a payload.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A payload retrieval apparatus comprising:
a stand or base, wherein the base or stand has an upper end and a lower end;
a first sloped surface positioned over the upper end of the stand or base;
a second sloped surface positioned over the upper end of the stand or base and adjacent the first sloped surface;
wherein there is an opening to a first tether slot positioned between the first and second sloped surfaces to allow a payload retriever attached to a tether suspended from a UAV to travel into a channel that is positioned on the payload retrieval apparatus;
wherein the first tether slot has a width that is less than a width of the payload retriever;
a second tether slot positioned in the channel having a first end and a second end; and
a payload holder positioned at the second end of the channel, wherein the payload holder is adapted to secure a payload.

2. The payload retrieval apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sloped surfaces are configured with a V-shaped profile when viewed from a side.

3. The payload retrieval apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the channel is positioned beneath the first tether slot and the first and second sloped surfaces.

4. The payload retrieval apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sloped surfaces are configured to be folded up.

5. The payload retrieval apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sloped surfaces are adapted to receive a vertically delivered payload retriever and funnel the payload retriever downwardly towards the opening to the first tether slot.

6. The payload retrieval apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the payload retriever is configured to move through the channel and extend into an aperture in a handle on the payload and remove the payload from the payload holder.

7. The payload retrieval apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stand is rotatable to move into wind to reduce wind impact.

8. The payload retrieval apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the channel has an interior having cams or slots adapted to cooperate with external cams or slots on a payload retriever attached to an end of a tether suspended from a UAV, to orient the payload retriever within the channel.

9. The payload retriever apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sloped surfaces are attached to a downwardly extending member that is attached to the upper end of the stand; and
wherein the channel is positioned on an end of the downwardly extending member.

10. The payload retriever apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the payload retriever comprises a capsule having a slot with a lip below the slot adapted to engage a handle of the payload, and wherein a spring loaded pusher is positioned at the second end of the channel to push the payload retriever into engagement with an aperture in the handle of the payload to secure the payload to the payload retriever.

11. A system for payload retrieval comprising:
a stand or base, wherein the stand or base has an upper end and a lower end;
a funneling system positioned above the stand or base;
wherein the funneling system is configured to funnel a payload retriever attached to a tether suspended from a UAV downwardly towards an entrance to a first tether slot leading to a channel;
a second tether slot positioned in the channel, the channel having a first end and a second end;
wherein the first and second tether slots have a width that is less than a width of the payload retriever; and
a payload holder positioned at the second end of the channel and is adapted to secure a payload.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the funneling system is comprised of:
a first sloped surface positioned on the upper end of the stand; and
a second sloped surface positioned adjacent the first sloped surface on the upper end of the stand or base.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein there is an opening between the first and second sloped surfaces to a first tether slot positioned between the first and second sloped surface to allow a payload retriever attached to a tether suspended from a UAV to travel into the channel positioned on the payload retrieval apparatus.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the payload retriever comprises a capsule having a slot with a lip below the slot adapted to engage a handle of the payload; and
wherein the channel has an interior having cams or slots adapted for engagement with external cams or slots on the capsule, to orient the capsule within the channel.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the funneling system comprises a rounded bowl with a hole at the bottom through which the payload retriever may pass through;
and the first tether slot leading to a first payload.

16. The system of claim 15 , further including a third tether slot leading to a second payload positioned on the payload retrieval apparatus.

17. A method of a retrieving a payload with a UAV, comprising:
causing the UAV having a payload retriever attached to a tether suspended from the UAV to vertically deliver the payload retriever onto a funneling system of a payload retrieval apparatus; wherein there is an opening at the bottom of the funneling system to a first tether slot positioned between first and second sloped surfaces to allow the payload retriever attached to the tether suspended from the UAV to travel into a channel that is positioned on the payload retrieval apparatus; wherein the first tether slot has a width that is less than a width of the payload retriever; a second tether slot positioned in the channel having a first end and a second end;
causing the payload retriever to slide down the funneling system;
causing the UAV to advance the payload retriever into the channel of the payload retrieval apparatus;
causing the UAV to advance the payload retriever until the payload retriever engages a handle of the payload; and
causing the UAV to pick up the payload by the payload retriever thereby disengaging the payload from a payload holder of the payload retrieval apparatus.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the funneling system comprises the first sloped surface and the second sloped surface positioned adjacent the first sloped surface with the tether slot positioned between the first and second sloped surfaces.

19. The method of claim 17 , further including the step of positioning a payload loader adjacent the payload holder; and
after the payload is disengaged from the payload holder, moving an additional payload positioned on the payload loader into position on the payload holder.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the funneling system comprises a rounded bowl with a hole at the bottom through which the payload retriever may pass through.

Assignees

• Wing Aviation Llc

Inventors

• Prager Andre
• Qiu Ivan
• Lewin Jasper

Classifications

• B66C1/34

  Crane hooks · CPC title

• B64U2101/66

  for retrieving parcels · CPC title

• B64D1/22 Primary

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

• B64C39/024

  of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV · CPC title

• B64U2101/00

  UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications · CPC title