Article management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12145494-B2
Application number	US-202217698089-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2022
Priority date	Jul 2, 2021
Publication date	Nov 19, 2024
Grant date	Nov 19, 2024

Abstract

An article management system utilizes an electric cart which may autonomously move, automatically and easily managing articles and ensuring the convenience of delivery service by the automation of article delivery.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article management system comprising:
an electric cart configured to load an article thereon and provided to be movable;
a cart storage apparatus configured to store the electric cart thereon; and
a controller configured to communicate with the electric cart and control and move the electric cart to a preset destination,
wherein the cart storage apparatus has a roller unit configured to support the electric cart when the electric cart is loaded, and the roller unit assists in moving the electric cart while rotating.

2. The article management system of claim 1 , wherein the cart storage apparatus is further configured to charge the stored electric cart with electrical energy.

3. An article management system comprising:
an electric cart configured to load an article thereon and provided to be movable;
a cart storage apparatus configured to store the electric cart thereon; and
a controller configured to communicate with the electric cart and control and move the electric cart to a preset destination,
wherein the electric cart is provided in plural, and the plurality of electric carts is sorted by the controller for respective articles and has different loading functions, and
wherein the cart storage apparatus has storage spaces divided for the respective electric carts having a same loading function.

4. The article management system of claim 3 ,
wherein the controller is configured to primarily sort the electric carts loaded with a same article, secondarily sort the electric carts to be moved to a same delivery destination, and manage the respective electric carts.

5. The article management system of claim 1 , wherein the electric cart includes:
a body portion having a loading space in which the article is configured to be loaded; and
electric wheels provided at a lower end portion of the body portion and configured to operate under control of the controller.

6. The article management system of claim 5 ,
wherein accommodation groove portions are formed at the lower end portion of the body portion and recessed to accommodate the electric wheels, and the electric wheels are pivotally mounted on the body portion in the accommodation groove portions so that the electric wheels are accommodated in the accommodation groove portions when the electric cart is loaded into the cart storage apparatus, and the electric wheels are supported on a ground surface when the electric cart is unloaded from the cart storage apparatus.

7. The article management system of claim 6 ,
wherein the body portion has a fixing means configured to selectively fix a rotation position of at least one of the electric wheels.

8. The article management system of claim 7 ,
wherein the body portion has a sensor unit configured to detect whether the electric cart is moved and loaded into the cart storage apparatus or unloaded from the cart storage apparatus, and the fixing means releases the at least one of the electric wheels when the sensor unit inputs a signal indicating that the electric cart is loaded into or unloaded from the cart storage apparatus, to the fixing means.

9. The article management system of claim 5 ,
wherein the cart storage apparatus has a storage space for storing the electric cart, a door is openably and closably provided at an upper end portion of the cart storage apparatus, and a lower end portion of the cart storage apparatus is formed to catch the electric wheels of the electric cart.

10. The article management system of claim 5 ,
wherein a fixing unit is provided at the lower end portion of the body portion, and a connection unit is provided on the cart storage apparatus and configured to be connected to the fixing unit to fix the body portion when the electric cart is loaded and moves to a storage position.

11. The article management system of claim 5 ,
wherein a power source unit is provided at the lower end portion of the body portion, and a charging unit is provided on the cart storage apparatus and configured to be connected to the power source unit to provide electrical energy to the power source unit when the electric cart is loaded and moves to a storage position.

12. The article management system of claim 1 , further including:
a cart delivery vehicle configured to autonomously move and having an accommodation space,
wherein when article delivery to a delivery destination is requested, the controller is configured to control and allow the electric cart loaded with the article to be loaded into the accommodation space of the cart delivery vehicle and configured to control and move the cart delivery vehicle to the delivery destination.

13. The article management system of claim 12 ,
wherein the controller is configured to determine a movement route at a time of moving the cart delivery vehicle to the delivery destination so that the cart delivery vehicle delivers the article sequentially from a short-distance delivery destination to a long-distance delivery destination.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Lee Sang Heon
• Cha Dong Eun
• Hwang Jin Ho

Classifications

• H02J2105/37

  exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] · CPC title

• H02J7/50

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H02J7/751

  concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries · CPC title

• H02J7/731

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06Q10/0832 Primary

  Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods · CPC title