Airlift package protection airbag

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9914539-B1
Application number	US-201514668729-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 25, 2015
Priority date	Mar 25, 2015
Publication date	Mar 13, 2018
Grant date	Mar 13, 2018

Abstract

An airlift package protection (APP) airbag may protect a package (e.g., an item or a number of items) that is dropped from within a predetermined height range by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The APP airbag may at least partially surround the package and create a container for the package. In some embodiments, the APP airbag may be inflated just prior to dropping of the package from the UAV. After inflation, the APP airbag may be at least partially sealed to reduce or inhibit deflation of the APP airbag, but possibly not to completely prevent airflow from the APP airbag upon contact with the ground. The APP airbag may exhaust some air upon impact with the ground, thereby reducing a deceleration of a package contained inside of the APP airbag.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cargo assembly comprising:
a package to be transported to a delivery destination using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);
an airlift package protection (APP) airbag comprising an elongated tubular inflatable vessel having a first end section, a second end section, and a middle section between the first end section and the second end section, the second end section including a filling orifice that allows gas to inflate the APP airbag prior to releasing the package above the delivery destination, wherein:
the middle section is arranged as a helix to create a body of the APP airbag that wraps around the package,
the first end section is arranged as a first coil to create a base that covers a bottom side of the package, and
the second end section is arranged as a top cover that covers a top side of the package after insertion of the package into the APP airbag, and

a cavity defined between the top cover and the base, the cavity being within a central portion of the helix and configured to secure and protect the package.

2. The cargo assembly as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a sealing mechanism to seal the filling orifice after inflation of the elongated tubular inflatable vessel, the sealing mechanism being at least one of an elastic constriction band, adhesive, or a heat sealed feature that inhibits deflation of the elongated tubular inflatable vessel.

3. The cargo assembly as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a funnel having a first aperture that is larger than a second aperture and a tubular body that defines the first aperture and the second aperture, the funnel being coupled to the filling orifice, the funnel to direct airflow caused by a rotor or fan to inflate the elongated tubular inflatable vessel.

4. The cargo assembly as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a one-directional valve coupled to the filling orifice that allows airflow into the elongated tubular inflatable vessel and inhibits deflation of the elongated tubular inflatable vessel.

5. A system comprising:
an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configured to fly an item to a destination and release the item from a drop height onto a drop zone;
an airbag including a continuous inflation chamber that when at least partially inflated, creates a helical enclosure surrounding the item on a top side, a bottom side, and a body extending between the top and bottom sides, the helical enclosure configured to contain the item during flight, the airbag configured to dissipate energy caused by the item contacting the ground as a result of a free fall by the item from the drop height down to the drop zone; and
an inflation mechanism to at least partially inflate the airbag after initiation of flight by the UAV and prior to the release of the item above the drop zone.

6. The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the airbag is formed at least partly by an elongated tubular vessel configured at least partly as a helix that surrounds the item.

7. The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the continuous inflation chamber of the airbag is divided, at least partly, by a plurality of dividers into a plurality of compartments, each of the plurality of dividers including apertures to provide airflow between adjacent ones of the plurality of compartments.

8. The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the airbag is formed at least partly by a volume that includes an outer surface and an inner surface defining an inner cavity, the outer surface of the volume and inner surface of the volume separated by at least a distance, and including biasing structures configured as biasing devices, the biasing structures spanning the at least the distance between the outer surface of the volume and the inner surface of the volume and structurally joining the inner surface of the volume and the outer surface of the volume.

9. The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the airbag includes a flap to enable access to an inner cavity, surrounded by the continuous inflation chamber of the airbag, prior to inflation of the airbag.

10. The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the inflation mechanism includes a funnel to direct dedicated airflow or downdraft into a filling orifice coupled to the airbag.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the funnel includes a fan to generate airflow into the continuous inflation chamber of the airbag to inflate the airbag.

12. The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the inflation mechanism includes a compressed gas reservoir to selectively exhaust gas into the continuous inflation chamber of the airbag to inflate the airbag.

13. The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the airbag includes a valve to selectively open and close a filling orifice of the airbag.

14. The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the airbag further includes coupling features to enable selectively coupling the airbag to the UAV during the flight.

15. A method comprising:
transporting, using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a package to an area above a destination;
inflating an airbag that includes a continuous inflation chamber configured to enclose the package within a helical enclosure having a top side, a bottom side, and a body extending between the top and bottom sides;
sealing the continuous inflation chamber of the airbag to inhibit, at least temporarily, deflation of the airbag; and
releasing the package at least partially above a drop zone associated with the destination to cause the package to free fall to the destination.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising verifying that the drop zone is free from living beings prior to the releasing the package.

17. The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising inflating the airbag by causing compressed gas to enter the continuous inflation chamber of the airbag through a valve.

18. The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising inflating the airbag by moving a funnel proximate to downdraft caused by one or more propulsion units of the UAV, the funnel causing airflow to be directed into a filling orifice of the continuous inflation chamber of the airbag to inflate the airbag.

19. The method as recited in claim 15 , where the sealing the airbag includes applying an elastic compression band over a portion of the continuous inflation chamber of the airbag proximate to a filing orifice to inhibit deflation of the airbag.

20. The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising inserting the package into a cavity surrounded by the continuous inflation of the airbag through a flap of the airbag.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Bar-Zeev Avi
• Kimchi Gur

Classifications

• B64C27/006

  Safety devices · CPC title

• B64D2201/00

  Airbags mounted in aircraft for any use · CPC title

• B64C25/56

  inflatable · CPC title

• B64D1/14 Primary

  Absorbing landing shocks · CPC title

• B64D1/12

  Releasing · CPC title