Package for drone delivery

• US 10,035,623 B1
• Filed: 08/19/2016
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Prager, Andre, Sopper, Clark, Liske, Kyle A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Demeree, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US15/241,721
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 22911714, 22912017, 22911715, 22911724, 206169, 206180
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/08 the articles being load-carrying devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/17 Helicopters flying platforms B64U10/13
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/50 Glider-type UAVs, e.g. with parachute, parasail or kite for landing B64U70/83
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/64 for parcel delivery or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0209 the tubular body having a curved or partially curved cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0254 with end closures formed by inward folding of flaps and securing them by means of a tongue integral with one of the flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/14 with inset end closures
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/3621 collapsed along two fold lines of the tubular body
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/46064 formed by folding a blank serving also as a partition in the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/46184 formed by extensions of parts of the blank, serving also as a partition in the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/5059 Paper panels presenting one or more openings or recesses in wich at least a part of the contents are located B65D5/5038, B65D5/5052, B65D5/5057 and B65D5/5286 take precedence

Abstract

A package enclosure for use on an aerial vehicle including an outer skin having left and right side walls and a front end and a rear end, a base positioned within the outer skin exerting a force against inner surfaces of the left and right side walls of the outer skin, and a handle upwardly extending from the base.

Claims

1. A package enclosure for use on an aerial vehicle comprising:

an outer skin having left and right side walls and a front end and a rear end;

a base positioned within the outer skin, the base having a front section attached to the front end of the outer skin and a rear section attached to the rear end of the outer skin; and

a handle upwardly extending from the front section of the base and from the rear section of the base;

wherein prior to construction of the package enclosure, the front end and rear end of the outer skin lie flat, and an inner surface of the front end faces an inner surface of the rear end with at least a portion of the handle positioned between the front end and the rear end of the outer skin, and the front section of the base lies flat against the rear section of the base; and

wherein downward movement of the handle causes the front and rear sections of the base move into a horizontal position while drawing in the right and left side walls into contact with the front and rear sections of the base.

2. The package enclosure of claim 1, wherein the base exerts a force against the inner surfaces of the front and rear ends of the outer skin.

3. The package enclosure of claim 1, further including a content holder positioned above the base with the handle extending therethrough.

4. The package enclosure of claim 3, wherein the content holder exerts a force against inner surfaces of the left and right side walls, and also exerts a force against the inner surfaces of the front and rear ends of the outer skin.

5. The package enclosure of claim 3, wherein the content holder includes cutouts adapted for holding contents within the outer skin.

6. The package enclosure of claim 3, wherein outwardly extending tabs are positioned on the content holder that extend through slots positioned within the right and left side walls of the outer skin.

7. The package enclosure of claim 6, wherein outwardly extending tabs are positioned on the content holder that extend through slots positioned within the front and rear ends of the outer skin.

8. The package enclosure of claim 1, wherein the right and left side walls of the outer skin slope upwardly and outwardly from the base;

and

wherein the front and rear ends of the outer skin slope upwardly and outwardly from the base.

9. The package enclosure of claim 8, wherein the outer skin has an aerodynamic shape having a coefficient of drag of 0.35 or less.

10. The package enclosure of claim 1, further including a lower base section attached to a bottom of the right and left side walls, wherein outwardly extending tabs are positioned on the lower base section that extend through slots positioned within the right and left side walls of the outer skin.

11. The package enclosure of claim 1, wherein a stabilizing footing extends outwardly from a bottom of the outer skin beyond the left and right side walls of the outer skin.

12. The package enclosure of claim 1, further including:

a first extension extending inwardly from a top of the left side wall and a second extension extending inwardly from a top of the right side wall;

a first tab upwardly extending from an upper surface on a first side of the handle and a second tab upwardly extending from an upper surface on a second side of the handle;

wherein the first tab extends through a slot on the first extension; and

wherein the second tab extends through a slot on the second extension.

13. The package enclosure of claim 1, further including:

a first section downwardly extending from a bottom of the left side wall of the outer skin;

a second section downwardly extending from the bottom of the left side wall of the outer skin;

a first section downwardly extending from a bottom of the right side wall of the outer skin;

a second section downwardly extending from the bottom of the right side wall of the outer skin;

wherein the first section extending from the bottom of the left side wall of the outer skin has a tab that extends through a first slot positioned in the left side wall;

wherein the first section extending from the bottom of the right side wall of the outer skin has a tab that extends through the first slot positioned in the right side wall;

wherein the second section extending from the bottom of the left side wall of the outer skin has a tab that extends through a second slot positioned in the left side wall;

wherein the second section extending from the bottom of the right side wall of the outer skin has a tab that extends through the second slot positioned in the right side wall; and

wherein the base is sandwiched between portions of the first and second sections extending from the left side wall, and the base is also sandwiched between portions of the first and second sections extending from the right side wall.

14. The package enclosure of claim 1, wherein a front end of the base is integrally attached to the front end of the outer skin, and a rear end of the base is integrally attached to the rear end of the outer skin.

15. A package enclosure for use on an aerial vehicle comprising:

an outer skin having left and right side walls and a front end and a rear end;

a base positioned within the outer skin exerting a force against inner surfaces of the left and right side walls of the outer skin; and

a handle upwardly extending from the base;

wherein outwardly extending tabs are positioned on the base that extend through slots positioned within the front and rear ends of the outer skin.

16. A method of constructing a package enclosure comprising the steps of:

providing an outer skin with right and left side walls, front and rear end walls, a base, and a handle, wherein the base comprises first and second base sections secured to the handle, and the first base section include a first tab extending from a front end of the first base section, and the second base section includes a second tab extending from the second base section;

inserting the first tab into a slot in the front end wall of the outer skin;

inserting the second tab into a slot in the rear end wall of the outer skin; and

pushing down on the handle to move the first and second base sections into a horizontal position while drawing in the right and left side walls into contact with the first and second base sections.

17. The method of claim 16 further including the step of inserting a content holder within the outer skin and extending the handle through a slot in the content holder.

18. A method of constructing a package enclosure comprising the steps of:

providing a package enclosure comprising;

an outer skin having left and right side walls and a front end and a rear end;

a base positioned within the outer skin, the base having a front section attached to the front end of the outer skin and a rear section attached to the rear end of the outer skin; and

a handle upwardly extending from the front section of the base and from the rear section of the base;

wherein prior to construction of the package enclosure, the front end and rear end of the outer skin lie flat, and an inner surface of the front end faces an inner surface of the rear end with at least a portion of the handle positioned between the front end and the rear end of the outer skin, and the front section of the base lies flat against the rear section of the base; and

wherein downward movement of the handle causes the front and rear sections of the base move into a horizontal position while drawing in the right and left side walls into contact with the front and rear sections of the base; and

moving the handle to cause the front and rear sections of the base to move into a horizontal position while drawing in the right and left side walls into contact with the front and rear sections of the base.

19. The method of claim 18 further including the steps of:

positioning a first tab of the handle into a slot in a first inward extension on the right side wall; and

positioning a second tab of the handle into a slot in a second inward extension on the left side wall.

20. A package enclosure for use on an aerial vehicle comprising:

an outer skin having first and second side walls and a first and second end walls;

a base positioned within the outer skin; and

a handle upwardly extending between the first and second side walls;

wherein the base includes a first base section and a second base section and the handle includes a first handle section and a second handle section, wherein the first handle section is contiguous with a first portion of the first side wall, the first portion of the first side wall is contiguous with the first end wall, the first end wall is contiguous to the second side wall, the second side wall is contiguous with the second end wall, the second end wall is contiguous with a second portion of the first side wall, the second portion of the first side wall is contiguous with a second handle section, and the second side wall is contiguous with the first and second base sections and

wherein a stabilizing footing extends outwardly beyond the first and second side walls of the outer skin, and the stabilizing footing is integrally attached to the base.

21. The package enclosure of claim 20, further including first and second top sections extending from, and integrally attached to the first side wall with a slot extending between the first and second top sections.

22. The package enclosure of claim 21, wherein the handle extends through the slot positioned between the first and second top sections.

23. The package enclosure of claim 20, wherein prior to construction of the package enclosure, the left and right side walls lie flat and inner surfaces of the left and right side walls are not in contact with each other.

24. A method of constructing a package enclosure comprising the steps of:

providing package enclosure comprising;

an outer skin having first and second side walls and a first and second end walls;

a base positioned within the outer skin; and

a handle upwardly extending between the first and second side walls;

wherein the base includes a first base section and a second base section and the handle includes a first handle section and a second handle section, wherein the first handle section is contiguous with a first portion of the first side wall, the first portion of the first side wall is contiguous with the first end wall, the first end wall is contiguous to the second side wall, the second side wall is contiguous with the second end wall, the second end wall is contiguous with a second portion of the first side wall, the second portion of the first side wall is contiguous with a second handle section, and the second side wall is contiguous with the first and second base sections; and

wherein a stabilizing footing extends outwardly beyond the first and second side walls of the outer skin, and the stabilizing footing is integrally attached to the base;

folding the first base section over the second base section;

folding a first handle extension over the first handle section;

folding a second handle extension over the second handle section;

folding the first handle section over itself;

folding the second handle section over itself;

folding the first end wall over itself;

folding the second end wall over itself; and

separating the first and second portions of the first side wall from the second side wall until the first and second handle sections are unfolded and in abutting contact with each other.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein a first top section is secured to the second side wall and a second top section is secured to the second side wall, and further including the steps of moving the first and second top sections into a horizontal position and securing the first top section to the first portion of the first side wall and securing the second top section to the second portion of the first side wall.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the stabilizing footing comprises a first stabilizing footing contiguous with the first base section and a second stabilizing footing contiguous with second base section.