Storage compartment vehicles

• US 10,538,190 B1
• Filed: 06/12/2017
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Metellus, Wicksell, Bell, Kristopher William, Chen, Julius, Lauka, Wesley Scott, Russell, Ryan Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutchinson, Alan D
• Application Number:
  US15/620,714
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 49/008 with motorisation means
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/00 Cabinets or racks specially adapted for other particular purposes, e.g. for storing guns or skis
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/00 Details of cabinets, racks or shelf units not covered by a single one of groups A47B43/00 - A47B95/00; General details of furniture doors E06B
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 2010/025 using stock management systems
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/141 comprising electronically controlled locking means
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 5/02 convertible into aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/007 for delivery of small articles, e.g. milk, frozen articles
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/0257 the object being a vending stall, restaurant or food kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2035/007 autonomously operating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 9/00 Traffic control systems for craft where the kind of craft is irrelevant or unspecified

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed toward a storage compartment vehicle (“SCV”) for use in the transport of items for delivery to one or more customers and/or retrieval of items from one or more customers. The SCV may include a plurality of storage compartments that are individually accessible, each of which can contain one or more items. The SCV may navigate to a delivery location and customers may retrieve ordered items from the storage compartments of the SCV. Likewise, customers may return items into storage compartments of the SCV.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a storage compartment component including a plurality of storage compartments;

a motor;

a propulsion mechanism;

a gear assembly coupled to the motor and operable to at least selectively drive the propulsion mechanism or selectively drive a primary propulsion mechanism, the gear assembly including;

a first gear operable to selectively engage with and drive the propulsion mechanism;

a second gear operable to selectively engage with and drive the primary propulsion mechanism when the primary propulsion mechanism is engaged with the apparatus; and

an adapter plate that is extendable from the gear assembly and operable to engage with the primary propulsion mechanism;

one or more processors; and

a memory storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least;

cause engagement of adapter plate with the primary propulsion mechanism; and

cause engagement of the second gear with the primary propulsion mechanism such that the motor can drive, via the second gear, the primary propulsion mechanism to propel the apparatus along a terrain.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a membrane positioned within an interior of a storage compartment of the plurality of storage compartments, the membrane adjustable between a retracted position to enable access to the interior of the storage compartment and an expanded position that fills at least a portion of the interior of the storage compartment and encompasses at least a portion of an item positioned within the interior of the storage compartment.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an orientation determining device configured to determine an orientation of the storage compartment component; and

wherein the program instructions further include instructions that when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to at least;

cause a position of the storage compartment component to be adjusted based at least in part on a determined orientation of the storage compartment component provided by the orientation determining device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adapter plate includes:

at least one receiver formed in the adapter plate that joins with a protrusion of the primary propulsion mechanism to couple the primary propulsion mechanism to the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an incline adjustment controller configured to adjust an angle of the storage compartment component with respect to the terrain on which the apparatus is operating, wherein the incline adjustment controller includes a gear and track assembly along which the storage compartment component is adjustable to adjust a position of the storage compartment component with respect to the terrain.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the propulsion mechanism includes a plurality of wheels; and

the plurality of wheels are adjustable between an extended position in which the plurality of wheels engage a surface and enable propulsion of the apparatus and a retracted position.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the adapter plate, when in the retracted position, is between the storage compartment component and the plurality of wheels; and

when the wheels are in the retracted position the adapter plate may be extended beyond the plurality of wheels to engage a primary propulsion mechanism.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a storage compartment component including a plurality of storage compartments;

a propulsion mechanism;

an assembly operable to at least selectively drive the propulsion mechanism or a primary propulsion mechanism, the assembly including;

a first drive mechanism operable to selectively engage with and drive the propulsion mechanism;

a second drive mechanism operable to selectively engage with and drive a primary propulsion mechanism, when the primary propulsion mechanism is engaged with the apparatus; and

an adapter plate that is extendable from the assembly and operable to engage with the primary propulsion mechanism;

a control system configured to at least;

send a first instruction to the assembly to engage the first drive mechanism with and drive the propulsion mechanism and cause the apparatus to navigate from a first location to a second location;

send a second instruction to the assembly to extend the adapter plate and engage a primary propulsion mechanism when the apparatus is at the second location; and

send a third instruction to the assembly to engage the first drive mechanism with and drive the primary propulsion mechanism and cause the apparatus to navigate toward a delivery location.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a presence detection sensor; and

wherein the control system is further configured to at least;

detect, based at least in part on information received from the presence detection sensor, a presence of at least one of a customer or a device at the delivery location;

determine a storage compartment of the plurality of storage compartments associated with the customer or the device; and

send a fourth instruction to cause a door of the storage compartment to open to enable access to an interior of the storage compartment.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a storage compartment of the plurality of storage compartments, the storage compartment including;

an interior;

a door that is movable between a closed position that prohibits access to the interior and an open position that enables access to the interior; and

a membrane positioned within the interior of the storage compartment, the membrane adjustable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein an item is secured within the interior when the membrane is in the extended position.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a plurality of sensors positioned within the interior and configured to send a signal to stop an expansion of the membrane when the item is secured within the interior.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a pressure control valve coupled with the membrane to control an amount of pressure exerted by the membrane when the membrane is expanded.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a camera track that extends along at least two sides of the storage compartment component; and

a camera positionally coupled to the camera track and positionable along the camera track.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control system is further configured to at least:

determine that the apparatus has arrived at the second location; and

in response to a determination that the apparatus has arrived at the second location, send a fourth instruction to cause the propulsion mechanism to adjust from an extended position in which the propulsion mechanism is capable of propelling the apparatus and a retracted position.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the primary propulsion mechanism, when engaged by the adapter plate provides at least one of ground based propulsion of the apparatus, water based propulsion of the apparatus, or aerial based propulsion of the apparatus.

16. A method for transporting a plurality of items, comprising:

storing a first item in a first storage compartment of a storage compartment component of a storage compartment vehicle;

storing a second item in a second storage compartment of a storage compartment component of a storage compartment vehicle;

causing a gear assembly of the storage compartment vehicle to extend an adapter plate such that the adapter plate engages with a primary propulsion mechanism, wherein the primary propulsion mechanism may be selectively engaged or disengaged from the storage compartment vehicle; and

causing the gear assembly to drive the primary propulsion mechanism and navigate the storage compartment vehicle along a navigation path between a source location and a delivery location.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining, during navigation, a speed of the storage compartment vehicle;

determining, based at least in part on the speed, that an angle of the storage compartment component is to be adjusted; and

causing, during navigation, the storage compartment component to adjust from a first angle to a second angle.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining that the first angle exceeds a threshold; and

wherein the second angle does not exceed the threshold.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second angle positions the storage compartment component substantially vertical.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining a center of gravity of the storage compartment vehicle;

determining, based at least in part on the center of gravity, that an angle of the storage compartment component is to be adjusted; and

causing the storage compartment component to adjust from a first angle to a second angle.