PACKAGE DELIVERY KIOSK INCLUDING INTEGRATED ROBOTIC PACKAGE LIFTING ASSEMBLY WITH SHELVING SYSTEM

• US 20140037404A1
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Original Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Inventors: Hancock, Stephen H., Desrosiers, Norman B., Fiest, Eric, Rupert, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,972,041 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/273
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/165 using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/26 Endless bands

Abstract

Described herein is a package delivery kiosk (PDK) including an integrated robotic package lifting assembly and shelving system. The system includes a PDK, associated front end and back end package delivery management systems, including portals for the consumer, retailer, common carrier, sender, and recipient, a package inventory management system, integrated retailer access, and a real and automated retailer bidding system. The shelving system has shelves with receiving apertures and dividers configured to fit into the receiving apertures, where the dividers each have a receiving slot. A package retrieving apparatus includes a base, a vertical support interconnected with the base, and a package picker module. The package picker module is oriented to move up and down on the vertical support. The package picker module includes grippers configured to surround and grip the object. A kiosk includes a kiosk body having a package delivery slot and an interface slot.

Claims

1. A kiosk system for storing and distributing packages, the system comprising:

a kiosk body, the kiosk body having a package delivery slot and an interface slot,

a first and second shelving system in the kiosk body, the first and second shelving system located on either side of the package delivery slot, the first and second shelving system each including a plurality of shelves, the plurality of shelves having a plurality of receiving apertures;

a plurality of dividers configured to fit into the plurality of receiving apertures, each of the plurality of dividers having a receiving slot; and

a package retrieving apparatus comprising;

a track;

a base slidably interconnected with the track;

a vertical support, interconnected with the base;

a package picker module oriented on the vertical support to vertically move on the vertical support, wherein the package picker module includes a first and second gripper and a conveyer belt, the conveyer belt oriented in a plane parallel to the ground and the first and second gripper oriented parallel to the conveyer belt, the first and second gripper configured to move parallel to the conveyer belt to surround an object and grip the object beyond the surface of the conveyer belt, wherein the receiving slot is configured to allow for the first and second gripper to grab the object located in a slot between a pair of dividers of the plurality of dividers.

2. The kiosk system of claim 1, wherein the package retrieving apparatus is configured to receive commands from an interface located in the interface slot and retrieve packages in the shelving system.

3. The kiosk system of claim 2, wherein the receiving slot is a rectangular cut-out in a corner of each of the plurality of dividers.

4. The kiosk system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of dividers includes a first plurality of dividers of a first height and a second plurality of dividers of a second height, the first plurality of dividers of a first height are configured to provide a first height slot and second plurality of dividers of a second height is configured to provide a second height slot.

5. The kiosk system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of dividers includes a third plurality of dividers, each of the third plurality of dividers further including a base portion, the base portion running along a bottom portion of each of the third plurality of dividers, the bottom portion being the portion that interfaces with the plurality of shelves, the base portion having a first thickness, the first thickness thicker than a second thickness of the plurality of dividers, the base portion having a low profile compared to the size of the receiving slot, the base portion providing a narrower opening such that the edge of a thin rectangular object stands in an alignment closer to perpendicular to the plurality of shelves as compared to without the base portion.

6. The kiosk system of claims 5, wherein the plurality of dividers includes a fourth plurality of dividers and a plurality of rollers attached is attached to the fourth plurality of dividers.

7. The kiosk system of claim 6, wherein the gripping of the first and second gripper are driven by a pulley system that configures each of the first and second gripper to move in unison and at the same rate, such that the package is centered during the gripping.

8. The kiosk system of claim 7, the package retrieving apparatus further comprising:

a first and second encoder, the first and second encoder integrated into the package retrieving apparatus such that they provide an X and Z position.

9. The kiosk system of claim 8, wherein the first encoder is oriented in a X-position pulley mechanism, the X-position pulley mechanism includes a first motor and a first belt, the second belt running along the track and interconnected with the base and the second encoder is oriented in a Z-position pulley mechanism, the Z-position pulley mechanism includes a second motor and a second belt, the Z-position pulley mechanism configured to rotate the vertical support and the second encoder providing for the raising and lowering of the base and record a second position of the base.

10. The kiosk system of claim 9, wherein the first and second encoder sense rotational movement, wherein the first encoder provides a first rotational movement signal to a control system and the second encoder provides a second rotational movement signal to the control system and the control system stores a position of the object, the position being a record of the first and second rotational movement signals.

11. The kiosk system of claim 10, wherein the package picker module is configured to extend the first and second gripper in an Y-axis direction, grip the object by moving the first and second gripper closer together, pull the object to the conveyer belt, the conveyer belt rotating in the Y-Axis direction, the conveyer belt conveying the object to a resting point on the conveyer belt.

12. The kiosk system of claim 11, wherein the vertical support has a screw shaped outer surface and the turning of the vertical support provides for the raising and lowering of the base and the package retrieving apparatus further including a secondary vertical support and a braking mechanism located on the base configured to provide braking of the secondary vertical support.

13. The kiosk system of claim 12, wherein the control system includes preprogrammed positions for slots to receive the object, wherein the control system is configured to record the position of the object in a one of the slots after placing the object.

14. A kiosk system for storing and distributing packages, the system comprising:

a kiosk body, the kiosk body having a package delivery slot and an interface slot;

a shelving system in the kiosk body, the shelving system including a plurality of shelves, the plurality of shelves having a plurality of receiving apertures;

a plurality of dividers configured to fit into the plurality of receiving apertures, each of the plurality of dividers having a receiving slot;

a package retrieving apparatus comprising;

a track;

a base slidably interconnected with the track;

a vertical support, interconnected with the base;

a package picker module oriented on the vertical support such that the package picker module may move up and down the vertical support, wherein the package picker module includes a first and second gripper, wherein the first and second gripper is configured to move parallel to the plurality of shelves to surround an object and grip the object, wherein the receiving slot is configured to allow for the first and second gripper to grab the object located in a first slot between a first divider and a second divider of the plurality of dividers.

15. The kiosk system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of dividers includes a third plurality of dividers, each of the third plurality of dividers further including a base portion, the base portion running along a bottom portion of each of the third plurality of dividers, the bottom portion being the portion that interfaces with the plurality of shelves, the base portion having a first thickness, the first thickness thicker than a second thickness of the plurality of dividers, the base portion having a low profile compared to the size of the receiving slot, the base portion providing a narrower opening such that the edge of a thin rectangular object stands in an alignment closer to perpendicular to the plurality of shelves as compared to without the base portion.

16. The kiosk system of claims 15, wherein the plurality of dividers includes a fourth plurality of dividers and a plurality of rollers attached is attached to the fourth plurality of dividers.

17. The kiosk system of claim 16, wherein the gripping of the first and second gripper are driven by a pulley system that configures each of the first and second grippers to move in unison and at the same rate, such that the package is centered during the gripping.

18. The kiosk system of claim 17, the package retrieving apparatus further comprising:

a first and second encoder, the first and second encoder integrated into the package retrieving apparatus such that they provide an X and Z position.

19. The kiosk system of claim 18, wherein the first encoder is oriented in a X-position pulley mechanism, the X-position pulley mechanism includes a first motor and a first belt, the first belt running along the track and interconnected with the base and the second encoder is oriented in a Z-position pulley mechanism, the Z-position pulley mechanism includes a second motor and a second belt, the Z-position pulley mechanism configured to rotate the vertical support and the second encoder providing for the raising and lowering of the base and record a second position of the base.

20. The kiosk system of claim 19, wherein the first and second encoder sense rotational movement, wherein the first encoder provides a first rotational movement signal to a control system and the second encoder provides a second rotational movement signal to the control system and the control system stores a position of the object, the position being a record of the first and second rotational movement signals.