Method for loading and/or unloading a transport device at a receiving container

• US 10,737,804 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2016
• Issued: 08/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Inventors: Pruski, Matthaus, Vorwerk, Felix, Dautz, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): Hageman, Mark C
• Application Number:
  US15/771,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20180362187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/02 characterised by special use
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 9/00 Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like emergency equipment B64D17/00, B64D19/00, B64D25/00; structures integral with fuselage to facilitate loading, fuselage floors specially adapted for freight, steps mounted on and retractable within aircraft B64C; ground installations B64F
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/32 for handling freight
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/60 for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2814/0398 for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/00 Loading or unloading vehicles by means incorporated in the vehicles B60-B64, e.g., B60P1/00, B61D9/00, B63B27/00, B64D9/00; ground or aircraft-carrier-deck installations for aircraft B64F1/32

Abstract

The invention relates to a method by which an unmanned transport device docked on a receiving container is loaded with a payload container for a consignment, having a loading device for loading the transport device with the payload container, wherein the payload container has a bearing at its first end, the transport device has a loading opening on its underside for receiving the payload container, and the loading opening, at its front end, has a mating contour corresponding to the bearing, and the method has the following steps: the payload container, arranged on the loading device, is pivoted in relation to the horizontal by the loading device such that the first end is elevated in relation to a second, opposite end of the payload container, the loading device is raised until the payload container ends up at least with its first end located within and/or beneath the loading opening, and the payload container is pivoted by the loading device into the horizontal for introduction into the loading opening such that, first of all, the bearing comes into engagement with the mating contour and, subsequently, the second end of the payload container comes into engagement with a rear end of the loading opening.

Claims

1. A method for loading an unmanned transport device docked on a receiving container with a payload container for a consignment, the receiving container having a loading device for loading the unmanned transport device with the payload container, the payload container having a bearing at a first end of the payload container, the unmanned transport device having a loading opening for receiving the payload container on an underside of the unmanned transport device, the loading opening having a mating contour corresponding to the bearing at a front end of the loading opening, the method comprising:

pivoting the payload container disposed on the loading device with the loading device relative to a horizontal configuration such that the first end of the of the payload container is elevated relative to a second, opposite end of the payload container;

raising the loading device until at least the first end of the payload container is positioned within or beneath the loading opening; and

pivoting the payload container into the horizontal configuration with the loading device in order to introduce the payload container into the loading opening such that the bearing firstly enters into engagement with the mating contour and the second end of the payload container subsequently enters into engagement with a rear end of the loading opening.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising one or both of:

after introducing the payload container into the loading opening, locking the second end of the payload container to the transport device with the loading device by turning a locking device disposed at the second end of the payload container; and

after introducing the payload container into the loading opening, lowering the loading device until the loading device is disposed within the receiving container.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the payload container, the loading opening or both the payload container and the loading opening is designed such that, when the payload container pivots relative to the horizontal configuration or into the horizontal configuration, at least the first end of the payload container bears positively against at least the front end of the loading opening.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the loading device has a spindle corresponding to the first end of the payload container or to the second end of the payload container, the transport device has a bushing that corresponds to the spindle at a respective one of the front end of the loading opening and the rear end of the loading opening, and raising the loading device comprises raising the loading device until the spindle engages in the bushing.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the payload container has a first plug at the first end of the payload container, the loading opening has a second plug corresponding to the first plug at the front end of the loading opening, and the first and second plugs are arranged such that the first plug connects to the second plug when the payload container pivots into the horizontal configuration.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second plug is floatingly supported at the loading opening such that the second plug is supported rigidly in a plug-in direction and elastically orthogonal to the plug-in direction.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first plug has a pin plate, the second plug has a pin receptacle, and the pin plate and the pin receptacle are configured such that a pin of the pin plate is guided by the pin receptacle when the payload container pivots into the horizontal configuration in a manner that firstly reduces a tolerance between the first and second plugs and subsequently positions and orients the first and second plugs relative to each other.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the loading device has one or both of a tilt cylinder and an actuator;

the tilt cylinder is configured for pivoting the payload container; and

the actuator is configured for unlocking the payload container from the transport device, locking the payload container to the transport device, or both.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising one or more of:

removing the payload container from a storage position and/or a loading module with the loading device, depositing the payload container in the storage position and/or the loading module with the loading device, or both;

opening, closing, or both opening and closing a hatch on a landing platform of the receiving container in order to land the transport device on the receiving container; and

fixing the landed unmanned transport device to the receiving container with a longitudinal guide, a transverse guide, or both.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the bearing is a nose bearing, and the contour is a nose contour corresponding to the nose bearing.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the payload container pivots by no less than five degrees and no more than fifty degrees.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the payload container has a battery for powering the unmanned transport device, and the receiving container has a device for charging the battery.

13. A method for unloading an unmanned transport device docked on a receiving container with a payload container for a consignment, the receiving container having a loading device for unloading the payload container from the unmanned transport device, the payload container having a bearing at a first end of the payload container, the unmanned transport device having a loading opening in which the payload container is received on an underside of the unmanned transport device, the loading opening having a mating contour corresponding to the bearing and in which the bearing engages at a front end of the loading opening, the method comprising:

raising the loading device until the loading device is positioned beneath the loading opening on the payload container;

unlocking the payload container at a second, opposite end of the payload container;

pivoting of the payload container relative to a horizontal configuration with the loading device such that the second end of the payload container is lowered relative to the first end of the payload container until the bearing disengages from the mating contour;

lowering the payload container relative to the transport device with the loading device; and

pivoting the payload container into the horizontal configuration with the loading device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the loading device has one or both of a tilt cylinder and an actuator;

the tilt cylinder is configured for pivoting the payload container; and

the actuator is configured for unlocking the payload container from the transport device, locking the payload container to the transport device, or both.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising one or more of:

removing the payload container from a storage position and/or a loading module with the loading device, depositing the payload container in the storage position and/or the loading module with the loading device, or both;

opening, closing, or both opening and closing a hatch on a landing platform of the receiving container in order to land the transport device on the receiving container; and

fixing the landed unmanned transport device to the receiving container with a longitudinal guide, a transverse guide, or both.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the bearing is a nose bearing, and the contour is a nose contour corresponding to the nose bearing.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the payload container pivots by no less than five degrees and no more than fifty degrees.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the payload container has a battery for powering the unmanned transport device, and the receiving container has a device for charging the battery.

19. A receiving container having a loading device for loading an unmanned transport device with a payload container for a consignment, wherein,

the receiving container is configured as one of a mailbox, a parcel box and a Packstation for receiving the consignment,

the payload container having a bearing at a first end of the payload container, the unmanned transport device having a loading opening for receiving the payload container on an underside of the unmanned transport device, the loading opening having a mating contour corresponding to the bearing at a front end of the loading opening, and

the receiving container comprises a control device configured to

pivot the payload container disposed on the loading device with the loading device relative to a horizontal configuration such that the first end of the of the payload container is elevated relative to a second, opposite end of the payload container;

raise the loading device until at least the first end of the payload container is positioned within or beneath the loading opening; and

pivot the payload container into the horizontal configuration with the loading device in order to introduce the payload container into the loading opening such that the bearing firstly enters into engagement with the mating contour and the second end of the payload container subsequently enters into engagement with a rear end of the loading opening.