DELIVERY VEHICLE INCLUDING AN UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE LOADING ROBOT

• US 20180155029A1
• Filed: 01/12/2018
• Published: 06/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gil, Julio
• Granted Patent: US 10,706,382 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/11 for carrying aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 2211/00 Modular constructions of airplanes or helicopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/00 Dropping, ejecting, releasing, or receiving articles, liquids, or the like, in flight with respect to weapon sights devices F41G takes precedence, parachutes per se B64D17/00; ejectable seats B64D25/10; ejectable capsules B64D25/12; refuelling during flight B64D39/00; launching apparatus for projecting projectiles or missiles F41F1/00, F41F7/00; rocket or torpedo launchers F41F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/04 Landing aids; Safety measures to prevent collision with earth's surface
• 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 1/0299 characterized by the use of multiple devices
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/10 using self-propelled vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/22 for handling aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/32 for handling freight
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/16 with five or more distinct rotor axes, e.g. octocopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/40 Modular UAVs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/70 Constructional aspects of the UAV body
• 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: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/297 : Tilting rotors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/299 : Rotor guards ducted or shrouded rotors B64U30/26; guards used as ground propulsion B64U60/60
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/39 : Battery swapping
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/00 : Launching, take-off or landing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 70/70 : Launching or landing using catapults, tracks or rails launching from storage containers B64U70/50
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/10 : with means for moving the UAV to a supply or launch location, e.g. robotic arms or carousels
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/86 : Land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/0435 : with pulling or pushing means on either stacking crane or stacking area
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/06 : with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level B65G1/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 : using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 : Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/102 : specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 : Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 : Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 : Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 : in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 : specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 : Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 : Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

Systems and methods include UAVs that serve to assist carrier personnel by reducing the physical demands of the transportation and delivery process. A UAV generally includes a UAV chassis including an upper portion, a plurality of propulsion members configured to provide lift to the UAV chassis, and a parcel carrier configured for being selectively coupled to and removed from the UAV chassis. UAV support mechanisms are utilized to load and unload parcel carriers to the UAV chassis, and the UAV lands on and takes off from the UAV support mechanism to deliver parcels to a serviceable point. The UAV includes computing entities that interface with different systems and computing entities to send and receive various types of information.

Claims

1. A primary delivery vehicle configured for delivering parcels via an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the primary delivery vehicle comprising:

an interior compartment;

a roof panel defining a supply portal, wherein the interior compartment is accessible through the supply portal;

a loading robot positioned within the interior compartment, the loading robot comprising a robot controller comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including program code, the at least one memory and the program code configured to, with the processor, cause the loading robot to at least;

engage a parcel carrier;

move the parcel carrier to a supply portal; and

engage the parcel carrier with a UAV positioned above the supply portal.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the loading robot comprises an end effector having clamping members configured to engage the parcel carrier.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein when engaging the parcel carrier, the loading robot controller is further configured to move the clamping members from a disengaged position, in which the clamping members are spaced apart from the parcel carrier, to an engaged position, in which the clamping members engage the parcel carrier.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the loading robot further comprises an upright member movably coupled to the end effector, wherein the upright extends in a vertical direction.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein when moving the parcel carrier to the supply portal, the loading robot controller is further configured to move the end effector upward in the vertical direction along the upright member.

6. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the loading robot further comprises an end effector track and wherein the clamping members are movably coupled to the end effector track.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein prior to engaging the parcel carrier, the loading robot controller is further configured move the clamping members along the end effector track toward the parcel carrier.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the loading robot is movably coupled to a horizontal track extending along a length of the interior compartment.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein prior to engaging the parcel carrier, the loading robot controller is further configured to move the robot toward the parcel carrier along the horizontal track.

10. A primary delivery vehicle configured for delivering parcels via an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the primary delivery vehicle comprising:

an interior compartment;

a roof panel defining a return portal, wherein the interior compartment is accessible through the return portal;

a loading robot positioned within the interior compartment, the loading robot comprising a robot controller comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including program code, the at least one memory and the program code configured to, with the processor, cause the loading robot to at least;

engage a parcel carrier coupled to a UAV positioned above the return portal;

remove the parcel carrier from a UAV chassis of the UAV;

move the parcel carrier from the return portal to a rack positioned in the interior compartment; and

engage the parcel carrier with the rack of the interior compartment.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the loading robot comprises an end effector having clamping members configured to engage the parcel carrier.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein when engaging the parcel carrier, the loading robot controller is further configured to move the clamping members from a disengaged position, in which the clamping members are spaced apart from the parcel carrier, to an engaged position, in which the clamping members engage the parcel carrier.

13. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the loading robot further comprises an upright member movably coupled to the end effector, wherein the upright extends in a vertical direction.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein when moving the parcel carrier from the return portal, the loading robot controller is further configured to move the end effector downward in the vertical direction along the upright member.

15. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the loading robot further comprises an end effector track and wherein the clamping members are movably coupled to the end effector track.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein prior to engaging the parcel carrier, the loading robot controller is further configured move the clamping members along the end effector track toward the parcel carrier.

17. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the loading robot is movably coupled to a horizontal track extending along a length of the interior compartment.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein prior to engaging the parcel carrier, the loading robot controller is further configured move the robot toward the return portal along the horizontal track.