Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Container method and system for automated end-to-end package delivery
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Application No.: US17207369Application Date: 2021-03-19
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Publication No.: US11981508B2Publication Date: 2024-05-14
- Inventor: Yifan Chen , Smruti Panigrahi , Kurt Lundeen , Geoffrey Horowitz , Pavithra Madhavan
- Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicant Address: US MI Dearborn
- Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Current Assignee Address: US MI Dearborn
- Agency: Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP
- Agent Brandon Hicks
- Main IPC: B65G1/137
- IPC: B65G1/137 ; B60P3/00 ; B65G67/04 ; B65G67/24

Abstract:
Disclosed is an end-to-end delivery system that uses standard containers designed for autonomous vehicle (AV) goods delivery, a purpose-built AV cargo management system, a purpose-built robot to load and unload packages, and software to coordinate the various tasks involved. The standard containers may include a hardware locking interface for locking to a carrying robot. The cargo management system may include a programmable conveyor system installed on each floor of a multi-floor cargo space within the AV. For example, the floor may include a roller surface to allow omnidirectional routing of packages. An elevator shaft may be used for receiving and off-loading containers. The software may identify a target container anywhere within the multi-floor cargo space, and determine how to rearrange the containers within a grid in the AV so that the target container may be moved to the elevator shaft for unloading.
Public/Granted literature
- US20220297939A1 NOVEL CONTAINER METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATED END-TO-END PACKAGE DELIVERY Public/Granted day:2022-09-22
Information query
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