CN-116729522-B - Modular cargo storage device for use on a base platform of an autonomous robotic device

Abstract

A modular autonomous robotic device assembly for transporting items to be shipped is described. The assembly includes a modular mobility base having a propulsion, a steering, a sensor for collision avoidance, and a suspension actuator, a modular auxiliary power module having a power source and a cargo door, a modular cargo storage system having a folding structural wall and a latch system, and a modular mobile autonomous module overlaying the cargo storage system and providing a human interactive interface, an external sensor, a wireless interface, and an autonomous controller having interface circuitry coupled to the human interactive interface and the sensor on the mobile autonomous module. The assembly has a power and data transport bus that provides communication and power pipes across the different modular components. A method for on-demand assembly of such a robotic device is further described, the method having steps for authenticating different modular parts during assembly.

Inventors

• O-P. Scarksrude
• F. Mayfield
• D. gates

Assignees

• 联邦快递服务公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20190313

Priority Date

20180314

Claims (20)

1. 1. A modular cargo storage device for use on a base platform of a modular autonomous robotic device transporting a shipment, the modular cargo storage device comprising: A set of folding structural walls configured to at least partially enclose a payload area above the base platform and on at least three sides above the base platform and form a set of vertical boundaries on the at least three sides of the payload area; An interlocking alignment interface disposed on at least one of the folded structure walls, the interlocking alignment interface comprising: a set of latches disposed on said at least one of said folding structural walls, and A locking handle coupled to the set of latches, the locking handle actuating the set of latches to cause the set of latches to interlock with at least the base platform, and A modular component power and data transport bus disposed on the at least one of the folded structure walls, the modular component power and data transport bus having a topside modular component electronics interface and a bottom side modular component electronics interface, wherein the topside modular component electronics interface is disposed on a top edge of the at least one of the folded structure walls, and wherein the bottom side modular component electronics interface is disposed on a bottom edge of the at least one of the folded structure walls, wherein each of the topside modular component electronics interface and the bottom side modular component electronics interface has (a) a power conduit socket and (b) a command and data communication interface.
2. 2. The modular cargo storage device of claim 1 wherein the set of latches includes a pair of longitudinal support latches slidably attached to the at least one of the folded structure walls and coupled to the locking handle, wherein each of the longitudinal support latches has a top interlock latch disposed over a top of the at least one of the folded structure walls and a bottom interlock latch disposed over a bottom of the at least one of the folded structure walls, and Wherein the locking handle actuates sliding movement of at least one of the longitudinal support latches in a first direction relative to another of the longitudinal support latches to engage the set of latches, and wherein the locking handle actuates sliding movement of at least one of the longitudinal support latches in an opposite direction relative to another of the longitudinal support latches to engage the set of latches.
3. 3. The modular cargo storage device of claim 2 wherein the locking handle actuates the sliding movement of at least one of the longitudinal support latches relative to the other of the longitudinal support latches by rotation of the locking handle relative to the pair of longitudinal support latches.
4. 4. The modular cargo storage device of claim 2 wherein said sliding movement of two of said longitudinal support latches in response to actuation of said locking handle moves said top interlock latches on each of said longitudinal support latches toward each other over the top of said at least one of said folding structural walls to engage a set of cooperating latches on a component of said modular autonomous robotic device disposed over said modular cargo storage device, and Wherein the sliding movement of both of the longitudinal support latches in response to actuation of the locking handle also moves the bottom interlocking latches on each of the longitudinal support latches toward each other under a bottom of the at least one of the folding structural walls to engage a set of cooperating latches on the base platform below the modular cargo storage device.
5. 5. The modular cargo storage device of claim 4 wherein the component of the modular autonomous robotic device disposed above the modular cargo storage device comprises a modular mobile autonomous module component secured to the modular cargo storage device by engaging the set of cooperating latches on the mobile autonomous module component with the top interlock latch as a result of actuation of the locking handle.
6. 6. The modular cargo storage device of claim 4 wherein the base platform of the modular autonomous robotic device disposed below the modular cargo storage device comprises a modular auxiliary power module component secured to the modular cargo storage device by engaging the set of cooperating latches on the auxiliary power module component with the bottom interlocking latches as a result of actuation of the locking handle.
7. 7. The modular cargo storage device of claim 1, wherein the locking handle comprises an actuation electromechanical locking handle responsive to a latch locking control input from a control component of the modular autonomous robotic device, the latch locking control input received by the actuation electromechanical locking handle through the modular component power and data transport bus, the actuation electromechanical locking handle operable to actuate the set of latches responsive to the latch locking control input.
8. 8. The modular cargo storage device of claim 1, wherein the locking handle further comprises an actuation electromechanical locking handle responsive to an authorized wireless latch locking control input from a control component of the modular autonomous robotic device, the wireless latch locking control input being received wirelessly by the actuation electromechanical locking handle, thereby causing the actuation electromechanical locking handle to actuate the set of latches in response to the authorized wireless latch locking control input.
9. 9. The modular cargo storage device of claim 1, wherein the locking handle further comprises an actuation electromechanical locking handle responsive to an authorized wireless latch locking control input from an external wireless node disposed external to the modular autonomous robotic device, the authorized wireless latch locking control input being received wirelessly by the actuation electromechanical locking handle, thereby causing the actuation electromechanical locking handle to actuate the set of latches responsive to the authorized wireless latch locking control input.
10. 10. The modular cargo storage device of claim 1 wherein the locking handle comprises: A user input panel disposed on said at least one of said folding structure walls, said user input panel accepting latch lock control input from a user, and An actuation electromechanical locking handle operatively coupled to the user input panel to receive the latch locking control input, the actuation electromechanical locking handle being responsive to the latch locking control input from the user input panel to actuate the set of latches in response to the latch locking control input.
11. 11. The modular cargo storage device of claim 1, wherein the base platform of the modular autonomous robotic device disposed below the modular cargo storage device has a cargo door that cooperates with the folding structural wall of the modular cargo storage device when in a closed position to form a set of vertical boundaries on all sides of the payload area.
12. 12. The modular cargo storage device of claim 1 wherein the set of folded structure walls comprises at least one set of four cargo storage structure walls configured to vertically enclose the payload area above the base platform, wherein one of the folded structure walls comprises a cargo door movably attached to another of the folded structure walls, the cargo door being selectively opened to provide access into the payload area.
13. 13. The modular cargo storage device of claim 12 wherein the cargo door is movably attached to the other of the folding structure walls using a self-closing actuation tab.
14. 14. The modular cargo storage device of claim 13 wherein the self-closing actuation tab comprises a spring-loaded hinge.
15. 15. The modular cargo storage device of claim 12, further comprising: a door actuator secured to the other of the folding structure walls having the cargo door, the door actuator being operable to selectively move the cargo door to provide access into the payload area, and A door actuator driver coupled to the door actuator and responsive to a cargo door control input from a control component of the modular autonomous robotic device, the cargo door control input received through the modular component power and data transport bus, thereby causing the door actuator to selectively move the cargo door responsive to the cargo door control input.
16. 16. The modular cargo storage device of claim 12, further comprising: a door actuator secured to the other of the folding structure walls having the cargo door, the door actuator being operable to selectively move the cargo door to provide access into the payload area, and A door actuator driver coupled to the door actuator and responsive to an authorized wireless cargo door control input from a control component of the modular autonomous robotic device, the authorized wireless cargo door control input being received wirelessly by the door actuator driver and responsive to the authorized wireless cargo door control input to cause the door actuator to move the cargo door.
17. 17. The modular cargo storage device of claim 12, further comprising: a door actuator secured to the other of the folding structure walls having the cargo door, the door actuator being operable to selectively move the cargo door to provide access into the payload area, and A door actuator driver coupled to the door actuator and responsive to an authorized wireless cargo door control input from an external wireless node disposed external to the modular autonomous robotic device, the authorized wireless cargo door control input being received wirelessly by the door actuator driver and responsive to the authorized wireless cargo door control input to cause the door actuator to move the cargo door.
18. 18. The modular cargo storage device of claim 12, wherein the cargo door further comprises an actuated electromechanical lock responsive to a door lock control input from a control component of the modular autonomous robotic device, the door lock control input received by the actuated electromechanical lock over the modular component power and data transport bus, the actuated electromechanical lock operable to selectively secure or unlock the cargo door responsive to the door lock control input.
19. 19. The modular cargo storage device of claim 12, wherein the cargo door further comprises an actuation electromechanical lock responsive to an authorized wireless door lock control input from a control component of the modular autonomous robotic device, the wireless door lock control input being received wirelessly by the actuation electromechanical lock, thereby causing the actuation electromechanical lock to selectively secure or unlock the cargo door responsive to the authorized wireless door lock control input.
20. 20. The modular cargo storage device of claim 12, wherein the cargo door further comprises an actuation electromechanical lock responsive to an authorized wireless door lock control input from an external wireless node disposed external to the modular autonomous robotic device, the authorized wireless door lock control input being received wirelessly by the actuation electromechanical lock, thereby causing the actuation electromechanical lock to selectively secure or unlock the cargo door responsive to the authorized wireless door lock control input.

Description

Modular cargo storage device for use on a base platform of an autonomous robotic device The present application is a divisional application filed 9/14/2020 with application number 201980019136.8 and entitled "modular autonomous robotic device assembly for transporting items to be shipped". PRIORITY AND RELATED APPLICATION The present application hereby claims the benefit of priority from related provisional patent application No. 62/642,732, entitled "Enhanced Apparatus,Assemblies,and Systems Involving a Modular Autonomous Logistics Vehicle Transport and Methods of Operating the Same", filed on day 3 and 14 in 2018. The present application also relates in subject matter to the following concurrently filed non-provisional patent applications (each of which also requires the same priority benefit of the provisional patent application referenced above): (1) non-provisional patent application No. _/_, entitled "A Modular Mobility Base for a Modular Autonomous Logistics vehicle Transport Apparatus"; (2) non-provisional patent application No. _/_, (3) non-provisional patent application No. _/_ entitled "A Modular Auxiliary Power Module for a Modular Autonomous Bot Apparatus that Transports an Item Being Shipped", (4) non-provisional patent application No. _/_, (5) non-provisional patent application No. _/_ entitled "A Detachable Modular Mobile Autonomy Control Module for a Modular Autonomous Bot Apparatus that Transports an Item Being Shipped", (6) non-provisional patent application No. _/_, (7) non-provisional patent application No. _/_ entitled "Methods of Performing an Inventory Management Related Dispatched Logistics Operation for an Inventory Item and Using a Modular Autonomous Bot Apparatus Assembly and a Dispatch Server", (8) non-provisional patent application No. _/_ entitled "Methods of Performing a Dispatched Store-to-Consumer Logistics Operation Related to an Ordered Item and Using a Modular Autonomous Bot Apparatus Assembly and a Dispatch Server", (9) non-provisional patent application No. _/_, (9) non-provisional patent application No. _/_, (10) non-provisional patent application No. _/_ entitled "Methods of Performing a Dispatched Medial Logistics Operation Related to a Diagnosis Kit for Treating a Patient and Using a Modular Autonomous Bot Apparatus Assembly and a Dispatch Server", (11) non-provisional patent application No./_, (12) non-provisional patent application No.. "Apparatus and Systems of a Modular Autonomous Cart Apparatus Assembly for Transporting an Item Being Shipped"), and (12) non-provisional patent application No. _/, (12) No. _, (13). Technical Field The present disclosure relates generally to systems, devices, components, and methods in the logistics field, and more particularly to aspects of enhanced systems, devices, components, and methods related to deployment and use of a highly autonomous transport system that may include and utilize elements of a multi-purpose type Modular Autonomous Logistics Vehicle Transport (MALVT) or node-enabled autonomous transport vehicle (AV), components of such multi-purpose type Modular Autonomous Logistics Vehicle Transport (MALVT) or node-enabled autonomous transport vehicle (AV), and systems related to a multi-purpose type Modular Autonomous Logistics Vehicle Transport (MALVT) or node-enabled autonomous transport vehicle (AV). Background In the field of logistics technology involving the delivery and pick-up of items and objects for transport between locations, existing systems have deployed vans and couriers that manage and implement scheduled logistics operations to deliver and pick up such items and objects from business and residential locations. However, deploying manually controlled logistics delivery vehicles and systems may incur. Generally, there are autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles that can move and maneuver to different locations from an originating location, but this is not without problems in the logistical arts. For example, the adaptability of common autonomous or semi-autonomous logistics systems is less than required. A particular autonomous logistics delivery vehicle may lack compatibility with respect to logistics operations having a particular mission allocation (tasked) or the ability to efficiently handle a wide variety of different sized items/objects. Furthermore, known autonomous logistics delivery solutions may incur undesirable wastage that involves scheduling oversized delivery vehicles for a given logistics operation. Lack of interoperability and access barriers to facilities with locations is also a problem faced by common logistical delivery vehicles that are autonomously controlled. In order to address these needs and present further enhancements and improved devices, assemblies, systems, and methods for autonomously delivering or picking up items/objects being shipped, there remains a need for an improved system that can provide a broader, more robust, adaptable, and interactive autonomous logistics vehi