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EP-4514688-B1 - APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR OBJECT MOUNTING SYSTEM

EP4514688B1EP 4514688 B1EP4514688 B1EP 4514688B1EP-4514688-B1

Inventors

  • Buttermore, Neil

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20220525

Claims (15)

  1. A vacuum object mounting system (100), comprising: a plurality of vacuum mounting modules (102), wherein each one of the vacuum mounting modules comprises: a body member (302) defining a cavity , wherein the body member is securable to a secured-to object; a vacuum cup (106) coupled to the body member, wherein the vacuum cup is disposed on an exterior of the body member; a microcontroller (216) residing within the cavity of the body member; a vacuum pump (204) residing within the cavity of the body member, wherein the vacuum pump is controllably coupled to the microcontroller, and wherein the vacuum pump is fluidly coupled to the vacuum cup; and a transceiver (210) communicatively coupled to the microcontroller; a power source (202) controllably coupled to the microcontroller and connected to the vacuum pump; and a vacuum control device (110) that is communicatively coupled to at least one of the transceivers in the plurality of vacuum mounting modules, and wherein the vacuum control device is communicatively coupled to a remote electronic device (602) that is controllable by a user, wherein in response to a generated control signal initiated by the user and communicated from the remote electronic device, the vacuum control device communicates an actuation signal that is received by each one of the transceivers in the plurality of vacuum mounting modules using a low power near-field communication signal, wherein in response to the actuation signal received at each one of the transceivers in the plurality of vacuum mounting modules, the power source powers the vacuum pump in the plurality of vacuum mounting modules to create a predefined vacuum pressure between a surface of an object of interest and the respective vacuum cup.
  2. The vacuum object mounting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the vacuum control device is further configured to wirelessly communicate with the other transceivers of the plurality of vacuum mounting modules using the low power near-field communication signal, and wherein the actuation signal received by the at least one transceiver is further communicated from the at least one transceiver to the other transceivers of the plurality of vacuum mounting modules.
  3. The vacuum object mounting system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum control device is communicatively coupled to the other transceivers of the plurality of vacuum mounting modules using the low power near-field communication signal, and wherein the actuation signal communicated from the vacuum control device is received by the other transceivers of the plurality of vacuum mounting modules.
  4. The vacuum object mounting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one transceiver that is communicatively coupled to the vacuum control device receives the control signal from the remote electronic device that is controllable by the user.
  5. The vacuum object mounting system of claim 1, further comprising: a vacuum chamber in fluid communication with the vacuum pump and the vacuum cup; and a check valve disposed between the vacuum chamber and the vacuum cup, wherein the microcontroller actuates the vacuum pump to maintain the predefined vacuum pressure in the vacuum chamber, and wherein the check valve has a cracking pressure corresponding to the predefined vacuum pressure in the vacuum chamber such that the predefined vacuum pressure is maintained within the vacuum cup when the vacuum cup mounting system is secured to the surface of the object of interest.
  6. The vacuum object mounting system of claim 1, further comprising: a pressure sensor communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, wherein the pressure sensor senses a vacuum pressure within the vacuum cup, wherein the pressure sensor communicates pressure sensor information to the microcontroller corresponding to the sensed vacuum pressure, and wherein the microcontroller actuates the vacuum pump to maintain the predefined vacuum pressure between the surface of the object of interest and the vacuum cup in response to the sensed vacuum pressure becoming greater than a first predefined vacuum pressure or in response to the sensed vacuum pressure becoming less than a second predefined vacuum pressure.
  7. The vacuum object mounting system of claim 1, further comprising: a manual actuator disposed on an outer surface of the vacuum cup mounting system and communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, wherein the user can actuate the manual actuator to release the vacuum cup mounting system from the surface of the object of interest, wherein the manual actuator communicates a release signal to the microcontroller in response to actuation by the user, and wherein the microcontroller actuates the vacuum pump to release the vacuum cup mounting system from the surface of the object of interest in response to receiving the release signal, wherein the user can further actuate the manual actuator to secure the vacuum cup mounting system to the surface of the object of interest, wherein the manual actuator communicates a securing signal to the microcontroller in response to further actuation by the user, and wherein the microcontroller actuates the vacuum pump to secure the vacuum cup mounting system to the surface of the object of interest in response to receiving the securing signal.
  8. The vacuum object mounting system of claim 1, further comprising: an indicator light disposed on an outer surface of the vacuum cup mounting system and communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller actuates the indicator light in response to securing the vacuum cup mounting system to the surface of the object of interest, wherein the indicator light illuminates in response to securing the vacuum cup unit to the surface of the object of interest, and wherein a user may view the indicator light to intuitively understand whether the vacuum cup mounting system is secured to the surface of the object of interest.
  9. The vacuum object mounting system of claim 1, wherein the secured-to object is a package delivery aerial drone and the object of interest is a payload that is delivered and released by the aerial drone.
  10. The vacuum object mounting system of claim 1, further comprising: an outer seal, wherein the outer seal is configured to form a continuous ring of material around the plurality of vacuum cups, wherein a first surface of the outer seal is in contact with a surface of the secured-to object, wherein a second surface of the outer seal opposing the first surface is in contact with the surface of the object of interest, wherein each of the vacuum cups partially collapse when the vacuum mounting module powers the vacuum pump to create the predefined vacuum pressure, wherein the partial collapsing of each of the vacuum cups pull the surface of the object of interest onto the second surface of the outer seal, and wherein in response to the partial collapsing of each of the vacuum cups, the outer seal is compressed to form a frictional seal between the surface of the object of interest and the surface of the secured-to object.
  11. The vacuum object mounting system of claim 1, further comprising: a cover member with an outer surface that is securable to the secured-to object, wherein the cavity of the body member is covered by the cover member during use of the vacuum object mounting system, and wherein the vacuum cup is disposed on the exterior of the body member on a side of the body member opposing the cover member.
  12. The vacuum object mounting system of claim 1, wherein the body member is a monocoque body member defined by a monocoque cavity.
  13. A vacuum object mounting method that releasably secures an object of interest to an aerial drone, wherein a plurality of vacuum mounting modules are secured to the aerial drone, the method comprising: receiving a control signal at a first transceiver of a vacuum control device, wherein the control signal is communicated from a remote electronic device in response to an actuation of the remote electronic device by a user; generating a vacuum cup actuation signal by the vacuum control device in response to receiving the control signal at the first transceiver of the vacuum control device; communicating, using a low power near-field communication signal, the vacuum cup actuation signal to a transceiver of each one of the plurality of vacuum mounting modules; and providing power to a vacuum pump of each one of the plurality of vacuum mounting modules in response to receiving the vacuum cup actuation signal at the second transceiver of each one of the plurality of vacuum mounting modules, wherein each vacuum pump creates a vacuum in a respective vacuum cup of each one of the plurality of vacuum mounting modules in response to receiving the power, and wherein the vacuum in each vacuum cup defines at least a predefined vacuum pressure between a surface of an object of interest and the respective vacuum cup so that the object of interest becomes releasably secured to the vacuum mounting module.
  14. The method of claim 13, wherein the control signal communicated from the remote electronic device is a first control signal, the method further comprising: receiving a second control signal at the first transceiver of the vacuum control device; generating a vacuum cup release signal in response to receiving the second control signal; and communicating the vacuum cup release signal using the low power near-field communication signal to the second transceiver of each one of the plurality of vacuum mounting modules, wherein each of the vacuum pumps are actuated to release the vacuum in the respective vacuum cup in response to receiving the vacuum cup release signal at the second transceiver, and wherein the object of interest is released after the vacuum in the respective vacuum cup is released.
  15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first transceiver of the vacuum control device is only communicatively coupled to a first one of the second transceivers, and wherein communicating the vacuum cup actuation signal using the low power near-field communication signal comprises: receiving the vacuum cup actuation signal generated by the vacuum control device at the first one of the second transceivers; and communicating the vacuum cup actuation signal using the low power near-field communication signal from the first one of the second transceivers to each one of the other second transceivers of the plurality of vacuum mounting modules.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In various situations, it is desirable to releasably secure an object of interest, interchangeably referred to herein as a payload, to a secured-to object. The secured-to object may be stationary, non-stationary, or even another object. For example, a cargo carrier is an example of a secured-to object. Cargo carriers, also known as roof boxes, ski boxes or racks, cargo boxes, roof top boxes, car toppers, bike racks, surfboard racks, or the like, are portable storage containers or devices that can be secured to the top of an automobile or other vehicle on an as-needed basis. Such cargo carriers may be secured to structural elements, such as mounting brackets, roof racks, side rails, crossbars, or the like of the vehicle. These structural elements are typically integrated components that are permanently secured to the roof of the vehicle. One problem encountered in the arts is that the roofs of the many different vehicle models vary significantly in shape, size and profile. Accordingly, some cargo carriers may only be suitable for a particular vehicle model. Universal cargo carriers are available, but their application may still be limited to a number of different vehicle models. Many vehicles do not include permanently secured structural elements. Glass tops and/or glass sun roofs are becoming increasingly popular in the automotive industry. Further, there is a trend away from including permanently secured structural elements on new vehicles, especially sport cars. Accordingly, most commercially available cargo carriers are simply unsuitable for use in vehicles that do not have permanently secured structural elements. In other situations, objects must be secured to a secured-to object in a releasable manner. For example, arial drones or the like (an exemplary secured-to object) have been designed to deliver and then release packages (an exemplary payload that is releasably secured to the arial drone). However, the releasable securing means employed by drones to deliver packages and other objects are, in themselves, very complex mechanical devices. As another example, robotics technologies employ various types of robotic devices that are configured to releasably secure and then manipulate an object of interest. For example, a robotic arm (an exemplary secured-to object) may releasably secure and manipulate an object during a fabrication process. Consider an object that is manipulated into a particular location and/or orientation for a welding process that welds the releasably secured object to another object. Once the welding process has been completed, the robotic arm released the welded object. Here, the releasable securing means employed by robotic arm to releasably secure the welded object are, in themselves, very complex mechanical devices. Another illustrative example occurs in the surveillance arts wherein an image capture device (camera) and/or microphone is secured to some secured-to object for some period of time, such as a few weeks or even several months or years. Non-limiting example of a secured-to object includes walls , building structures, vehicles, etc. Permanently securing a camera or other surveillance device to a secured-to structure may not be desirable because the device mounting structure may require damage, such as by bolt or screw holes, to the secured-to structure. In applications where an object is releasably secured to another object, theft deterrent is highly desirable. Further, safety standards may be applicable wherein the likelihood of an inadvertent release of the secured object must be minimized in accordance with an applicable safety standard. Accordingly, in the arts of releasably securing an object in a temporary or semi-permanent manner, there is a need in the arts for improved methods, apparatus, and systems for semi-permanently releasably securing objects while maintaining any required safety standards and/or deterring theft. Document US 2022/0063038 A1 discloses a base attachment module for small aerial vehicles. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of an active object mounting system secure an object of interest to a surface of a secured-to object using one or more vacuum mounting modules, wherein each vacuum mounting module comprises at least one vacuum pump controllably coupled to a microcontroller, a vacuum cup fluidly coupled to the at least one vacuum pump, and a transceiver that receives an instruction corresponding to one of a vacuum cup actuation signal or a vacuum cup release signal . The subject-matter of the invention is defined in the independent claims 1 and 13. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale relative to each other. Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. FIG. 1 is a top view of an active object mounting system configured to secure a cargo carrier (not shown) to the roof of a vehicle.FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodi