US 10,780,930 B1Granted

Worm gear drive unit interface and assembly methods

AssigneeZoox, Inc.

InventorsTimothy David Kentley-Klay, Nicholas Liotta, Chao Lu, Paul Choin, Daniel Elliot Schabb, Forrest Craft, Kevin Hothem, James Hedden, Brandon Loeb

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Abstract

A system for detachably coupling subassemblies to vehicles or other components is discussed herein. The system can include one or more driveshafts and worm drives to drive fasteners to couple the subassembly to the vehicle. The system can enable drive interfaces located in a substantially conventional location (e.g., located vertically on the bottom of the vehicle) to drive fasteners horizontally into the body or other subassembly. In this manner, fasteners can be hidden and to utilize blind holes in the body of the vehicle. The system can be partially disassembled in situ to enable parts replacement and fastener access in the event of a failure. The system can be used in conjunction with a robotic cart to enable subassemblies to be removed from the vehicle for service and repair. A portion of the system can also act as a portion of, or to reinforce, the crash structure of the vehicle.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A robotic cart comprising:

a drive system to move the robotic cart throughout an area;
one or more transceivers to send and receive one or more wired and wireless transmissions;
memory storing at least a localization module and torque data;
one or more inputs to receive data from a user;
and
one or more processors in communication with at least the one or more transceivers,
the memory, and
the one or more inputs,
the memory including
computer executable instructions to
cause the one or more processors to:
receive sensor data from
one or more sensors disposed about the robotic cart;
determine, using the sensor data, a pose of the robotic cart relative to a vehicle;
plan a trajectory of the robotic cart based, at least in part, on the pose,
the trajectory causing the robotic cart to align with one or more couplers of the vehicle;
cause a drive unit of a robotic cart to move the robotic cart along the trajectory;
send a first signal to torquing device on the robotic cart,
the first signal causing a torquing device to rotate a drive interface in a first direction to remove a fastener from the vehicle, the fastener detachably coupling a subassembly to the vehicle, the subassembly comprising a portion of the vehicle;
and
move, using the drive unit, the robotic cart in a second direction away from
the vehicle to remove the subassembly from the vehicle.

19 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.