# US 12,214,978 B1 · Platform apparatuses > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,214,978 B1 - Document ID: US12214978B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/224,854 - Filed: 2021-04-07 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-07 - Assignees: Slip Robotics Inc. - Applicants: Slip Robotics Inc. - Inventors: Christopher Rand Smith; Dennis Jacob Lee Siedlak; John Martin Jakomin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214978B1 ## CPC - B65G 67/02: Loading or unloading land vehicles - B60B 19/003: {Multidirectional wheels} - B60K 7/0007: {the motor being electric} - B60K 17/358: {all driven wheels being steerable} - B60P 1/52: using rollers in the load-transporting element - B62D 63/00: Motor vehicles or trailers not otherwise provided for - B65G 1/065: {with self propelled cars} - B65G 1/10: with relatively movable racks to facilitate insertion or removal of articles {(cabinets with means for moving compartments up and down A47B51/00; cabinet system, e.g. consisting of cabinets arranged in a row with means to open or close passages between adjacent cabinets A47B53/02)} - B60K 2007/0046: {the motor moving together with the vehicle body, i.e. moving independently from the wheel axle} - B60K 2007/0061: {the motor axle being parallel to the wheel axle} - B60K 2007/0076: {the motor axle being horizontal} - B60Y 2200/49: Movable platforms, Load ramps, e.g. working platforms - B65G 67/20: Loading covered vehicles - B65G 2207/34: Omni-directional rolls - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00) - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY ## Abstract In various embodiments, an automated platform may autonomously move around a site, loading dock, dock leveler, and/or trailer to transport goods. In one or more embodiments, the automated platform may be loaded with goods and, once loaded, navigate a path from a loading area onto a trailer autonomously. In some embodiments, once the automated platform is loaded onto the trailer, the automated platform may utilize hydraulics to extend legs to the ground with enough force so that the automated platform wheels are not touching the ground in the trailer, which stabilizes the automated platform while it is being hauled to a different site. In at least one embodiment, once the trailer is at the different site, the automated platform may autonomously unload itself out of the trailer and navigate over a dock leveler, through the loading dock, and to an unloading area. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic, movable platform, comprising: a generally planar platform member having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a perimeter surface that is affixed to and extends downwardly from the lower surface; a plurality of omni-directional wheel modules affixed to the lower surface of the generally planar platform member, wherein the plurality of omni-directional wheel modules extend only partially beyond a lowermost edge of the perimeter surface; a motor affixed to the generally planar platform member; a control system operatively connected to the plurality of omni-directional wheel modules and the motor, wherein the control system provides instructions to the plurality of omni-directional wheel modules and the motor causes the generally planar platform member to move; two or more shelving units affixed to the upper surface of the generally planar platform member; and an actuator system operatively connected to the two or more shelving units, wherein the actuator system causes the two or more shelving units to translate from a first position away from a central portion of the generally planar platform member to a second position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The platform of claim 1, wherein the two or more shelving units form a central aisle at the central portion of the generally planar platform member in the second position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The platform of claim 2, further comprising tracks affixed onto the upper surface of the generally planar platform member for guiding the two or more shelving units from the first position to the second position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The platform of claim 3, further comprising a locking mechanism on each of the two or more shelving units, wherein the locking mechanism locks each of the two or more shelving units in the second position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The platform of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of hydraulic legs affixed to the lower surface of the generally planar platform member, wherein the plurality of hydraulic legs is operatively connected to the control system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The platform of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of hydraulic legs, when so instructed by the control system, extends downwardly in a hinge-like manner to contact an underlying surface supporting the platform and station the platform thereon. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The platform of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors operatively connected to the control system and configured to detect physical objects in relative proximity to the platform. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The platform of claim 7, wherein the control system includes software configured to autonomously drive the platform based on readings received from the one or more sensors. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The platform of claim 1, further comprising a controller maintained at a distance physically separate from the platform and operable to transmit instructions to the control system to control movement of the platform. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The platform of claim 1, further comprising: a location tracking system embedded on or within the platform and operable to track a physical location of the platform; and a local mesh network operatively connected to the control system, wherein the local mesh network enables monitoring of locations of a plurality of platforms in a physical environment. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The platform of claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the generally planar platform member is specifically sized to accommodate no more than eight pallets to be loaded thereon, wherein the eight pallets are distributed evenly across the upper surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The platform of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of omni-directional wheel modules includes one or more omni-directional wheels. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The platform of claim 1, further comprising: a forklift affixed to the perimeter surface; and one or more conveyor belts affixed to the upper surface of the generally planar platform member. ### Claim 14 An electronic, autonomous, movable platform, comprising: a rectangular planar platform member having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a perimeter skirt that is affixed to and extends downwardly from the lower surface; a plurality of omni-directional wheel modules affixed to the lower surface of the rectangular planar platform member, wherein the plurality of omni-directional wheel modules extends only partially beyond a lowermost edge of the perimeter skirt; a motor affixed to the rectangular planar platform member; a control system operatively connected to the plurality of omni-directional wheel modules and the motor, the control system including an autonomous driving module that is configured to drive the rectangular planar platform member without instructions from a manual control, wherein the autonomous driving module provides instructions to the plurality of omni-directional wheel modules and the motor causes the rectangular planar platform member to move autonomously; two or more shelving units affixed to the upper surface of the rectangular planar platform member; and an actuator system operatively connected to the two or more shelving units, wherein the actuator system causes the two or more shelving units to translate from a first position away from a central portion of the rectangular planar platform member to a second position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The platform of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of hydraulic legs affixed to the rectangular planar platform member, wherein the plurality of hydraulic legs is operatively connected to the control system and is maintained within a boundary of the perimeter skirt when in a retracted position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The platform of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of hydraulic legs, when so instructed by the control system, extends downwardly in a hinge-like manner outside of the boundary of the perimeter skirt to contact an underlying surface supporting the platform and station the platform thereon. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The platform of claim 14, further comprising one or more sensors operatively connected to the control system and configured to detect physical objects in relative proximity to the platform. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The platform of claim 17, wherein the autonomous driving module is configured to autonomously drive the platform based on readings received from the one or more sensors. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The platform of claim 14, further comprising a controller maintained at a distance physically separate from the platform and operable to transmit instructions to the control system to control movement of the platform when the platform is not in an autonomous driving mode. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The platform of claim 14, further comprising: a location tracking system embedded on or within the platform and operable to track a physical location of the platform; and a local mesh network operatively connected to the control system, wherein the local mesh network enables monitoring of locations of a plurality of platforms in a physical environment. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The platform of claim 14, wherein the upper surface of the rectangular planar platform member is specifically sized to accommodate no more than eight pallets to be loaded thereon, wherein the eight pallets are distributed evenly across the upper surface. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The platform of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of omni-directional wheel modules includes one or more omni-directional wheels. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The platform of claim 14, further comprising: a forklift affixed to the perimeter skirt; and one or more conveyor belts affixed to the upper surface of the rectangular planar platform member.