Pneumatic delivery system and methods for use
AssigneeUnitd Parcel Service of America, Inc.
InventorsJulio Gil, Julian Bell, Jared Nauert
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pneumatic delivery system is used to facilitate delivery of canisters comprising delivery payloads by unmanned systems, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The pneumatic delivery system comprises a tube having a channel within a tube wall, where a canister is configured to move through the tube. The tube comprises a tube opening and a transfer mechanism proximate the tube opening. The transfer mechanism engages a canister having a payload that is moved within the tube. The transfer mechanism moves the canister through the tube opening by extending from a first transfer position to a second transfer position. At the second transfer position, the transfer mechanism orients the tube and releases it to a UAV for delivery.
Claims17
A system comprising:
- a tube comprising a tube wall and a channel extended within the tube wall, wherein the tube is configured to move a canister through the channel pneumatically;
- a tube opening within the tube wall;
- and
- a transfer mechanism comprising a shaft, a first transfer arm, a second transfer arm, and a biasing member, each of the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm is pivotably coupled to the shaft, the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm are movable between an open position and a closed position, and the biasing member is configured to bias the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm to the closed position, wherein:
- the transfer mechanism is configured to engage the canister via the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm while in a first transfer position, extend the shaft to position the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm through the tube opening, and rotate about the shaft to change an orientation of the canister from the first transfer position to a second transfer position, and
- the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm are configured such that movement of the canister causes the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm to push against the bias to the open position, thereby permitting the canister to be removed from the transfer mechanism.
A method comprising:
- moving a canister through a tube comprising a tube wall and a channel extending within the tube wall;
- positioning the canister proximate a tube opening within the tube wall;
- engaging the canister with a first transfer arm and a second transfer arm when the canister is at a first position;
- moving the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm through the tube opening to position the canister external to the tube wall;
- rotating the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm to change an orientation of the canister from the first position to a second position;
- and
- removing the canister from the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm.
A system comprising:
- a tube comprising a tube wall and a channel extended within the tube wall, wherein the tube is configured to move a canister through the channel pneumatically;
- a tube opening within the tube wall;
- and
- a transfer mechanism comprising a shaft, a first transfer arm, and a second transfer arm, each of the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm are movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein:
- the transfer mechanism is configured to engage the canister via the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm while in a first transfer position, extend the shaft to position the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm through the tube opening, and rotate about the shaft to change an orientation of the canister from the first transfer position to a second transfer position, and
- the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm are configured such that movement of the canister causes the first transfer arm and the second transfer arm to move from the closed position to the open position, thereby permitting the canister to be removed from the transfer mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.