Systems and methods for deploying a ramp element
AssigneeZoox, Inc.
InventorsRoberto Dlacic, Mehdi Rezaeisaray
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosure describes systems, as well as methods and computer-readable media for deploying a ramp element of a vehicle. A first actuator assembly is provided to releasably couple the ramp element to a first portion of the vehicle and a second actuator assembly is provided to rotate the ramp element around a first axis, arranged at a proximal portion of the ramp element, to move the ramp element from a stowed position to a deployed position.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a ramp element for supporting a wheeled device entering or exiting a vehicle;
- a first actuator assembly operable to releasably couple the ramp element to a first portion of the vehicle, the first actuator assembly operable to linearly actuate a coupling element in a transverse direction relative to a length of the ramp element;
- a second actuator assembly arranged at a second portion of the vehicle and operable to rotate the ramp element around a first axis arranged at a proximal portion of the ramp element;
- one or more processors;
- and
- one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
- receiving a ramp request indicating a request to deploy the ramp element;
- operating, based at least in part on the ramp request, the first actuator assembly to decouple the ramp element from the first portion of the vehicle;
- and
- operating, based at least in part on the ramp request, the second actuator assembly to rotate the ramp element around the first axis to move the ramp element from a stowed position to a deployed position, in which a distal portion of the ramp element rests on the ground.
A method comprising:
- receiving a ramp request indicating a request to deploy a ramp element from a vehicle;
- and
- deploying the ramp element based at least in part on the ramp request, wherein the deploying the ramp element comprises:
- decoupling, by a first actuator assembly, the ramp element from a first portion of the vehicle, the first actuator assembly operable to linearly actuate a coupling element in a transverse direction relative to a length of the ramp element;
- and
- rotating, by a second actuator assembly arranged at a second portion of the vehicle, the ramp element around a first axis to move the ramp element from a stowed position to a deployed position, wherein the first axis is arranged at a proximal portion of the ramp element.
One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by one or more processors, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
- receiving a ramp request indicating a request to deploy a ramp element from a vehicle;
- and
- causing, based at least in part on the ramp request:
- a first actuator assembly to decouple the ramp element from a first portion of the vehicle, the first actuator assembly operable to linearly actuate a coupling element in a transverse direction relative to a length of the ramp element;
- and
- a second actuator assembly arranged at a second portion of the vehicle to rotate the ramp element around a first axis to move the ramp element from a stowed position to a deployed position, wherein the first axis is arranged at a proximal portion of the ramp element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.