System and method for disconnecting appendages from the trailer portion of an autonomous vehicle
AssigneeTORC Robotics, Inc.
InventorsWilliam Gray Davis, Joseph R. Fox-Rabinovitz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An appendage disconnection system for an autonomous vehicle includes a plug coupled to a cable, a sleeve encasing the plug, and a plug position control mechanism. The plug is removably attached to a trailer and the plug is attached to a tractor portion of the autonomous vehicle, the plug moveable between a connected position and a disconnected position. The position control mechanism is housed within a body of the plug and is adapted to impede and enable movement of the plug relative to the sleeve.
Claims17
A system for disconnecting a cable from an autonomous vehicle, wherein the autonomous vehicle is selectively coupled to a trailer, the system comprising:
- a plug located along the cable, the plug being connected to the trailer, the plug having a body and at least one pocket, each at least one pocket being located within the plug body;
- a sleeve encasing the plug, the plug being movable relative to the sleeve between a connected position where the plug is connected to the trailer and a disconnected position where the plug is disconnected from the trailer, the sleeve is slidable relative to the plug, and the sleeve comprises an inner wall and at least one plate;
- and
- a plug position control mechanism mounted with respect to the plug and configured to impede movement of the plug to maintain the plug in the connected position and to enable movement of the plug to the disconnected position,
- wherein each of the at least one plate extends from the inner wall and is located in a corresponding at least one pocket, each of the at least one plate being slidable within the associated pocket.
A disconnecting device comprising:
- a connecting member having a body and at least one pocket, each of the at least one pockets being located along the connecting member body;
- a sleeve encasing the connecting member, the connecting member and sleeve being movable relative to each other, the sleeve comprising an inner wall and at least one plate;
- and
- a position control mechanism mounted with respect to the connecting member and configured to impede relative movement between the sleeve and the connecting member to maintain the connecting member and sleeve in a first relative orientation, and to enable relative movement of the connecting member and sleeve in opposite directions to assume a second orientation,
- wherein each of the at least one plate extends from the inner wall and is located in a corresponding at least one pocket, each of the at least one plate being slidable within the associated pocket.
A method of disconnecting a connecting system from an autonomous vehicle, wherein the autonomous vehicle is selectively coupled to a trailer, where the connecting system includes a plug, the plug having a body and at least one pocket, each at least one pocket being located within the plug body, a sleeve encasing the plug, the plug and sleeve being movable relative to each other, the sleeve is slidable relative to the plug, and the sleeve includes an inner wall and at least one plate, each of the at least one plate extends from the inner wall and is located in a corresponding at least one pocket, each of the at least one plate being slidable within the associated pocket, and a plug position control mechanism mounted with respect to the plug and configured to impede relative movement between the sleeve and the plug to maintain the plug and sleeve in a first relative orientation where the plug is connected to the trailer, and to enable relative movement of the plug and sleeve in opposite directions to assume a second relative orientation where the plug is disconnected from the trailer, the method comprising:
- impeding the relative movement between the sleeve and the plug by the plug position control mechanism to maintain the plug connected to the trailer,
- enabling the relative movement between the sleeve and plug by the plug position control mechanism, and
- moving the sleeve and plug in opposite relative directions to a second relative orientation and thereby disconnect the plug from the trailer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.