Refuse collection drone and refuse depot with unloader
AssigneeOshkosh Corporation
InventorsSimon Dean, Jon Honig, Brian Brost, Vince Schad
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refuse collection system includes a refuse collection drone, a depot, and an unloader. The refuse collection drone includes a chassis and a bin selectably coupled with the chassis. The depot includes a container. The unloader includes an implement and a lift assembly. The implement is configured to removably couple with the bin of the refuse collection drone. The lift assembly is configured to raise and lower the implement to empty contents of the bin into the container.
Claims20
A refuse collection system, comprising:
- a refuse collection drone including a chassis and a bin selectably coupled with the chassis;
- a depot including a container;
- and
- an unloader, including:
- an implement configured to removably couple with the bin of the refuse collection drone;
- and
- a lift assembly configured to raise and lower the implement to empty contents of the bin into the container.
A refuse collection system, comprising:
- a refuse collection drone, comprising:
- a chassis;
- and
- a bin defining a first storage volume selectably coupled with the chassis;
- a depot including a container;
- and
- an unloader, including:
- a frame;
- a drive mechanism configured to drive the unloader in a linear direction along the frame
- a grabber assembly configured to releasably couple with the bin of the refuse collection drone;
- a lift mechanism configured to drive the grabber assembly to ascend and descend along a track to lift the bin from the chassis;
- an unhinger apparatus configured to rotate the grabber assembly about a sprocket;
- and
- a chain drive mechanism configured to move the grabber assembly along the track.
A method of controlling a refuse collection drone and a refuse depot, the method comprising:
- transporting a refuse collection drone to a depot;
- autonomously orienting and positioning an interface of a bin of the refuse collection drone with an interface of the depot;
- providing, by a controller of the refuse collection drone, to a controller of the depot, an indication that the refuse collection drone is ready for unloading;
- operating a lock of the refuse collection drone to unlock the bin from a chassis of the refuse collection drone;
- operating an implement of the depot to remove the bin from the refuse collection drone, empty contents of the bin into the depot, and return the bin to the chassis of the refuse collection drone;
- notifying, by the controller of the depot, to the controller of the refuse collection drone, that unloading is complete;
- operating the lock of the refuse collection drone to lock the bin to the chassis of the refuse collection drone;
- and
- dispatching the refuse collection drone to a next customer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.