Transfer station for transferring containers between unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned ground vehicle
OwnerBrandon Eck, Brett Wagnerinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A transfer station includes a housing defining an inner space, and having a front passage for passage of a UGV and a top passage for passage of a container. One or more funnels are provided at the top passage for guiding the passage of containers therethrough, and an actuator system is provided for, selectively, engaging a container with a UAV suspension system and disengaging a container from a UAV suspension system. Also provided is a transfer system that is inclusive of the transfer station, a UAV, a UGV, and a reusable container; and methods of transferring reusable containers between UAVs and UGVs.
Claims18
A transfer station for transferring containers between an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), the transfer station comprising:
- a housing defining an inner space, the housing comprising a front passage that connects the inner space with an outer environment for the passage of a UGV, and a top passage that connects the inner space with an outer environment for passage of a container;
- an upward funnel within the inner space of the housing, the upward funnel comprising a chute having a lower enlarged inlet and an upper contracted outlet, the upper contracted outlet being dimensioned to communicate with the top passage of the housing for passage of a container;
- a downward funnel supported above the housing, the downward funnel comprising a chute having an upper enlarged inlet and a lower contracted outlet, the lower contracted outlet being dimensioned to communicate with the top passage of the housing for passage of a container;
- an actuator system configured for, selectively, engaging a container with a UAV suspension system and disengaging a container from a UAV suspension system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.