ES2992397A1 - UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEM FOR AUTONOMOUS DELIVERY AND REMOVAL OF PRODUCTS (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Unmanned aerial system for autonomous delivery and collection of products, characterized in that the system is made up of at least three devices: Reusable packaging unit (UDER), a supply device called (KAS) and a device for landing and receiving products and returning empty containers called (KAT), where the loaded (UDER) is transported within the (KAS) to the (KAT), where the user unloads the merchandise and returns the used UDER.

Description

DESCRIPTION

UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEM FOR DELIVERY AND REMOVAL OF PRODUCTS

AUTONOMOUS FORM

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention referred to in this report relates to an unmanned aerial system for the autonomous delivery and collection of products, that is, the system does not require the manipulation of operators or users to perform its function.

The system consists mainly of a reusable packaging unit (UDER), a transport unit (KAS) and a landing device (KAT) for receiving products and returning empty containers.

The system is designed primarily to optimize capillary deliveries to the final recipients of products and goods.

The main advantages provided by the present invention can be summarized as follows:

- Great speed in deliveries.

- Fully automated process between the logistics company and the client.

- Total reduction of disposable packaging.

- Convenience for recipients who do not have to be at home to pick up the product.

- Significant reduction in logistics costs.

- Reduction of up to 50% of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere compared to the current capillary distribution system with combustion engines.

- Possibility of making several deliveries to different recipients in a single drone departure

FIELD OF INVENTION

The field of invention is within the logistics industry, especially the so-called last mile air logistics.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are some isolated and independent precedents on systems that meet some of the parameters of the invention that we advocate.

Among them we have detected as the closest antecedent the publication KR10-2022-0095435 of KOREA MARITIME UNIV IND ACAD published on 07.07.2022.

This publication presents a system for receiving an article delivered by drone and a method thereof. The apparatus for receiving an article delivered by drone comprises a receiving module that receives article transmission information transmitted from a drone or from an electronic device and drone detection means and an extendable receiving module located at a predetermined position to receive the article based on the detected position.

This document does not present a delivery device for items using trays inside a conveyor and another one for the withdrawal of returns.

It also does not have a rotating cylindrical column that can be adjusted in height and extension, all of which is done automatically, which is why we do not consider it to be a very relevant precedent.

Among others we have also detected as the antecedent the invention of the company The SkyLife INC (USA), which in summary comprises "an aerial distribution system for deploying items, comprising a bulk shipping container of a plurality of deployment boxes (4000, 4100) within the bulk shipping container, each deployment box containing at least one item, characterized in that the aerial distribution system comprises at the same time a plurality of ropes (4020), each rope coupled to a deployment box of the bulk shipping container and a free fall delay device coupled to the bulk shipping container, wherein during the delayed free fall each of the plurality of deployment boxes is deployed from the bulk shipping container and deploys at least one item contained within the deployment box.

We consider this file to be a remote antecedent, and none of its developments can be considered as a noteworthy antecedent.

Patent file in China P CN201711255909.

Application date 2017-12-03

Application filed by China Helicopter Research and Development Institute

For "Cargo distribution system and method based on unmanned aerial vehicle”

Abstract: The invention relates to the technical field of application of unmanned aerial vehicles, in particular to a cargo distribution system and a cargo distribution method based on an unmanned aerial vehicle; the delivery system includes: the order generation module is used to generate an order according to the ordering requirement of the user, and the order comprises at least information about the goods and information about the user's address; the goods receiving station is configured to receive goods to be delivered and the unmanned aerial vehicle, which are transported by the unmanned aerial vehicle; the route configuration module is used to select the address of the cargo receiving station nearest to the user's address according to the order information, and then generate delivery route information for the unmanned aerial vehicle; the unmanned aerial vehicle is used to transport the goods to be delivered and fly according to the control order; and the flight control module of the unmanned aerial vehicle is used to send a control instruction to control the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly according to the delivery route information. The cargo distribution system and the distribution method based on the unmanned aerial vehicle have the advantages that the cargo distribution efficiency is higher, the distribution cost is lower, and the timeliness of distribution can be guaranteed.

This file refers to a general distribution system but at no point does it provide the direct elements of logistics that the advocated invention provides.

The inventor is not aware of any prior work that incorporates the provisions presented in the current invention, nor the advantages that such provisions entail.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The claimed system is designed primarily to optimize capillary deliveries to the final recipients of the products and goods and, on the other hand, to drastically reduce the disposable packaging waste in the current process (cardboard boxes and cases, shrink-wrapping, wrapping paper, etc.)

The main objectives and advantages are the following:

- Great speed in deliveries,

- Fully automated process between the logistics company and the client, - Total reduction of disposable packaging,

- Convenience for recipients not having to be at home to pick up the product,

- Significant reduction in logistics costs.

Components: The system consists mainly of a reusable packaging unit (UDER), an aerial supply device (KAS) and a landing device (KAT) for receiving products and returning empty containers.

Applicability: The system can be applied to all types of products, some of which are mentioned: E-commerce purchases,

Purchases of all types of food (à la carte menus, pizzas, hamburgers, etc.) Purchases of medicines, pharmaceutical products in general, herbalists, etc.

Delivery of heavier industrial components between companies.

Operation: The operation of the system is designed to be as easy as possible for all operators involved in the process.

For purchases of lower volume and weight per unit, a reusable packaging unit (KAS) has been designed that allows for several deliveries of products (and their corresponding collections of empty UDER'S) to different destinations without the need for the aerial device to return to base to collect each time; exponentially increasing the delivery time of the products to each destination from the moment the order is placed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the invention, a sheet of drawings is attached in which the following figures can be seen:

FIGURE 1.- Perspective view of the reusable packaging unit (RPU)

FIGURE 2.

Central section view of the reusable packaging unit (RPU)

FIGURE 3.-Front sectional view of the supply device (KAS).

FIGURE 4.-Perspective view of the landing device (KAT) for receiving products and returning empty containers.

FIGURE 5.-Sectional view of the product collection basket of the horizontal arm

And in these figures, identical elements are named with the same reference, among which we distinguish:

(10) .- plastic body of the (UDER),

(11) .- cover of the (UDER),

(12) .- elastic fabric of the (UDER)

(13) .- lower metal piece of the (UDER),

(14) .- central hole of the (UDER)

(20) .- ovoid main body of the aerial supply device (KAS),

(21) .- filling gap closing gate,

(22) .- hole for filling UDER,

(23) .- Closing gate of the horizontal arm entrance,

(24) .- horizontal arm inlet gap,

(25) .- fixed basket to receive empty UDER,

(26) .- fixing wall of the (KAS)

(27) .- support for air transport,

(28) .- trays for supporting reusable packaging units (UDER),

(29) .- retainers of the deposited UDER,

(30) .- horizontal arm gate,

(31) .- empty reusable container reception space,

(32) .- coded signal transmitter

(40) .- landing device fixing bracket (KAT),

(41) .- mechanism support,

(42) .- axis of rotation,

(43) .- linear actuator support,

(44) .- linear actuator,

(45) .- horizontal arm,

(46) .- access gate to the mobile basket,

(47) .- empty UDER compartment,

(48) .- sliding rails of the goods receiving basket

(49) .- empty UDER tank electric actuator,

(50) .- electric actuator for rotating the sliding arm,

(51) .- vertical sliding rail of the sliding arm,

(52) .- telescopic linear actuator,

(53) .- electric motor for sliding the linear actuator,

(54).- geolocatable sensor,

(55) .- photovoltaic plate,

(56) .- Control and communications CPU with touch screen for device control, (57) .- Sliding arm support,

(58) .- fixed braces for holding the horizontal arm,

(59) .- goods reception space.

(60) .- lower loading gate for empty UDERs

(61) .- mobile basket for receiving and delivering goods,

(62) .- magnetizable metal part of the merchandise receiving basket,

(63) .- elastic fabric of the goods receiving basket,

(64) .- sliding rails of the goods receiving basket,

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The invention described herein relates to a system for distributing goods by unmanned aerial means for the autonomous delivery and collection of products, that is, the system does not require the manipulation of operators or users to perform its function.

The system is designed primarily to optimize capillary deliveries to the final recipients of products and goods.

In a preferred embodiment the system is made up of at least three devices.

- “Reusable packaging unit” (UDER),

- a supply device called (KAS) and

- a landing device (KAT) for receiving products and returning empty containers.

- The reusable packaging unit (UDER) is made up of the following elements: Plastic body (10), base of a container for transporting products in the form of a rectangular straight parallelepiped with a rectangular central hollow (14), hollow that covers an elastic fabric (12) in its centre, in whose base and on its external part a metal piece (13) is installed, presenting an upper cover (11) for closing it.

- Supply device (KAS) consisting of an ovoid prismatic piece (20) containing the following elements:

Inside it, there are at least three spaces, the filling space (22), the horizontal arm inlet space (45) and the space for receiving empty reusable packaging units (31). These first two spaces are closed by two automatic gates, the filling space closing gate (21), the horizontal arm inlet space (23), the third space being blind to the outside.

Also in its inner part there are several horizontal trays (28) for supporting the (UDER), which have at their ends two retainers (29) to retain/release the (UDER) and at the bottom a fixed basket (25) to receive the empty (UDER) that will be placed by means of the electromagnet (62) and the metal piece (13) located at the bottom of the (UDER.)

The unit also features a coded signal emitter (32).

- The landing device (KAT) for receiving products and returning empty containers is made up of two elements, a fixed part attached to a wall (26) and a mobile part attached to the former.

The fixed part is made up of a fixing support (40) formed by a rigid rectangular plate attached to an exterior wall (26) next to a window but somewhat higher with two perpendicular lugs at its ends (40') (40") and, therefore, perpendicular to the wall; between which is located a mechanism support cylinder (41) held by a rotation axis (42) to both lugs and where in the upper part of the mechanism support (41) there is a perpendicular support (57) that with several fixed braces (58) attached to the horizontal arm (45) and on the lower part there is a motorized electric actuator (50) that rotates the horizontal arm (45) and on the support (43) there is a motor (53) for vertical movement on the rail (51) located along the support (41), and on the lower part of said mechanism support (41) the linear actuator support (43) is fixed that supports the linear actuator (44) with its telescopic (52) together with the braces (58) and the upper part is located the electric motor for turning the linear actuator (44).

The linear actuator (44) and the tie rods (58) support and maintain the perpendicularity of the horizontal arm (45) consisting of an ovoid cylindrical body where in its upper part a photovoltaic plate (55) can be seen in order to supply the movement motors in case of a usual power shortage and a folding gate (46) that covers the entrance of the goods receiving space (47) that contains the goods receiving basket (61) and the empty UDER collection device consisting of the empty UDER compartment (47) where the empty UDER holding arms and the goods receiving basket sliding rails (48) and the lower gate (60) for positioning the empty UDER are located.

The goods receiving basket (61) is a prismatic receptacle, open at the top with two sliding rails (64) at the top of the opposite side walls, an elastic fabric (63) that covers the entire upper part and is where the shipments will be deposited and a magnetic metal plate (62) covering its lower part on the outside of the basket.

For the automatic control of all operations, the system has a geolocalizable sensor (54) and a control and communications CPU (56) with a touch screen.

The way the system operates is summarized in the following operations:

a- Firstly, it is necessary to place the landing device (KAT) for receiving products and returning empty containers in its workplace, that is, attached to an exterior wall (26), next to a window but somewhat higher so that the operations are carried out without risk for the user and the electronic system will be configured for remote communication with the aerial equipment and with the recipient. To do this, the plate (40) will be fixed.

b- Once the (KAT) is located, the (UDER) can be filled with the products for delivery.

c- The filled (UDER) will be placed on the support trays (28) of the (KAS) and will be fixed by means of the retainers (29).

d- As the (KAS) approaches the (KAT), the coded signal transmitter (32) of the (KAS) will send the signal to the (KAT) for the deployment of the horizontal arm (45) itself.

e- The (KAS) will be positioned and blocked in front of the (KAT) with zero speed and at the programmed distance helped by the geolocation sensor (54).

f- In this position, the gate (23) of the (KAS) will be opened to allow the horizontal arm (45) of the (KAT) to enter through it.

g- In this position the upper (46) and front (30) gate of the (KAT) will open. h- At this moment the goods receiving basket (61) will slide along the sliding rails (64) until reaching the predetermined position.

i- The discharge of the full (UDER) will be carried out by gravity by opening the retainers (29) to the goods reception basket (61).

j- The discharge of the empty (UDER) from the horizontal arm (45) will be carried out by gravity and cutting the action of the magnetic plate (62) falling on the reception gap (31) of the (KAS), the mobile basket is collected and introduced into the horizontal arm (45) of the (KAT), the outer gate (46) is closed and the (KAS) of the (KAT) is unlocked.

k- Once the product unloading and empty (UDER) loading operation is completed, the (KAS) is removed horizontally in a fully automatic programmed manner to the zero position where a new programmed journey of the (KAS) begins. l- Once the (KAS) is removed, the horizontal arm (45) is folded down 90° to its initial position.

m- At this point, the control and communications CPU system (56) notifies the recipient of receipt of the merchandise.

n- When the recipient arrives at the place where the (KAT) is located, he activates the extension and lowering along the rail (51) of the horizontal arm (45), opens the gate (46) of the same, extracts the full (UDER), empties it and closes it.

o- The next step is to place the empty (UDER), which is done by opening the lower gate (60) of the horizontal arm (45) and reversing the (UDER) placing it against the magnetic plate (62) of the basket (61).

Having sufficiently described the nature of the invention, as well as the manner of putting it into practice, it must be noted that the provisions indicated above and represented in the attached drawings are susceptible to modifications as long as they do not alter their fundamental principles, established in the previous paragraphs and summarized in the following claims.

Claims (1)

1a.- Unmanned aerial system for the autonomous delivery and collection of products, characterized in that the system is made up of at least three devices: a reusable packaging unit (UDER), a supply device called (KAS) and a landing device called (KAT) for receiving products and returning empty containers, and where the reusable packaging unit (UDER) is made up of a plastic body (10), in the form of a rectangular straight parallelepiped with a rectangular central hole (14), covered by an elastic fabric (12) in its center, in whose base and on its external part a metal piece (13) is installed, presenting an upper cover (11) for closing it and where the supply device (KAS) is made up of an ovoid prismatic piece (20) that contains three holes inside, the filling hole (22), the horizontal arm inlet hole (24) and the hole for receiving empty reusable packaging units (31), these first two holes being closed by two automatic gates, the gate for closing the filling gap (21), the gate for entering the horizontal arm (23), the third gap being blind to the outside, and also having on its inside several horizontal trays (28) for supporting the (UDER), which have at their ends separate retainers (29) and at the bottom a fixed basket (25) to receive the empty (UDER), the unit having a coded signal transmitter (32); and where the landing device (KAT) for receiving products and returning empty containers is made up of two elements, a fixed part attached to a wall (26) and a mobile part attached to the former, the fixed part being made up of a fixing support (40) formed by a rigid rectangular plate (41) attached to a lateral exterior wall (26), with two perpendicular lugs at its ends (40') (40") and, therefore, perpendicular to the wall; between which is located a mechanism support cylinder (41) attached by means of a rotation axis (42) to both lugs and where in the upper part of the mechanism support (41) there is a perpendicular support (57) that supports several fixed braces (58) fixed to the horizontal arm (45) and at the bottom there is a motorized electric actuator (50) that rotates the horizontal arm (45) while the vertical movement of the horizontal arm is carried out by the motor (53) along a vertical rail (51) located along the support (41), and at the bottom of said mechanism support (41) the linear actuator support (43) is fixed, which supports the linear actuator (44) with its telescopic (52) and at the top is the electric motor for turning the linear actuator (44) which together with the telescopic of the sliding arm (52) support and maintain the perpendicularity of the horizontal arm (45) consisting of an ovoid cylindrical body where in its upper part a photovoltaic plate (55) can be seen, a folding gate (46) that covers the entrance of the goods reception space (59) that contains the goods reception basket (61) and the empty UDER collection device consisting of the empty UDER compartment (47) where the retainers (29) of the empty UDER (47) and the lower gate (60) for positioning the empty UDER are located, the goods reception basket being (61) consisting of a prismatic receptacle, open at the top with two sliding rails (64) at the top of the opposite side walls, an elastic fabric (63) that covers the entire upper part and a magnetic metal plate (62) covering its lower part on the outside of the basket, the system having a geolocable sensor (54) and a control and communications CPU (56) with a touch screen. 2a.- Unmanned aerial system for autonomous delivery and collection of products, characterized in that the system's operating procedure is as follows: - Firstly, the landing device (KAT) for receiving products and returning empty containers is placed in its workplace attached to an exterior wall (26), next to a window but somewhat higher so that the operations are carried out without risk for the user and the electronic system will be configured for remote communication with the aerial equipment and with the recipient. To do this, the plate (40) where the (KAT) is fixed will be fixed, proceeding to fill the (UDER), with the products for delivery, which once filled will be placed on the support trays (28) of the (KAS) and will be fixed by means of the retainers (29) proceeding then as the (KAS) approaches the (KAT), the coded signal transmitter (32) of the (KAS) will send the signal to the (KAT) for the deployment of the horizontal arm (45) of the same, leaving the (KAS) positioned in front of the (KAT) with zero speed and at the programmed distance helped by the geolocalizable sensor (54) and in this position the gate (23) of the (KAS) will be opened for the entry through it of the horizontal arm (45) of the (KAT), proceeding from this position to open the upper gate (46) and front (30) of the (KAT), starting at this moment to slide the basket of reception of goods (61) by the sliding rails (64) until reaching the predetermined position, unloading the (UDER) by gravity by opening the retainers (29) to the goods reception basket (61) and once the (UDER) is unloaded, to place it inside (KAS) in the gap (31), already empty, it will be done prior to opening the lower gate (60) and cutting off the action of the magnetic plate (62) falling on the reception gap (31) of the (KAS) and where once the operation of unloading the product and loading the empty (UDER) is finished, the mobile basket (61) is collected and introduced into the horizontal arm (45), the outer gate (46) of the horizontal arm (45) is closed and the (KAS) is removed horizontally in a fully automatic programmed manner until the zero position where a new programmed journey begins for the (KAS).