Mechanical arm for loading and unloading boxes

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a robotic arm for loading and unloading bins. A vehicle for delivering a plurality of packages disposed in a plurality of bins is described. The vehicle includes a grid of a plurality of motorized modules configured to enable a plurality of bins to move within the vehicle. The vehicle also includes a robotic arm disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle. The robotic arm may be configured to load or unload a bin to or from a grid of a plurality of motorized modules. The robotic arm may be attached to a linear actuator configured to move the robotic arm in a vehicle interior portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a robot arm for loading and unloading boxes, and more particularly to a robot arm disposed at the rear of a vehicle and configured to load / unload boxes to / from the vehicle. Background Art

[0002] As Internet-based commerce continues to grow, package delivery is increasingly used to deliver goods to customers. However, the rapid growth also brings challenges to supply chain operations. E-commerce companies and their delivery partners deliver an increasing number of packages every day while reducing resource consumption (e.g., labor, fuel consumption, etc.).

[0003] Various methods currently used to optimize the delivery volume and standard delivery time of packages include the use of intelligent routing and intelligent vehicle allocation. For example, some conventional delivery partners may aggregate the delivery of packages with unrelated shipments with similar destination addresses (e.g., addresses in the same community). In other aspects, conventional systems may use a single delivery vehicle to deliver these packages.

[0004] Another conventional method includes sorting and loading packages into delivery vehicles in a preset order based on a delivery route to improve the efficiency of package delivery.

[0005] While the conventional methods mentioned above can produce delivery efficiencies, they cannot alleviate all delivery-related challenges faced by e-commerce companies and delivery partners. For example, unloading packages from delivery vehicles for last-mile delivery remains a manual and time-consuming process. Even if packages are loaded into a delivery vehicle in a preset order, unloading can take a significant amount of time, especially if the delivery vehicle is large and carries many packages. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present disclosure describes a delivery vehicle configured to deliver a plurality of packages disposed in a plurality of boxes. The vehicle may include a robotic arm that may be located at the rear of the vehicle and may facilitate loading / unloading of boxes (having delivery packages stored therein) onto / from the vehicle. The robotic arm may be coupled to a vertical linear actuator that may be disposed at the rear of the vehicle. The vertical linear actuator may be configured to move the robotic arm vertically upward or downward along the height of a side wall of the vehicle. The robotic arm may include an end effector that may be configured to engage with the box and move the box within an interior portion of the vehicle. In some aspects, the robotic arm may exhibit seven degrees of freedom of movement.

[0007] The vehicle may also include a grid of multiple motorized tiles on which the multiple boxes may be placed. The multiple motorized tiles may facilitate movement of the boxes on the grid. Specifically, each module may include rollers that may be configured to rotate in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to move the boxes placed on the module. In addition, each module may include a module door on each module edge. The module door may be configured to open or close to facilitate or prevent movement of the boxes on the module.

[0008] The vehicle may further include a loading / unloading management system ("system") that may be configured to manage box loading / unloading operations in the vehicle. The system may be configured to generate instructions for the robotic arm, the vertical linear actuator, and / or the plurality of motorized modules to facilitate the box loading / unloading operations.

[0009] For example, when it may be necessary to move a box on the module, the system may generate instructions for one or more modules to control the movement of the rollers and / or module doors. The system may also generate instructions to cause a robotic arm to engage with a box (to be loaded / unloaded) and enable the robotic arm to slide the box on the module. In some aspects, the system may first transmit instructions to the robotic arm to engage the robotic arm with the box, and then transmit instructions to the module to open the module door. In response to the module door being opened, the system may transmit instructions to the robotic arm to slide the box on the module to load or unload the box.

[0010] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle that can facilitate loading and unloading of boxes in the vehicle by using a robotic arm and a motorized module. The robotic arm can load / unload boxes of any size and dimension, thereby enhancing ease of use. In addition, the robotic arm can be configured to reach the farthest column and / or row of a grid of motorized modules to unload boxes from any location in the vehicle. For example, the robotic arm can cover the entire length of the vehicle using the vertical linear actuator.

[0011] These and other advantages of the present disclosure are provided in detail herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and / or components other than those shown in the accompanying drawings, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. The elements and / or components in the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, singular terms and plural terms may be used interchangeably, depending on the context.

[0013] Figure 1Depicted are exemplary delivery vehicles in which techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented.

[0014] Figure 2 The present disclosure shows Figure 1 An exemplary inventory management system associated with a delivery vehicle.

[0015] Figure 3 A block diagram of an exemplary delivery vehicle according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0016] Figure 4 Depicted are diagrams of an exemplary box unloading operation in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 5 Another view of an exemplary box unloading operation according to the present disclosure is depicted.

[0018] Figure 6 Depicted is a flow chart of an exemplary method for facilitating loading / unloading operations according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the disclosure are shown and which are not intended to be limiting.

[0020] Figure 1 An exemplary delivery vehicle 100 in which techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented is depicted. The delivery vehicle 100 may be, but is not limited to, a truck, a van (including a walk-in van), a truck trailer, etc. In some aspects, the delivery vehicle 100 may be an autonomous vehicle. In other aspects, a driver / operator (not shown) may operate the delivery vehicle 100.

[0021] The delivery vehicle 100 may include a plurality of motorized modules 102a, 102b, 102c (collectively referred to as a plurality of motorized modules 102). The plurality of motorized modules 102 may be positioned in a grid or grid stack (one above the other) to form a planar and / or stacked array of rows and columns of motorized modules 102. The grid (or array) size and the number of stacks may vary based on the vehicle size and / or vehicle type. In some aspects, the shape of each motorized module 102 may be square, rectangular, or another shape that takes full advantage of the vehicle cargo area. The details of the plurality of motorized modules 102 will be described below in conjunction with Figure 2 Give a description.

[0022] The delivery vehicle 100 may also include a plurality of boxes 104a, 104b (collectively referred to as a plurality of boxes 104) placed above the plurality of motorized modules 102. Each box 104 may take any shape or configuration, such as, for example, being configured to receive a delivery package ( Figure 1 A square or rectangular box for a delivery package (not shown).

[0023] The plurality of boxes 104 may be loaded onto the plurality of motorized modules 102 (and thus onto the delivery vehicle 100) in a preset order according to the delivery order of the delivery packages contained in each box 104. Specifically, the plurality of boxes 104 may be loaded based on a delivery schedule for each delivery package to prevent unnecessary rearrangement during transportation. For example, the delivery package to be delivered first may be placed near the vehicle exit point, and the package to be delivered last may be placed away from the vehicle exit point.

[0024] Similarly, delivery packages can also be loaded into multiple boxes 104 based on the package delivery schedule. In addition, delivery packages can be loaded into multiple boxes 104 based on package size, dimensions, shape and weight to optimize the use of the box.

[0025] In some aspects, plurality of motorized modules 102 may be configured to enable movement of a box within delivery vehicle 100 .

[0026] The delivery vehicle 100 may also include a robotic arm 106 that may be disposed at the rear of the vehicle. The robotic arm 106 may be configured to load or unload the plurality of boxes 104 to / from the delivery vehicle 100 (e.g., to / from the plurality of motorized modules 102). In an exemplary aspect, the robotic arm 106 may include a plurality of connectors (including Figure 1 A plurality of movable elements (e.g., shoulders, elbows, and wrists) are connected to each other by joints 1-6 (shown in FIG. 108 ), wherein the one or more joints define one or more degrees of freedom of movement of each movable element. Figure 1 In the exemplary aspects depicted in FIG. 1 , the plurality of movable elements may exhibit six degrees of freedom of movement. Figure 1 And in other aspects (not shown), the robotic arm 106 may include more or fewer joints, and thus may exhibit more or fewer degrees of freedom of movement.

[0027] In some aspects, the movable element may include an end effector 110, which may be configured to engage with the plurality of boxes 104 to load or unload the plurality of boxes 104. The end effector 110 may include a gripper (e.g., a pneumatic gripper or a suction cup) which may be configured to engage with (e.g., grip / hold) the plurality of boxes 104 by generating negative pressure. The present disclosure is not limited to Figure 1 The type of gripper depicted in FIG, and if other types of grippers are used in the robot 106, the robot 106 can operate equally efficiently.

[0028] The end effector 110 may have any shape and size, depending on the item (e.g., box 104) to be gripped by the end effector 110. For example, the end effector 110 may include a plurality of fingers 112 (e.g., four fingers that may be arranged at 90 degrees relative to each other, as depicted in view 108), and each finger 112 may include a plurality of suction cups 114, such as Figure 1 In some aspects, the end effector 110 can include a central portion 116, and each finger 112 can be connected to the central portion 116. In other aspects, the central portion 116 can include additional suction cups to better grip the item / box.

[0029] In some aspects, the robot arm 106 may include a robot arm proximal end and a robot arm distal end. The end effector 110 may be disposed at the robot arm distal end. The robot arm proximal end may be attached to a vertical linear actuator 118. In other words, the robot arm 106 may be coupled to the vertical linear actuator 118 via the robot arm proximal end. The vertical linear actuator 118 may be disposed at the rear of the vehicle and may be configured to move the robot arm 106 vertically up or down along the height of the vehicle. Specifically, the vertical linear actuator 118 may be disposed near a side wall of the vehicle (e.g., Figure 1 ), and can be configured to move the robotic arm 106 along the height of the sidewall.

[0030] In some aspects, the vertical linear actuator 118 can include a linear guide 120 and a wheel plate 122 that can be connected to the proximal end of the robotic arm. The wheel plate 122 can be configured to move vertically on the linear guide 120, thereby moving the robotic arm 106 vertically in the interior portion of the vehicle. In other aspects, the vertical linear actuator 118 can be any type of actuator, including but not limited to a mechanical or electromechanical actuator, a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, a piezoelectric actuator, etc.

[0031] Delivery vehicle 100 may also include a loading / unloading management system (in Figure 3 100), which may be configured to manage the loading or unloading of boxes into or from the delivery vehicle 100. Specifically, the loading / unloading management system (or system) may be configured to control the operation of the robotic arm 106 and the plurality of motorized modules 102 to autonomously perform box loading or unloading. Figure 3 Can understand the details of system operation.

[0032] Although the present disclosure describes the use of a single robotic arm, the delivery vehicle 100 may include multiple robotic arms without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the delivery vehicle 100 may include two robotic arms that may be located on two opposing vehicle side walls. In some aspects, the two robotic arms can perform box loading or unloading operations without interfering with each other's movement. In addition, although the present disclosure describes the use of a vertical linear actuator 118, the delivery vehicle 100 may additionally or alternatively include a horizontal linear actuator to move the robotic arm horizontally in the interior portion of the vehicle. In some aspects, the horizontal linear actuator may be disposed near the vehicle floor.

[0033] The delivery vehicle 100 implements and / or performs operations as described herein in the present disclosure in accordance with the vehicle owner's manual and safety guidelines.

[0034] Figure 2 An exemplary inventory management system 200 associated with a delivery vehicle 100 according to the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2 A bed / grid of multiple motorized modules 202 is shown, as well as multiple boxes 204 disposed proximate to and / or positioned on the multiple motorized modules 202. The multiple motorized modules 202 may be the same as the multiple motorized modules 102, and the multiple boxes 204 may be the same as the multiple boxes 104. As described above, the multiple motorized modules 202 may be configured to move and / or reposition the multiple boxes 204 throughout the delivery vehicle 100.

[0035] Each motorized module 202 may include a plurality of wheels or rollers 206 and a plurality of module doors 208, such as Figure 2 210. In some aspects, each motorized module 202 may include four rollers 206 configured to move the box 204 on the motorized module 202 when the box 204 may be placed on the motorized module 202. The plurality of rollers 206 may be configured to rotate in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to move the box 204 on the motorized module 202. In other aspects, each motorized module 202 may include eight module doors 208. In an exemplary aspect, two module doors may be provided on each module side / edge. The module door 208 may be configured to open or close to facilitate or prevent the box from moving on the module. In some aspects, the module door 208 may be configured to slide horizontally (e.g., laterally) along the module edge to facilitate or prevent the box from moving. For example, the module door on the first module edge may move toward the first module edge corner to facilitate the box to move through the first module edge, and the module door on the first module edge may move toward the middle portion of the first module edge to prevent the box from moving through the first module edge.

[0036] In some aspects, the plurality of rollers 206 and the plurality of module doors 208 can be coupled to one or more module actuators ( Figure 2 204). The module actuator may actuate a portion or all of the plurality of rollers 206 and the plurality of module doors 208 to enable movement of the box on the grid of the plurality of motorized modules 202 (e.g., based on a delivery schedule for the packages loaded in the plurality of boxes 204). For example, if a package is to be delivered at the next delivery station, the module actuator may only actuate the rollers / module doors, which may cause the box 212 containing the package to be moved or assisted in moving from its current position 214 to an exit point (or destination location 216) on the grid of motorized modules 202. The destination location 216 may be, for example, a point on the grid, a vehicle operator, or a drone ( Figure 2 ) the package can be easily picked up from this point with minimal effort.

[0037] In some aspects, the module actuator can be and / or include one or more servo motors that can be configured to engage from above. Figure 1 Briefly describe and combine below Figure 3 The loading / unloading management system described in detail receives an actuation signal. Specifically, the loading / unloading management system can provide a first actuation signal to a first module actuator (i.e., supply voltage with a first polarity) to rotate a roller (e.g., roller 206) in a first / clockwise direction. Similarly, the loading / unloading management system can provide a second actuation signal to a second module actuator (i.e., supply voltage with a second polarity) to rotate the roller 206 connected to the second module actuator in a second / counterclockwise direction. In this way, by changing the voltage polarity, the loading / unloading management system can achieve movement of the roller in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, thereby achieving movement of the box within the delivery vehicle 100 or on a grid of multiple motorized modules 202. Similarly, the loading / unloading management system can provide instructions to the module actuator to open or close the module door 208.

[0038] As an example, the load / unload management system may send a signal to one or more module actuators to move a particular box (e.g., box 212 containing a package) from its current location 214 to a destination location 216 within the grid. Based on the received signal, the module actuator may operate the corresponding roller / module door to enable the box to move from the current location 214 to the destination location 216.

[0039] In further aspects, a grid of multiple motorized modules 202 can be mounted on a base 218. In some aspects, the base 218 can be constructed of a metal such as iron, steel, aluminum, or a combination thereof, and can be coupled to a module actuator such that the module actuator can provide for repositioning of packages and boxes in two or three axes.

[0040] Figure 3FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary delivery vehicle 300 according to the present disclosure. The delivery vehicle 300 may be the same as the delivery vehicle 100 described above. Figures 4 to 5 To explain Figure 3 . Figure 4 and Figure 5 Depicted are diagrams of an exemplary box unloading operation in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0041] The delivery vehicle 300 may include a loading / unloading management system 302 (hereinafter referred to as system 302 ), which may be configured to manage the loading or unloading of boxes in the delivery vehicle 300 .

[0042] The system 302 may include a plurality of components, including but not limited to a transceiver 304, a processor 306, and a memory 308 that are communicatively coupled to each other. The transceiver 304 may be configured to exchange information / data / signals with an external device or vehicle component (such as the robotic arm 106). The memory 308 may store programs and / or store data in code form for performing various system operations according to the present disclosure. Specifically, the processor 306 may be configured and / or programmed to execute computer executable instructions stored in the memory 308 for performing various system functions according to the present disclosure. Therefore, the memory 308 may be used to store code and / or data code and / or data for performing operations according to the present disclosure.

[0043] In some aspects, the processor 306 can be configured to communicate with one or more memory devices (e.g., the memory 308 and / or one or more external databases ( Figure 3 The memory 308 may include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), etc.), and may include any one or more non-volatile memory elements (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), etc.).

[0044] The memory 308 may be an example of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or memory and may be used to store programs and / or store data in code form for performing various operations according to the present disclosure. The instructions in the memory 308 may include one or more separate programs, each of which may include an ordered list of computer-executable instructions for implementing logical functions.

[0045] In some aspects, the memory 308 can store a plurality of information / data sets in one or more databases. Examples of such databases include, but are not limited to, an inventory database 310, a delivery schedule database 312, and the like.

[0046] The inventory database 310 may be configured to store information associated with the inventory loaded in the delivery vehicle 300. The information associated with the inventory (e.g., real-time information) may include, for example, package size / dimensions associated with each delivery package in the delivery vehicle 300, package weight, package shape, etc. The information may also include the size of the boxes in which the packages may be placed (e.g., a plurality of boxes 204) and the mapping of the plurality of packages to the plurality of boxes 204 (e.g., which package is placed in which box), etc. In addition, the information may include the mapping of the plurality of boxes 204 and the plurality of motorized modules 202 (e.g., the position of each box 204 on the plurality of motorized modules 202).

[0047] The delivery schedule database 312 may include information associated with the delivery of packages (e.g., inventory) loaded in the delivery vehicle 300. For example, the delivery information may include delivery routes, package delivery order, delivery date and time, customer information (such as contact information, delivery address, etc.), etc.

[0048] The delivery vehicle 300 may also include a robotic arm 106, a plurality of motorized modules 102, and a vertical linear actuator 118, as described above in conjunction with Figure 1 The plurality of motorized modules 102 may include rollers 206 and module doors 208, as described above in conjunction with Figure 2 as described.

[0049] The robotic arm 106 may include multiple components, including but not limited to a controller 314, multiple movable elements and an end effector 316 (the end effector may be the same as the end effector 110 described above), one or more sensors 318, one or more actuators 320, etc. The controller 314 may be configured to control the movement of the multiple movable elements and the end effector 110 to achieve box loading and unloading. For example, the controller 314 may be configured to control the 3-dimensional (3D) movement of the multiple movable elements so that the robotic arm 106 reaches any position in the delivery vehicle 300 to unload a box (e.g., box 204). In some aspects, the controller 314 may be configured to obtain instructions from the processor 306, and may control the robotic arm 106 to perform a loading or unloading operation based on the instructions obtained. In some aspects, the instructions may include information associated with the box 204 to be loaded / unloaded, which in turn may include a source location and a destination location associated with the box 204 and a predetermined path for loading or unloading the box 204 on a grid of multiple motorized modules 202.

[0050] As described above, the movable elements (e.g., shoulders, elbows, and wrists) may be connected via one or more joints (e.g., Figure 1108 of the drawings, the one or more joints 1-6 are coupled to each other, the one or more joints defining one or more degrees of freedom of movement of each movable element. The movable element may be attached to an end effector, such as end effector 110, to engage with the bin 204 to load or unload the bin 204. The end effector 110 may be configured to receive instructions from the controller 314 and may engage with the bin 204 based on the received instructions. In some aspects, the end effector 110 may be configured to modify the holding force to hold different types of objects or bins of different shapes, sizes, and / or weights.

[0051] In some aspects, the sensors 318 may include one or more proximity sensors, door sensors, radio detection and ranging (radar) sensors, etc. The sensors 318 may be configured to detect obstacles / objects near the robotic arm 106 (e.g., to prevent interference with another robotic arm or a vehicle rear door / door). The controller 314 may be configured to obtain input from the sensors 318 and may control the robotic arm operation based on the input obtained from the sensors 318. For example, the controller 314 may pause the robotic arm movement when the vehicle rear door may be open (as determined by using the input obtained from the sensors 318).

[0052] The driver 320 may include components including motors for controlling the movement and manipulation of the joints 1 - 6 . The driver 320 may be configured to control the movement and manipulation between the joints 1 - 6 based on instructions received from the controller 314 .

[0053] In some aspects, the robotic arm 106 (e.g., robotic arm components) can be powered by an electrical system that can be separate from the vehicle electrical system. For example, the robotic arm 106 can be powered by an electrical system that can be disposed on the side wall of the delivery vehicle or below / under the motorized module 202.

[0054] Processor 306 may be configured to facilitate loading / unloading operations to / from delivery vehicle 300. Specifically, processor 306 may be configured to control operation of robotic arm 106 (via controller 314), plurality of motorized modules 202, and / or vertical linear actuator 118 to achieve efficient loading / unloading operations.

[0055] In operation, processor 306 may obtain information from inventory database 310 and delivery schedule database 312 (e.g., to perform unloading operations). In response to obtaining the information, processor 306 may determine a package (e.g., a target package) that may be scheduled for delivery at the next delivery location in the delivery route. The processor may then identify a box (e.g., such as a delivery location) that may include the determined target package based on the obtained information. Figure 4The target box 402 shown in FIG. 4 and the current and destination locations associated with the target box on the plurality of motorized modules 202 are shown in FIG. 4 . In some aspects, the processor 306 can obtain a mapping of packages to boxes from the inventory database 310 and can determine the current location of the target box based on the mapping. The destination location can be, for example, near a vehicle exit door or a vehicle pickup door, from which a vehicle operator or drone can conveniently pick up the target package from the target box 402.

[0056] In response to determining the target box 402, its current location, and the destination location, the processor 306 can obtain a movement plan (e.g., a pre-calculated path) to move the target box 402 from its current location to the destination location. The path can be pre-stored in the memory 308, and the processor 306 can obtain the path from the memory 308.

[0057] In response to obtaining the movement plan / pre-calculated path, the processor 306 may generate instructions for causing the robotic arm 106, the plurality of motorized modules 102, and / or the vertical linear actuator 118 to perform an unloading operation. For example, the processor 306 may generate a first instruction for the robotic arm 106, a second instruction for the plurality of motorized modules 102, and a third instruction for the vertical linear actuator 118 to efficiently perform the unloading operation. In some aspects, the processor 306 may generate the above instructions based on the obtained movement plan. In response to generating the instructions, the processor 306 may transmit the corresponding instructions to the robotic arm 106, the plurality of motorized modules 102, and / or the vertical linear actuator 118.

[0058] In some aspects, the first instruction transmitted to the robotic arm 106 may include an engagement instruction to engage with the target bin 402. In some aspects, the processor 306 may transmit the engagement instruction to the controller 314 (e.g., via the transceiver 304). The controller 314 may receive the engagement instruction and may control the 3D movement of the robotic arm 106 by controlling the movable element and may control the end effector 110 to engage with the target bin 402. In some aspects, the first instruction may include a current position associated with the target bin 402 and a predetermined path on the grid of the motorized module 202 for reaching the target bin 402. Figure 4 The engaged position of the robot arm 106 and the target box 402 is depicted in FIG.

[0059] In further aspects, the processor 306 may transmit a third instruction to the vertical linear actuator 118 to facilitate the robotic arm 106 to reach the source location where the target bin 402 may be disposed on the grid of the motorized module 202. The vertical linear actuator 118 may receive the third instruction and may vertically move the robotic arm proximal end by moving the wheel plate 122 on the linear guide 120. In some aspects, when the processor 306 determines that the robotic arm 106 may obstruct any other operation inside the delivery vehicle 300, the processor 306 may transmit the third instruction to the vertical linear actuator 118 to move the robotic arm 106 upward or downward.

[0060] In another aspect, the processor 306 can transmit a second instruction to one or more of the plurality of motorized modules 102 for opening or closing a module door associated with the motorized module to enable unloading of the target bin. Specifically, when the robotic arm 106 can engage with the target bin 402, the processor 306 can transmit the second instruction. For example, when the robotic arm 106 can engage with the target bin 402 (e.g., via the end effector 110), the processor 306 can transmit the second instruction to a module door associated with a module on which the target bin 402 can be placed (e.g., via the end effector 110). Figure 2 Module actuators as described herein) to open a module door (e.g., a module door on a front module edge).

[0061] When the module door can be opened, the processor 306 can transmit a slide instruction to the controller 314 (associated with the robot 106) to slide the target box 402 and place the target box 402 at the destination location. The controller 314 can receive the slide instruction and can slide the target box 402 and move the target box 402 to the destination location (such as Figure 5 ). When the target box 402 moves to the destination location, a vehicle operator or drone can pick up the corresponding target package from the target box 402 for last mile delivery.

[0062] In some aspects, the robotic arm 106 can be additionally configured to place the target box 402 outside of the delivery vehicle 300. In other aspects, the robotic arm 106 can hand over the target box 402 to another robotic arm (not shown). In additional aspects, the robotic arm 106 can pick up a target package from the target box 402 and can unload a target package from the target box 402.

[0063] In a manner similar to that described above, the processor 306 may generate a first instruction, a second instruction, and a third instruction to perform a loading operation on one or more boxes. In this case, the processor 306 may determine a "loading" movement plan to move the box to a destination location on the module and generate instructions based on the loading movement plan. In response to generating the instructions, the processor 306 may transmit corresponding instructions to the robotic arm 106, the plurality of motorized modules 102, and / or the vertical linear actuator 118 to achieve an efficient loading operation.

[0064] When it may be necessary to load a box into the delivery vehicle 300, the first instruction may include an engagement instruction for engaging with a target box to be loaded into the delivery vehicle 300 (e.g., on a destination module from the vehicle floor). The controller 314 may receive the engagement instruction and may control the 3D movement of the robotic arm 106 by controlling the movable element, and may control the end effector 110 to engage with the target box. The processor 306 may also transmit a third instruction to the vertical linear actuator 118 to facilitate the robotic arm 106 to reach the source position where the target box can be set. In addition, the processor 306 may transmit a second instruction to one or more motorized modules to open or close the module door associated with the motorized module to enable the target box to be loaded into the destination module. Specifically, the processor 306 may transmit a second instruction when the robotic arm 106 can engage with the target box. When the module door can be opened, the processor 306 may transmit a sliding instruction to the controller 616 to slide the robotic arm 106 and load the target box to the destination position / module. In this way, the processor 306 promotes efficient box loading operations.

[0065] Figure 6 A flow chart of an exemplary method 600 for facilitating loading / unloading operations according to the present disclosure is depicted. Figures 1 to 5 ) to describe Figure 6 The following process is exemplary and is not limited to the steps described below. Furthermore, alternative embodiments may include more or fewer steps than shown or described herein, and may include the steps in an order different from the order described in the following exemplary embodiments.

[0066] At step 602, method 600 begins. At step 604, method 600 may include obtaining, by processor 306, a movement plan for moving a crate from a source location to a destination location in delivery vehicle 300 (e.g., from memory 308). In some aspects, the movement plan may be associated with a predefined path for movement of the crate on a plurality of motorized modules 202 to enable efficient unloading or loading of the crate from / to delivery vehicle 300.

[0067] At step 606, the method 600 may include generating, by the processor 306, first instructions and second instructions based on the movement plan. The first instructions may be associated with module door and / or roller movement of one or more motorized modules to enable box loading / unloading. As described above, the second instructions may be associated with robotic arm movement to enable box loading / unloading. At step 608, the method 600 may include transmitting, by the processor 306, the first instructions and the second instructions to the one or more motorized modules and the robotic arm 106 to enable the box to be moved from the source location to the destination location.

[0068] Method 600 ends at step 610 .

[0069] In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings that form part of the above disclosure, showing specific implementations in which the present disclosure can be practiced. It should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References to "one embodiment", "embodiment", "exemplary embodiment" and the like in this specification indicate that the described embodiment may include specific features, structures or characteristics, but each embodiment may not necessarily include the specific features, structures or characteristics. In addition, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, when describing features, structures or characteristics in conjunction with an embodiment, whether or not explicitly described, those skilled in the art will recognize such features, structures or characteristics in conjunction with other embodiments.

[0070] In addition, where appropriate, the functions described herein may be performed in one or more of the following: hardware, software, firmware, digital components, or analog components. For example, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) may be programmed to perform one or more of the systems and programs described herein. Certain terms are used throughout the specification and claims to refer to specific system components. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, components may be referred to by different names. This document is not intended to distinguish between components that have different names but the same function.

[0071] It should also be understood that the word "example" as used herein is intended to be non-exclusive and non-limiting in nature. More specifically, the word "example" used herein indicates one of several examples, and it should be understood that no undue emphasis or preference is placed on the specific example described.

[0072] Computer-readable media (also referred to as processor-readable media) include any non-transitory (e.g., tangible) media that participate in providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer (e.g., by a processor of a computer). Such media can take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media and volatile media. A computing device may include computer-executable instructions, where the instructions may be executable by one or more computing devices (such as those listed above) and stored on a computer-readable medium.

[0073] With respect to the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes may be practiced by performing the described steps in an order different from the order described herein. It should also be understood that certain steps may be performed simultaneously, other steps may be added, or certain steps described herein may be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of processes herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed as limiting the claims.

[0074] Therefore, it should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Upon reading the above description, many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided will be apparent. The scope should not be determined with reference to the above description, but should be determined with reference to the entire scope of the appended claims and equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is expected and anticipated that the technology discussed herein will develop in the future, and the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In short, it should be understood that the present application is capable of modification and change.

[0075] Unless explicitly indicated to the contrary in this article, all terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meanings as understood by the skilled person described herein. Specifically, unless the claims state an explicit limitation to the contrary, the use of singular articles such as "one", "the", "said" and the like should be interpreted as describing one or more of the indicated elements. Unless otherwise specifically stated or understood in other ways within the context when used, conditional language such as, in particular, "can", "may", "can" or "may" is generally intended to express that certain embodiments may include certain features, elements and / or steps, while other embodiments may not include certain features, elements and / or steps. Therefore, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that one or more embodiments require each feature, element and / or step in any way.

[0076] In one aspect of the invention, the second instructions include engagement instructions for engaging with the case, and wherein the robotic arm is configured to receive the engagement instructions from the processor and engage with the case.

[0077] In one aspect of the invention, said second instructions include a case location and a predetermined path on said grid of said plurality of motorized modules for loading or unloading said case.

[0078] In one aspect of the invention, the first instructions include instructions for opening or closing module doors associated with the one or more motorized modules to enable loading or unloading of the bin.

[0079] In one aspect of the invention, the second instructions further comprise sliding instructions for sliding the box on the one or more motorized modules to load or unload the box, and wherein the robotic arm is configured to receive the sliding instructions and slide the box on the one or more motorized modules.

[0080] According to the present invention, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in a distributed computing system is provided, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to: obtain a movement plan for moving a box from a source position in a vehicle to a destination position; generate a first instruction for one or more motorized modules among a plurality of motorized modules based on the movement plan, wherein the grid of the plurality of motorized modules is configured to achieve movement of a plurality of boxes within the vehicle based on the first instruction; and generate a second instruction for a robotic arm based on the movement plan, wherein the robotic arm is disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle, wherein the robotic arm is configured to move the box from the source position to the destination position on the grid of the plurality of motorized modules, and wherein the robotic arm is attached to a linear actuator, the linear actuator being configured to move the robotic arm in an interior portion of the vehicle; and transmit the first instruction and the second instruction to the one or more motorized modules and the robotic arm to move the box from the source position to the destination position.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising: a grid of a plurality of motorized modules configured to enable a plurality of bins to be moved within the vehicle; as well as A robotic arm is disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle, wherein the robotic arm is configured to load or unload boxes of the plurality of boxes to or from the grid of the plurality of motorized modules, and wherein the robotic arm is attached to a linear actuator configured to move the robotic arm within an interior portion of the vehicle. 2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the robotic arm comprises a plurality of movable elements coupled to one another via one or more joints, the one or more joints defining one or more degrees of freedom of movement of each of the plurality of movable elements.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the robotic arm exhibits seven degrees of freedom of movement. 4 . The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein a movable element of the plurality of movable elements comprises an end effector configured to engage the tank to load or unload the tank.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the end effector comprises a gripper.

6. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the robotic arm further comprises a proximal end and a distal end, and wherein the end effector is disposed at the distal end.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the proximal end is attached to the linear actuator.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the linear actuator is disposed at the rear of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to provide a first instruction to the robotic arm for loading or unloading the box.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the first instructions include engagement instructions for engaging with the box, and wherein the robotic arm is configured to receive the engagement instructions from the processor and engage with the box.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the first instruction includes a box location and a predetermined path on the grid of the plurality of motorized modules for loading or unloading the box.

12. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to provide second instructions to one or more of the plurality of motorized modules for opening or closing module doors associated with the one or more motorized modules to enable loading or unloading of the box.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to provide the second instruction when the robotic arm engages the bin.

14. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the first instructions further include sliding instructions for sliding the box on the one or more motorized modules to load or unload the box, and wherein the robotic arm is configured to receive the sliding instructions and slide the box on the one or more motorized modules.

15. A method comprising: obtaining, by a processor, a movement plan for moving the bin from a source location in the vehicle to a destination location; generating, by the processor, first instructions for one or more motorized modules of a plurality of motorized modules based on the movement plan, wherein the grid of the plurality of motorized modules is configured to effect movement of a plurality of boxes within the vehicle based on the first instructions; as well as generating, by the processor, second instructions for a robotic arm based on the movement plan, wherein the robotic arm is disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle, wherein the robotic arm is configured to move the bin from the source location to the destination location over the grid of the plurality of motorized modules based on the second instructions, and wherein the robotic arm is attached to a linear actuator configured to move the robotic arm within an interior portion of a vehicle; as well as The first and second instructions are transmitted by the processor to the one or more motorized modules and the robotic arm to move the bin from the source location to the destination location.

Images