A drone package delivery pod with multiple redundant locking mechanisms

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of unmanned aerial vehicle package delivery warehouses with multiple redundant locking mechanism, belong to unmanned aerial vehicle technical field, comprising: warehouse body, its inside forms the containing cavity for containing goods;Warehouse door, openable and closable to be set on warehouse body to close containing cavity;Electric control main locking mechanism, it is set between warehouse body and warehouse door, for locking warehouse door under power supply state;Mechanical emergency locking mechanism, independent of electric control main locking mechanism, configured to be automatically and passively locked in closed state by the energy released by energy storage element under power-off state.Wear locking mechanism of electric control and mechanical double redundancy.Adopt mechanical emergency locking mechanism with power-off self-locking fault safety characteristics, ensure that in the most extreme failure condition such as unmanned aerial vehicle complete power-off, warehouse door still can keep firm lock, fundamentally eliminate the major safety hazard of goods air accidental drop, fully comply with the stringent requirements of future aviation regulatory agencies to ground risk control.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and in particular to a UAV parcel delivery compartment with multiple redundant locking mechanisms. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, with the rapid development of drone technology, its application in the logistics and transportation field has become increasingly widespread, especially in solving the "last mile" delivery problem, demonstrating enormous potential. Drone delivery has advantages such as high efficiency, flexibility, and the ability to overcome geographical barriers, which can significantly improve logistics efficiency, reduce transportation costs, and decrease ground traffic congestion and carbon emissions. Currently, many domestic and international logistics and e-commerce giants, including DHL, JD.com, and Amazon, are actively deploying drone delivery networks and have already launched numerous pilot projects.

[0003] One of the core components of drone parcel delivery is its attached parcel delivery compartment (also known as a cargo bay or pod). Existing drone delivery compartments typically use an electronically controlled locking mechanism powered by the drone's main power supply to secure the compartment door, ensuring that the parcel does not fall out during flight. Under normal operating conditions, after the drone reaches its destination, the flight control system issues a command to unlock the electronic mechanism, open the compartment door, and complete the parcel delivery.

[0004] However, this design presents a serious safety hazard. Drones operate in complex and unpredictable environments, potentially encountering severe weather, signal interference, or equipment malfunctions. One of the most serious scenarios is a complete loss of power during flight. If the drone unexpectedly loses power due to a depleted battery, circuit failure, or other reasons, the traditional electronic locking mechanism will immediately fail. If this locking mechanism is designed to unlock upon power failure, the hatch will open due to gravity or airflow, causing the contents to fall out unexpectedly during flight.

[0005] This issue is not merely a technological deficiency, but also a growing compliance challenge. Aviation regulators worldwide, such as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, are developing regulatory frameworks for beyond-visual-range (BVLOS) drone operations, with preventing risks to people and property on the ground from drones and their payloads as a core safety objective. The regulations explicitly state that measures must be taken to mitigate harm to the ground caused by "malfunctioning drones or collision debris." Therefore, the risk of cargo falling due to power outages is unacceptable for future large-scale commercial operations. Furthermore, existing delivery warehouses generally have weak physical tamper-proof capabilities during cargo transportation, making it difficult to guarantee the absolute safety of high-value items during transit.

[0006] In summary, existing drone delivery warehouse technologies have significant shortcomings in terms of the reliability and fault tolerance of locking mechanisms, failing to meet the requirements of future large-scale, high-security commercial operations. There is an urgent need for an innovative solution that can ensure cargo safety under any circumstances (especially in extreme failures such as power outages). Utility Model Content

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the obvious deficiencies in the reliability and fault safety of the locking mechanism in the existing technology, and to provide a drone parcel delivery bin with multiple redundant locking mechanisms.

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides the following technical solution: A drone parcel delivery compartment with multiple redundant locking mechanisms includes: a compartment body having an internal cavity for accommodating goods; a compartment door that can be opened and closed on the compartment body to close the cavity; and further includes: an electrically controlled main locking mechanism disposed between the compartment body and the compartment door for locking the compartment door in a powered state; and a mechanical emergency locking mechanism, independent of the electrically controlled main locking mechanism, configured to automatically and passively lock the compartment door in a closed state by energy released through an energy storage element in a power-off state, without requiring an external power source or control signal.

[0009] The above technical solution employs a dual-redundancy locking mechanism, combining electrical and mechanical controls. The core mechanical emergency locking mechanism features a fail-safe characteristic of self-locking upon power failure, ensuring that even in the most extreme malfunctions, such as a complete power outage of the drone, the cargo door remains securely locked. This fundamentally eliminates the significant safety hazard of cargo accidentally falling from the air, fully complying with the stringent requirements of future aviation regulatory agencies for ground risk control. The mechanical emergency locking mechanism operates independently, without relying on the drone's complex electronic control system; its actions are solely dependent on the power supply status. This passive safety mechanism adds a robust physical layer of protection to the reliability of the entire delivery system.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the mechanical emergency locking mechanism consists of an electromagnet and a spring-loaded locking pin that remains in the unlocked position. When the power is cut off, the electromagnet loses power, and the spring-loaded locking pin automatically moves to the locking position under the elastic force of the spring.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the container body is further provided with a signal receiver, and the electronically controlled main locking mechanism is electrically connected to the signal receiver for receiving unlocking signals from ground receiving equipment to perform non-contact automatic delivery.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, it further includes at least one status sensor for detecting the closed state of the hatch and / or the locking state of the electronic main locking mechanism and the mechanical emergency locking mechanism, and sending the status signal to the flight control system of the UAV.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, an annular sealing groove is provided at the junction of the hopper body and the hopper door, and an elastic sealing ring is installed in the sealing groove to provide a waterproof seal.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the storage body and the storage door are provided with a structure for installing a disposable, fragile, tamper-proof seal.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the electrically controlled main locking mechanism includes an electrically controlled bolt, which extends when energized to engage with a latch provided on the door to achieve locking.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the signal receiver is one or more of a radio frequency identification (RFID) module, an infrared receiving module, or a Bluetooth module.

[0017] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the elastic sealing ring is made of silicone rubber material, and through its cooperation with the annular sealing groove and compression deformation when closed, it forms a sealing structure that meets the IP67 protection level standard.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of this utility model are: 1. Extremely high safety and fault tolerance: This utility model adopts a locking mechanism with dual redundancy of electrical control and mechanical components. The core mechanical emergency locking mechanism has a "power failure self-locking" fault safety feature, ensuring that even in the most extreme failure situations such as a complete power failure of the drone, the cargo door can still remain firmly locked, fundamentally eliminating the major safety hazard of cargo accidentally falling from the air, and fully meeting the stringent requirements of future aviation regulatory agencies for ground risk control.

[0019] 2. Enhanced operational reliability: The mechanical emergency locking mechanism operates independently, without relying on the drone's complex electronic control system; its actions are solely dependent on the power supply status. This passive safety mechanism adds a robust physical layer of protection to the reliability of the entire delivery system.

[0020] 3. Highly efficient automated delivery process: By integrating a signal receiver, the delivery compartment of this invention can seamlessly connect with ground equipment to achieve contactless automated parcel handover. This reduces manual operation, shortens delivery time, and improves the overall automation level and operational efficiency of the logistics chain.

[0021] 4. Comprehensive cargo protection capabilities: By integrating a waterproof sealing structure and an anti-tamper seal installation structure, this utility model not only solves the core safety issues of flight, but also takes into account the need to protect cargo from severe weather and human tampering during transportation, providing comprehensive security for drone delivery of high-value or sensitive items (such as medicines, precision documents, etc.). Attached Figure Description

[0022] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same parts. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a drone parcel delivery compartment according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the delivery compartment shown illustrates the internal locking mechanism; Figure 3 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the locking mechanism in the energized locked state; Figure 4 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the locking mechanism in the emergency locking state during a power outage; Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the non-contact delivery process between the delivery bin and the ground receiving equipment of this utility model. Reference numerals: 10-Seal body; 12-Receiving cavity; 20-Seal door; 30-Electrically controlled main locking mechanism; 32-Electrically controlled bolt; 34-Latch; 40-Mechanical emergency locking mechanism; 42-Electromagnet; 44-Spring-loaded locking pin; 46-Spring; 50-Signal receiver; 60-Elastic sealing ring; 70-Anti-tamper seal installation structure. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures. Furthermore, in the description of this utility model, terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or suggesting any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Additionally, terms such as "connected," "linked," etc., can refer to a direct connection between components or an indirect connection via other components.

[0025] Example 1 Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 This utility model provides a preferred embodiment of a drone parcel delivery compartment with multiple redundant locking mechanisms. The drone parcel delivery compartment mainly includes a compartment body 10 and a door 20 that is hinged and can be opened and closed on the compartment body 10. The compartment body 10 is made of lightweight, high-strength composite material (such as carbon fiber or aerospace aluminum alloy) to reduce the load on the drone while ensuring structural strength. An internal cavity 12 for storing parcels is formed inside the compartment body 10. When the door 20 is closed, it can completely seal the cavity 12, protecting the goods inside. Preferably, the size of the cavity 12 can be adjusted according to the type of goods, with typical dimensions ranging from 200-500mm in length, 200-400mm in width, and 150-300mm in height, and a volume ranging from 6-60 liters, capable of accommodating common express parcels, medical supplies, and other goods.

[0026] Preferably, a dual-redundant locking system is employed, comprising an electrically controlled main locking mechanism 30 and a mechanical emergency locking mechanism 40. These two mechanisms operate independently, working together to ensure that the door 20 can be securely locked under any circumstances.

[0027] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 The electrically controlled main locking mechanism 30 is used for normal delivery operations. In this embodiment, it consists of an electrically controlled bolt 32 (such as an electromagnetic push-pull lock pin) installed inside the compartment 10 and a latch 34 fixed to the inside of the compartment door 20. When the UAV system is powered normally, the flight control system can control the electrically controlled bolt 32 according to instructions. When it is necessary to lock the compartment door, the electrically controlled bolt 32 is energized and extends, its head inserting into the latch 34, thereby firmly locking the compartment door 20 in the closed position. When the UAV arrives at the delivery point and needs to deliver a package, the flight control system issues an unlocking command, the electrically controlled bolt 32 is de-energized or energized in the reverse direction and retracts, disengaging from the latch 34, and the compartment door 20 can then be opened.

[0028] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4The mechanical emergency locking mechanism 40 is a key safety feature. It is a passive fail-safe device whose operation is completely independent of external control signals and is only related to the power supply status of the drone.

[0029] Preferably, the mechanical emergency locking mechanism 40 consists of an electromagnet 42, a spring-loaded locking pin 44, and a compression spring 46.

[0030] Under normal flight conditions (such as) Figure 3 As shown, the UAV system supplies power to the electromagnet 42, which generates a strong magnetic force that attracts the spring-loaded locking pin 44 into the retracted state, i.e., the unlocked position. At this time, the spring-loaded locking pin 44 is completely disengaged from the movement path of the door 20 and will not affect its opening or closing.

[0031] However, if the drone encounters an unexpected situation that causes a complete power outage (such as...) Figure 4 As shown, the current supplied to the electromagnet 42 is interrupted momentarily, and its magnetic force disappears accordingly. Upon loss of magnetic constraint, the pre-compressed spring 46 immediately releases its stored elastic potential energy, pushing the spring-loaded locking pin 44 to extend rapidly into the locking position. The end of the spring-loaded locking pin 44 inserts into a pre-set locking groove on the inner side of the door 20. The locking groove is a circular or square groove with a depth of 5-10mm and a diameter matching the locking pin 44, surrounded by reinforcing ribs to withstand the insertion force of the locking pin, thus forming a robust mechanical lock. This mechanical lock can resist the effects of airflow, vibration, and gravity, ensuring that the door 20 is forcibly kept closed until power is restored. This design utilizes physical principles (spring force) to achieve automatic locking, thus providing extremely high reliability in the event of a power outage.

[0032] To achieve an efficient and automated logistics process, a signal receiver 50, such as an RFID reader / writer module, is integrated into the warehouse body 10 in this embodiment. This signal receiver 50 is connected to the control circuit of the electronically controlled main locking mechanism 30. Figure 5 As shown, when a drone carrying a delivery compartment lands at a designated ground receiving station or smart parcel locker, the ground equipment emits an encrypted RFID signal. The signal receiver 50 on the compartment reads and verifies the signal within its effective range. After confirming that it is correct, it directly sends an unlocking command to the electronically controlled main locking mechanism 30, opening the compartment door 20. The package falls into the ground receiving equipment under the action of gravity, completing a contactless automatic delivery.

[0033] Considering that drones may perform missions in adverse weather conditions such as rain and snow, the protective performance of the delivery compartment has also been optimized in this embodiment. For example... Figure 2As shown, an annular sealing groove is formed at the joint edge of the compartment body 10 and the compartment door 20, and an elastic sealing ring 60 made of silicone rubber is installed in the groove. When the compartment door 20 is closed and locked by the locking mechanism, the elastic sealing ring 60 is uniformly compressed, filling all gaps between the compartment body and the compartment door, forming a reliable waterproof and dustproof barrier. The elastic sealing ring 60 is a silicone rubber O-ring with a wire diameter of 3-5mm; the groove depth of the annular sealing groove is 70-85% of the wire diameter of the sealing ring, and the groove width is 1.2-1.5 times the wire diameter; when the compartment door 20 is closed, the elastic sealing ring 60 is compressed to form a continuous annular sealing surface, and this sealing structure meets the IP67 protection level standard.

[0034] Finally, to address the potential risks of tampering and theft during the transportation of high-value goods, this embodiment incorporates a pair of flat and aligned anti-tampering seal installation structures 70 at corresponding external locations on the exterior of the storage body 10 and the storage door 20. For example... Figure 1 As shown, this could be a pair of small platforms or recesses. After the goods are loaded and the compartment door is locked, workers can affix a one-time fragile tamper-evident seal (such as a paper or plastic seal with a unique serial number) to this pair of tamper-evident seal mounting structures 70. Once affixed, any attempt to open the compartment door will cause irreversible physical damage, such as breakage or delamination. When receiving the package, the recipient can determine whether the goods have been illegally opened during transit simply by checking the integrity of the seal, greatly enhancing the security of the goods.

[0035] In summary, this utility model ingeniously combines an electronically controlled main lock and a mechanical emergency lock that self-locks upon power failure to construct a drone parcel delivery bay with high security redundancy. It also integrates multiple practical functions such as an automated delivery interface, all-weather protection, and physical anti-tampering, comprehensively solving the shortcomings of existing technologies in terms of security, reliability, and cargo protection. This provides a solid technical equipment guarantee for the large-scale and commercial application of drone logistics.

[0036] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0037] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0038] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A drone parcel delivery compartment with multiple redundant locking mechanisms, comprising: The container body has an internal cavity for accommodating goods; a container door is closable on the container body to close the cavity; characterized in that it further includes: an electrically controlled main locking mechanism disposed between the container body and the container door for locking the container door in a powered state; and a mechanical emergency locking mechanism, independent of the electrically controlled main locking mechanism, configured to automatically and passively lock the container door in a closed state by energy released through an energy storage element in a power-off state.

2. The drone parcel delivery bin with multiple redundant locking mechanisms according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mechanical emergency locking mechanism consists of an electromagnet and a spring-loaded locking pin that remains in the unlocked position. When power is cut off, the electromagnet loses power, and the spring-loaded locking pin automatically moves to the locking position under the elastic force of the spring.

3. The drone parcel delivery bin with multiple redundant locking mechanisms according to claim 1, characterized in that, The container is also equipped with a signal receiver, and the electronically controlled main locking mechanism is electrically connected to the signal receiver to receive unlocking signals from the ground receiving equipment to perform contactless automatic delivery.

4. A drone parcel delivery bin with multiple redundant locking mechanisms as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes at least one status sensor for detecting the closed state of the hatch and / or the locking state of the electronic main locking mechanism and the mechanical emergency locking mechanism, and sending the status signal to the flight control system of the UAV.

5. A drone parcel delivery bin with multiple redundant locking mechanisms as described in claim 1, characterized in that, An annular sealing groove is provided at the junction of the hopper body and the hopper door, and an elastic sealing ring is installed in the sealing groove.

6. A drone parcel delivery bin with multiple redundant locking mechanisms according to claim 1, characterized in that, The container body and door are equipped with structures for installing disposable, fragile, tamper-proof seals.

7. A drone parcel delivery bin with multiple redundant locking mechanisms according to claim 2, characterized in that, The electrically controlled main locking mechanism includes an electrically controlled bolt that extends when energized to engage with a latch installed on the door.

8. A drone parcel delivery bin with multiple redundant locking mechanisms according to claim 3, characterized in that, The signal receiver is one or more of a radio frequency identification module, an infrared receiving module, or a Bluetooth module.

9. A drone parcel delivery bin with multiple redundant locking mechanisms according to claim 5, characterized in that, The elastic sealing ring is made of silicone rubber and forms a sealing structure that meets the IP67 protection standard through its cooperation with the annular sealing groove and compression deformation when closed.

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