Vehicle-storable cart capable of autonomous driving

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle-storable cart capable of autonomous driving, which is configured in a foldable manner so as to be automatically stored in a vehicle, and is capable of autonomous driving so that the process of transporting goods can be performed automatically and with ease. To this end, the present invention may comprise: a main body having a receiving space for storing goods and a plurality of wheels provided on the bottom surface thereof, and being stored in a folded state in a dedicated storage recess provided in the lower part of a vehicle when not in use; a driving unit for supplying power to the wheels so as to enable travel of the main body; a sensing unit provided with a plurality of sensors so as to enable the main body to follow a user or autonomously travel toward a predetermined destination; and a control unit for controlling the plurality of components.

Description

Autonomous vehicle storage cart

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle storage type cart that can be automatically stored in a vehicle and is capable of autonomous driving.

[0002] [Korean Acknowledgements] This result was produced with support from the 2025 Gyeongsangbuk-do Regional Innovation Center University Support System (RISE)-(MEGAversity Alliance University).

[0003] [English Acknowledgments] This research was supported by the Gyeongsangbuk-do RISE (Regional Innovation System & Education) project[MEGAversity unit]

[0004]

[0005] Generally, carts are primarily used to transport goods when shopping by vehicle.

[0006] Specifically, the cart is equipped with a plurality of wheels on the bottom surface of the storage body to enable the storage and transport of items, and a handle may be provided on one side of the storage body so that a user can pull it. In addition, the storage body may be foldable to facilitate storage.

[0007] However, conventional carts like the one mentioned above require the user to manually operate them, such as folding and unfolding them, and a separate space is absolutely necessary to store the cart in the vehicle trunk before and after use.

[0008] Accordingly, there is a demand for technology that allows for easy storage of the cart when using a vehicle and enables more convenient use by adding autonomous driving functions to the cart.

[0009]

[0010] The present invention aims to solve the aforementioned problems and provides a vehicle-storage type cart capable of autonomous driving, which is foldable so that it can be automatically stored in a vehicle and automatically performs a following function that moves behind the user and a process of transporting goods.

[0011]

[0012] A vehicle storage cart capable of autonomous driving according to the present invention for realizing the purpose described above may include: a main body portion having a receiving space for storing items and a plurality of wheels on its bottom surface, and stored in a folded state in a dedicated storage groove provided at the bottom of the vehicle when not in use; a driving portion that supplies power to the wheels so that the main body portion can move; a sensing portion equipped with a plurality of sensors so that the main body portion can follow behind a user or drive autonomously toward a predetermined destination; and a control portion that controls the plurality of components.

[0013] In this case, the main body may include: a plurality of partitions hinge-coupled to the upper edge so as to be foldable and unfoldable so as to provide a receiving space with an open upper side; and a motor for rotating the plurality of partitions.

[0014] In addition, the wheel may include one installed to be foldable via a link at each corner of the bottom surface of the main body.

[0015] Additionally, the above link comprises: a first link having one end rotatably coupled to the bottom surface of the main body and a wheel coupled to the other end; and a second link having one end rotatably coupled to the other end of the first link and another wheel coupled to the other end; so that the height of the main body can be adjusted by the rotation angle of the first link or the second link.

[0016] In addition, the sensor of the above-mentioned detection unit may selectively include at least one or a plurality of LiDAR, cameras, radar, and ultrasonic sensors to recognize information including the shape, distance, and height of a user or surrounding objects.

[0017] In addition, the main body may further include a battery module that is automatically charged when stored in a dedicated storage slot of the vehicle.

[0018] In addition, the vehicle cart may further include a tripod or a warning light installed on the main body to warn other vehicles near the road in the event of an emergency situation, including an accident involving the vehicle.

[0019]

[0020] The vehicle storage cart capable of autonomous driving according to the present invention, configured as described above, has a partition wall and wheels of the main body configured to be foldable, so that it can be automatically stored in a vehicle with a minimal volume when not in use.

[0021] In addition, since the aforementioned cart is capable of autonomous driving during use, it can automate the process of transporting goods from the parking lot to the store and back to the parked vehicle when shopping at large shopping malls or complex commercial facilities. This can improve shopping accessibility for the elderly and people with disabilities.

[0022]

[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle storage cart capable of autonomous driving according to the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing the state in which a partition wall is folded according to the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing the folded state of a wheel connected via a link according to the present invention.

[0026] FIGS. 4a to 4c are drawings showing a state in which the height of the main body is adjusted by a wheel according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the cart according to the present invention in a fully folded state.

[0028] FIG. 6 is a drawing showing the state in which a cart according to the present invention is stored in a vehicle.

[0029] FIG. 7 is a side view showing the state in which a cart according to the present invention is withdrawn from a vehicle.

[0030] ※Explanation of symbols※

[0031] 1 : Vehicle 10 : Dedicated storage slot

[0032] 100 : Vehicle cart 110 : Main body

[0033] S : Capacity 111, 111' : Wheels

[0034] 112 : Link 112a : First link

[0035] 112b : 2nd link 113 : bulkhead

[0036] 115 : Warning light 120 : Drive unit

[0037] 121 : Motor 130 : Detector

[0038] 131 : Sensor

[0039]

[0040] The configuration and operation of a specific embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0041] Here, it should be noted that when assigning reference numerals to the components of each drawing, identical components are denoted by the same numeral whenever possible, even if they are shown on different drawings.

[0042] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle storage cart capable of autonomous driving according to the present invention.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 1, a vehicle storage cart (100) capable of autonomous driving according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention may include a main body (110), a driving unit (120), a sensing unit (130), and a control unit (not shown).

[0044] The configuration of the present invention is described in detail as follows.

[0045]

[0046] First, the main body (110) forms the main body of the cart (100), and the main body (110) may have a receiving space (S) provided on its upper surface so that items can be stored. Additionally, a plurality of wheels (111) may be provided on the lower surface of the main body (110) so that the cart (100) can move.

[0047] Specifically, a plurality of partitions (113) may be provided on the upper edge of the main body (110) so that a receiving space (S) with an open upper side may be provided.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 2, the bulkhead (113) can be connected by a hinge (113a) so as to be foldable and unfoldable, and can be operated to automatically pivot at a predetermined angle by receiving power from an actuator. For convenience of explanation, the configuration of the actuator is omitted from the drawings in the present invention.

[0049] In addition, the wheels (111) may be installed at each corner of the bottom surface of the main body (110). Preferably, the main body (110) is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed in a planar view, and the wheels (111) are installed at each of the four corners of the bottom surface of the main body (110) to form a stable support structure.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 3, the wheel (111) can be foldably coupled toward the bottom surface of the main body (110) via at least one link (112).

[0051] In another embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4a to 4c, at least two links (112) are connected in succession, each connected to receive power from a motor (not shown) so as to be pivotable, thereby allowing the height of the main body (110) to be adjusted.

[0052] Specifically, the link (112) may include a first link (112a) having one end rotatably coupled to the bottom surface of the main body (110) and the other end coupled to a wheel (111), and a second link (112b) having one end rotatably coupled to the other end of the first link (112a) and another wheel (111') coupled to the other end. Accordingly, either of the two wheels (111, 111') can be used depending on the rotation angle of the first link (112a) and the second link (112b) (see FIG. 4b).

[0053] Referring to FIG. 5, the main body (110) can have its volume minimized to that of a rectangular plate of a predetermined thickness when all of the plurality of partitions (113) and wheels (111, 111') are folded. Accordingly, when the cart (100) is not in use, it can be stored in a folded state in a dedicated storage groove (10) provided in the lower part of the vehicle (1) (see FIG. 6).

[0054] Meanwhile, the above main body (110) may be equipped with a battery module (not shown) so that it can be automatically charged using the power of the vehicle (1) when stored in the dedicated storage groove (10).

[0055] The above battery module is equipped with a smart battery system capable of bidirectional power exchange between the vehicle (1) and the cart (100), and can be used as a power source to operate the vehicle cart (100). In addition, the battery module can be used as an auxiliary battery to charge various devices, including the user's mobile phone.

[0056]

[0057] Referring again to FIG. 1, the driving unit (120) may be equipped with a motor (121) that supplies power to a plurality of wheels (111) so that the main body (110) can move. In the drawings of the present invention, the configuration of the motor is shown minimally for convenience of explanation.

[0058]

[0059] The above detection unit (130) may be equipped with a plurality of sensors (131) so that the main body (110) can follow behind the user or drive autonomously toward a predetermined destination.

[0060] Specifically, a plurality of sensors (131) constituting the detection unit (130) may be provided with a front or rear side in the direction in which the main body (110) moves.

[0061] In this case, the plurality of sensors (131) may selectively include at least one or more of LiDAR, cameras, radar, and ultrasonic sensors so as to recognize information including the shape, distance, and height of a user or surrounding objects. Since the configuration enabling autonomous driving via these plurality of sensors (131) can utilize previously known configurations, the specific operating principle thereof is omitted in the present invention.

[0062] In addition, the above-mentioned sensing unit (130) can measure the weight of an item stored in the receiving space (S) and can use the measured weight as data to determine whether it exceeds a reference value.

[0063]

[0064] The above control unit can control each of the above-mentioned components based on data measured by the sensing unit (130) and artificial intelligence (AI).

[0065] That is, the control unit stores the cart (100) in a dedicated storage groove (10) (see FIG. 6) at the bottom of the vehicle (1) when not in use, and can automatically pull out and operate the stored cart (100) so that the user can use it during various outdoor activities where shopping or transporting goods is required.

[0066] Specifically, referring to FIG. 7, the control unit can rotate the wheels (111, 111') to move the cart (100) outward for withdrawal from the dedicated storage groove (10). The withdrawn cart (100) can be used in various modes desired by the user, and can perform tasks such as tracking the user and following them through a tracking function, or driving autonomously to a predetermined target point depending on the situation.

[0067] Meanwhile, the vehicle cart (100) may have a tripod or a warning light (115) installed on its main body (110). Accordingly, in the event of an emergency situation, including an accident involving the vehicle (1), the tripod or warning light (115) can be activated after moving a certain distance from the vehicle (1) to warn other vehicles near the road of the accident situation, thereby preventing a secondary accident. In this case, the tripod is normally installed embedded within the main body (110) so as not to interfere with the storage of items, and can operate by receiving power and rotating out in an emergency.

[0068]

[0069] The vehicle storage type cart (100) capable of autonomous driving according to the present invention, having the above configuration, has a partition (113) and a wheel (111) of the main body (110) configured to be foldable so that it can be automatically stored in a dedicated storage groove (10) of the vehicle (1) with a minimal volume when not in use.

[0070] In addition, when using the above cart (100), autonomous driving is possible, so the process of transporting goods can be easily performed automatically in shopping or various situations.

[0071]

[0072] Although the present invention has been illustrated and described above with specific embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and it is understood that various changes and modifications are possible within the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A main body part having a storage space for storing items, equipped with multiple wheels on the bottom surface, and stored in a folded state in a dedicated storage groove provided in the lower part of the vehicle when not in use; A driving unit that supplies power to the wheel so that the above main body can move; A sensing unit equipped with a plurality of sensors to enable the main body to follow behind a user or drive autonomously toward a predetermined destination; and A vehicle storage cart capable of autonomous driving, comprising a control unit that controls the plurality of components above.

2. In Paragraph 1, The above main body part is, A plurality of partitions hinge-connected to the upper edge so as to be foldable and unfoldable so as to provide a receiving space with an open upper side; and A vehicle storage cart capable of autonomous driving, comprising a motor that rotates the plurality of bulkheads.

3. In Paragraph 1, The above wheel is, A vehicle storage cart capable of autonomous driving, comprising a structure installed to be foldable via a link at each corner of the bottom surface of the main body.

4. In Paragraph 3, The link above is, A first link having one end rotatably coupled to the bottom surface of the main body and the other end having a wheel coupled thereto; and A second link having one end rotatably connected to the other end of the first link and another wheel connected to the other end; including A vehicle storage cart capable of autonomous driving, wherein the height of the main body is adjusted by the rotation angle of the first or second link.

5. In Paragraph 1, The sensor of the above-mentioned detection unit is, A vehicle-mounted cart capable of autonomous driving, optionally including at least one or more of LiDAR, cameras, radar, and ultrasonic sensors to recognize information including the shape, distance, and height of a user or surrounding objects.

6. In Paragraph 1, The above main body part is, A vehicle storage cart capable of autonomous driving, further comprising a battery module that automatically charges when stored in a dedicated storage slot of the vehicle.

7. In Paragraph 1, The above vehicle cart is, A vehicle storage cart capable of autonomous driving, further comprising a tripod or warning light installed on the main body to warn other vehicles near the road in the event of an emergency situation, including an accident involving the vehicle.

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