Transport Vehicle With Actuated Wheel Arms for Rail Transitions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transport vehicles, such as unmanned aerial vehicles, lack improvements in safety and efficiency during flight and delivery operations.

Innovation Solution

A transport vehicle equipped with a first and second arm, wheels, actuators, and a controller that allows it to slide along rails, enabling precise movement and delivery of packages.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the transport vehicle uses a single rail system for delivery, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability and versatility of the delivery system deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverail transition capabilityVSAvoidmulti-rail system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The transport vehicle employs dynamic wheel mechanisms that can actively transition between different rail configurations. The wheels are designed to engage with either a first rail or a second rail based on delivery requirements, allowing the system to adapt its path without requiring complex fixed infrastructure for every possible route variation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The delivery system is segmented into multiple independent rail paths (first rail and second rail), with the transport vehicle capable of selecting between them. This segmentation allows flexible routing where different rail segments can be used for different delivery scenarios, improving adaptability while keeping each individual rail segment relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the transport vehicle transitions between different rails, then the delivery flexibility is improved, but the control complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedelivery flexibilityVSAvoidcontroller complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The controller incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor the transport vehicle's position, wheel engagement status, and current rail configuration. This feedback allows the controller to automatically adjust control parameters during rail transitions, simplifying the operation for the user while managing the underlying control complexity through automated sensing and response.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring the rail paths and wheel engagement points before delivery operations begin. The controller is pre-programmed with rail transition sequences, allowing the transport vehicle to smoothly switch between rails without requiring complex real-time decision-making during actual delivery operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250276880A1Transport vehicle

Publication Date: 2025.09.04 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORP OF AMERICA

AI summary

A transport vehicle that transports packages includes: a first arm; a second arm; a first wheel connected to the first arm; a second wheel connected to the second arm; at least one actuator; and a controller (control processor). When the transport vehicle is slidably hung from the first rail via the first wheel and the second wheel, the controller controls the at least one actuator (arm actuator, roller actuation motor) to disengage the first wheel from the first rail and place the first wheel on the second rail, and disengage the second wheel from the first rail and place the second wheel on the second rail.