Delivery Vehicle Door Orientation Control Against Wind Closure

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Solution Overview

Problem

The door of an unmanned vehicle can unintentionally close due to wind influence, preventing the recipient from receiving the article.

Innovation Solution

The unmanned vehicle is equipped with a wind identification unit and a door closing suppression unit that adjusts the vehicle's direction to prevent the door from closing due to wind, ensuring the door remains open for article retrieval.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the door is opened for article retrieval, then the recipient can access the article, but the door may unintentionally close due to wind influence

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvearticle retrievalVSAvoiddoor stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit performs preliminary action by identifying wind direction before the door closing issue occurs, and proactively adjusts the vehicle orientation or activates suppression mechanisms to prevent the door from closing due to wind, thereby maintaining accessibility while ensuring door stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit implements feedback by continuously monitoring wind direction and door state, and dynamically adjusting the vehicle orientation or door suppression control based on real-time wind conditions, ensuring the door remains open for article retrieval while protecting against unintended closure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the vehicle orientation is adjusted to suppress door closing, then door stability is improved, but the recipient access convenience may be affected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor stabilityVSAvoidrecipient access
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit applies dynamics by making the vehicle orientation adjustable and adaptable based on wind conditions, allowing the system to dynamically find an optimal orientation that both stabilizes the door against wind and maintains convenient access for the recipient, rather than using a fixed orientation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4270139B1Unmanned vehicle and delivery system
Publication Date: 2025.02.19 RAKUTEN GROUP INC
  • EP4270139B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4270139B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4270139B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The unmanned vehicle for delivering an article, includes a housing portion for housing the article, the housing portion having an opening portion for receiving the article and being provided with an openable and closable door that is closeable on the opening portion. Then, the unmanned vehicle identifies a direction of wind blown onto the unmanned vehicle; and suppresses, on the basis of the identified direction of the wind, closing of the door opened when the unmanned vehicle is stopped, due to an influence of the wind.