Drone Latch Mechanism for Secure Reusable Tote Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current delivery systems face challenges in efficiently transporting and retrieving reusable totes, particularly in reducing traffic congestion and pollution, while existing drone technologies lack effective mechanisms for securely attaching and detaching payloads.
Innovation Solution
A drone system equipped with a prime mover, rotors, and a payload attachment system featuring a latch mechanism with selectively deployable clamp members that engage with gripping features on reusable totes, enabling secure transport and retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional delivery vehicles (cars, trucks, vans) are used to transport goods, then delivery capacity is maintained, but traffic congestion increases and pollution is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional ground-based mechanical delivery systems (cars, trucks, vans) with an aerial drone system. The drone uses rotors and a prime mover to achieve flight, substituting the conventional road transport mechanism with an aerial propulsion system, thereby eliminating traffic congestion and pollution associated with ground vehicles while maintaining delivery capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the delivery system by transitioning from ground-level transport to aerial transport. This parameter change in the delivery medium (from road vehicles to flying drones) fundamentally alters the system's impact on traffic and pollution while preserving its core function of goods delivery
2Reliability
If a drone is equipped with a payload attachment system, then secure transport of totes is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The payload attachment system is segmented into distinct functional components: a latch mechanism with movable clamp members and corresponding gripping features on the totes. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, achieving reliable attachment while keeping the overall system design modular and manageable
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp members act as intermediaries between the drone's payload system and the totes. These intermediate components facilitate secure attachment by engaging with the gripping features on the totes, providing a reliable connection mechanism that bridges the drone and the payload without requiring direct integration
3Volume of moving object
If reusable totes are nested for storage, then space efficiency is improved, but retrieval and attachment mechanisms become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The totes are designed to be nested within each other when not in use, with smaller totes placed inside larger ones. This nesting arrangement maximizes storage space efficiency by minimizing the volume occupied by empty totes, allowing compact storage while maintaining easy access for retrieval through the drone's attachment mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A delivery system includes a drone including a prime mover, one or more rotors operatively connected to the prime mover, and a payload attachment system including a latch mechanism having a first selectively deployable clamp member and a second selectively deployable clamp member. The delivery system also includes a plurality of nested reusable totes. Each of the plurality of nested reusable totes includes a body having a base, sides, and a lid, at least two of the sides include a gripping feature. The selectively deployable clamp members are operable to engage with the gripping feature on one or more of the plurality of nested reusable totes.