Rail-Guided Package Transfer for Precise Quiet Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drone systems for package transport lack efficiency and precision in delivering packages to varied locations, including different heights and orientations, and may cause anxiety due to their presence and noise.
Innovation Solution
A package transport device comprising a main body with a rail holder, a turntable, a slider portion, and a package holder that extends to carry packages to spaced-away positions, allowing for precise delivery without separate rails at the receiver and minimizing human interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a drone flies to deliver packages, then delivery coverage and accessibility are improved, but noise and public anxiety increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an automated package receiving station as an intermediary between the drone and the final recipient. The drone delivers packages to the station rather than directly to individuals, reducing noise exposure and public anxiety while maintaining delivery coverage. The station serves as a buffer that handles package retrieval automatically.
Solution Approach 2:
The package receiving station enables self-service delivery retrieval. Recipients can collect their packages automatically from the station without direct interaction with the drone system, reducing the harmful effects of drone presence and noise while maintaining accessibility.
2Measurement precision
If separate rails are installed at receiver locations for precise package delivery, then delivery precision is improved, but device complexity and installation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The package receiving station is designed as a universal multi-functional device that can receive packages from drones with varying specifications. Instead of installing specialized rails for each location, the station provides a standardized interface that works with different drone types, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than modifying the drone delivery system to include complex rails at each destination, the patent inverts the approach by providing a sophisticated receiving station at the destination that simplifies the drone side. The complexity is concentrated in the stationary station rather than in the mobile drone or requiring installation at each location.
3Speed
If the package transport device operates close to people for direct delivery, then delivery speed is improved, but public anxiety and noise exposure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automated receiving station acts as an intermediary that enables fast drone-to-station delivery while protecting recipients from noise and anxiety. Packages are transferred quickly to the station, and recipients retrieve them at their convenience, maintaining speed while reducing harmful effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces direct mechanical drone-to-person delivery with an automated electronic/control-based retrieval system at the station. This substitution allows rapid package transfer while eliminating the need for close proximity between drones and people, reducing noise and anxiety exposure.
Data Source
AI summary
A package transport device includes: a main body (a vehicle main body, a first vehicle main body, and a second vehicle main body); a rail holder (connector) held by a rail located above the main body; a turntable that is provided between the main body and the rail holder and rotates the main body; a slider portion that extends with respect to the main body; and a package holder that holds a package attached to the slider portion.