US 12,214,956 B1
Enhanced self-closing lid for containers
Joseph C. Hager, Seattle, WA (US); and Claire Gottschalk, Bellevue, WA (US)
Assigned to Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed by Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed on Aug. 30, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/899,558.
Int. Cl. B60P 3/00 (2006.01); B65D 88/12 (2006.01); B65D 90/00 (2006.01)
CPC B65D 90/0086 (2013.01) [B60P 3/007 (2013.01); B65D 88/12 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An autonomous delivery robot comprising a container, the container comprising:
a cargo bay for holding items;
a bi-folding lid configured to slide from a closed position to an open position relative to the cargo bay, and from the open position to the closed position without human interaction;
a check strap operatively connected to the bi-folding lid and configured to move vertically in a first direction toward the bi-folding lid as the bi-folding lid slides from the closed position to the open position, and to move vertically in a second direction opposite the first direction as the bi-folding lid slides from the open position to the closed position; and
interlocking arms operatively attached to rollers and to one or more tension devices,
wherein when the check strap moves vertically in the first direction, the check strap is configured to separate the rollers and cause the interlocking arms to pull the one or more tension devices by causing first rotation of the interlocking arms, and
wherein when the check strap moves vertically in the second direction, the one or more tension devices are configured to cause second rotation of the interlocking arms, the second rotation opposite the first rotation.