US 11,981,508 B2
Container method and system for automated end-to-end package delivery
Yifan Chen, Ann Arbor, MI (US); Smruti Panigrahi, Farmington Hills, MI (US); Kurt Lundeen, Wixom, MI (US); Geoffrey Horowitz, Farmington Hills, MI (US); and Pavithra Madhavan, Windsor (CA)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Mar. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/207,369.
Prior Publication US 2022/0297939 A1, Sep. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. B65G 1/137 (2006.01); B60P 3/00 (2006.01); B65G 67/04 (2006.01); B65G 67/24 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 1/1371 (2013.01) [B60P 3/007 (2013.01); B65G 67/04 (2013.01); B65G 67/24 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A modular conveyor system for delivering cargo, the system comprising:
a vehicle comprising:
a multi-floor cargo space, each floor of the multi-floor cargo space comprising a plurality of cells, each cell of the plurality of cells comprising a programmable moveable floor and configured to store a standard container;
an elevator extending across the multi-floor cargo space, the elevator comprising a programmable moveable elevator floor;
a modular robot including a modular platform configured to removeably engage with the programmable moveable elevator floor and to receive the target standard container, wherein the modular robot is releasably coupled to the vehicle in a stowed configuration during travel of the vehicle, wherein the modular robot is configured to transition from the stowed configuration to a deployed configuration in order to receive the target standard container from the programmable moveable elevator floor, and wherein, when the modular robot is in the deployed configuration, the modular platform is disposed parallel to the programmable moveable floor;
a memory that stores computer-executable instructions; and
a processor configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to:
identify a target cell of the plurality of cells storing a target standard container within the multi-floor cargo space;
determine a pathway from the target cell to the programmable moveable elevator floor and a moving pattern configured to provide the pathway to the target standard container; and
cause the programmable moveable floors to move according to the moving pattern to move the target standard container to the programmable moveable elevator floor.