US 12,483,048 B1
Self-aligning charger interface for a robot
Samrin Sing, Sammamish, WA (US)
Assigned to Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed by Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed on Sep. 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/934,963.
Int. Cl. H02J 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC H02J 7/0042 (2013.01) 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A charging interface for a robot, comprising:
a support frame extending between a proximal end and a distal end and having an opening that extends through the support frame and defines and inner surface of the support frame; and
a charging assembly movably coupled to the support frame via one or more springs coupled to the support frame and to a distal portion of the charging assembly, a linear portion of the charging assembly extending at least partially through the opening, an outer surface of the linear portion spaced from the inner surface to define a circumferential gap therebetween, the charging assembly comprising:
a charging port at a proximal end of the charging assembly, and
a fixation member configured to center and align the charging assembly relative to the support frame via a plurality of ribs on one of the fixation member and the inner surface of the support frame that releasably engage a plurality of recesses on the other of the fixation member and the inner surface of the support frame,
wherein the charging assembly is movable relative to the support frame between a nested position where the charging assembly is centered and aligned within the opening and a distal portion of the charging assembly engages the distal end of the support frame, and a floating position where the charging assembly is moved distally relative to the support frame so that the distal portion of the charging assembly is spaced from the distal end of the support frame and so that the charging assembly is free to translate and rotate relative to the support frame.