US 12,486,046 B2
Drone delivery system
Joseph W. Warwick, Bensalem, PA (US); and Jason T. Erdreich, Randolph, NJ (US)
Assigned to Southeastern Pennsylvania Unmanned Aircraft Systems, LLC, Bensalem, PA (US)
Filed by Southeastern Pennsylvania Unmanned Aircraft Systems, LLC, Bensalem, PA (US)
Filed on Mar. 3, 2025, as Appl. No. 19/068,117.
Application 19/068,117 is a continuation of application No. 18/631,222, filed on Apr. 10, 2024, granted, now 12,291,352.
Application 18/631,222 is a continuation of application No. 18/363,048, filed on Aug. 1, 2023, granted, now 12,012,225, issued on Jun. 18, 2024.
Application 18/363,048 is a continuation of application No. 15/734,271, granted, now 11,767,129, issued on Sep. 26, 2023, previously published as PCT/US2020/016008, filed on Jan. 31, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2025/0242942 A1, Jul. 31, 2025
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B64F 1/00 (2024.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64U 10/14 (2023.01); B64U 80/70 (2023.01); B64U 101/30 (2023.01); B64U 101/60 (2023.01)
CPC B64F 1/007 (2013.01) [B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64F 1/005 (2013.01); B64U 10/14 (2023.01); B64U 80/70 (2023.01); B64U 2101/30 (2023.01); B64U 2101/60 (2023.01)] 36 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A drone delivery system comprising:
(a) a housing including a pair of parts wherein each said part without subparts, one said part attached to other said part;
(b) a drone with a sensor;
(c) a lock mechanism wherein an electro-mechanical device is adapted to secure one said part to other said part when said lock mechanism locked;
(d) a timer secured to one part and electrically communicable with said lock mechanism to unlock said lock mechanism after a time delay implemented by said timer; and
(e) a biasing mechanism adapted to move one said part with respect to other said part after said lock mechanism unlocked;
wherein,
said drone surrounded by said housing in a CLOSED configuration when said lock mechanism locked;
said drone introducible to an area of interest in said CLOSED configuration;
said drone not surrounded by said housing in an OPEN configuration when said lock mechanism unlocked;
said drone is remotely-operable and includes at least one flight-enabling fan, said drone separable from said housing in said OPEN configuration via said at least one flight-enabling fan;
said drone delivery system introducible to said area of interest via rolling, throwing, or launching during said time delay, said lock mechanism unlocked after said time delay so that said housing is reconfigured from said CLOSED configuration to said OPEN configuration by said biasing mechanism, a user remotely initiates movement of said drone after said time delay so that said drone separates from said housing in said OPEN configuration.