Patent Application
20220371636
This invention relates generally to a product transport and storage apparatus in the form of bots which aid human activity. The invention makes the human activity less strenuous, more efficient and more productive. A primary field of use is urban and suburban food distribution.
Traditionally food at a grocery store is placed in bags which a person then carries by hand to their vehicle. They transport the food home in their vehicle. They carry the bags into their home.
People who have a difficulty placing food in bags, removing food from bags, carrying bags, or lifting bags have get assistance from people who can carry and work with food in bags to get their groceries. People who having difficulty carrying bags and working with food in bags are restricted from the work of urban and suburban food distribution.
In light of the foregoing prior art, there is a need to enable more people to participate in efficient and productive urban and suburban food distribution.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is a Product Transport and Storage system comprising at least one Porch Bot described herein, a Railed Crane Bot described herein to lift and position the Porch Bot in a storage space, and a Mother Bot described herein to hold and transfer the Porch Bot(s) in and out of the storage space. The storage space may be a moveable space such as truck trailer, ship cargo hold, or cargo airplane for delivery of Porch Bots. The storage space may be in a warehouse or other building or venue. The system enables workers who may have limited physical capacity to efficiently pack, transport, unload, and deliver goods and groceries.
The Product Transport and Storage system may comprise a truck with a truck trailer, at least one Porch Bot placeable in the truck trailer to store and transport cases of groceries, a Railed Crane Bot apparatus connected to a roof of the truck trailer to lift and place the Porch Bot(s) at least within the truck trailer, and a Mother Bot having an bed which is moveable vertically and horizontally to transport the Porch Bot(s) to and from the truck trailer to a porch, patio, or landing. So person may be aided by the system to transport food collected into the cases of groceries to a porch, patio, or landing where the food may be securely stored in the Porch Bot for later use.
According to an aspect of the invention there is a Railed Crane Bot apparatus for lifting and positioning a Porch Bot. The Railed Crane Bot may comprise a roof rail to be connected to a roof of a truck trailer longitudinally intermediate a front wall and an opposite rear door of the truck trailer. The Railed Crane Bot may also comprise a rail car constrained to run longitudinally along the roof rail. It may be that suspended from the rail car is a winch having a cord with a free end to lift and position the Porch Bot. There may be a hook to temporarily attach to the Porch Bot and lift and place the Porch Bot to positions within the trailer. So the Porch Bots may be placed easily within the trailer for efficient packing a storage.
The Railed Crane Bot apparatus may comprise an extension arm which extends in one or more directions. The extension arm may extend in a direction orthogonal to longitudinal direction of the roof rail. The hook may hang from cord which hangs over a distal end of the extension arm from the rail car. So the Porch Bots can be taken from a position in the trailer to a position outside the trailer where distal end of the arm extends outside the trailer. Also the arm may be moved to a position inside the Porch Bot so that an individual case of groceries may be placed onto or taken off of a shelf in the Porch Bot.
The Railed Crane Bot apparatus may be arranged with the winch connected to the rail car by an axle around which the extension arm rotates when urged. Thus the Porch Bots can be moved laterally to within the trailer by rotating the arm. The Porch Bot can be moved to a precise position by both laterally and longitudinally rotating the arm to position around the rail car. The Porch Bot can be moved to position longitudinally intermediate the front wall and the rear door by moving the rail car along the rail.
According to an aspect of the invention there is a Railed Fork Bot for lifting and positioning a Porch Bot in a truck trailer. The Railed Fork Bot may comprise a base end distal from a distal end. The Railed Fork Bot may comprise tines of a fork to lift the Porch Bot. The tines extend, preferably orthogonally, from a carriage which slides along a rail arm. The carriage may slide from the base end to the distal end. The base end may be configured to support the Railed Fork Bot vertically from a floor of the trailer
The distal end may comprise a rail car interface to connect to a rail car on a roof of the truck trailer to stabilize the rail car as a column. The rail car interface may be arranged to connect the distal end of the rail arm to a winch on the rail car to raise and lower the carriage along the rail arm.
There may be a winch interface on a distal end of the rail arm from a base end. The base end may be configured to support the Railed Fork Bot from a floor of the truck trailer. The winch interface arranged to connect the rail arm to a winch on the roof of the truck trailer to winch the tines on the rail arm. The winch does the work of lifting the Porch Bot and the strong floor of the truck trailer supports the weight of the Porch Bot through the base end of the rail arm.
The rail car interface may be arranged to connect the distal end of the rail arm to a winch on the rail car to winch the tines along the rail arm. The winch may be on the rail car to raise and lower the carriage along the rail arm. The winch may be able to do the work of lifting the Porch Bot. This is convenient for lifting and placing the Porch Bot inside the trailer. It is also convenient for lifting the Porch Bot on and off the Mother Bot. The strong floor of the truck trailer supports the weight of the Porch Bot through the base end of the rail arm.
The Railed Fork Bot may comprise teeth arrayed along the longitudinal length of the rail arm. The carriage may comprise a ratchet which operates on the teeth raise and lower the carriage along the rail. A hand crank may be connected to the carriage by a ratchet which operates on the teeth to jack the tines along the rail. So a person may manually jack up the Porch Bot independently of operation of the winch. The hand crank may also comprise or be used as a handle to move the Porch Bot or cases along the floor.
The Railed Fork Bot may comprise a wheel on a base end of the rail arm to roll the rail arm along the floor in a same direction the winch moves along the roof. So the Railed Fork Bot has little resistance to lateral positioning movements which makes it easy to place Porch Bots within the truck trailer.
According an aspect of the invention there is Porch Bot Elevator for lifting and rotating a Porch Bot to position the Porch Bot inside and outside a truck trailer The Porch Bot Elevator may be situated near an exit of the truck trailer to facilitate moving Porch Bots into and out of the truck trailer. The Porch Bot Elevator may comprise a column support, a trunnion rotatably connected in parallel to the column support, and a platform base connected orthogonal to the trunnion. The platform base may be rotated around the column support by turning the trunnion. The trunnion may be situated in the truck trailer near the exit so that Porch Bots may be rotated into and out of the truck trailer by rotating the platform base.
The column support may comprise at least one threaded eyelet through which the trunnion passes to rotatably connect to the column support. The eyelets may extend laterally from the column portion. Two or more eyelets may be aligned parallel to the column portion of the column support. Preferably the centers of the eyelet determine a straight line parallel to the column support.
The trunnion may be secured in the parallel position relative to the column support by passing through the eyelets. The platform base may be translated around the column support by turning the trunnion in the eyelets. By virtue of the trunnion threaded engagement with the first and second eyelets the trunnion also translates parallel to column support when rotated. The Porch Bot Elevator is ideally located at a corner of a truck trailer proximate a rear door. It may be located by an edge of a side door opening of the truck trailer. So the Porch Bot Elevator is useful for lifting Porch Bots into and out of the truck trailer.
The Porch Bot Elevator may be configured with the trunnion passing through eye of each of the first and second eyelets. The two centers of the eyes determine a straight line parallel to the column support. So the trunnion is rotatably held parallel to the column support.
The Porch Bot Elevator may comprise in the column support a longitudinal slot to an access a longitudinal traversing mechanism which the column support comprises in its interior. the mechanism may be connected to the eyelet to translate the eyelet along the length of the column support. The trunnion may be screwed into the eyelet. The platform base is preferably connected to the trunnion. Thus the platform base may be translated parallel to the column support by the longitudinal traversing mechanism. So the platform base may be moved parallel to the column support without rotating the platform base and without rotating the trunnion. The eyelets may be connected to the longitudinal traversing mechanism to translate the platform base parallel to the column support.
According to an aspect of the invention there is a Porch Bot for transporting products comprising a storage shell having a shelved interior for storing the products on shelves, brace rails on an external side of the storage shell, a handle frame displaceable along the brace rails to fixed positions in register with the shelves to support the products slid out of the shelved interior. Groceries may be packed into cases in loaded into the Porch Bot using handle to pull the Porch Bot down an aisle of groceries. Then the Porch Bot is loaded into a truck trailer and transported a porch, patio or building landing for storage.
The handle frame may comprise arms which clasp opposite sides of the storage shell. One of the sides grasped by the arms may include a side comprising a door into the shelved interior. Thus the handle frame also helps keep the groceries secure inside the Porch Bot.
According to an aspect of the invention there is Mother Bot for lifting and transporting one or more of the of Porch Bots described herein. The Porch Bot(s) can be easily transported from a truck trailer into a kitchen or storage room using the Mother Bot which is arranged to travel on a truck trailer floor, road, sidewalk, driveway, and kitchen or storage room floor. The Mother Bot may comprise a bed to support and preferably carry one or more of the Porch Bots. The Mother Bot may comprise an adjustable height lift connected to an opposite side of the bed than a side of bed configured to support the Porch Bot(s). The adjustable height lift is useful to raise, lower, and translate the bed from a surface. The surface may be a road, sidewalk, driveway, and/or truck trailer floor. So Porch Bots on the bed may be lifted in and out of the truck trailer and transported and from the truck trailer to and from a storage room or kitchen. The adjustable height lift may comprise at least one scissors lift having legs connected to the opposite side of the bed from the side configured to carry the Porch Bots. Preferably the legs having rolling wheels at a free end distal from where the legs are connected to the bed. The wheels may roll on the surface to transport the Mother Bot and preferably one or more Porch Bots on the Mother Bot.
According to an aspect of the invention there is a method of eliminating product delivery packaging using a Product Transport and Storage system comprising receiving an electronic order for a plurality of products, selecting and collecting said plurality of products then storing said products within a Porch Bot, relocating said Porch Bot to a delivery address for said products.
According to the invention there is a method of using a Product Transport and Storage system comprising receiving an electronic order for a plurality of products, selecting and collecting said plurality of products then storing said products within a Porch Bot, relocating said Porch Bot to a delivery address for said products. The method helps to reduce or eliminate product delivery packaging.
According to the invention there is a method of using a Product Transport and Storage system wherein relocating said Porch Bot to a delivery address for said products further comprises moving said Porch Bot into a Modern Milk Truck (MMT), lifting and positioning said Porch Bot for stowage within said MMT using a Railed Crane Bot, transporting said Porch Bot to said delivery address, unloading said Porch Bot using said Railed Crane Bot, transporting said Porch Bot to a delivery position.
According to the invention there is a method of using a Product Transport and Storage system wherein relocating said Porch Bot to a delivery address for said products further comprises moving said Porch Bot into a Modern Milk Truck (MMT), lifting and positioning said Porch Bot for stowage within said MMT using a Railed Fork Bot, transporting said Porch Bot to said delivery address, unloading said Porch Bot using said Railed Fork Bot, transporting said Porch Bot to a delivery position. The a Railed Fork Bot may comprise a base end distal from a distal end, tines of a fork to lift the Porch Bot wherein the fork extends from a carriage which slides along the rail arm from the base end to the distal end, and the base end is configured to support the Railed Fork Bot vertically from a floor of the trailer, and the distal end comprises a rail car interface to connect to a rail car on a roof of the truck trailer to stabilize the rail car as a column
According to the invention there is a method of using a Product Transport and Storage system wherein relocating said Porch Bot to a delivery address for said products further comprises moving said Porch Bot into a Modern Milk Truck (MMT) with a method comprising lifting and positioning said Porch Bot for stowage within said MMT using a Mother Bot, transporting said Porch Bot to said delivery address, unloading said Porch Bot using said Mother Bot, transporting said Porch Bot to a delivery position.
According to the invention there is a method of using a Product Transport and Storage system wherein transporting said Porch Bot to a delivery position for a plurality of Porch Bots to be delivered to said delivery position is the method of transporting said plurality of Porch Bots together upon said Mother Bot prior to unloading said plurality of Porch Bots for transport to said delivery position.
The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures in which
The detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. The disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. The details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and use the invention.
References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etcetera, indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.
Furthermore, it should be understood that spatial descriptions (e.g., “above,” “below,” “up,” “left,” “right,” “down,” “top,” “bottom,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” etc.) used herein are for purposes of illustration only, and that practical implementations of the structures described herein can be spatially arranged in any orientation or manner.
Referring to the Figures, there is shown in
The Porch Bot 400 shown in
Inside the trailer attached to the roof is a Railed Crane Bot 100. Examples of the Railed Crane Bot are shown in
As shown in
A rail car 114 runs on upper wheels 142 on top of the lower flange 112. The rail car 114 is able to run on the lower flange inside the trailer from the front wall 106 to the rear door 104. So the Porch Bots may be placed quickly in places anywhere between the front wall 106 to the rear door 104 of the trailer.
The rail car 114 also has lower wheels 146 which run along the bottom of the lower flange 112. The upper wheels 142 comprise a pair with the web 130 of the flange intermediate them so that the rail car is constrained to run longitudinally along the rail. The web prevent the rail car from moving sideways and so the rail car 114 is safely supported on the rail 105 so that it will not inadvertently fall off the rail 105.
As shown in
As shown in
The hook 190 or hitch is connectable to a case of groceries so that an individual case can be lifted or from the floor or lowered to the floor. A person can this way use the Railed Crane Bot carry a case from a shelf in porch bot to the floor and to transport the case anywhere in the trailer from the front wall 106 to the rear door 104.
The winch 170 comprises an extension arm 150 which extends horizontally under the rail 105. The length of the extension arm is about a meter or yard or about a depth into a Porch Bot 400 or about a quarter to a half the width from the side to side of the trailer. The cord 175 travel along the length of the extension arm 150 so that the hook 190 hangs from the distal end of the extension arm 150 from the cage 120. The winch 170 is suspended from the cage 120 by an axle 140. So the extension arm 150 can rotate around the axle to easily hang cases out the side door or the back door. Placing cases of groceries from inside to outside the trailer and vice versa is therefore possible as is lifting and placing Porch Bots 400 from inside the trailer to outside the trailer and vice versa. So a person can use the Railed Crane Bot to lift individual cases of groceries into and out of the truck trailer and into and out of the individual Porch Bots whether the Porch Bots are inside or outside the truck trailer.
The load capacity of the roof of a typical truck trailer is to withstand person walking on it or a few meters or yards of snow. Hence the load capacity of the Railed Crane Boat attached the roof of the trailer may be insufficient to pick up a Porch Bot full of cases full groceries. To lift and place a full Porch Bot in the truck trailer,
Another embodiment of the Railed Crane Bot 100 is shown in
Stabilizing brackets 193 extend vertically down from the horizontally orientated minor rails 192, 193. The stabilizing brackets 193 are configured to connect to Porch Bots resting on Mother Bots inside the truck trailer. The stabilizing brackets 193 help to prevent the Porch Bot from rolling or toppling of the Mother Bot.
As shown in
The Railed Fork Bot 200 shown in
The rail 205 has a base end comprising a wheel 218 which in use in the bottom end of the rail 205 supported on the floor. The rail 205 has a distal end from the base end which in use is the top end of the rail 205. The distal end is an interface 260 which with a ring 265 to receive the axel 140 of the winch. When the Rail Fork Bot 200 is in use it interfaces with the winch 170 so that the axel 140 and the rail 204 of the Railed Fork Bot 200 are parallel.
The cord 175 of winch 170 passes through an aperture in the interface 160. The hook 190 shown in
Tines of fork 210 half a yard or meter to a yard or meter long are connected to the carriage 238. The tines extend orthogonally from the rail 205 of the Railed Fork Bot. So in use the tines of fork 210 extend horizontally. To lift and place a Porch Bot 400, the tines of fork 210 shoved under the base 435 of the Porch Bot and then the tines of Fork 210 are lifted to lift the Porch Bot. The tines of fork 210 can also be shoved under an individual case on a shelve in the Porch Bot 400 to lift that case and if desired a stack of cases.
Since the tines of fork 210 are connected to the carriage 238, the tines of fork 210 are lifted by using the winch 170 to wind up the cord 175. So a person does not have to bear the weight of the cases full of groceries or Porch Bot 400 full of groceries since the winch 170 does the lifting. Although the winch does the work of lifting and is connected to the roof of the trailer, the roof does not have to support the weight of the Porch Bot 400 or cases full of groceries. This is because the weight is transferred to the floor 108 by the rail 205 of the Railed Fork Bot 200.
There is also hand crank 217 comprising a handle 218 distal from a ratchet 216 connected to the carriage 238 to ratchet up the tines of fork 210. The ratchet engages with teeth arrayed along the longitudinal length of the rail 205 of the Railed Fork Bot 200. On the handle, there is button 252 linked to the ratchet 216 to engage/disengage the teeth.
The wheel 218 is connected by a swivel to the base end of the rail 205 of the Railed Fork Bot. The distal end of the rail is connected by the interface 260 to the carriage 120 of the Railed Crane Bot which may be moved from the front wall 106 to the rear door 104 of the trailer. So that the whole Railed Fork Bot supporting a Porch Bot 200 or case on the tines of Fork 210 can be moved to and from the rear door to positions within the trailer.
As shown in
The Porch Bot Elevator 300 comprises a column support 330 arranged vertically intermediate the truck floor 108 and the ceiling of the truck roof 107. The column support has 330 has a base end 310 which connects to the truck floor 108. A distal end 320 from the base end connected to the truck ceiling 107.
In some embodiments the base 310 and the distal end 320 comprise a pivot connection or bearing so that the column support 330 and components connected to it can rotate around the longitudinal axis of the column support 330. Components which extend radially away from the column can be rotated out the truck trailer through the rear door 104 when open.
The Porch Bot Elevator 300 comprises a trunnion 385 in a form an externally threaded cylinder which has a length between one quarter and quarters the length of the column support 330. The trunnion 385 is supported parallel the column support 330 by three eyelets 340, 350, 360 which extend in a row from the column support 330. The eyelet 340 which is closest the distal end 320 of the column support 330 has an internal thread which meshes with the external thread of the trunnion 385. So turning the trunnion 385 drives it to move relative to the eyelet 340. The eyelets 350, 360 which are closer to the base 310 of the column support 330 are unthreaded and have an internal diameter which is provide a slip fit around the external thread of the trunnion 385. So these eyelets 350, 360 guide the trunnion stay parallel to the column support as the trunnion is driven by turning.
The trunnion 385 comprises a handle crank 375 on distal end which protrudes out of the eyelet 340 closest to the distal end of the column support.
The Porch Bot Elevator 300 comprises a platform base 395 arranged orthogonal to the trunnion 385 and to the column support 330. So in use the platform base 395 is parallel to the floor 108 of the truck trailer. The platform base 395 positioned underneath Porch Bots 400 to raise the Porch Bots above the floor 108 of the truck trailer so that the Porch Bots can be transferred into and out of the truck trailer through the rear door 104 when the rear door is open.
The platform base 395 comprises a frame around the perimeter of the platform base.
The frame is light weight device to reinforce the platform base 395 to support the weight of a Porch Bot 400 full of groceries.
At least one strut 392 and in some embodiments also a second strut 393 extend at an angle away from the plane of the platform base 395. The struts 392, 393 extend to a ring 390 arranged parallel to the main frame of the platform base 395. The trunnion 385 passes through the hollow of the ring. The trunnion 385 has a base end 397 distal from the crank 375. Th base end 397 is connected to the frame of the platform base 395. So when the crank 375 is used to turn the trunnion, it also turns the platform base 395.
The ring 390 is centered with respect to the location that the base end 397 is connected to the frame of the platform base 395. The ring 390 is intermediate the two eyelets 350, 360 which are closest to the base 310 of the column support 330. This ensures that the platform base 395 is held orthogonal to the trunnion 385 and parallel to the floor 108 of the truck trailer.
The three eyelets 340, 350, 360 are connected through a longitudinal slot 320 in the column support 330 to a longitudinal traversing mechanism which the column support comprises in its interior. The longitudinal traversing mechanism can move the three eyelets closer to base end 310 of the column support 310. The longitudinal traversing mechanism can also move the three eyelets closer to distal end 320 of the column support 310. So the platform base 395 is raised and lowered relative to the truck trailer floor 108 by the movement of the longitudinal traversing mechanism.
The column support 330 is connected at its base end 310 to the floor 108 truck trailer and the distal end 310 is connected to the roof 107 of the truck trailer. The trunnion 385 is secured parallel the column support 330 by being held within the eyelets 340, 350, 360. The platform base 395 is secured orthogonal to the trunnion 385 by the ring 390 at the distal end of the struts 392, 393 and the connection at the 397 base end of the trunnion to the platform base 395. There the entire Porch Bot Elevator 300 is secured stable within the truck trailer. So Porch Bots 400 and case of groceries are transferred safely on the platform base 395 through the rear door 104 of the truck trailer.
The invention has been described by way of examples only. Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the claims.
A Porch Bot 400 is shown in
The Porch Bot 400 cabinet 410 is supported by a base 437. The base 437 is capable of supporting a Porch Bot containing a ton or thousand kilograms of groceries. The base comprises wheels 430 a rear corners and wheels 435 at front corners. The base 437 comprises a plate which may be reinforced by perpendicular sides or ribs.
The Porch Bot comprises a pair of brace rails 440, 441. The brace rails 440, 441 are parallel each other and extend perpendicular to the base from two adjacent corners. A of the cabinet 410 is connected to the brace rails 440, 441. Thus the Porch Bot may function as dolly for groceries within. A person may grasp brace rails, tilt the platform onto only the wheels 430 directly under the brace rails 440, 441 and move the Porch Bot 400 on the wheel 430.
The Porch Bot 400 comprises a handle 450 connected to the rails by a bar 455 just about halfway up the height of the cabinet 410. The handle 450 helps moving the Porch Bot 400 on wheels 430, 435 at all the corners of the base 437. Using the handle 450 Porch Bot 400 does not have to tipped onto just the wheels directly underneath the braces 440, 441. The handle 450 provides a safer way of moving.
The bar 455 spans a space between the two brace rails 440, 441. The bar 455 has a first lock to hold the handle 450 in a parallel position between the brace rails. The bar 455 has a second lock to hold the handle 450 in a second position extending orthogonally away from form the brace rails 440, 442 and the side of the cabinet 410 parallel connected to the brace rails 440, 441. In the second position the handle bye be used as horizontal support rest for a case of groceries or a tray.
The handlebar 455 may be displaceable along the brace rails 440, 441 to fixed positions in register with shelves the interior of the cabinet 410 to support the cases on slid out the cabinet from the shelves.
The cabinet 410 has a latch door lock 413 on an adjacent side perpendicular to the side connected to the brace rails 440, 441. There are vents 432 through the adjacent side to permit escape of sublimating dry ice CO2 and to provide ventilation to prevent accidental suffocation.
The cabinet 410 has an openable door on a side opposite the side connected to the brace rails 440, 410. Cases on groceries are loaded into and on out the Porch Bot 400 through the openable door.
The Porch Bot has a pair of stair climbing treads 424, 425, 426 in channels 420, 421 which extend up from the platform base 437. The channels 420, 421 are attached to the brace rails 440, 441 for reinforcement.
A Mother Bot 500 is shown in
The Mother Bot 500 is used to transport Porch Bots to and from the truck trailer floor 108.
The invention has been described by way of examples only. Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the claims.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to various embodiments, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US21/70626 | 5/28/2021 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63198686 | Nov 2020 | US |
