Robot delivery system
A system for delivering an article from a first location to a second location with a robot having a closeable transport container for housing the article during transport. A closeable recipient container is provided at the second location for receiving the article. At least one computer configured to navigate the robot over an outdoor transportation network between locations is provided. The robot has a robot article transport mechanism controlled by the at least one computer for removing the article from the transport container and the recipient container has a recipient article transport mechanism for moving the article inside the recipient container.
1. A system for delivering an article from a first location to a second location, comprising a robot for transporting the article from the first location to the second location, the robot having a closeable transport container for housing the article during transport, a closeable recipient container at the second location for receiving the article, at least one computer configured to navigate the robot over an outdoor transportation network from the first location to the second location, the robot having an assembly for moving the transport container in a vertical direction to align the transport container with the recipient container, and at least one transport mechanism for moving the article from inside the transport container to inside the recipient container.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one transport mechanism includes a robot article transport mechanism for removing the article from the transport container.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the robot article transport mechanism is at least partially disposed inside the transport container.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transport container has an opening and the recipient container has an opening, and wherein the assembly is configured for aligning the opening of the transport container with the opening of the recipient container.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the robot includes a plurality of closeable transport containers.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one transport mechanism includes a recipient article transport mechanism for moving the article inside the recipient container.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the recipient article transport mechanism is at least partially disposed inside the recipient container.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the robot is a driverless vehicle free of a driver compartment.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the assembly includes a first assembly for causing the transport container to translate in three orthogonal directions relative to the recipient container and a second assembly for causing the transport container to rotate about three orthogonal axes relative to the recipient container for aligning the transport container with the recipient container.
10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a pickup container at the first location, wherein the assembly is configured for moving the transport container in a vertical direction to align the transport container with the pickup container.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the least one transport mechanism is configured for moving the article from inside the pickup container to inside the transport container.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one transport container includes a pickup article transport mechanism at least partially disposed inside the pickup container.
13. A system for delivering an article from a first location to a second location, comprising a robot for transporting the article from the first location to the second location, the robot having a closeable transport container with an opening for housing the article during transport, a closeable recipient container with an opening at the second location for receiving the article, at least one computer configured to navigate the robot over an outdoor transportation network from the first location to the second location, the robot having an assembly for moving the transport container in a vertical direction to register the opening of the transport container with the opening of the recipient container, and at least one transport mechanism for moving the article from inside the transport container to inside the recipient container.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one transport mechanism includes a robot article transport mechanism for removing the article from the transport container.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the robot article transport mechanism is at least partially disposed inside the transport container.
16. A system for delivering an article from a first location to a second location, comprising a robot for transporting the article from the first location to the second location, the robot having a closeable transport container for housing the article during transport, an array of closeable upper and lower recipient containers at the second location, at least one computer configured to navigate the robot over an outdoor transportation network from the first location to the second location, the robot having an assembly for aligning the transport container with any one of the upper and lower recipient containers, and at least one transport mechanism for moving the article from inside the transport container to inside the any one of the upper and lower recipient containers.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the transport container has an opening and each of the upper and lower recipient containers has an opening, and wherein the assembly is configured for aligning the opening of the transport container with the opening of the any one of the upper and lower recipient containers.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one transport mechanism includes a robot article transport mechanism for removing the article from the transport container.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the robot article transport mechanism is at least partially disposed inside the transport container.