IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,669,768
Granted Patent B2
US 10,669,768 · App. 16/146,482 · Granted Jun 2, 2020

Robotic power delivery

Inventors: Matthew Amacker (Santa Clara, CA); Jonathan Yao (San Jose, CA); Andrew Custer (Oakland, CA); Joe Taylor (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
E05F15/77A47B77/08A47B88/457B25J5/007H02J50/10H02J50/90H04B5/0037E05Y2201/232E05Y2900/20H02J7/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,669,768
App. No.
16/146,482
Granted
Jun 2, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system includes a door, an external electrical connection electrically coupled to a charge store, an opening assembly including a controller, an actuator, a gear, and an actuator arm. The actuator arm is mechanically coupled to the actuator and removably coupled to the door such that the actuator arm opens or closes the door upon actuation of the actuator and the external electrical connection electrically couples to a mobile robotic power delivery device that includes a battery to provide electrical power to the actuator and the controller.

Claims (35)

1. A system comprising:

a door;

an external electrical connection electrically coupled to a charge store; and

an opening assembly including a controller, an actuator, a gear, and an actuator arm, wherein:

the actuator arm is mechanically coupled to the actuator and removably coupled to the door such that the actuator arm opens or closes the door upon actuation of the actuator,

the external electrical connection is able to be electrically coupled to a mobile robotic power delivery device that includes a battery to provide electrical power to the actuator and the controller.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile robotic power delivery device electrically couples to the external electrical connection through a wireless electrical connection to apply electrical power to the charge store.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile robotic power delivery device comprises a plurality of electrical contacts that, when contacted with the external electrical connection, electrically couple the battery to the charge store.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller receives an opening signal or a closing signal and the controller causes the actuator to open or close the door in response to the opening signal or the closing signal.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the opening signal and the closing signal are generated by the mobile robotic power delivery device.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the opening signal and the closing signal are generated as a result of a user input to open or close the door.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a charge sensor for sensing a charge storage level of the charge store.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the charge store comprises sufficient electrical power for a plurality of door openings and closings.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit a low charge signal when the charge sensor senses a low charge condition of the charge store.

10. A robotic power delivery system comprising:

a robot comprising:

a battery electrically coupled to an end effector that is configured to contact a receiver of an external electrical circuit;

a mobile base; and

an electronic control unit comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer readable memory storing one or more instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the robot to:

supply an electrical charge from the battery to the receiver,

send an opening signal or a closing signal to a controller that is communicatively coupled to the receiver such that the controller causes an actuator to open or close a door based on the opening signal and the closing signal.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the end effector is coupled to a robot arm.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the robot arm comprises a plurality of electrical contacts for contacting the external electrical circuit.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the robot arm supplies the electrical charge to the receiver of the external electrical circuit via a wireless electrical connection.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the mobile base is a motorized wheel assembly.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the opening signal and the closing signal are transmitted via Bluetooth low energy.

16. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a base station for charging the battery of the robot.

17. A system for applying an electrical charge, the system comprising:

a mobile robotic power delivery device comprising a battery;

a charging station for charging the battery of the mobile robotic power delivery device; and

an external device comprising a charge store and one or more of an electrical component and an electromechanical component,

wherein the mobile robotic power delivery device receives an electrical charge from the charging station, determines a location of the external device, moves to the external device, supplies a second electrical charge to the charge store of the external device, and sends an opening signal or a closing signal to the external device.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the one or more of the electrical component and the electromechanical component of the external device comprise one or more of an opening assembly for a storage compartment, a lock, a smoke detector, and a door.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the external device includes a receiver, the opening signal or the closing signal being sent to a controller that is communicatively coupled to the receiver such that the controller causes an actuator to open or close the opening assembly based on the opening signal or the closing signal.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the mobile robotic power delivery device is communicatively coupled with the external device such that the external device transmits a signal to the robot to request an electrical charge to the charge store.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NUMBER 10669768 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053058 FRAME 0464. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jul 2, 2020
From: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 053118/0302 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2018
From: AMACKER, MATTHEW; YAO, JONATHAN; CUSTER, ANDREW; TAYLOR, JOE
To: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
Reel/Frame 047009/0669 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200102781A1 · Apr 2, 2020
Cited By (2)
US 12,442,166 US 12,617,617