IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,858,762
Granted Patent B2
US 11,858,762 · App. 17/635,056 · Granted Jan 2, 2024

Method for transferring cargo from a cargo receiving portion of a vehicle, and vehicle for carrying out said method

Inventors: Jan Behling (Munich, DE); Mathias Rotgeri (Munich, DE); Jan Soeren Emmerich (Munich, DE); Dirk Hoening (Munich, DE); Patrick Klokowski (Munich, DE); Christian Hammermeister (Munich, DE); Michael Ten Hompel (Munich, DE)
Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
B65G67/24B60P1/52G05D1/0225B60P7/0892B65G69/006G05D2201/0216
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,858,762
App. No.
17/635,056
Filed
Feb 14, 2022
Granted
Jan 2, 2024
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3652
USPC
414/809
Abstract

According to a method for transferring a cargo from a cargo receiving portion of a vehicle onto a cargo take-up station, the vehicle is controlled by a vehicle control unit such that the vector of the velocity of the vehicle is modified immediately before, or upon its arrival at the cargo take-up station and the vehicle is oriented by the vehicle control unit and/or by at least one guide system positioned in the region of the cargo take-up station before the arrival of the vehicle at the cargo take-up station, such that the trajectory of the cargo that is moving away from the cargo receiving portion as a result of the modification in the velocity vector, ends at a receiving region of the cargo take-up station.

Claims (16)

1. A method for transfer of cargo ( 2 ) from a cargo receiving portion ( 3 ) of a vehicle ( 1 ) to a cargo take-up station ( 11 ), wherein the vehicle ( 1 ) is controlled by a vehicle control unit in such a way that the vector of the velocity of the vehicle ( 1 ) is changed immediately before or upon arrival at the cargo take-up station ( 11 ) by braking the vehicle ( 1 ) and/or changing the direction of the velocity of the vehicle ( 1 ) and the vehicle ( 1 ), before arrival at the cargo take-up station ( 11 ), is oriented by the vehicle control unit and/or by at least one guide device disposed in the region of the cargo take-up station ( 11 ) in such a way that the trajectory of the cargo ( 2 ) moving away from the cargo receiving portion ( 3 ) due to the change of the velocity vector of the vehicle ( 1 ) ends in a receiving area ( 14 ) of the cargo take-up station ( 11 ).

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle ( 1 ) is driven by the vehicle control unit against the cargo take-up station ( 11 ).

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle ( 1 ) is driven by the vehicle control unit against the cargo take-up station ( 11 ) without being braked.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the vehicle ( 1 ) is driven by the vehicle control unit at a sharp angle against the cargo take-up station ( 11 ).

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coefficient of friction of the surface ( 3 a ) of the cargo receiving portion ( 3 ) is reduced before arrival at the cargo take-up station ( 11 ).

6. A vehicle for performance of the method according to claim 5 with a cargo receiving portion ( 3 ), which is disposed on a chassis ( 4 ),

wherein the cargo receiving portion ( 3 ) is designed to be open or openable along at least one side rim,

wherein the vehicle has a vehicle control unit, and

wherein the surface ( 3 a ) of the cargo-receiving portion ( 3 ) is designed such that its coefficient of friction at the surface of contact with the cargo ( 2 ) is variable.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the control unit is arranged such that, for cargo delivery, the control unit generates a control signal for reduction of the coefficient of friction.

8. The vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein, for reduction of the coefficient of friction of the contact surface, at least one mechanical release element is provided, which can be actuated by physical contact with the cargo take-up station ( 11 ).

9. The vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the cargo receiving portion ( 3 ) has at least one support face ( 8 ) with a multiplicity of openings ( 9 ) and wherein bearing elements ( 10 ) are disposed in the region of the openings ( 9 ), wherein the support face ( 8 ) is designed to be relatively displaceable, at least in vertical direction, with respect to the bearing elements ( 10 ).

10. The vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the bearing elements ( 10 ) are designed as rotatably mounted rollers or balls.

11. The vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the bearing elements ( 10 ) are designed to be stud-shaped or plank-shaped.

12. The vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the bearing elements ( 10 ) have a different coefficient of friction compared with the support face ( 8 ).

13. The vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the cargo receiving portion ( 3 ) has a rim boundary ( 6 ) along at least one side rim, the upper rim ( 6 a ) of which can be positioned, by relative motion with respect to the surface ( 3 a ) of the cargo receiving portion ( 3 ), at the level of the surface ( 3 a ) of the cargo receiving portion ( 3 ) or below the level of the surface ( 3 a ) of the cargo receiving portion ( 3 ).

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 14, 2022
From: BEHLING, JAN; ROTGERI, MATHIAS; EMMERICH, JAN SOEREN; HOENING, DIRK; KLOKOWSKI, PATRICK; HAMMERMEISTER, CHRISTIAN; TEN HOMPEL, MICHAEL
To: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
Reel/Frame 058998/0984 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2019 122 055.6 · Aug 16, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220289505A1 · Sep 15, 2022