IP Library Granted Patent US 12,353,221
Granted Patent B2
US 12,353,221 · App. 18/630,608 · Granted Jul 8, 2025

Unmanned aerial vehicle and delivery system

Inventors: Mitsuaki Oshima (Kyoto, JP); Takuya Takahama (Osaka, JP); Fumio Muramatsu (Kyoto, JP); Nobuaki Hayashi (Osaka, JP); Hideki Aoyama (Osaka, JP); Gaku Sasaki (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
G05D1/101B64D31/00B64U10/14B64U10/60G05D1/46B64U10/13B64U30/20B64U50/19B64U2101/60B64U2101/64B64U2101/67
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,353,221
App. No.
18/630,608
Granted
Jul 8, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A delivery device that travels along rails and delivers a package is provided. The rails include at least first and second rails. The delivery device includes: a main body; a connector that is configured to be connected to the rails, with the main body hanging from the connector, and with the rails being spaced apart from a ground surface; at least one actuator that drives the connector; a lift motor that is capable of taking up a wire for unloading the package; and a control circuit. When the delivery device is slidably hung from the first rail, the control circuit: switches from the first rail to the second rail by controlling the actuator; and lets out the wire and lowers the package by controlling the lift motor.

Claims (22)

1. A system, comprising:

rails, including at least a first rail and a second rail; and

a delivery device that travels along the rails and delivers a package,

wherein, the delivery device includes:

a main body;

a connector that is configured to be connected to the rails, with the main body hanging from the connector, the rails being provided at a position spaced apart from a ground surface;

at least one actuator that drives the connector;

a lift motor that is capable of letting out and taking up a wire for unloading the package at a receiver; and

a control circuit,

the first rail is provided on and extends along a side wall of a ceiling portion of a facility, the facility being the receiver,

the second rail is provided on an outer wall of the facility, extending in a direction from the first rail toward the outer wall of the facility,

when the connector of the delivery device is slidably hung from the first rail, the control circuit:

switches the connector from the first rail to the second rail by controlling the at least one actuator, to slidably hang the connector from the second rail; and

after the delivery device arrives at the receiver, lets out the wire and lowers the package by controlling the lift motor.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein

the connector includes a first arm, a second arm, a first wheel connected to the first arm, and a second wheel connected to the second arm.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein

the control circuit controls the at least one actuator to switch from the first rail to the second rail by disengaging the first wheel and the second wheel from the first rail and placing the first wheel and the second wheel on the second rail.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein

the facility is an apartment building,

the receiver is provided with a delivery box for housing the package, and

the delivery device arrives at the receiver by being positioned vertically above the delivery box.

Priority Claims (2)
JP 2018-162251 · Aug 31, 2018 · national
JP 2019-018419 · Feb 5, 2019 · national
Continuity (5)
Continuation 17266511
Provisional Application 62877026 · Jul 22, 2019
Provisional Application 62785882 · Dec 28, 2018
Provisional Application 62716595 · Aug 9, 2018
Related Publication 20240264600A1 · Aug 8, 2024
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Cited By (1)
US 12,606,327