Outrider Technologies, Inc.

The Johns Hopkins University

Telefactor Robotics LLC

Matthew S Johannes

Lawrence S Klein

Martin E Sotola

Peter James

Andrew F Smith

Gary Michael Seminara

Dale Dee Rowley

Jeremy M Nett

Vikas Bahl

Stephen A Langenderfer

Mark H Rosenblum

Stuart D Harshbarger

Matthew V Kozlowski

Michael Cutter

Jack C Roberts

Robert S Armiger

Andrew C Merkle

Kapil D Katyal

Jonathan Record

Liming M Voo

Jeffrey M Paulson

Catherine M Carneal

Christopher T Bate

Garold McKinney

Jarvis A Schultz

Matthew S Fifer

Robert Jay Greenberg

Arup Roy

Ryan J Murphy

Kevin David Wolfe

Philippe Martin Burlina

Seth D Billings

R Jacob Vogelstein

Daniel R Wahl

Derek M Rollend

Andrew J Harris

Nathan E Crone

Jared M Wormley

Matthew P Para

Jonathan Kuniholm

Brock A Wester

Timothy G McGee

Guy Hotson

David McMullen

Joseph S DeRose

William L Spies, Ii

Austin Lovan

Dean M Kleissas

Paul E Rosendall

John B Helder

Duane C Cornish

Jonathan M Oben

This invention provides a system and method for reliably interconnecting a native gladhand on a trailer with an AV truck, in which the gladhand can vary in placement and type on the trailer front. A visually guided robot manipulator arm accesses the trailer front. The arm includes an end effector assembly that is arranged to visually navigate to the gladhand and engage the gladhand by latching onto a gladhand using a connection tool that includes a hinged gladhand/wedge capture assembly and a pressurized clamping connection plate that selectively engages the trailer gladhand seal. The capture assembly is arranged to accommodate different gladhand geometries in latching thereonto. The connection tool includes a hinge that is spring-loaded in both a locked and unlocked bistable state, and sensors monitor the state. The system can include passive or active compliance elements that accommodate moderate misalignment between the engaged gladhand and the robotic arm/connection tool.

Systems and methods for automated operation and handling of autonomous trucks and trailers hauled thereby

Automated jackstand systems and methods deploy a jackstand to support a front end of a trailer parked at an automated loading dock. The jackstand prevents collapse of the trailer's landing gear and prevents upending of the trailer during loading and unloading. Advantageously, by deploying the jackstand automatically, presence of personnel in the yard where tractors and trailers are moving is not required.

Jackstand for automated trailer loading dock

A system and method for operation of an autonomous vehicle (AV) yard truck is provided. A processor facilitates autonomous movement of the AV yard truck, and connection to and disconnection from trailers. A plurality of sensors are interconnected with the processor that sense terrain/objects and assist in automatically connecting/disconnecting trailers. A server, interconnected, wirelessly with the processor, that tracks movement of the truck around and determines locations for trailer connection and disconnection. A door station unlatches/opens rear doors of the trailer when adjacent thereto, securing them in an opened position via clamps, etc. The system computes a height of the trailer, and/or if landing gear of the trailer is on the ground and interoperates with the fifth wheel to change height, and whether docking is safe, allowing a user to take manual control, and optimum charge time(s). Reversing sensors/safety, automated chocking, and intermodal container organization are also provided.

This invention provides a system and method for allowing motion of a robotic manipulator on an AV truck in connecting to a native gladhand on a trailer front that represents and constructs a model of this free space on-the-fly, in the manner of an Obstacle Detection and Obstacle Avoidance (OD/OA) system and process. A robotic arm on an AV truck is adapted to connect a pneumatic line to a gladhand on the trailer front. A first 3D sensor generates a pointcloud, and is located at an elevated position on the truck to image the trailer front. A second 3D sensor also generates pointclouds at during robot motion, located adjacent to an end of the robotic arm. An occlusion mapping process generates an occlusion map of the trailer front, and a map update process updates the occlusion map to add and remove voxels therefrom to allow safe guidance of the robot.

System and method for connection of service lines to trailer fronts by automated trucks

A tactile output apparatus is provided that includes a dermal contact surface. The apparatus also includes a first securing member and a second securing member. A first arm may be pivotally coupled to the first securing member, and a second arm may be pivotally coupled to the second securing member. The first arm may also be pivotally coupled to the second arm at an arm pivot point, and the dermal contact surface may move with the arm pivot point. The first securing member may be movable along a first securing member travel path towards or away from the second securing member and movement of the first securing member along the first securing member travel path may cause responsive movement of the arm pivot point and the dermal contact surface in a direction having a movement component perpendicular to the first securing member travel path.

Low-profile tactile output apparatus and method

Growing community of inventors

Catonsville, MD, United States of America

Matthew S Johannes