The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 02, 2026
Filed:
Apr. 26, 2022
Toyota Research Institute, Inc., Los Altos, CA (US);
Manuel Ludwig Kuehner, Mountain View, CA (US);
Hiroshi Yasuda, San Francisco, CA (US);
Jaime S. Camhi, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Guillermo Pita Gil, Redwood City, CA (US);
TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC., Los Altos, CA (US);
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota, JP;
Abstract
Systems and methods for optimizing the loading or unloading of cargo in a cargo area is provided. Friction-reducing elements, such as rails, may be disposed atop a surface of the cargo area. The friction-reducing elements vibrate pursuant to the application of vibrational energy generated by one or more vibration actuators operatively connected, directly or indirectly, to the friction-reducing elements. The application of vibrational energy reduces the time that cargo contacts the friction-reducing elements, which in turn, reduces the amount of friction applied to the cargo, easing the burden of loading/unloading the cargo.