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:
Jul. 12, 2016
Filed:
Jul. 31, 2012
Stephen H. Hancock, Wake Forest, NC (US);
Norman B. Desrosiers, Oxford, NC (US);
Eric Fiest, Raleigh, NC (US);
John Rupert, Raleigh, NC (US);
Stephen H. Hancock, Wake Forest, NC (US);
Norman B. Desrosiers, Oxford, NC (US);
Eric Fiest, Raleigh, NC (US);
John Rupert, Raleigh, NC (US);
Flextronics, AP LLC, San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
Described herein are a robotic distribution apparatus, system and method. The robotic distribution system may include a Package Delivery Kiosk (PDK), associated frontend and backend package delivery management systems, a package inventory management system. The PDK includes a Robotic Package Lifting Assembly which may be configured to remember the location of packages and slots and provide for automated retrieval and placement of the packages. In an embodiment, a package retrieving apparatus includes a track, a base slidably interconnected with the track, and a vertical support interconnected with the base. The apparatus includes a package picker module oriented on the vertical support to vertically move on the vertical support. The package picker module including a conveyer belt oriented in a plane parallel to the ground and first and second grippers oriented parallel to the conveyer belt to surround and grip an object beyond the surface of the conveyer belt.