Robotic powered cargo handling system

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment may provide a robotic powered cargo handling system. An embodiment may implement a pallet-lift mechanism to lift cargo or pallets. Powered rollers may be embedded into the forks of a pallet-lift mechanism and on top of the vehicle body. An exemplary embodiment may be fully autonomous. A user or software may direct the vehicle to a pallet or piece of cargo and set a destination for the cargo. Sensors, cameras, GPS, and computer vision may be implemented to navigate and avoid obstacles. An exemplary embodiment may include independent 4-wheel steering, 4 corner height adjustment, in-hub electric motors, and pneumatic or solid tires.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An autonomous vehicle for transporting cargo, comprising:
 a vehicle body comprising a flat loading surface;   a lift mechanism connected to the vehicle body, the lift mechanism configured to lift cargo from a side of the vehicle body onto the flat loading surface;   a plurality of powered rollers on the vehicle body and the lift mechanism, wherein the plurality of powered rollers on the vehicle body is configured to unload the cargo at a target location;   at least four wheels; and   a control unit configured to control the plurality of powered rollers, the lift mechanism, and the at least four wheels.   
     
     
         2 . The autonomous vehicle for transporting cargo of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least four wheels is connected to an independent suspension and each independent suspension is configured to raise or lower independent of the other at least three independent suspensions. 
     
     
         3 . The autonomous vehicle for transporting cargo of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of sensors connected to the control unit, wherein the control unit autonomously loads cargo based on the plurality of sensors.   
     
     
         4 . The autonomous vehicle for transporting cargo of  claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to raise or lower each independent suspension based on data from a plurality of sensors. 
     
     
         5 . The autonomous vehicle for transporting cargo of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a control device operably connected to the control unit, the control device configured to receive an input from a software or a user to operate the control unit.   
     
     
         6 . The autonomous vehicle for transporting cargo of  claim 5 , wherein the input comprises control instructions controlling at least one of the at least four wheels and the lift mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . The autonomous vehicle for transporting cargo of  claim 5 , wherein the input comprises at least one of cargo to be moved and a transport destination. 
     
     
         8 . The autonomous vehicle for transporting cargo of  claim 3 , wherein the sensors comprise at least one of a camera, a ultrasonic sensor, a LIDAR, a RADAR, and a GPS. 
     
     
         9 . The autonomous vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the at least four wheels are configured for four-wheel steering. 
     
     
         10 . The autonomous vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least four wheels comprises an in-hub electric motor and a pneumatic or solid tire. 
     
     
         11 . The autonomous vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the lift mechanism comprises two forks, each fork comprising an additional plurality of rollers, and the two forks are configured to retract in and out of the autonomous vehicle and move in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. 
     
     
         12 . The autonomous vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the roller mechanism is configured for lateral, rotational, transverse, or diagonal movement. 
     
     
         13 . A method for loading cargo using the autonomous vehicle of  claim 1 , comprising:
 navigating to a cargo location;   rotating the at least four wheels towards the cargo in the cargo location in a position lateral to the cargo;   lowering the vehicle body;   extending the lift mechanism to engage the cargo;   activating the plurality of powered rollers on the lift mechanism to place the cargo onto the vehicle body;   retracting the lift mechanism;   navigating the autonomous vehicle with the cargo to a target location;   unloading the cargo at the target location using the lift mechanism and the plurality of powered rollers on the vehicle body.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each of the at least four wheels comprises an independent suspension; and further comprising
 adjusting a height of one or more of the independent suspensions to either balance a center of gravity of the cargo on the vehicle body or position the vehicle body to be level with the target location to unload the cargo.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising, after activating the plurality of powered rollers to place the cargo onto the vehicle body:
 raising the vehicle body; and   rotating the wheels to a driving configuration.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising, after extending the lift mechanism to engage the cargo:
 raising the lift mechanism to match a height of the vehicle body.   
     
     
         17 . The autonomous vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of powered rollers on the vehicle body is configured to roll in at least two directions. 
     
     
         18 . A method for loading cargo using a vehicle, comprising:
 navigating the vehicle to a cargo location using one or more sensors;   rotating four wheels of the vehicle toward cargo in the cargo location in a position lateral to the cargo;   lowering a vehicle body;   extending a lift mechanism from the vehicle to engage the cargo;   activating a plurality of powered rollers on the lift mechanism to place the cargo onto the vehicle body;   retracting the lift mechanism;   navigating the autonomous vehicle with the cargo to a target location; and   activating a plurality of powered rollers on the vehicle body to unload the cargo at the target location.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein each of the four wheels comprises an independent suspension, and further comprising:
 adjusting a height of one or more the independent suspension to either balance a center of gravity the cargo on the vehicle body or position the vehicle body to be level with the target location to unload the cargo.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 raising the cargo using a plurality of additional rollers in the target location, and   transporting the cargo to the plurality of additional rollers.