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(11) | EP 1 645 585 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
| published in accordance with Art. 158(3) EPC |
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| (54) | INSTALLATION FOR THE PARKING OF VEHICLES AND SIMILAR |
| (57) Facility (1) for parking lots for all types of vehicles, which consists of a large
number of hollow metal pillars (14, 15) which, at their top end, support a large number
of nets (3) under which the vehicles can be found; characterised by the incorporation of absorption devices (4) at the bottom of the pillars (15), which
allow a transversal swing of the pillars (15). In this way, vehicles can be protected from hailstones and heavy snowfall. This is due to the swing tolerance of the pillars (15) which comes into effect when large quantities of snow accumulate on top of the roof or nets. |
SUMMARISED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention consists of a facility for parking lots for all types of vehicles, which essentially protects the vehicles from inclement weather.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] At present most factories involved in the manufacture of automobiles store their finished vehicles on large, open premises next to the factory itself.
[0003] To protect these vehicles from damage caused by meteorological phenomena, such as hailstones, the premises used as a parking area include a large number of uniformly distributed columns or pillars, normally made of metal, which hold up a large number of nets under which the vehicles are parked.
[0004] However, in the event of heavy snowfall accompanied by low temperatures, a large quantity of snow may build up on the nets. The weight of the accumulated snow may, at a given time, exceed the entire metal structure's resistance to heavy loads, causing the structure and the nets to give way and snow to fall violently on to the parked vehicles, causing considerable damage. As a result, the vehicles will no longer be suitable for sale to the public due to their damaged bodywork.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The objective of the facility for parking lots for all types of vehicles, that is the subject of this invention, is to solve the problems of parking facilities as they are currently known in the trade, while providing a large number of advantages as described below.
[0006] This invention's facility for parking lots for all types of vehicles consists of a series of perimetric pillars made up of standardised profiles, creating a separately enclosed area. The pillars at opposite ends are connected by steel cables. At the intersections of the steel cables are a large number of hollow metal pillars which, at their top end, support a large number of nets under which the vehicles can be found. The pillars are characterised by the fact that they have absorption devices at the bottom which allow a transversal swing of the pillars.
[0007] All of these features contribute to the creation of a facility for parking lots that protects the vehicles from hailstones and snowfall.
[0008] The swing tolerance of the pillars enables the structure to support uneven loads which is common when there is snowfall accompanied by wind and whirlwinds.
[0009] As a result of the flexibility of the nets, in the event of the structure becoming overloaded, the nets will gradually and slowly sink on to the bodywork of the vehicles without damaging them.
[0010] With respect to the invention's absorption devices, these are made up of a tube, anchored at the bottom to the floor or base, which runs through the middle of the pillar. The bottom of the pillar is attached to a pivoting device.
[0011] Preferably the pivoting device consists of a metal plate below which is an intermediary sheet of elastic plastic material. Due to the presence of this sheet, the pillar can bend in any direction which enables the nets at the top to move when they are overwhelmed by uneven loads of snow.
[0012] Based on an arrangement, the elastic plastic material is neoprene which is a material with good elastic properties.
[0013] Advantageously the facility's pillars incorporate a drainage system for eliminating water. Thus, flooding of the interior of the pillar is avoided, which would not allow the pillar to move with respect to the inner tube.
[0014] The drainage system consists preferably of a large number of holes on the aforementioned pillars.
[0015] Another feature of the invention is that the nets are made of plastic and, more specifically, polythene.
[0016] Furthermore, the nets of the facility are fastened to the pillars by means of metal cables which hold up the nets with the use of clamps. Each clamp has a large number of teeth between which the nets pass.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DIAGRAMS
[0017] To help to describe everything explained thus far, a number of drawings are attached, providing a non-limiting, schematic and practical example of the invention's facility for parking lots.
[0018] In these diagrams, figure 1 is a perspective view of the facility for car parks that is the subject of this invention;
Figure 2 is a detailed view of the base of the inner pillars of the facility represented in the figure above;
Figure 3 shows a detailed perspective view of one of the clamps that holds the upper reticulated nets; and
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the invention's inner pillars.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED ARRANGEMENT
[0019] As shown in figures 1 and 2, the facility (1) for parking lots for all types of vehicles consists of a large number of hollow metal pillars (14, 15) which, at their top end, support a large number of reticulated nets (3), preferably of polythene, under which the vehicles can be found prior to being sent to dealers for sale. This facility has been designed to protect vehicles from hailstones and heavy snowfall at a relatively low cost compared to other car park alternatives.
[0020] At the bottom of those pillars (15) that do not mark the perimeter of the parking area are absorption devices (4).
[0021] These absorption devices (4) consist mainly of a tube (5), anchored at the bottom, which runs through the centre of the column (2). This tube has a smaller diameter than the column (2) of the pillar, in order to leave a gap between the two diameters. The column (2) is attached at the bottom to a pivoting device (6) as shown in figure 2. A bar (5a) runs across the tube (5) and column (2).
[0022] The pivoting device (6) referred to above consists of a metal plate (7) below which is a 15 mm thick sheet of neoprene (9) which rests on a layer of concrete (8) (see figure 2).
[0023] Thus, by having absorption devices (4) throughout the facility, a domino effect can be avoided in the event of the nets falling. This method is especially useful for large areas.
[0024] As seen in figure 3, the nets (3) of the facility (1) described in this invention are attached to the outer pillars (14) by means of steel cables (10) which hold up the nets (3) with the use of clamps (11). These clamps have a large number of teeth (12) which the nets (3) pass between. These teeth (12) fit into the holes of the clamps and are fixed as a result of the presence of a conical protuberance. When the weight of the snow accumulating on the nets (3) reaches a certain point, the clamps (11) are designed to break and the nets (3) pull away from the steel cables (10), in such a way as to avoid the entire metal structure of the facility (1) falling on to the parked vehicles.
[0025] Furthermore, all of the pillars (14, 15) of the parking lot facility (1) have a large number of holes (13) throughout their length, which allows water to drain from the interior of the column (2), thus preventing water from collecting inside the pillars and obstructing the swinging of the pillars (15) with respect to the inner tube (5).
[0026] The materials used to build the facility for parking lots for all types of vehicles, and its details, shapes, dimensions and accessories, may be conveniently replaced by others that are equivalent technically and that do not essentially depart from the essence of the invention or the scope defined in the claims outlined below.
1. FACILITY FOR PARKING LOTS FOR ALL TYPES OF VEHICLES which consists of a large number
of hollow metal pillars (14, 15) which, at their top end, support a large number of
nets (3) below which all types of vehicles can be found, characterised by the fact that the columns (2) of the inner pillars (15) have absorption devices (4)
at the bottom which allow a transversal swing of the columns (2).
2. Facility as per claim 1, characterised by the fact that the absorption devices (4) are made up of a tube (5), anchored at the
bottom, which runs through the middle of the column (2); and that the bottom of the
column is attached to a pivoting device (6).
3. Facility as per either of the claims above, characterised by the fact that the pivoting device consists of a metal plate (7) below which is a
sheet of elastic plastic material (9).
4. Facility as per claim 3, characterised by the fact that the elastic plastic material (9) is neoprene.
5. Facility as per any of the claims above, characterised by the fact that the pillars (14, 15) incorporate a drainage system for eliminating
water.
6. Facility as per claim 5, characterised by the fact that the drainage system consists of a large number of holes (13) on the
columns of the aforementioned pillars (2).
7. Facility as per claim 1, characterised by the fact that the nets (3) are made of a plastic material.
8. Facility as per claim 7, characterised by the fact that the nets (3) are made of polythene.
9. Facility as per any of the claims above, characterised by the fact that the nets (3) are fastened to the outer pillars (14) by means of metal
cables (10) which hold up the nets (3) with the use of clamps (11) which have a large
number of teeth (12) between which the nets (3) pass.