AUTOMATED CAR PARKING STRUCTURE

Abstract

 The present disclosure relates to an automated car parking structure comprising a lift shaft with a car lift therein, a plurality of columns adjacent at least one side of the lift shaft, the columns having car spaces therein, and a shuttle configured to detach from the car lift and move horizontally across the plurality of columns to stack the cars therein.

Description

Field

[0001] The present application relates to an automated car parking structure and in particular a car parking system that can shuffle cars to maximise the use of space.

Background Of The Invention

[0002] A car park needs a fairly large amount of space, around 12 square meters, per parking spot. This means that car parks can often need more land area than for corresponding buildings if most employees or visitors arrive by car. In places where space is limited, automated car parking (stacking) systems may be used. These are mechanical systems designed to minimize the area and/or volume required for parking cars. In particular, these systems provide parking for cars stacked vertically to maximize the number of parking spaces while minimizing land usage.

[0003] There are a number of such car parking systems and devices available. EP0351374 discloses an automated garage comprising a structure having several floors with a plurality of garage spaces into which the motor vehicles are transported by means of a lift associated with the structure, and a shuttle which is adapted to be transported vertically by the lift and to move horizontally on runways of the structure. The shuttle supports a motor-driven trolley for transporting the motor vehicles, with the interposition of a supporting pallet, from the shuttle to the garage spaces, as well as from the stations for loading the motor vehicles onto the shuttle and unloading them therefrom..

[0004] US 5,669,753 teaches an automated parking garage simultaneously parks and retrieves multiple vehicles. Upon being granted entry, a customer parks the customer's vehicle on a pallet near the garage entrance and leaves the facility. In single floor designs, the pallet is carried by a self-propelled carrier to a parking space by a series of longitudinal and transverse movements on rails. A multiple story embodiment employs a lifting device that includes a pallet support member that shuttles back and forth between two contiguous floors. Each pallet is carried by a carrier to a lifting device and each lifting device has mechanical arms that support the carrier until the pallet support member deploys and independently supports the pallet to enable withdrawal of the carrier from the lifting device. Another carrier, stationed on an upper floor, retrieves the vehicle-supporting pallet from the lifting device and delivers it to its assigned parking space. Insertion and retrieval of multiple vehicles occurs simultaneously so that the formation of queues of vehicles entering the facility is minimized.

[0005] These systems accommodate many columns of car park spaces but rely on aisles to transport the cars vertically and horizontally for parking. Such systems are similar to warehouse systems for stacking goods or products. The use of such aisles is space inefficient as these aisles are mostly empty.

[0006] Qingdao Maoyuan Metal Group (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJaDq6BYFys) produces a car parking garage with a lift for transporting vehicles vertically. The vehicles are then switched to a platform which slides into a car parking space. There is only one column of car park spaces left and right of the lift shaft and therefore capacity is limited. This structure also relies on interlocking teeth to switch the vehicle from the lift to the platform. Such an interlocking configuration can be easily damaged.

[0007] RR Parkon's tower parking system (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTPC3p20jCw) is similar to the aforementioned car parking garage. This system is an elevator parking system with vertical allocation of parking spaces and vertical movement of the lift and is used to maximize parking in narrow plots. There is only one column of car park spaces left and right of the lift and therefore capacity is limited.

[0008] The present invention seeks to alleviate the disadvantages associated with known automated car parking structures.

Summary

[0009] The present teachings relate to an automated car parking structure comprising a lift shaft with a car lift therein, a plurality of columns adjacent at least one side of the lift shaft, the columns having car spaces therein, and a shuttle configured to detach from the car lift and move horizontally across the plurality of columns to stack the cars therein.

[0010] The plurality of columns may be directly adjacent the at least one side of the lift shaft so that the lift shaft and plurality of columns are collinear.

[0011] Optionally, the shuttle is configured to move horizontally within the plurality of columns.

[0012] The automated car parking structure may further comprise a plurality of horizontal levels such that each level spans the lift shaft and the plurality of columns.

[0013] Optionally, the lift is configured to raise and lower a car to the different levels and the shuttle is configured to move across the plurality of columns at each level to stack the cars therein.

[0014] The shuttle may be configured to remain attached to the lift as the lift is raised and lowered and further configured to detach from the lift once the lift reaches a horizontal level of the structure.

[0015] The automated car parking structure may further comprise a pallet on which a car is placed for parking.

[0016] Optionally, the shuttle is configured to engage and disengage with the pallet such that the shuttle can disengage from the pallet once it has been placed in a car parking space.

[0017] The shuttle may be configured to move with and without the pallet.

[0018] Optionally, the shuttle includes an electrical motor which drives wheels and the wheels in turn propel the shuttle horizontally.

[0019] The automated car parking structure may be provided with a plurality of columns with car park spaces at both sides of the lift shaft.

[0020] Optionally, the structure is a modular steel structure.

[0021] The present teachings also relate to a car parking structure having a lift shaft, in the form of a first column, with a car lift therein, second and third columns directly adjacent at least one side of the first column, the second and third columns having car spaces therein, wherein a portion of the car lift is operable to move horizontally from the first column through the second column to the third column to stack cars therein and the first, second and third columns being collinear.

Brief Description Of The Drawings

[0022] The present application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the automated car parking structure of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a front elevation view of the car parking structure of figure 1;

Figure 3 shows a side elevation view of the car parking structure of figure 1;

Figure 4 shows a view of the lift of the car parking structure in more detail;

Figure 5 shows a pallet of the car parking structure sliding horizontally from the lift shaft;

Figure 6 shows a view of the shuttle of the car parking structure moving away from a stacked pallet;

Figure 7 shows a view of the shuttle returning to the lift;

Figure 8 shows a view of the lift with lift shaft moving to a different level within the car parking structure; and

Figure 9 is shows a view of the shuttle moving horizontally away to the lift in order to move another platform in the car parking structure.

Detailed Description Of The Drawings

[0023] The present teaching will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 shows shows a perspective view of the automated car parking structure 100 in accordance with the present teachings. As can be seen, the car parking structure 100 includes a lift shaft 101 with a lift 102 therein for raising and lowering cars. The structure also includes a plurality of columns 103 of car parking spaces at each side of the lift shaft 101. While two columns 103 at each side of the lift shaft 101 are provided in the exemplary embodiment of figure 1, the present teachings are not limited to this. Rather three or four columns at each side of the lift shaft could be provided. In addition, a plurality of columns could be provided at only one side of the lift shaft 101. Each car parking space is provided with a pallet or platform 104 on which a car can be parked. The number of pallets is equal to the number of car park spaces in the columns. In the configuration of figure 1, one pallet 104 is on the lift at ground level waiting for a car to be parked thereon. Accordingly, there is a corresponding car park space without a pallet 104.

[0025] the automated car parking structure 100 in accordance with the present teachings is also provided with a plurality of levels 105. While three elevated levels 105 are shown in the exemplary embodiment, the structure 100 could be provided be provided with more or less as appropriate for car parking needs.

[0026] The car parking structure 100 in accordance with the present teaching is a modular steel structure. Furthermore, it is not-integrated. That is, it is not built into an underground or over ground concrete structure. It should be appreciated by the person skilled in the art that a foundation is not required in order to build the car parking structure 100 in accordance with the present teachings. That is, the ground under the car parking structure does not have to be excavated in order to provide a secure footing for the car parking structure. This means the structure can be quickly and easily be put in place. The car parking structure 100 can be installed in any existing building or free-standing on any suitable site.

[0027] Figure 2 shows a front elevation view of the car parking structure of figure 1. It can be seen that the lift 102 within the lift shaft 101 is driven by a single chain 201 system. However, the mechanism for raising and lowered the lift 102 can be chosen as appropriate by the person skilled in the art.

[0028] Figure 3 shows a side elevation view of the car parking structure of figure 1. It can be seen that the footprint of this structure 100 is relatively small in that the width of the structure 100 is little more than the length of a single car. In addition, a ramp 301 is provided to allow cars to be easily driven onto and off of a pallet 104 on the lift 102.

[0029] The operation of the car parking structure 100 will now be explained in more detail with respect to figures 4 to 9.

[0030] In figure 4, a car 401 is shown on a pallet 104 on the lift 102. The lift 102 includes two horizontal frame sections wherein the sections are configured to slide in unison within the lift shaft 101. The lift shaft 101 is defined by four upright sections 402. Each horizontal frame section spans the space between two upright sections 402. The specific configuration that allows the lift 102 having frame sections to slide up and down along the upright sections 402 can be chosen as appropriate by the person skilled in the art.

[0031] In figure 4, the car 401 has been parked on the pallet 104 and vacated. Although not described in detail herein, a control system is provided and used to control the operations of the automated car parking structure in accordance with the present teachings. For example, the control system could detect (using sensors) when a user has vacated the car 401 and the lift 102 could then begin lifting the car as shown in figure 4. A vacant car parking space in one of the columns 103 for the car to be parked could also be chosen as appropriate by the control system. Furthermore, once a user has paid for theire parking the control system can instruct the lift the retrieve the car from its car parking space. The car parking structure may also be fitted with multiple sensors to detect whether a car parking space is empty or not and also sensors to determine the position of the lift.

[0032] It will also be appreciated by the person skilled in the art that the control system can be configured in a number of different ways to ensure optimised performance of the car parking structure in accordance with the present teachings. For example in an assigned parking space configuration, a user could be provided with a (wireless) user device for requesting the car parking structure to park or retrieve a specific car.

[0033] In figure 5, it can be seen that the lift 102 has raised the pallet 104 with the car 401 to the top level of the car parking structure 100. At this top level, two empty car park spaces are provided. As will be described in more detail hereinafter, the lift 102 is configured so that it can slide the pallet 104 horizontally from the lift shaft 101 through the plurality of columns 103. That is, the lift can slide the pallet 104 across the columns 103 so that a car can be parked more than one car park space width away from the lift shaft 101. This configuration allows the car parking structure 100 in accordance with the present teachings to operate with multiple columns of car park spaces at one side of the lift shaft 101.

[0034] Turning to figure 6, this shows the pallet 104 in place in a car park space. A shuttle 601 is shown sliding out from under the pallet 104. The shuttle 601 is a detachable portion of the lift 102 used for moving pallets horizontally through the columns 103. When a pallet is to be placed in a car parking space the lift 102 moves to the appropriate level and the shuttle 601 detaches from the lift 102 to slide horizontally through one or more columns 103 adjacent the lift shaft 101 to place a pallet in a chosen car park space.

[0035] The shuttle 601 slides on horizontal rails 602 that are provided on each level of the car parking structure. The shuttle may be provided with an electrical motor which drives wheels and the wheels in turn propel the shuttle horizontally via contact with the rails 602. The shuttle 601 may also be capable of raising and lowering itself to engage and disengage with the pallet 104. Alternatively, the shuttle may include specific engagement elements that extend and retract to engage with the pallet 104. In the example of figure 6, the shuttle has disengaged from the pallet 104 and is moving back towards the lift 102.

[0036] The shuttle 601 can be powered by a battery or by mains power (grid power). When a battery is used, it is mounted in the shuttle and powers the components for propelling the shuttle. When mains power is used, a retractable cable reel fitted to the lift shaft 101 may be provided which allows the cable to run left or right with the shuttle and retract as the shuttle returns to the lift shaft 101.

[0037] The lift 102 is free to move vertically without the shuttle 601. However, the lift cannot move a pallet without the shuttle 601, which is need to engage with the pallets. This feature may be useful for maintenance.

[0038] In figure 7, it can be seen that the shuttle 601 has returned to the lift 102 in the lift shaft 101 after parking the car 401. The shuttle is defined by a central beam which spans the length of the lift shaft and connects to two end sections. The end sections may house the aforementioned wheels for propelling the shuttle. However, it should be appreciated that the specification configuration of the shuttle is not limited to the exemplary embodiment shown herein. Rather, any configuration for the shuttle that is capable of moving a pallet 104 (with a car thereon) horizontally from the lift through a plurality of columns may be chosen as appropriate by the person skilled in the art.

[0039] With the shuttle 601 returned to the lift 102 as shown in figure 7, the lift can now move to another level to park and retrieve cars. For example, the previously mentioned control system may instruct the lift to retrieve a pallet with a parked car at a specific car park space as will now be explained with reference to figures 8 and 9.

[0040] In figure 8, the lift has moved down one level in order to retrieve a first parked car 801 which is parked in a second column 802 from the lift shaft. That is, there is a first column 803 for car park spaces between the lift shaft 101 and the second column 802. Furthermore, another (second) car 804 is parked in the first column 803. This means the lift 102 and shuttle 601 must first move the pallet with the second car 804 parked thereon in order to access the first car 801 in the second column 802. The shuttle 601 can seen moving horizontally from the lift shaft to position itself under pallet having the second car 804. Once the shuttle 601 has engaged with the pallet it can move the pallet to the lift wherein it is then moved to an empty car part space. This empty space could be on the same level of the car parking structure 100 in which case the shuttle could simply continue sliding past the lift shaft and park the second car 804 in a space to the right of the lift shaft 101. However, in the example of figure 8, the second car must be moved to another level of the car parking structure 100 in order to be parked in a free space. In this scenario, the shuttle 601 brings the pallet having the second car 804 to the lift 102 which in turn raises or lowers the pallet to another level of the car parking structure.

[0041] It is important to maintain a free car park space at all times to ensure that a car can be moved to a free car park space in order to access another car.

[0042] In the scenario wherein the driver of the second car 804 wants to retrieve the second car 804, the lift would take the pallet having the second car 804 to the ground level wherein the drive could enter the car and drive out of the lift shaft.

[0043] Turning to figure 9, this shows the situation after the lift and shuttle has moved the second car 804 to another location or retrieved it for the driver. The shuttle 601 can now access the pallet having the first car 801, engage with the pallet and bring it to the lift 102. The first car 801 can then be lowered to the ground level for a driver.

[0044] The car parking structure 100 in accordance with the present teaching may be further configured to shuffle pallets 104 in order to make it quicker and easier for someone to retrieve a car. For example, the previously described control system could run an algorithm to analyse the average time that cars spend in the car parking structure. It could be determined that after a certain period of time, a car should be moved to a column directly adjacent the lift shaft as it is likely it will be requested by a user in the near future. If a car is on a pallet in a column directly next to the lift shaft it can be retrieved more quickly and does not require any other car to be moved. The person skilled in the art will understand that any number of algorithms may be run by the controller in order to maximise the efficiency of the automated car parking structure 100.

[0045] In view of the above description, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the automated car parking structure in accordance with the present teachings is advantageous with respect to the prior art. These advantages include:

• Independent car pallet shuttle for lateral movement (allows the structure to store unlimited cars left and right of the lift shaft).
• Modular steel structure (can be installed in any existing building or free-standing on any suitable site).
• Non-integrated (not built into an underground or over ground concrete structure).
• Unlimited columns left and right of the lift shaft.
• Shuttle moves vertically using the lift but horizontally using its own driving mechanism.
• Shuttle can move both with and without pallets.

[0046] A particularly important aspect of the present teachings is that the lift shaft and columns are directly adjacent each other so that they are collinear and the shuttle is operable to move horizontally within the plurality of columns i.e., there is no aisle used to stack the cars in columns. This is clearly more space efficient than the prior art since these largely rely on an aisle for stacking the cars (similar to a warehouse stacking system).

[0047] Although the automated car parking structure has been described herein with respect to cars, any vehicle may be stacked using this device with the appropriate modifications with respect to size and weight.

[0048] The words comprises/comprising when used in this specification are to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers , steps, components or groups thereof.

[0049] It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automated car parking structure comprising:

a lift shaft with a car lift therein;

a plurality of columns adjacent at least one side of the lift shaft, the columns having car spaces therein; and

a shuttle configured to detach from the car lift and move horizontally across the plurality of columns to stack the cars therein.

2. The automated car parking structure of claim 1 wherein the plurality of columns are directly adjacent the at least one side of the lift shaft so that the lift shaft and plurality of columns are collinear.

3. The automated car parking structure of claim 1 or 2 wherein the shuttle is configured to move horizontally within the plurality of columns.

4. The automated car parking structure of any one of claims 1 to 3 further comprising a plurality of horizontal levels such that each level spans the lift shaft and the plurality of columns.

5. The automated car parking structure of claim 4 wherein the lift is configured to raise and lower a car to the different levels and the shuttle is configured to move across the plurality of columns at each level to stack the cars therein.

6. The automated car parking structure of claim 5 wherein the shuttle is configured to remain attached to the lift as the lift is raised and lowered and further configured to detach from the lift once the lift reaches a horizontal level of the structure.

7. The automated car parking structure of any one of claims 1 to 6 further comprising a pallet on which a car is placed for parking.

8. The automated car parking structure of claim 7 wherein the shuttle is configured to engage and disengage with the pallet such that the shuttle can disengage from the pallet once it has been placed in a car parking space.

9. The automated car parking structure of claim 7 or 8 wherein the shuttle is configured to move with and without the pallet.

10. The automated car parking structure of any one of claims 1 to 9 where the shuttle includes an electrical motor which drives wheels and the wheels in turn propel the shuttle horizontally.

11. The automated car parking structure of any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein a plurality of columns with car park spaces are provided at both sides of the lift shaft.

12. The automated car parking structure of any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the structure is a modular steel structure.

13. A car parking structure having;

a lift shaft, in the form of a first column, with a car lift therein;

second and third columns directly adjacent at least one side of the first column, the second and third columns having car spaces therein,

wherein a portion of the car lift is operable to move horizontally from the first column through the second column to the third column to stack cars therein and the first, second and third columns being collinear.

Drawing