Automated Parking System and Subassemblies Therefor

The present invention relates to a space-saving, automated parking system, and several subassemblies therefor, including a shuttle mechanism for picking up a vehicle and transferring it from a parking stall to a turntable mechanism, a device associated with the shuttle for extending its reach into a parking stall and thereby reducing the overall required diameter of the building, and mechanism for feeding hydraulic and electrical lines to a shuttle as it moves on and off a turntable.

Parking and storage space for vehicles, especially automobiles, has become scarce in urban areas and is at a premium especially in city center areas where high density shopping and business buildings are located. Additionally, parking space is becoming expensive to provide even in suburban or regional shopping centers where land prices adjacent such shopping centers are ever constantly escalating.

It is accordingly a broad object of the present invention to provide a vehicle parking and storage system that requires a minimum of group space, thereby reducing the cost of land for the parking and storage system and allowing land that would otherwise be utilized for parking and storage of vehicles to be more gainfully and profitably used as commerical or residential centers. It is another broad object of the present invention to provide a multi-story parking tower whereby vehicles left by their owners at a ground floor are automatically received, parked and stored, and retrieved. It is still a further object of the present invention to provide such a multi-story vehicle parking and storage tower that utilizes a minimum of mechanism so that the system can be built reasonably economically, and so that maximum parking and retrieval speeds of on the order of one minute or less can be achieved for each vehicle.

In accordance with the foregoing objects, and other broad and more particular objects that will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading the foregoing specification, the present invention provides a shuttle assembly is provided for an automated parking system. The shuttle assembly includes a vehicle transfer means for carrying a vehicle from a first vehicle receiving stall to a second receiving stall. This vehicle transfer means can of course be a turntable and elevator mechanism for carrying vehicles among several stories of a parking tower each of which contains a plurality of vehicle receiving stalls. A shuttle means is associated with the vehicle transfer means and the vehicle receiving stalls for transferring a vehicle between the vehicle transfer means and the stalls. The shuttle means is mounted for reciprocation along a substantially linear path as it moves between the vehicle transfer means and the vehicle receiving stalls. A power means is provided for reciprocating the shuttle means, which power means includes a flexible member tethering the shuttle means to the vehicle transfer means. An extensible means is associated with the flexible member for extending the travel of the shuttle means into the stalls, and thereby increasing the length of the path along which the shuttle means reciprocates. More importantly, however, by increasing the length of the path of travel, the overall width or diameter of the turntable can be reduced, thereby reducing the overall area necessary to house the vehicle transfer means and shuttle means.

A better understanding of the present invention can be derived by reading the ensuing specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the parking tower of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the parking tower taken along a section line similar to 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is an enlarged vertical sectional view of one of the parking stalls in the tower;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view in partial section of the elevator platform, the turntable and the shuttle assembly illustrating the shuttle poised for movement from the turntable to the receiving entrance ramp;

FIG. 3A is an enlarged view of the shuttle resting on the turntable;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the entrance ramp showing the shuttle lifting a vehicle and poised for return to the turntable;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the entrance ramp showing the filler plate and fingers in an up position to form a substantially continuous platform;

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the entrance ramp showing the fingers and filler plates in an up position taken along section line 5A--5A of FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 6--6 of FIG. 4 showing the filler plate end fingers in a down position and the shuttle positioned in the ramp and lifting the vehicle above the ramp;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view of the turntable showing the hydraulic line takeup spools; and

FIG. 7a is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 7A--7A of FIG. 7 .

Referring first to FIG. 1, a mutli-story building 10 is illustrated as being segmented to omit the center portion and thus eliminate the necessity of showing more than the ground floor and three complete upper floors. The building can contain as many stories as desired; however, it is preferred to limit the number of stories to twenty or less. Referring now conjunctively to FIGS. 1 and 2, the building 10 comprises a ground floor 12a and upper stories 12f, 12g, 12h and 12i as well as a penthouse story 12j. The building 10 has a generally circularly shaped cross section with a central elevator well or shaft 14 situated concentrically within the building. Radiating from the elevator shaft 14 on each story are a plurality of parking stalls 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e, 16f and on ground level 12a for example and 18a through 18h on for example, level 12g. Each of the floors above the ground floor 12a, with the exception of the penthouse story 12j has ten parking stalls radiating from the shaft 14 in an annular array. The penthouse story 12j houses the elevator lift mechanism generally designated 19 in FIG. 1 and other mechanical equipment. The ground story 12a contains seven parking stalls, an entrance port or ramp 20 and an exit port or ramp 22. Situated between the exit ramp and the entrance ramp is an office facility 23 (shown in FIG. 2). The office 2 is where a patron of the parking tower receives his parking receipt upon entering the building with his vehicle and pays his parking fee upon retrieving his vehicle. Furthermore, the office can hold the equipment for controlling the operation of the system.

Situated in the elevator shaft 14 is an elevator platofrm 24. A turntable 26 is mounted for rotation on the platform 24 about a vertical axis located centrally of the platform and the elevator shaft 14. A shuttle 28 is mounted for reciprocating movement on and off the turntable 26, as shown in FIG. 1. The shuttle 28, omitted for clarity from FIG. 2, will be described in more detail later in the specification. The elevator platform 24 is suspended in a conventional manner by elevator cables 30, which traverse sheaves 32 and 34, a reversing sheave 36, a drive wheel 38 and suspension sheave 39, all conventionally mounted on the penthouse level 12j. The cables then extend to a counterweight 40. The drive wheel 38 is driven in a conventional manner by an electric motor 42 which runs through a gear reduction train 44.

In operation, the owner of a vehicle drives it into the entrance ramp 20 to the parking tower 10. The owner sets the brakes on the car, takes his key and leaves the vehicle in the entrance ramp. The elevator then brings the turntable 26 down to the ground level 12a. The shuttle 28 moves from the turntable 26 under the floor of the entrance ramp 20, picks up the vehicle and shifts the vehicle (shown in dotted outline) onto the turntable 26. The turntable then rotates to orient the car axially with an available parking stall on one of the floors; simultaneously, the elevator if necessary, elevates the turntable 26 to a floor containing an available parking stall. For example, the elevator could be carrying the turntable 26 to the floor 12h while the turntable is being turned to orient the vehicle toward an appropriate stall on level 12h, (all as illustrated in dotted outline adjacent level 12h in FIG. 1). Vice versa, the turntable, elevator and shuttle can operate to retrieve a car from one of the parking stalls in the several stories of the building and return it to the exit ramp 22, which is constructed very similarly to the entrance ramp 20.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 7, the shuttle 28 is illustrated positioned on the turntable 26. The elevator 24 has an upper circular track 50 that carries and supports the turntable 26. The frame of the turntable 26 is comprised of two pairs of supporting rails 52 and 54 which are oriented at 90 degrees to each other. The ends of each of the pairs of rails 52 and 54 carry wheel sets 56, 58, 60, and 62 which support the turntable 26 for rotational movement on the circular elevator rail 50. A central turntable shaft 64 mounted in suitable bearings on the turntable extends down to the elevator and thus centers the turntable on the elevator 24. The turntable 26 is driven in its rotational movement via a hydraulic motor 66 coupled through a suitable drive train to a pinion gear 68. The pinion gear engages a bull gear 70 on the periphery of the circular turntable rail 50. The hydraulic motor 66 selectively and reversibly drives the pinion gear 68 to rotate the turntable 26 in both the clockwise and counterclockwise direction. A shuttle guide rail 74 is centrally located between and parallel to the pairs of rails 52.

The shuttle, 28 is supported by four wheels 76a and b and 78a, and b. The pairs of wheels rest for rolling movement on the rail pairs 52, that is, wheels 76a and 78a ride on one beam 52 while the other wheels 76b and 78b ride on the other rail 52. The wheels 76 and 78 are affixed to a central shuttle frame 28a. Guide rollers 80a and b are affixed to and adjacent one end of the shuttle for rotation about a vertical axis relative to frame 28a and are spaced laterally relative to the shuttle frame so that they are situated on each side of the shuttle guide rail 74. Similarly, the rollers 82a and b are situated for rotation about a vertical axis and affixed to the shuttle frame 28a adjacent the end of the shuttle opposite the end to which rollers 80a and 80b are affixed. The rollers 82a and b are also spaced so that they are situated on each side of the guide rail 74. Thus as the shuttle moves longitudinally relative to the guide rail, the guide rollers 80a and b and 82a and b maintain the shuttle in a straight line path.

Referring briefly back to FIG. 2, each of the parking stalls, for example 16b also contains a central shuttle guide rail 86 that is longitudinally aligned with the turntable guide rail 74 when the turntable is oriented to transfer a vehicle into or from the stall. Thus as the shuttle travels from turntable 26, the wheels are supported by the floor of the parking stall and the shuttle is guided for linear movement via the rail 86 and other similar rails in each of the parking stalls.

Still referring to FIGS. 3 and 7, the drive mechanism for the shuttle 28 includes a pair of cable halves 90 and 92 having their ends affixed to opposite ends of the shuttle frame 28a above telescoping frame extensions 93 and 94 of the shuttle. The outermost end of each of the telescoping extensions 93 and 94 carry sheaves 96 and 98 that are mounted on the telescoping ends of the assemblies 93 and 94 for rotational movement in the vertical planes. The cables 90 and 92 engage the sheaves and are wrapped 180 degrees about the sheaves so that each one extends in opposite directions under the carriage frame 28a. The cable 90 then extends to an opposite end of the rail 74 where a sheave 100 is also mounted for rotation in the vertical plane between the turntable frame rails 52. The cable 90 traverses the sheave 100 for 180 degrees and then extends back toward the center of the turntable where it traverses another sheave 102 mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane between two frame rails 52. From there the cable 90 is wrapped about a drum 103 which in turn is driven by a hydraulic motor 104 through a suitable gear train. The opposite cable 92 traverses the sheave 98 for 180 degrees, extends under the shuttle frame 28a and traverses a sheave 106 at the opposite end of the guide rail 74 from sheave 100. The cable 92 traverses another sheave 109 adjacent to and similar to sheave 102, from whence the cable half 92 also engages the drum 103 and is wrapped about the same in the opposite direction. Cable halves 90 and 92 are wrapped a plurality of times about on the drum 103 and can have their ends joined on the drum 103 so that cable halves 90 and 92 in actuality function as an endless unit. Thus by selectively and reversibly rotating drum 103 the shuttle assembly can be driven in either direction along the guide rail 74 and in fact can be driven off by turntable so that for example, the end of the shuttle carrying sheaves 96 can be positioned substantially above the edge of the turntable carrying sheave 100.

In order to extend the shuttle 28 further into a given parking stall along its linear reciprocation path, the telescoping end sections are employed. Referring to FIG. 3A, the telescoping end section 93 comprises an inner member 93a and an outer end portion 93b that forms an extension of one end of the shuttle frame 28a. A hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly 110 is coupled between the inner section 92a and the end of the shuttle frame 28 and is housed within the outer section 92b. Upon linear extension of the hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly 110, the inner section 92a, and thus the sheave 96, is moved longitudinally outwardly relative to the frame 28a. As this occurs, since the cable 90 is stationary, the shuttle frame 28a is moved to the right further along its reciprocation path. The telescoping section 94 on the opposite end of the shuttle 28 is the mirror image of the telescoping section 93 and operates in an identical manner. By so providing the telescoping, linearly extensible end portions 93 and 94 on each side of the shuttle 28a, the shuttle can be made to extend further away from the turntable when being positioned in an entrance or exit ramp or parking stall. Thus the overall length of the suttle can be decreased. Since the overall length of the shuttle is decreased, by the extensible end portions 93 and 94, the necessary overall diameter of the turntable is decreased. Since the overall diameter of the turntable can be decreased so can the diameter of the elevator shaft and thus the diameter of the entire building. Since it can be seen that if, for example, four feet of shuttle length and thus overall length are saved, a substantial amount of floor area when calculated at the periphery of the building is saved, thus saving on overall cost and space utilization.

As discussed above, the entrance and exit ramps are of substantially identical configuration, but are rotated 180.degree. relative to each other so that an auto can be received with its forward end adjacent the elevator shaft, and vice versa for a vehicle positioned in the exit ramp. Referring first to FIGS. 5 and 5A, the nominal floor level 120 of the entrance ramp 20 is at a ground level. Thus vehicles entering the entrance ramp 20 drive from the exterior of the building at ground level onto the floor of the entrance ramp at the nominal floor level 120. The floor of the entrance ramp is comprised of stationary segments 122a and b, 124a and b, and 126a and b. The segments 122a, 124a and 126a are situated on one side of the entrance ramp while the segments 122b, 124b and 126b are situated on the opposite side. The "a" portions of the segments are spaced from the "b" portions of the segments thus leaving a central portion of the stationary part of the floor open. Interposed in parallel relationship between the segments 122a and 124a and between the segments 122b and 124b are front wheel support fingers 128a and 128b. These fingers are spaced in parallel relationship and extend inwardly from the edges of the stationary portion of the entrance stall. The inner ends of the fingers 128a and 128b are also spaced by the same distance as the inner edges of the stationary plate members 122a and 122b for example. Similarly, spaced between the segments 124 and 126 are rear wheel support fingers 130a and 130b. These fingers, again, are similarly spaced in parallel relationship and similarly have their inner ends spaced by the same distance as the plate segments 124 and 126. All of the plate segments 122, 124, 126 and fingers 128 and 130 are supported by a subframe 140, resting on the floor of a pit 20a. The subframe 140 also supports the guide rail 142, which is situated below the plates 122, 124, and 126 and the fingers 128 and 130. The guide rail 74 on the turntable is alignable with the guide rail 142 when the turntable is positioned to receive a vehicle from the entrance ramp. Thus the guide rail 142 serves to guide the shuttle as it traverses into and out of the entrance ramp.

Although the stationary plates 122, 124, and 126 and the fingers 128 and 130 are adequate to support a vehicle when it is positioned in the entrance stall, it is desirable to have a substantially continuous floor under the vehicle when the occupants of the vehicle are exiting from the vehicle and the building. Thus, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 5A a pair of filler assemblies are provided. The filler assemblies comprise central longitudinal plates 144 and 146. Affixed to one plate 144 are front wheel fingers 148 and rear wheel fingers 150. Similarly attached to the other plate 146 are front wheel fingers 152 and rear wheel fingers 154. The plates 144 and 146 are mounted on the frame 140 for upward and downward swinging movement via parallel links 156 for the plate 144 and parallel links 158 for plate 146. Linearly extensible hydraulic cylinder units 157a and 157b power the plates 144 and 146 and associated hardware between the upward and downward positions. The plates 144 and 146 when in their upward position fill in the space between the plates 122a through 130a and plates 122b through 126b, respectively. Furthermore, the fingers 148 and 150 interdigitate with the fingers 128a and 130a, while the fingers 152 and 154 interdigitate respectively with the fingers 128b and 130b. When the plates 144 and 146 in their lower position, as shown in FIG. 6, the plates 144 and 146 lie on opposite sides of and slightly below the level of the entrance ramp guide rail 142. Thus, the longitudinal plates 144 and 146 serve as runways for the wheels 78a and b and 76a and b of the shuttle as it traverses into the entrance ramp 20 under the stationary plates 122, 124, and 126, and the stationary fingers 128 and 130.

Referring now to FIGS. 3A, 4, 7 and 7A, the shuttle 28 also carries a set of rear wheel support fingers 160 and a plurality of front wheel support fingers 162. The rear wheel support fingers 160 are mounted for upward and downward movement by a plurality of parallel links 164 each of which have one end mounted to a finger frame assembly 166 and the other end mounted to the shuttle frame 28a all for rotation about parallel axes. By rotating the parallel links 164 about their connection points to the shuttle frame 28a, the rear wheel support fingers 166 are swung upwardly and downwardly from a position on top of the shuttle to a position as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7A above the stationary fingers 130a and 130b in the entrance ramp. Similarly, the front wheel support fingers 162 are supported by parallel links 168 in turn pivotally mounted between the shuttle frame 28a and the front finger frame assembly 165. Hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies 170 and 172 are coupled between the frame 28a and arms 164a and 168a in turn coupled to torque tubes 167 and 169 in turn respectively coupled to the links 164 and 168 for powering the links to raise and lower the respective front and rear wheel fingers 162 and 160. As best seen in FIGS. 3A and 7, the several links 164 are coupled for simultaneous movement by a link 164b connecting arms 164a. Similarly, the links 168 are interconnected by a connecting link 168b coupled to the arms 168a. Additionally the adjacent arms 168a and 164a are interconnected by link 71 so that the front and rear wheel frames 165 and 166 are raised and lowered simultaneously.

Additionally, the front wheel frame 165 assembly also carries a pair of front wheel stop plates 173 spaced longitudinally relative to the shuttle frame 28a. The plates are pivoted on the frame 165 for pivotal movement about axes that are transverse to, and preferably orthogonal to the longitudinal dimension of the shuttle frame. The stop plates flank the front wheel support fingers 162 and are coupled to the shuttle frame 28a by links 175. Thus as the front finger frame 165 is raised, the plates are caused to rotate from a horizontal position (See FIG. 3) to a raised position as shown in FIG. 3A. In this manner the plates 173 function as stop blocks for the front wheel of a vehicle to prevent it from inadvertently rolling off the shuttle.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, the shuttle is so positioned under the stationary portion of the entrance ramp 20 and the shuttle fingers 162 and 166 are so positioned that when the shuttle fingers 162 and 166 are raised, they interdigitate and pass through the stationary fingers 128a and b and 130a and b on the stationary portion of the ramp. Thus, as the shuttle fingers pass between the stationary fingers, they contact the tires of the vehicle resting on the stationary fingers and raise it above the level of the entrance ramp. The shuttle is then free to return to the turntable 26 where it is rotated and elevated to an appropriate position so that shuttle can by reverse action move the vehicle to an available parking stall.

As noted in FIG. 2A, each parking stall has four sets of vehicle support fingers, two front wheel sets 176a and b and two rear wheel sets 178a and b. These support fingers are elevated above the floor by an appropriate support frame. As the shuttle moves into the parking stalls, the shuttle fingers 162 and 166 are elevated above the stall fingers 176 and 178. The shuttle fingers 160 and 162 are then lowered so that the vehicle is deposited on the parking stall fingers 176 and 178. Again, the parking stall fingers are spaced and arranged so that the shuttle fingers will interdigitate with the parking stall fingers when the vehicle is being deposited on the parking stall fingers.

Referring now back to FIG. 7 and 7A, it will be recognized that the shuttle 28 must carry hydraulic equipment for one, extending and retracting the extensible end sections 93 and 94, and for raising and lowering the shuttle fingers 160 and 162. Thus it is necessary to provide hydraulic fluid to the shuttle not only when it is positioned on the turntable but necessarily when it is positioned off the turntable in the entrance ramp, the exit ramp or a parking stall. As hydraulic fluid is normally supplied to hydraulic cylinders such as are utilized for power on the shuttle 28, it becomes necessary to feed, properly tension, and retrieve hydraulic lines from the shuttle. This is accomplished by a unique system of guide and reciprocating and counterweighted pulleys. Referring first to FIG. 7, it will be noted that a typical hydraulic line 180 extends laterally from the shuttle 28. A funnel shaped member 182 allows the hydraulic line to extend forwardly from the shuttle without abrasive interference with a portion of the shuttle and be swung 180 degrees so that it can also extend rearwardly from the shuttle. The hydraulic line 180 extends outwardly from the shuttle toward the edge of the turntable. Between the center and edge of the turntable, two pairs of spaced sheaves, 184 and 186 are fixed in spaced relationship between the turntable frame members 54. The sheaves 184 and 186 are spaced in a longitudinal direction of travel of the shuttle and are mounted for rotation in a substantially horizontal plane. The hydraulic line 180 extends between the sheaves and outwardly to a second sheave 188 spaced radially outwardly from sheave 186 relative to the turntable 26.

Additional sheaves 190 and 192 are mounted on angle frame 191 and 193 extending at 45 degree angles between the outer ends of adjacent rails 54 and 52 on the same side of the shuttle guide track 90 as are positioned sheaves 184 and 186. The support 192a for sheave 192 is mounted in a slot 193a for reciprocation along a substantially linear path that is oriented at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to each of the rails 52 and 54. A cable 194 is affixed to sheave 192, runs through pulleys 196 and is connected to a counterweight 198. Thus the sheave 192 is biased in a direction away from the edge portion of the turntable 26 spaced laterally outwardly from the position where the hydraulic line extends from the shuttle. The sheave 190 is similarly mounted for reciprocation in a slot 191a and is biased by a similar counterweight assembly including cable 200, pulley 202, and counterweight 204.

After the hydraulic line 180 traverses sheave 188 it extends toward sheave 192, wraps around it 180 degrees and extends back toward and engages a sixth sheave 206 located on the turntable outboard from the sheaves 184, 186, and 188. After wrapping 90 degrees around sheave 206 the hydraulic line extends to sheave 192, is wrapped 180 degrees around sheave 192 and extends back to one of the frames 54 where it is affixed to a stationary hydraulic supply line. When the shuttle is positioned in the center of the turntable, the sheaves 190 and 192 are biased away from the sixth sheave 206 at the periphery of the turntable. As the shuttle moves in either direction from the turntable, hydraulic line is fed out between the sheaves 184 and 186. Proper tension is maintained on the line by the counterweights 198 and 204, which allow the sheaves 192 and 190 to move outwardly toward the sheave 206. As the shuttle returns to the center of the turntable, the counterweights 198 and 204 pull the sheaves 192 and 190 away from the sheave 206 thus again maintaining proper tension on the hydraulic line and retrieving it between the paired sheaves 184 and 186.

The present invention has been described in relation to a preferred embodiment. One of ordinary skill after reading the foregoing specification will be able to effect various changes, substitutions of equivalents, and other alterations without departing from the general concept disclosed herein. It is therefore intended that the scope of Letters Patent granted hereon be limited only by the definition contained in the appended claims and equivalents thereof.