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    5669753

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    "US00S6G9753A United States Patent 11) tu) Patent Number: 5,669,753 Schween (45) Date of Patent: Sep. 23, 1997 {54] MODULAR AUTOMATED PARKING e710 $1991. Swivetant sume SYSTEM zozessr S980 Used Rnd aaa SO24S6 98 Usted Kingdon ons Saar 761 py pay (1 [32] (58) 56) Inventor: Helner Schween, 240 Windward Passage. #1103, Clearwater, Fla, 34630 ‘Appl No. 352,945 Filed: Dee. 9, 1994 Int. CL? anne BOSH 6/12 US. CL OC anarres, 4147239; 4147262; 4147266 Fleld of Search. 414234, 233, 414/236, 237, 299-241, 262, 264, 279, 786 References Cited US. PATENT DOCUMENTS. 2598750 6/1952 14282 x ZseASIS 12958 ‘aaae 3125235 i964 aiaaa9 3217905 111965 a1ans9 34300 12/1975 Hilger ea Than x 417310 101979 ee ARAL 5.06052 12/1961 * a1440 S338 W983 “haze x 5281109 1/1998 ‘Tsujmoto 414239 X 5388757 995, 5325612 6/995 5456592 10/1995. FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS: 685866 127999 Gemany encnnnnnnenns M42HO 1050 106 Primary Examiner—David A. Bucci i ABSTRACT ‘An automated parking garage simultaneously parks and retrieves multiple vehicles. Each vehicle entering the facility {is videotaped to make a record of its physical condition prior fo entry into the garage to protect the garage owner from, baseless damage claims. Vehicles are simultaneously mea sued and entry into the garage is denied to oversized vehicles. Upon being granted entry, a customer parks the customer's Vehicle on a pallet near the garage entrance and. ‘eaves the facility. In single flooc designs, the pallet is earried by a self-propelled camer 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 palle support member that shutles back and forth between, ‘wo contiguous flors. Each pallet is carried by a carrier to a ling 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 carrce from the lifting device. Another came. stationed on an upper floor. retrieves the vehicle- supporting pallet from te lifting device and delivers it tots assigned parking space. Insertion and retrieval of multiple Yehicles occurs simultaneously so that the formation of ‘queues of vehicles entering the fait is minimized. 4 Claims, 14 Drawing Sheets / i aaa 5,669,753 Sheet 1 of 14 Sep. 23, 1997 US. Patent 9901 9901 908 5,669,753 Sheet 2 of 14 Sep. 23, 1997 US. Patent agg Ty; 09 Logg C9 gt 7 U.S. Patent Sep. 23, 1997 Sheet 3 of 14 5,669,753 wld 1140 1180 118b 114b (| 1120 112b “Pp 1160 116b~ \ > | Fig. 3A 70 209 wld WSTY RTF 114b athe {4 118 "327 V2 116b 1g. 3c 112b US. Patent Sep. 23, 1997 Sheet 4 of 14 5,669,753 1 wil KRY 114 118b we, 112b Fig. 3D 1180 US. Patent Sep. 23, 1997 Sheet 5 of 14 5,669,753 70 VQVCYS$ YS PVVYfPVVVssy VSV8 112b 1220 72 1160 1140 1120 Fig. 3F US. Patent Sep. 23, 1997 Sheet 6 of 14 5,669,753, ch Pe 112b Fig. 4 114b 116b 70 5,669,753 Sheet 7 of 14 Sep. 23, 1997 US. Patent US. Patent Sep. 23, 1997 Sheet 8 of 14 5,669,753 106b 122 US. Patent Sep. 23, 1997 Sheet 9 of 14 5,669,753 Fig. 9 282880 808NI87NIN7908: 3 3: B88 SB SING SON ORG NOREEN NNN NNN NAA 2. BROS ZSOSING SOR GRGNGS88. 1120 US. Patent Sep. 23, 1997 Sheet 10 of 14 5,669,753 ig. 10 Sep. 23, 1997 Sheet 11 of 14 5,669,753 US. Patent LL Bug gtt vel 9L qoL TIIIT II NNT T FITTV O cZh, OZLL Soo 20 US. Patent Sep. 23, 1997 Sheet 12 of 14 5,669,753 |_—70 134 132 134 aio i38 2b L132 134 134 134 FRSA 0 tb 1132 134 34 5,669,753 Sheet 13 of 14 Sep. 23, 1997 USS. Patent bh “bug ze BORE g) bug zl zl OL ze zl zt : zet US. Patent Sep. 23, 1997 Sheet 14 of 14 5,669,753 63a 63b. 63a 63b. Fig. 15 5,669,753 1 MODULAR AUTOMATED PARKING ‘SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Technical Field ‘This invention relates. generally, to automated parking garages. More particularly, it relates to a comprehensive ‘parking system that handles multiple tasks simultaneously. 2. Description of the Prior Art Simple automated parking garage systems typically include an elevator within which a customer parks his oc her vehicle; the customer pushes a button when the vehicle is fully within te elevator. andthe elevator then caries the car and customer upwardly or downwardly to a parking level ‘The customer then drives the car oa parking space and exits the vehicle. The procedure is reversed when the customer is ready to leave the parking garage. Simple systems of this type have the advantage of eliminating space-consuming ramps between the floors of the facility. ‘More advanced systems include computer-contolledspe- cialized equipment for carying Vehicles to assigned parking spaces in much the same way that computerized warehouses Store and retrieve miscellancous goods. In such warehouse systems, a compte asigns a location foreach item a itis received from ils manufacturer, and robotic equipment ca- ties each item to its assigned location. The same equipment is dispatched tothe location when the item requires retieva. ‘One common feature of most ofthe known systems is that they rely upon conventional clevators to camry items from ‘one floor to another. Thus, bottlenecks form due to the ‘well-known inability of elevators to perform multiple tasks Simultaneously. The conventional solution ofthis problem is to include multiple elevators for high volume use applications, but ofcourse that adds tothe cost ofthe system and is not particularly energy efficient. ‘Another system, known as the carousel system. is restricted to a single level parking garage. Perhaps more ‘importantly, carousel systems have a common jnlet and outlet port thus, no vehicle canbe retrieved from the system at he same time another vehicle is being introduced into the system, and vice versa. Moreover since al of the vehicles se parked on a single turntable, each insertion into or ‘etieval of a vehicle from the system requires a substantial amount of energy consumption. ‘All of the known systems perform their intended func- tions and as such have utility, but none of them represents the pinnacle of packing garage technology. For example, many of te known systems can handle only ‘one vehicle and one procedure at a time. Thus. such systems ‘eannot park an incoming vehicle st the same time they are retrieving an outgoing Vehicle, and vice versa. As result, an ‘unacceptably long queue often forms atthe entrance of such ‘garage during periods of high volume business. ‘Parking garage customers also aterpt. from time to time, to park oversized vehicles. A vehicle that is too long for its parking space might block other vehicles from entering or ‘exiting the facility. A vehicle that is too high or wide might ‘be damaged by scraping the ceiling o walls of the packing ‘garage, leading tothe fling ofa claim for compensation by the vehicle owner. Even worse, some unscrupulous vehicle owners will park an already-damaged vehicle ina parking garage. and there- after contend that their vehicle was undamaged atthe time of entry Jato the garage. asserting that garage personnel are responsible or the damage allegedly inflicted on the vehicle while in the custody of the garage owner “s 2 One of the needs of the parking garage industry. then, is for an automated parking system that is capable of directing. incoming vehicles to parking spaces at the same time ‘outgoing vehicles are retrieved. An ideal system would handle multiple simultaneous introductions and retrievals of vehicles into and from the system, respectively. Moreover. cach vehicle would be handled independently of the others 0 that energy consumption would be minimized. “There is also a need for a system that permits the customer to leave the vehicle soon after entering the parking garage. i.e. system is needed that does not require the customer 10 {uavel with the vehicle in an elevator and to drive the vehicle to a parking space after the elevator arrives at a predeter- amined floor ofthe parking garage. ‘Moreover, a need exists fora system that prevents over: sized vehiles from entering the parking garage. ‘A system that protects parking garage owners from ‘unfounded damage claims is also needed. ‘Pechaps most of all, there is a clear need for a means that, climinates reliance upon conventional elevators and the boltlenecks associated therewith However, in view of the art at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill inthe parking garage industry how the limitations of the art could be overcome. The conventional wisdom is that the limitations of existing systems will best be overcome by providing more and faster elevators, beter computer, ‘programs, more versatile robots, and the lke. ‘SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ‘The longstanding but heretofore unfulfilled need for a packing garage tht fulfls the needs ofthe Industry is now ‘Provided in the form of a comprehensive system that pre- ‘ents entry of oversized vehicles into the system, that ‘provides a record of each vehicle's physical condition prior to entry into the garage, that enables customers to leave their vehicles immediately after entering the garage, that simul- taneously parks and reteves a plurality of vehicles, and which performs all of these functions with 2 minimum amount of energy consumption and in the absence of con- Ventional elevators. ‘The novel structure also incorporates « number of other ‘unique features such asa service bay where vehicles may be washed and waxed, provided with an oil change, or ther- wise serviced, at well as loading and unloading terminals ‘where a customer may retrieve a car from its parking space to Toad items thereinto without removing the vehicle from the faci. ‘Acastomer’s vehicle i fist driven by the customer into an inspection area where the height and length ofthe vehicle fare measured. Ifthe dimensions ofthe vehicle fall outside the predetermined acceptable dimensions for that particular parking facility. the customer is advised that the garage fanaot accommodate the Vehicle and s barsier that prevents access of vehicles into the garage isnot lifted or otherwise removed. Instead, an exit barrier is removed and the driver is directed back into the normal trafic flow past the facility. Xf the vehicle's dimensions fall within the acceptable range, a plurality of strategically placed video cameras is activated and a Videotape record is made of the physical condition of the vehicle. This enables the garage owner to defeat baseless damage claims that may be filed by unser- pulous vehicle owners. Simultaneously. a central computer ‘determines the floor, row, ad parking Space number for that particular vehicle, anda ticket indicating the assigned space 5,669,753 3 and the time of entry into the facility is automatically dispensed to the driver. ‘Upon completion ofthe videotaping and the dispensing of the ticket. a barir is removed and the driver is directed to nearby arrival station within which a vehicle-supporting. pallet has been prepostioned. The driver parks the vehicle fn said pallet and the driver and all passengers eit the vehicle. ‘Advantageously. the pallet is supported by a plurality of upstanding telescoping posts and is flanked by passenger supporting platforms upon which the occupants of the vehicle walk when exiting or entering the vehicle. The respective vertical postions of the platforms are vertically adjustable, and said platforms ate raised a small distance by suitable hydraulic or other means before the driver drives onto the pale; the pallets may also be lowered to accom- plish the Same objective, ora combination of platform lifting and pallet lowering may be employed. The inner edge of each platform. ie. the edge that abuts the pallet. is down- ‘warily sloped to provide a slippery slope. Thus, a wide ‘eile that is mot parked in the middle ofthe pallet willbe aided into the center ofthe pallet. i... the combination of the lowered pallet and raised platform create a recessed channel into which a vehicle will center itself even if not parked sallfuly When the vehicle occupants exit the vehicle. @ self propelled pallet cari having alow profile is dispatched by the central computer to that arrival station; the caer travels ‘on acailway or other suitable surface to the pallet and insets itself underneath the pallet. A plurality of pallt-liftng pins that form apart ofthe cartier construction are then raised so that the pallet and vehicle supported thereatop ae lifted upwardly. The cartier then transports the pallet and the vehicle thercatop to a highly novel lifting device. In a prefered embodiment, the carrier is sel propelled, , lowering telescopic support posts Ta, T1b, or by any ‘combination of such raising and lowering all of which are indicated by the double-headed directional arow in FIG. 2. Upon arrival of a vehicle such as vehicle 18 a any ofthe arrival stations of the novel system, such as arrival station 2, a preferably self-propelled wheeled carier 72 is dis patched by the central computer to engage pallet 70 and to {ake itt its assigned parking space. ‘As best understood in connection with FIG. 2, pallet 70s ‘not supported by wheels and merely rests atop sald posts Ta. 1b. Arrival station 62 further includes individual rails denoted (Ga. 636 for supporting carrer 72. I is worthwhile o note that FIG. 2 can be construed as depicting aot only the intial Position ofa vehicle that has been parked on a pallet at an aurival station, it may also be construed as depicting a vehicle parked in its assigned parking space, Le, when a vehicle fas been delivered to its assigned parking space, it is deposited by a carer 72 atop support posts that ae like suppor rails Ta, 71b in a manner to be more fully set forth hereinafter. However, the large passenger supporting plat- forms 62a. 62 are not provided at the assigned parking space because all passengers exit the vehicle atthe arrival station, and the support posts at the parking space are not telescopic. (Carrier 72 has a low profil so that it may ride on rails 63a and 63b and sill travel under pallet 70, as best understood inconnection with FIG. 2. A sensor means is triggered by the entry of the carrier into the space below the pallet, and sald sensor means sends a signal to the central computer indi ‘cating that the cartier is properly positioned. The central ‘computer then sends a signal to the carrier, activating a 40 plurality of iting pins that extend upwardly from the cartier land which engage the underside of the pallet and rise itso that it is no longer supported by the support posts 71a, 71. Instead, itis supported by said lifting pins and thus travels whereever carrier 72 travels. ‘To accomplish the inital lifting of a pallet and a vehicle ‘thereatop, a cartier is dispatched by the ceatal computer to 10 ‘turntable 80 (FIG. 1). There is one turntable 80 for every two ‘or three arival stations, as indicated in FIG. 1, For example, turtable $@ serves arrival station 62, loadingtunloading terminal 8, arrival/departre station 50, and vehicle service area 9. and turntable 8a serves said area 95, arrival station {82 loading/unloading terminal 90, arriva/departure station ‘84 and departure sation 56. Note in FIG. 1 that loading/unloading terminals 8 and 90 hhave no means whereby a vehicle may be deven therefrom. ‘Thus, terminals 88 and 90 may receive a vehicle from the parking garage, but the vehicle must be delivered to @ ‘departure station such as stations $0, $8, and 84 before a customer may ext the facility. The purpose of terminals and 90 isto enable a customer to retrieve a vehicle for the ‘purpose of retrieving something that may have been forgot {en and left im the vehicle of for the purpose of depositing ‘something into the vehicle. The facil operator may or may ‘ot add an extra fee tothe customer's parking fee for cach retrieval ofthe vehicle. Each turntable isa circular dise mounted for rotation in horizontal plane in either direction about ite center as indicated by the double headed directional arows on both of, said turntables. pair of parallel ils on the same plane as rails 630, 63 (FIG. 2) are mounted toa top surface of each {urnable to support a carrier thereatop, Note that turntable £80 is connected to atval station 62 by arcuate rails 92,10 Joading/unloading terminal 88 by straight rails 94, to acrival! departure station $0 by arcuate rails 96, and to car service station 98 by arcuate rails 97. Similarly, turntable 80a is imerconnected tocar service station 95 by arcuate ras 99, to arival station 82 by arcuate rails 98. to loading/unlosding {terminal 90 by straight rails 100, to acrival/depactue sation ‘84 by arcuate rails 102, and to departure station 56 by rails 106. 1 should be noted that the rails or other means for {interconnecting the respective taatables and arrival stations. departure stations, arrivalideparture stations. loading/ unloading terminals, car service stations. and the like, may be of any length and configuration. Specifically, one of more ‘departure stations could be positioned near the airsidearival gate of an airline company so that arriving passengers could retrieve their vehicles from aremote automated garage. This ‘Would enable a car rental company, for example, to maintain ‘8 modular automatic parking system at a remote location relative to the airside terminal without eausing inconve- nience to travelers. ‘Moreover, since all of the rurmtables are rotatable three hhundeed sixty degrees, retrieved vehicles may be delivered. to a departure siation facing in the direction of travel therefrom. This contrasts with conventional parking systems that deliver a vehicle facing away from the direction of the ‘exit whereby the driver is required to back the vehicle out of the departure station. ‘To retrieve vehicle 18 from arrival station 62 for intro- ‘duction into the parking facility turntable 8 rotates until ts rails align with arcuate rails 92 as depicted in FIG. 1. The carer then exits said turntable, inverts itself under pallet 70, lifts the pallet, and returns tothe turatable over said arcuate rails 92. The turntable then rotates until its rails align with elongate parallel rails 106. For purposes ofthis disclosure, ails 106 will be said to be tansversly extending. Vehicle ‘44b is depicted in such alignment. The carrer then travels to ‘end turmable 806 (atthe left side of FIG. 1) which is also ‘equipped with a pair of parallel rails. Turntable 80b is aligned to receive the carier by the central computer. After the cartier has positioned itself atop turntable 80b, said 5,669,753 cry turntable 80) rotates ninety degrees so that vehicle 18, ‘denoted I8e when on turntable 88, is aligned with rails that ‘extend into lifting device 110. "The turntable operates in the same way to deliver vehicles. to a loading/unloading terminal, such as terminal $8, 10 arrival/departue station $0 or to service area 95. ‘provided at each ticket-dispensing station whereby a cus- {omer may pay an extra fee tohave a vehicle washed, waxed, cx otherwise serviced. Alternatively, service area 95 could include a quick ol change facility, a fueling station, or other service feature selected by a facility ownes. [Note that in this exemplary embodiment, there are four lifting devices. colletively denoted 110 as a whole, but any number thereof is of course within the scope ofthis inven tion, Each lifting device includes a plurality of pivotally ‘mounted carrier support means and pallet suppor means. the later of which shutles back and forth between two levels, ‘only and each of which is under the independent contol of the central computer. Thus. one of more lifting devices may be performing the task of lifting a vehicle toa higher level at the same time one of more lifting devices are lowering. their respective vehicles. I a descending vehicle meets an ascending Vehicle, the central computer commands a floor Sationed cartier (0 side track one of the vehicies onto a {garage level to allow the other vehicle to pass. after which stid side-tricked Vehicle reenters the lifting device and resumes its ascent oF descent. ‘Each lifting device is specifically structured to perform the functions of accepting a carrier and associated pallet thereinto and engaging the pallet so thatthe carrier may ‘withdraw from the lifting device. Thereafter the vehicle and pallet are lifted one level only as aforesaid, andthe vehicle ‘and pallet are then engaged by the next higher pallet support, ‘members and lifted another floor until the assigned floor is, reached. Upon reaching the asigned floor, a cartier on said assigned floor enters the lifting device and removes the carrier and pallet for parking on that floor. FIGS. 3A-E depict the operation of novel lifting device 110. A plurality of pivotally mounted carier support men- bers 112a, 112 performs the function of supporting a carrier so that acartir carrying apallet may enter ito lifting device ‘10, and a plurality of pivotally mounted pallet support members Ilda, 114 performs the functions of reliving the ‘carrier of its pallet-supporting duty after fll insertion ofthe pallet into the lifting device and further performs the funtion, ‘of lifting the pallet and vehicle supported thereby after the ‘carrer has ited the lifting device. ‘To prepare an cmpty lifting device to receive a cari and pallet. each carier support member 112s, 112b is in its deployed” configuration and each pallet support member da, 114 isin its “retracted” configuration as depicted in FIG. 3A. When sald support members are s0 configured, lifting device 110 will accept insertion of a pallet-bearing ‘The next stage of operation is depicted in FIG. 3B; that FIG. illustrates the configuration ofa liing device 10 ater ‘a pallet-bearing carrier 72 has entered therento; the respec tive positions of arms 12a, 112b and 14a, 114 is "unchanged from their respective positions depicted in FIG, 3A. Cartier 72, which has a set of longitudinally aligned ‘rilroad-type wheels 1220, 122b rotatably mounted to its ‘underside. is supported by a pair of rails 1160, 116b atthe ‘outermost end of each arm I12a, 12b, said rails 16a. 1165 engaging said carrer wheels as depicted. Accordingly, the R camer, under its own power. enters iting device 110 by traveling fom the trae rails to rails 1160, 116b, sid rails of course being coplana. ‘The next sep in the procedure is lustated in FIG. 3C. ‘There it will be seen that arms Ilda, 114 are now in thee deployed configuration. Compare the position of pallet 70in FIG. 3C with is position in FIG. 3B! note that thas been Lifted in FIG. 3C fom its FIG. 3B positon. Said iting has ‘been performed by toating arms 1142, 114b about thee respective pivot plats 118e, 118%, Such rotation lifts pallet “70 rom carer 72. they enabling withdawal of sad “The configuration ofthe iting device ater carrier 72 has withdrawn therefrom is depicted in FIG. 3D. Note thatthe respective positions of arms 1122, 112 and Ilda, 114b Femains the same asin FIG. 3C. FIG. 3E discloses the configuration ofthe device whea carer suppoet members 112, HI2b have been rzacted: note that each arm 112, 112b is “L-shaped and mounted fr rotation about pivot points 1206, 120 respectively. FIG. 4 depicts cerainsructral details ofthe mounting of arms 1143, Tab. Each am may be thought of as abell crank in view ofits shape and in view of is pivotal mounting at pivot point LIB toting device 110 I shouldbe elear fom an laspection of FIG. 4 how rotation of ams Llde, M14b in the direction indicated by directional aw 113 operates to suppor pallet 70 s0 dat the undedlyiag carer may be ‘withdeawa therefiom, FIG. 5 depicts similar structural details of arms 1120, 112, Bach arm hasan “L” shape and is pivotally mounted to lifting 110 ar at 120a, 1205. Note how earir-suppoting rails 16a, 16 retract into recess 117 formed in lifting 10 when arms Uda, 11d ae fully retracted, Le, when dis- Placed inthe direction of arow 11S. This enables a pallet Positioned below the depicted pallet to be lifted (0 the porition ofthe depicted pallet, Le. when arms 1122, 1125 re swung inwardly a8 indicated by dzeconal acow 117, they block such displacement of pallets ‘The sttue ofthe carr that enables it to tavel from the wansverely extending central allway 196 (FIG. 1) toa Tongitanally disposed parking space rallway wil now be

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