FR2651823A1 - Car park for motor vehicles and transportation carriages provided for equipping it - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a mechanised car park for motor vehicles and comprises at least one parking level equipped with at least one means of access for the said vehicles. The park according to the invention is noteworthy in that it includes at least one row (1 to 3) of stationary locations (places), at least one independent movable transportation carriage equipped in order to have loaded on it and unloaded from it a vehicle, moving, for these manoeuvres, in a straight line, whilst guide elements (73, 85) are provided on the ground in order to enable the said carriage to be moved in at least one direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of loading the vehicle on the carriage and unloading it from the carriage, so that said carriage can take up a predetermined parking location of the said level after the loading and/or the unloading of the said vehicle which take place at one or more loading and unloading locations reserved for this purpose. The invention also relates to the carriages for equipping such a park and, in particular, a carriage with two chassis (frames) mounted movably in each other so that the said carriage can move in two mutually perpendicular directions.

Description

 The invention relates to a mechanized parking lot for motor vehicles and transport trolleys provided for its equipment.

 It is useless to insist on the major difficulties that there are in creating parking lots mainly in big cities, for lack of space.

 This is why we have imagined so-called automatic parking lots, which have many advantages in terms of their simplicity, their safety and the best use of space, compared to conventional parking lots where many traffic lanes are necessary.

 Thus, there are systems provided with nacelles in each of which a vehicle can be arranged, systems with movable platforms combined with lifting systems or even a system provided with a rotary elevator arranged in the center of a cylindrical structure. each level of circular parking offers a number of radiant locations.

 However, all these systems are often expensive, complicated and at least for some still cause a significant loss of space.

 In addition, they require a special structure from the time of construction. This is why the inventor imagined a mechanized parking lot which minimizes the loss of space, while remaining simple and adaptable to most of the premises already existing.

 The park according to the invention which comprises at least one parking level provided with at least one means of access for vehicles, is remarkable in that said level comprises at least one line of fixed locations, at least one transport trolley mobile and independent equipped to be loaded and unloaded from a vehicle moving for these maneuvers in a straight line, while guide elements are provided on the ground to allow said entry carriage in at least one direction substantially perpendicular to the direction loading and unloading of the vehicle on the trolley, so that the latter can come to take a predetermined parking location of said level after the loading and / or unloading of said vehicle which takes place at one or more loading and unloading locations reserved for this purpose.

 It is understood that each vehicle remains on its cart for the duration of its parking.

 A preferred park according to the invention is remarkable in that it comprises several levels, in that each level comprises several independent carriages and in that the access means comprises at least one lift which is arranged to be able to stop at a level of loading of the vehicles on said elevator and at each parking level, while advantageously the guide elements of the carriages comprise rails fixed to the ground, each carriage being equipped with corresponding rolling means.

 According to a first embodiment, the fleet includes at least one queue of fixed locations and a free contiguous passage for vehicle traffic, at least some of the locations each being provided with a mobile carriage and with guide means arranged so that said trolley can be positioned in the free passage for loading and unloading of the vehicle and resume its location after these maneuvers.

 In this case, the level access means opens, for example, between two rows of locations arranged on either side of the free passage, while the locations immediately next to and on either side of said access means, do not have a cart.

 The invention also relates to trolleys intended to equip such parks.

 A trolley according to the invention may for example comprise a chassis provided with a loading platform and rolling wheels, at least one of which is actuated by an electric drive motor which is connected by a cable to a fixed terminal d power supply, said terminal being provided with means for automatically unwinding and winding said cable.

 However according to another embodiment, the invention proposes a fleet which is remarkable in that it comprises at least two rows of locations, in that there is a number of carriages lower by at least one unit relative to in the number of said locations and in that each carriage and the guide means are arranged so that each carriage can also move in the direction of loading and unloading of the vehicle so as to be able to move in two perpendicular directions and therefore be positioned in any location and in particular in that located next to the access means, which is intended for loading and unloading the vehicle between said access means and said carriage, the first carriage to be moved being that which is neighbor of an empty site and the following taking the places left successively free.

 In this way the entire surface of each level can be reserved for parking, with the natural exception of any pillars and the means of access (landing of an elevator, etc.).

 A trolley according to the invention for this embodiment is remarkable in that it comprises a loading platform and two chassis each provided with rolling wheels, at least one of which is actuated by a drive motor, the wheels of the chassis being arranged so as to be able to follow from one chassis to the other directions perpendicular to each other respectively longitudinal and transverse with respect to the direction of loading and unloading, while said chassis are mounted one above the other. 'other mobile and positionable relative to each other so that the wheels of each chassis can rest at will and in turn on the ground guide elements.

 Advantageously in this case the motor is electric and connected by a flexible and / or telescopic element with friction contact, to a source of electric power distributed in network in the structure of the room, while the chassis are mounted movable one with respect to the other by means of jacks. Preferably then each chassis has its own drive motor, while safety elements are provided to stop said carriage when the chassis do not have sufficient spacing between them relative to its predetermined value.

The invention will be clearly understood and other particularities will appear on reading the description which follows and which refers to the appended drawings in which:
- Figure 1 shows in elevation a carriage according to a first embodiment of the invention, provided with two chassis, one of which is shown in the trans-port position.

 - Figure 2 shows the carriage of Figure 1, but where it is the other chassis which is in the transport position.

 - Figure 3 is a front elevation of the carriage shown in the position of Figure 1.

 - Figure 4 is an elevation in rear view of the carriage in the position of Figure 1.

 - Figure 5 is a top view of the carriage of Figures 1 to 4, the lower frame and the elements which it is provided being shown in broken lines.

 FIGS. 6 and 7 are transverse sections along the line AA in FIG. 5 and correspond to positions according to the figures 1 and 2 respectively.

 - Figure 8 is a plan view of a parking level of a park according to the invention.

 - Figure 9 shows in plan and partly a parking level of the type of that of Figure 8 provided with carts some of which are loaded by a vehicle.

 - Figure 10 shows in plan the layout of a park according to a simplified embodiment which is more particularly intended to adapt to existing conventional parks.

 - Figure 11 and a view equivalent to that of Figure 10 but with a number of carriages -loaded or not.

 FIG. 12 is a top view of a carriage with a single chassis, provided for the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11.

 - Figure 13 is a side view of the carriage of Figure 12.

 FIG. 14 is a section on line BB in FIG. 12.

 FIG. 15 is a front view of a carriage of the type of that of FIGS. 11 to 14 and more particularly of the carriage referenced-F1 in FIG. 11.

 Figures 1 to 7 show more specifically a transport cart according to a first embodiment.

 This carriage comprises two chassis 51 and 52 respectively upper and lower.

 Each chassis has wheels 53 to 56 respectively for the chassis 51 and 62 to 65 for the chassis 52 respectively.

 The wheels 54 and 55 of the chassis 51 are connected together by a motor shaft 57 which is itself driven by an electric motor 58 (FIGS. 3 and 5 to 7) while the wheels 63 and 64 of the chassis 52 are linked together by a motor shaft 66 which is itself driven by an electric motor 67 (Figures 1 and 2). On the contrary, the wheels 53, 56, 62 and 65 are mounted free to rotate.

 The motors 58 and 67 are also equipped with a braking system, for example magnetic.

 The upper chassis 51 which includes a loading platform 75 is further provided with a control and command panel 59 which is provided for controlling the starting of the motors 58 and 67 but also for controlling a hydraulic power unit 60 ( Figures 4 and 5) itself connected to four hydraulic cylinders 68, 69, 70 and 71- (Figures- 1, 2 and 5 to 7).

 The cylinders 68 to 1 are double acting and are arranged as shown in the drawings between the two chassis 51 and 52, which are mounted telescopically and movable relative to each other by means of sliding elements or rollers 74.

 Furthermore, as the drawings clearly show, it can be seen that all of the wheels 53 to 56 of the chassis 51 and the drive shaft 57 are arranged so that said chassis can move on rails 73 arranged longitudinally relative to the platform 75. and therefore in relation to the transported vehicle which is shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 1 to 4.

 On the contrary, the wheels 62 to 65 and the motor shaft 66 are arranged on the chassis 52 so that it can move on rails 85 perpendicular to the rails 73 (the crossings being effected by breaks in continuity as shown the drawings).

 It is then understood that the table 59 makes it possible to control, by its action on the jacks 68 to 71 and on the motors 58 and 67, the setting in function of transport is of the chassis 51 in the longitudinal direction (FIG. 1, 3, 4 and 6 ), or putting the chassis 52 into function in a direction perpendicular to the first direction mentioned (FIGS. 2 and 7).

 The motors 58 and 67 can advantageously be provided with certain safety elements. Thus, for example, FIGS. 6 and 7 show a micro-contact 72 arranged between the two chassis 51 and 52 in such a way that the motor (s) 58 and / or 67 stop or cannot operate if the wheels of the chassis in the raised position are not at a certain height h from the rails, which could result from a failure of the hydraulic system. The microswitch 72 can of course be replaced by any other equivalent means such as, for example, an optical cell.

 Each carriage is for example provided with a pole 61 of friction contact intended to transmit the electrical energy necessary for the motors from an electrical network formed of wires and / or conductive grids and which is integrated for example in the ceiling from the local.

 The pole 61 is for example flexible or telescopic.

However, this electrical supply could be provided in the rails themselves.

 Figure 8 shows a parking level of a park according to the invention.

 On the ground is provided a network of rails 73 and 85 forming travel routes and locations.

 The rails 73 and 85 form, for example, four aisles denoted 1 to 4 and four rows A to D forming 13 fixed locations referenced A1, A2 D4 according to the usual notation, here row-aisle, the location B2 being reserved for an elevator 86.

Of course the number of aisles, rows and therefore locations can be quite different depending on the space available, as well as the number of elevators.

 FIG. 9 shows a system reduced to three aisles 1 to 3 and three rows A to C. Each aisle 1, 2 and 3 forms a row of locations A1, B1, C1; A2, B2, C2; A3, B3, C3.

 In FIG. 9 we find the location B2 for the elevator 86, a completely empty location B3 while all the other locations are provided with a trolley as described above and intended to receive a vehicle, like the trolleys of the locations Al , A3-, B1, Cl and C3, the carriages of locations A2 and C2 not being loaded.

 Figure 9 shows an empty location B3, that is to say that there is one less carriage (seven carriages) than possible locations (eight locations) to allow the movement of said chario-ts.

 Assuming for example that the elevator 86 brings a vehicle to be loaded on the trolley of the location A2. If we exclude the possibility of loading backwards, it will suffice to bring the carriage from location A2 to C2 by moving the carriages successively from one place to the other by turning here clockwise, a single carriage being moved at the same time while the carriage which is moved just after a first carriage will take the place left free by the latter. It is clear that when a level is full, the elevator can of course reach another level.

 Each vehicle is assigned a cart, while a cart can take many locations.

 It is for example possible to number the carts, the number of each car used then being written on a ticket or stored on a card to be given to the owner and / or the caretaker.

 It is also possible to imagine using a computerized system which makes it possible to record each vehicle (number ...) and / or each trolley and / or each location, with all the useful information such as date, hours of entry and exit, duration of parking, amount due ....

 It is then possible to very easily locate each vehicle and have all the information - necessary to bill for the service.

 To move the carts it is naturally possible to call on an agent or attendant. However according to a particularly efficient embodiment, the entire management of the locations can be controlled by a computer, while automatic means are provided for moving the carriages such as magnetic elements embedded in the scl and combined with detectors fitted on the carriage and which, using the computer, control the electric motors and hydraulic cylinders.

 It is clear that the maneuvers to recover the parked vehicles are substantially the same as the parking maneuvers, the elevator bringing each vehicle (by an attendant or a computerized system) to a level of restitution to the owner.

 The invention also proposes a simplified version represented in FIGS. 10 to 15. Certain references are duplicated with respect to the first embodiment for certain elements similar at least as regards their function.

 In this version, there is a parking level shown in Figures 10 and 11 provided in a simplified way for clarity of three aisles 1 to 3 and six rows A to F.

However, it can be seen that only the guide elements 85 exist and are arranged in the direction of the rows. In fact this arrangement creates two rows of locations formed by aisles 1 and 3 and a free circulation passage between the two, formed by aisle 2, and in which is the elevator 86 which could be only l end of an access ramp as elsewhere in the first embodiment described.

 This embodiment saves a certain place on conventional parks by reducing the space required for vehicle traffic.

 Compared to the embodiment described above, at each location A1 F3 (i.e. all locations except B1 and B3), a trolley is provided, so that each charict has an assigned location and only the trolley to be loaded or unloaded is moves.

 Indeed, each vehicle arrives or leaves via the elevator 86 via the free passage 2. For loading, the free trolley will pass from its fixed location in the free passage 2, and Four unload it will suffice to perform a reverse maneuver.

 In FIG. 12 we can see a vehicle which has just been loaded on the trolley C1 (in position C2), which trolley will then resume its place C1 (we can indeed in this embodiment reference each trolley by the reference of place it must occupy).

 The carriages Al, D1, El and C3 are shown empty and the carriages F1, F3, E3 and A3 are loaded.

As indicated above, locations B1 and B3 do not have a trolley, but it is however possible to use them for limited parking periods. Indeed it is possible to bring a vehicle in B1 by means of the carriage Al or C1, or in B3 by means of carriage A3 or C3
To take again for example the vehicle X in B1, it will suffice to place it on the carriage Al, to arrange said carriage
Al in position A2 and transfer the vehicle from the truck to the lift, the truck can then return to its original place.

 To equip such a fleet, the inventor has provided a simplified carriage provided with a single chassis 76 as shown in FIGS. 12 to 15.

 The chassis 76 is provided with four wheels, and more precisely with two free wheels 77 and two drive wheels 78, the latter being connected to an electric drive motor 79 by shafts 80 and gears 81.

 The chassis 76 also includes a platform 75 whose ends are inclined to facilitate loading and unloading of the vehicle (which was not compulsory with the first embodiment since the elevator can be leveled), while a safety microswitch 72 is connected to the connection box of the electric motor 79, in order to stop the latter when the corresponding carriage arrives at its correct location in the free passage 2.

 As shown more particularly in FIG. 15, the motor 79 is connected to an electrical supply terminal by means of an electric cable 84 and a winder-unwinder 82. Furthermore, a switch 83 is provided to allow the attendant to '' activate the truck before and after loading and unloading.

 Numerous modifications or variants can obviously be made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the invention based on the allocation of an individual and independent trolley per parked vehicle.

Claims (10)

 1) Mechanized parking lot for motor vehicles and comprising at least one parking level provided with at least one access means for said vehicles, park characterized in that said level comprises at least one line (1 to 4) of fixed locations, at least one independent mobile transport trolley equipped to be loaded and unloaded from a vehicle moving for these maneuvers in a straight line, while guide elements (73, 85) are provided on the ground to allow said trolley to '' be moved in at least one direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of loading and unloading of the vehicle on the trolley, so that the latter can come to take a predetermined parking location of said level after the loading and / or unloading of said vehicle which take place at one or more loading and unloading locations reserved for this purpose.  2) Parking lot according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises several levels, in that each level comprises several independent carriages and in that the access means comprises at least one lift (86) which is arranged to be able stop at a vehicle loading level on said elevator and at each parking level.  3) Parking lot according to one of claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the guide elements of the carriages include rails (73, 85) fixed to the ground, each car being equipped with rolling means (53 to 56 and 62 to 65) correspondents.  4) Parking lot according to one of claims 1 to 1 3 characterized in that it comprises at least one line (1) of fixed spaces and a free passage (2) contiguous for the movement of vehicles, at least some locations each provided with a movable carriage and guide means (85) arranged so that said carriage can come to be positioned in the free passage for loading and unloading of the vehicle and resume its location after these maneuvers.  5) Parking lot according to claim 4 characterized in that the level access means opens out between two lines (1 and 3) of spaces arranged on either side of the free passage, and in that the spaces (B1, B3) immediately next to and on either side of said access means, are not provided with a carriage.  6) Trolley for parking lot according to one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that it comprises a chassis (76) provided with a loading platform (75) and running wheels (77, 78) of which l at least one (78) is actuated by an electric drive motor (79) which is connected by a cable (84) to a fixed power supply terminal, said terminal being provided with unwinding means and automatic winding (82) of said cable.  7) Parking according to one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that it comprises at least two rows (1, 4) of locations, in that there is a number of trolleys lower by at least one unit in relation to the number of said locations and in that each carriage and the guide means are arranged so that each carriage can also move in the direction of loading and unloading of the vehicle so as to be able to move in two perpendicular directions and therefore position themselves in any location and in particular in that placed next to the access means, which is intended for loading and unloading the vehicle between said access means and said carriage, the first carriage to be moved being that which is next to an empty space and the following ones taking the places left successively free.  8) Trolley for parking lot according to one of claims 1 to 3 and 7, characterized in that it comprises a loading platform (75) and two chassis (51, 52) each provided with running wheels (53 to 56 and 62 to 65) of which at least one (54, 55 and 63, 64) is actuated by a drive motor (58, 67), the wheels of the chassis being arranged so as to be able to follow a chassis to each other directions perpendicular to each other respectively longitudinal and transverse to the direction of loading and unloading, while said frames (51, 52) are mounted one above the other in a movable and positionable manner relative to each other so that the wheels of each chassis can rest at will and in turn on the ground guide elements (73,  85).  9) Trolley according to claim 8 characterized in that the motor (58, 67) is electric, and connected by a flexible and / or telescopic element (61) with friction contact, to a source of electrical power distributed in a network in the structure of the room, while the chassis (51, 52) are mounted movable relative to each other by means of jacks (68 to 71).  10) Trolley according to claims 8 and 9 characterized in that each chassis (51, 52) has its own drive motor (58, 67) and in that safety elements (72) - are provided to stop said carriage when the chassis do not have sufficient spacing therebetween relative to a predetermined value.