MULTI-LAYER PARKING DEVICE AND PARKING SYSTEM

Abstract: The invention relates to a multi-layer parking device with at least two parking locations, at least one of which is displaceable in vertical direction along guide means between a drive-on level and a storage level, wherein at least one side of the parking locations is free of guide means. In such a parking device the parking location at the drive-on level can be displaced in lateral direction. The guide means can comprise at least one upright which can be connected to a base. The parking device can be provided with drive means for displacing the at least one parking location in vertical direction, formed by at least one hydraulic piston-cylinder unit, as well as a flexible pull element trained over a roller connected to the unit. The invention further relates to a multi-layer parking system, comprising a number of parking devices as described above placed adjacently of each other. At least some of the parking locations at the drive-on level can herein be displaceable in horizontal direction, although each parking location isdisplaceable in only horizontal or in vertical direction.

Description: MULTI- AYER PARKING DEVICE AND PARKING SYSTEM The invention relates to a multi-layer parking device, comprising at least two parking locations, at least one of which is displaceable in vertical direction along guide means between a drive-on level and a storage level. Such a parking device is known from WO 92/08667. In this document is described a parking lift which is provided with a base and an upright which is connected thereto and along which two drive-on runways together defining a drive-on location are vertically movable. Use is herein made for the driving of a hydraulic system, which can be brought to pressure by means of a pump which is driven by a drive roller in one of the drive-on plates. This drive roller is in turn rotated by a driven wheel of the vehicle for parking. In another embodiment s shown in this document, a number of such parking lifts are placed mutually adjacently, wherein provisions are further made at the drive-on level for displacing in transverse direction the parking locations which are defined there. In this embodiment the lift is however not o provided with a base, and not in freestanding position, but the uprights along which the vertically displaceable parking location is moved are anchored in the ground. In many densely populated areas there is an increasing shortage of parking space. This can be the 5 result of a conscious policy aimed at discouraging car use, but is often simply related to lack of space. The number of available parking spaces could in principle be readily expanded by making more efficient use of the available space, particularly by parking at a o plurality of levels. This has the drawback however that structurally complicated provisions must often be made for this purpose, such as building multi-storey car parks. Although structurally simple parking lifts are known, with which two parking places can be created with little effort in the space of one parking place, these have the drawback that cars cannot be parked hereon randomly, since the upper parking location can only be moved when the lower parking location is empty. The invention therefore has for its object to provide an improved parking device of the above described type. According to the invention this is achieved in that at least one of the parking locations at the drive-on level is displaceable in horizontal direction. Owing to such a horizontal displacement space can be cleared for the displacement the other parking location (s) in vertical direction. The device is preferably provided with means for connecting thereof to at least one adjacent, similar parking device. By placing the parking devices mutually adjacently and mutually connecting them a parking system can thus be formed quickly and simply which has a large capacity and requires few or no structural provisions. At least one side of the parking locations is preferably free of guide means. A vehicle can be driven onto a parking location along this free side, wherein the corner can as it were be cut off, whereby relatively little manoeuvring space is required. In order to make the device suitable in simple manner for assembly in combination with similar devices to form a parking system of the above described type, the guide means preferably extend substantially along one side of the parking location. The whole drive-on level is in fact hereby left free for the lateral displacement of the parking location. The guide means can advantageously comprise at least one upright, as well as preferably a base connected to the at least one upright. The stability of the device is improved by such a base, which is important when uprights are present on only one side of the parking locations. Furthermore, the parking device is thus suitable for placing without structural provisions, even if the ground is not completely level . The base herein advantageously extends under the parking location, thereby obtaining a natural compensation of the non-uniform forces. The base and at least the parking locations displaceable in vertical direction are preferably formed and dimensioned such that they fit together. The base and the parking locations displaceable in vertical direction can in this way have a considerable construction height, which is necessary to achieve the required stability, without the drive-on height of the parking location thereby becoming too great . The base advantageously has means for displacing in transverse direction thereof the horizontally displaceable parking location. A compact construction is obtained by accommodating these displacing means in the base. The displacing means can herein comprise guides and horizontal drive means. These horizontal drive means preferably comprise rotatable friction rollers engaging on each of the parking locations displaceable in horizontal direction. Such a drive is relatively sturdy, and suitable for application in situations where the play which can be anticipated in the position of the components for displacing is relatively large. Particularly when the adjacent parking devices are not disposed wholly perfectly in one line, such a drive provides great advantages . The connecting means are advantageously also accommodated in the base . A stable parking system can thus be formed quickly by coupling the bases. The parking device is advantageously provided with drive means for displacing the at least one parking location in vertical direction. These vertical drive means preferably comprise at least one hydraulic piston- cylinder unit, as well as a flexible pull element trained over a roller connected to the unit. In such a drive the flexible pull element, which can for instance be a chain or cable, operates in fact as stroke doubler because it is trained round the roller, whereby the parking location can be displaced at relatively high speed. The invention further relates to a multi- layer parking system which is formed by a number of parking devices of the above described type placed adjacently of each other. In such a parking system each parking location is preferably displaceable only in horizontal or vertical direction. By making the parking locations displaceable in only one direction, it is possible to suffice with a relatively simple construction. The number of parking locations at the drive-on level is further preferably smaller than the number of parking locations displaceable in vertical direction, whereby space can always be created at the drive-on level without parts of the parking system having to be shifted beyond the outer parking locations for this purpose. In order to achieve an optimal stability of the system, adjacent parking devices are preferably connected to each other. The invention will now be elucidated on the basis of an embodiment, wherein reference is made to the annexed drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a partly cut-away perspective view of three mutually connected parking devices according to a fist embodiment of the invention, wherein the parking locations at the drive-on level are omitted for the sake of clarity; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the three parking devices, wherein the vertically displaceable parking location of the middle device is situated at the drive-on level; Figure 3 is a view corresponding with figure 2 wherein the middle parking location is moved upward to the storage level; Figure 4 is a view corresponding with figures 2 and 3 wherein a bottom parking location of the right-hand device is shifted to the middle device; Figure 5 is a perspective view of two parking devices according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figures 6 and 7 show respectively a perspective bottom view and a side view of this embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 is a perspective detail view on enlarged scale along arrow VIII in Figure 5; Figure 9 is a schematic perspective view of a vertical drive unit for use in the parking device according to the invention; and Figures 10A to IOC show schematically in front view the steps required to remove from the parking system a vehicle which is situated on the storage layer. A parking system 1 (Figure 1) consists of a number of parking devices 2 which are placed mutually adjacently and mutually connected and which in the shown embodiment each have two parking locations. The shown parking location 3 is displaceable herein in vertical direction between a drive-on level 5 and a storage level 4 located thereabove . Parking location 3 is herein displaceable along a guide 6, in the shown embodiment a single column or upright, in which is accommodated a drive mechanism 7. This drive mechanism 7, which is preferably self-locking, is formed in the shown embodiment by a screw spindle 8 which is rotated by a motor 9 and co-acts with a nut 33 fixed to a parking location 3. Because motor 9 is arranged in the top of upright 6, it is easily accessible for maintenance. Parking location 3, which is formed by a plate 10 with bent edges 11 and a gently sloping drive-on surface 32, is herein provided with a standing collar 12 which engages round upright 6 and can slide therealong. In bent edges 11 are formed recesses 34, the purpose of which is discussed hereinbelow. Parking location 3 is further provided with blocking means 26, here in the form of blocks 29 which are tiltable on a horizontal shaft 27 and connected to a counterweight 28 and which protrude through openings 30 in plate 10. These blocking means 26, which move automatically upward under the influence of the counterweight when parking location 3 is moved upward, prevent a vehicle 24 from being able to roll off the parking location 3. A mirror 31 is further also provided, whereby a driver of a vehicle 24 driven onto the parking location can check whether the vehicle remains clear of collar 12 and column 7. In order to stabilize the device 2, and to compensate the moment exerted on upright 6 by parking o location 3, the upright 6 is connected on its underside to a base 13, for instance from a metal plate. This base 13 could be anchored to the ground, but is preferably used in freestanding manner. This has the advantage that device 2 can be readily placed at any desired location s and removed again if necessary. In the shown embodiment the base 13 is provided with means 14 for connecting thereof to bases 13 of adjacent parking devices 2. In the shown embodiment these connecting means 14 take the form of protruding hook parts 15, whereby on one side of each 0 base 13 a protrusion is defined which is T-shaped in top view and on the opposite side is defined a receiving space 16 which is likewise T-shaped in top view. The bases 13 mutually connected in this manner form a continuous surface around which recesses 34 in the edges 5 11 of parking locations 3,18 fall, so that the total height of base 13 and parking locations 3, 18 remains limited in the lowered position thereof. Means 17 are further arranged on base 13 for displacing a bottom parking location 18 thereover in o transverse direction. These displacing means 17 are formed on the one hand by guides 19, in the shown embodiment rollers rotatable round horizontal and vertical shafts, and on the other by drive means 20, for instance in the form of a gear rack 21. The bottom 5 parking locations 18 are herein each provided with guide surfaces 22 co-acting with guide rollers 19, and drive motors with toothed wheels 23 co-acting with gear rack 21. In another embodiment of the invention, which is at this moment recommended (Fig. 5) , the base 113 of each parking device 102 takes the form of an open frame, with longitudinal beams 111, a rear beam 135 and a front beam 132, which also functions as drive-on surface. Arranged in longitudinal beams 111 are recesses 134 in which the parking location 103 movable in vertical direction can be received when it is situated in the bottom position. Both the base 113 and the vertically displaceable parking location 103 can hereby have the height necessary for the desired rigidity, without the drive-on height becoming too great . In this variant both the horizontally movable parking location 118 and the vertically movable parking location 103 take a stepped form, with a level part 141 and a standing edge 136 which marks the end of parking location 103, 118. The vertically movable parking location 103 is further provided on its underside with a box-shaped support 142 (Fig. 6) , the height of which increases as seen from the drive-on side. This support 142 is provided on the underside with recesses 143,144 in which respectively guide rollers 137 and drive means 120 can be received when parking location 103 is lowered into its lowest position. In this position the support 142 is thus situated within the space in base 113 bounded by beams 111,132 and 135. The horizontal displacing means 117 here likewise comprise guides 119 and drive means 120. Guides 119 are formed by two rows of support rollers 137, which are arranged in regular distribution on cross-bars 138. Drive means 120 comprise two roller pairs 139 arranged at a mutual distance which are connected by a drive belt 140 and driven by a motor 123 (Fig. 8) . Rollers 139 each have a relatively rough surface, whereby they can exert a considerable friction force on an element 121 for driving to be placed therebetween. This element 121 for driving is formed therein by a rib protruding from the underside of parking location 118. Because drive means 120 have two roller pairs 139 in each base 113, this rib 121 can as it were be "passed on" from the one base 113 to the next, whereby parking location 118 is thus displaced in horizontal direction. It is of course important here that motors 123 of the adjacent bases 113 are synchronized. The driving by means of friction rollers 139 is sturdier and less susceptible to alignment errors than the gear rack driving of the first embodiment. This is important since the bases 113 of adjacent parking devices 102, which in this variant are not mutually connected, will not always lie perfectly in one line as a result of for instance unevennesses in the ground. The parking location 103 displaceable in vertical direction is once again movable along an upright 106, and is provided for this purpose with a collar 112 which is U-shaped in horizontal cross-section. Arranged once again in upright 106 is a drive mechanism 107 which is formed in this embodiment by a hydraulic piston-cylinder unit 108, which is connected to a hydraulic pump (not shown here) and which co-acts with a stroke doubler 145. This stroke doubler is formed by a roller 147 which is mounted on the free outer end of piston 146 and over which is trained a flexible pull element, for instance a cable or chain 148. An outer end 149 of pull element 148 is herein connected to a fixed part of parking device 102, while the other outer end 150 is fixed to the vertically movable parking location 103. When piston 146 is extended the roller 147 thus co-displaces, whereby the outer end 150 of pull element 148 is displaced through double the stroke. In order to prevent the parking location 103 crashing down if drive mechanism 107 fails, another catch (not shown here) is also provided. The operation of the system is now therefore as follows. When a user wishes to park a vehicle 24, he looks for an empty parking location. This can be indicated by a system of lights, signs or other designations of the status of each parking location 3,18. If one of the parking locations 18 at drive-on level 5 is still free, the user can simply drive on his vehicle 24. If however there are no longer any free places at drive- on level 5, vehicle 24 must then be accommodated at storage level 4. For this purpose a free parking location 3 must then be moved down from this level. Assuming that the parking locations 18 at drive-on level 5 are all occupied, space must be created at drive- on level 5 below the free parking location 3 on storage level 4. For this purpose the parking locations 18 on drive-on level 5 are displaced in lateral direction, wherein use is made of the fact that there is one less parking location 18 at drive-on level 5 than the number of parking locations 3 at storage level 4. There is hereby always one free space 25 at drive-on level 5, into which an adjacent parking location 18 can be shifted, whereby the free space 25 as it were shifts up one place. Each parking location 18 at drive-on level 5 need only be shifted one position, whereby the free space 25 shifts over a number of positions corresponding with the number of shifted parking locations 18. By displacing parking locations 3,18 vertically and in lateral direction a vehicle 24 can thus be placed thereon and removed therefrom in simple manner without the collection of vehicles as a whole undergoing many changes . Each parked vehicle 24 is after all only moved either upward or downward, or shifted sideways one position at most. Each user can therefore easily find his parked vehicle 24 again. In order to move the parking locations 3 upward and downward and shift the parking locations 18 laterally the motors 9 respectively 23 are connected to a control, which is not shown here, and which is controlled by the user. This control is further connected to sensors, which are likewise not shown, but which detect whether a parking location 3,18 is free or occupied. The control does not allow any displacement as long as an adjacent or underlying parking location 18 is occupied. Because uprights 6 are situated on only one side of parking locations 3,18, it is possible to manoeuvre easily when driving vehicles 24 on and off, wherein the corner can as it were be "cut off". It is hereby possible to suffice with relatively small parking locations 3,18, while the space in front of the parking locations required for manoeuvring can also remain limited. Instead of a single upright 6 per pair of parking locations 3,18 it is of course also conceivable to make use of for instance two uprights arranged along a side of parking locations 3,18. Because a base 13 is moreover connected to each upright 6, the parking device 2 is inherently stable, without upright 6 having to be anchored in the ground for this purpose. The parking device 2 can hereby be easily placed or removed, whereby the parking system can be expanded or scaled down as required. Although the invention is elucidated above with reference to one embodiment, it will be apparent that it is not limited thereto. More than two layers of parking locations could for instance be arranged, while the number of columns, the shape and the number of bases and the like can also be changed without falling outside the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is therefore defined solely by the appended claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Multi-layer parking device, comprising at least two parking locations, at least one of which is displaceable in vertical direction along guide means between a drive-on level and a storage level, characterized in that at least one of the parking locations at the drive-on level is displaceable in horizontal direction. 2. Multi- layer parking device as claimed in claim 1, characterized by means for connecting the parking device to at least one adjacent, similar parking device. 3. Multi-layer parking device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one side of the parking locations is free of guide means. 4. Multi-layer parking device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the guide means extend substantially along one side of the parking locations. 5. Multi-layer parking device as claimed in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the guide means comprise at least one upright . 6. Multi-layer parking device as claimed in claim 5, characterized by a base connected to the at least one upright . 7. Multi-layer parking device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the base extends under the parking location. 8. Multi-layer parking device as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the base and at least the parking location displaceable in vertical direction are formed and dimensioned such that they fit together. 9. Multi-layer parking device as claimed in any of the claims 6-8, characterized in that the base has means for displacing in transverse direction thereof the horizontally displaceable parking location. 10. Multi-layer parking device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the displacing means comprise guides and horizontal drive means. 11. Multi-layer parking device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the horizontal drive means comprise rotatable friction rollers engaging on each of the parking locations displaceable in horizontal direction . 12. Multi-layer parking device as claimed in claim 2 and any of the claims 6-11, characterized in that the connecting means are accommodated in the base. 13. Multi-layer parking device as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, characterized by drive means for displacing the at least one parking location in vertical direction. 14. Multi-layer parking device as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the vertical drive means comprise at least one hydraulic piston-cylinder unit, as well as a flexible pull element trained over a roller connected to the unit . 15. Multi-layer parking device as claimed in any of the claims 4-14, characterized in that each parking location has a rising progression in the direction of the guide means . 16. Multi-layer parking system, comprising a number of parking devices as claimed in any of the foregoing claims placed adjacently of each other. 17. Multi-layer parking system as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that each parking location is displaceable only in horizontal or vertical direction. 18. Multi-layer parking system as claimed in claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the number of parking locations at the drive-on level is smaller than the number of parking locations displaceable in vertical direction. 19. Multi-layer parking system as claimed in any of the claims 16-18, characterized in that adjacent parking devices are connected to each other.

Inventors: HAMELINK LEON JACOBUS, HAMELINK, LEON, JACOBUS
Applicants: HAMELINK LEON JACOBUS, HAMELINK, LEON, JACOBUS
Application year: 2001
Main classification: E04H6
IPC codes: E04H6