Patent ID: 8011870

Claim:
A multi-level automated car parking unit, comprising: a plurality of floors, the floors further comprising: a plurality of car receiving and delivery floors, each car receiving and delivery floor further comprising: a plurality of addressed parking slots of the car receiving and delivery floors; a plurality of slat conveyors, the slat conveyors oriented parallel to a line of addressed parking slots of the car receiving and delivery floors, the slat conveyors disposed within a trough in the car receiving and delivery floor, wherein the direction of the slat conveyors is reversible; a first and a second guide rail, the first and second guide rails being mounted along the trough in which the slat conveyor is disposed, the first and second guide rails being mounted on opposite sides of one another along the trough in which the slat conveyor is disposed, the first and second guide rails being vacated in front of a plurality of elevators, the first and second guide rails being vacated in front of a loading and unloading point of the slat conveyors; and a plurality of storage areas; and a plurality of parking floors, each parking floor further comprising: a plurality of addressed parking slots of the parking floors, oriented in a line disposed along opposite walls of the parking floor; a plurality of transfer modules; and a transfer module track having a first rail and a second rail, where the transfer module track is oriented parallel to the addressed parking slots of the parking floors; a plurality of platform carriers, the platform carriers further comprising: a plurality of plates, wherein the plates are joined by a plurality of hinged joints, where the plates form a surface having a top side on which a car can be parked and carried and a bottom side disposed opposite the top side; a plurality of sliding brackets, the sliding brackets which when the platform carrier is inserted into the slat conveyor interlock with the guide rails mounted within the trough in which the slat conveyor is disposed; a plurality of power arm receptacles, the power arm receptacles being disposed on an edge of the platform carrier facing an elevator when the platform carrier is in use; a plurality of magnetic couplers, the magnetic couplers being disposed on opposite edges of the platform carrier; and a plurality of wheels fixedly attached to the bottom side; a plurality of elevators, the elevators having a shaft that is disposed through the plurality of floors, the elevators being vertically movable among the plurality of floors; and a system controller.