AU703878B2 - 2 storey vehicle parking installation - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 28/5191 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: QJREY.VEHIQU... PARKING The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- C 2 2 STORY VEHICLE PARKING INSTALLATION.

This vention relates to a vehicle parking installation and can be used as a domestic 2 story prv:,te garage as well as a parking installation with a multiple of 2 story garages for comrnercial purposes.

Parking installations for small-scale use are known, comprising, a metal frame bolted to the floor, one platform (or plurality of platforms) which is enabled to slide up and down (or to swing around a horizontal axis). So the platform by means of any type of lifting mechanism can occupy 2 positions: First leveled with ground for parking (and retrieving) a err second lifted with a car to the "up" position, so another car i0 enabled to occupy position o p underneath the platform.

The main drawbacks of this system are: Cooperation between drivers of both cars is required for hoisting and lowering the platform.

S. 15 This parking system is an industrial device and unlike to be used as a part of a modem house.

This system does not exclude a possibility of a violent crime. People and cars are not safe.

The system is 250-300% more expansive then an ordinary garage.

It is known the similar parking installation comprising of a pit, which allows either car to be 20 level with the ground for independent parking and retrieval. It is also known parking installation comprising in combination a pit, and the door fbrms both the door and a rump and is approximately equal in hight to the total hight of the 2 bays. However the overall cost of these installations is too high (includes excavation and construction of retaining walls, concreting floor, ventilation, fire prevention and drainage) So these known installations have all proved unsuitable for small-scale use, i.e. two to four cars, in that the various components are not utilized to a satisfactory extent and therefore result in an excessive cost per housing, i.e. per parking unit.

The object of the invention is to obliterate these drawbacks by providing a vehicle parking installation which is capable to double a number of cars parked in existing parking spaces, allows an independent parking and retrieving of any car, which solves 3 the problem of small-scale uses,convenient and affordable for individual dwellings or small communities in general, for which a traditional automated parking installation would be excessively costly and inconvenient.

This and further aims are attained accordingly to the invention through a 2storey vehicle parking installation as described in Claim Prepared embodiments of the present invention are described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a parking installation's housing for 2cars; Figure 2 is a front view of the parking installation's door; Figure 3 is the side view of the parking installation's door; Figure 4 is a section A-A (refered in the fig 2); Figure 5 is a perspective schematic view of a 2 storey parking installation where both cars are in, and the parking installation door is closed; Figure 6 shows a perspective schematic view of a parking installation where the door is in inclined position as a track for driving a car to upper bay position; Figure 7 shows perspective schematic view of the parking installation where the door is in horizontal position, creating a gap between the downward edge of the door and the ground permitting a ground floor car drive in or out; Figure 8 shows version of the door's horizontal position where the door lies on the ground and a car comes in or out by driving over the top of the door; Figure 9 shows a perspective view of the second embodiment of the parking installation where members for driving the door in any position includes a screw mechanism.

As can be seen from the accompanying drawing the installation according to the invention in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 9 comprises housing 1, which incorporates a structure unit 38 (or individual structure members 38) with ground floor bay 2 and permanent upper bay 3 suitable for accommodating individual cars 4 and 5. Front plane 45 of the structure unit 38 (housingl) is inclined inside the structure unit 38 (ref.angle k.fig. 8 and a pair of any type of linear runways 14 is attached to the said front plane 45 of the structure 38 from the both sides of bays 2 and 3,and a pair of guides II is attached to the said front plane 45 of the structure 38 while the other ends of the guides are attached to the ground floor so that they inclined in opposite direction, then the upper runways 14.The ground floor and upper floor bays-openings are divided by the upper floor 9 with handrails 6 and stairs 10 for passengers.) The upper floor 9 has an interruption (ref fig between an imaginary vertical section from the driver's side edge of the ground floor's car 5 and the sidewall of the housing 1. So, the driver and passengers can come out of the ground floor car 5 on the driver's side, which is not restricted by the height of the ground floor bay 2. It is supposed that the height of the ground floor opening 2 has to be suitable for all individual cars hight.It makes the overall high of the garage minimum and suitable for attaching the garage to any story house. It helps to avoid of digging a pit. There is a gap (ref. fig. 9) between the front edge 46 of upper floor 9 and the front plane 45 of the garage housing I (or structure 38) and there is a hole 48 (or numerous of holes or special parts which are attached to the upper floor 9 close to the front edge 46 of the upper floor 9) which is located against oncoming hinge 47 belonging to the upper track 21 and construct an opening for oncoming hinge 47, so as in the inclined position of the door 8 the hinge 47 rests inside said hole 48 to prevent the door 8 from coming down if the members for driving (ifting mechanism) fails.

There are two pairs of guides for car's wheels 25 correspondingly attached to the ground 20 floor and upper floor 9, so that the dimension between the guides of any pair, can be adjusted to the dimension between wheels of a client's cars, and the position of the pair of guides 12 is offset to the position of the pair of guidesl3, perpendicularly to the direction cars move when parking. Thus it is creates the walking space for a driver of upper car 4 and a driver of ground car The 2 story parking installation contains a rigid rectangular garage door 8 which has a height approximately equal to the summarized height of ground and upper openings 3 and can be driven by members for driving The door contains a pair of wheels or slides 18 (fig. 4; 5; 9) flexibly coupled to a pair of axles 15(fig 4) which belongs to the upper horizontal edge 17 of the door 8 (fig The wheels or slides 18 are located inside runways 14 and by means of any members for driving can run along the runways 14 up and down, lifting and dropping the upper edge 17 of door 8 A driving member as shown in fig 9, is a screw mechanism, which consists of a couple of screws 33 rotating in the bearings 34 belonging to the structure 38. The screws are threaded through the slides 18 which are located in runways, so when the screws 33 rotate simultaneously said slides together with upper edge 17 of the door 8 move up (or down.) The simultaneous rotating of the screws 33 can be achieved by any 9 type of laown transmission, which can be a chain mechanism 36 with drive 35, or horizontal (worngearing) mechanism. Another embodiment of members for driving (lifting mechanism) is shown in fig 5,6, 7 where the members for driving (lifting mechanism) consist of a pair of flexible members 27- which may be ropes, chains, other. One of the ends of the rope 27 is attached to the upper edge 17 of the door 8 and another- to a drum or cartridges 28 which rotates o. shaft 16 by means of any type of drive and transmission. Or, another end of the flexible member 27 directed by pulleys 40 may be attached to the cartridge 39 located on the back of the garage housing 1. The downwards edge 20 of the door 8 contains a couple of wheels 19 flexibly coupled to the pair of axles which belongs to the door 8. Wheels 19 roll along guides 11 when the door 8 is in position close to the vertical and on the ground when inclined. Because of the angle created by the runway 14 and guide 11 the door 8 is capable of sliding down with the force of gravity. The same angle prevents the screw lifting mechanism Pos. 18, 33, 36, from sticking. When the upper edge 17 of the door 8 is being lifted (or dropped) by lifting mechanism the wheels 19 are rolling along the ground or guides 11, A linear actuator or a pair of linear actuators 31 are flexibly coupled to the structure 38. A rod 32 of the actuator 31 is flexibly coupled to the door 8. So when the actuator extends the door 8 is forced to swing up pivoting on the upper edge wheels (or slides) 18.

0 The preferable type of linear actuators 31 would be a mechanical actuator.

In the inclined position as shown on the fig 6 the door 8 creates the access platform-track 20 for oncoming upper floor car 4. The door 8 contains a pair of adjustable guides 22 which are the continuations of the corresponding guides 13 belonging to the upper floor 9, which allow the car 4 to drive smoothly from the door 8 to the upper bay 3. The door 8 comprises a pair of rails 24 with flexible sides 41. Rails 45 attached to the door 8 from the both sides of car's track to prevent car 4 from driving off from the track.

the height of a 2 story garage and the angle to the ground, which is created by the door 8 in the inclined position, are both critical and interrelated. In order to make the inclined length longer and inclined angle lower the door 8 comprises an upper track 21 which is flexibly coupled to the axles 42 which belong to the upper edge of door 8 so that the track 21 can rotate around the upper horizontal edge 17 of the door 8.

The track 21 also contains the continuation 43 of the guides 26, the hinge-type members 47, and is prevented from rotating to the downwards vertical position by member 37 which belongs to the door 8.

6 So, when the door 8 is closed, in the vertical position as shown in fig 5, the upper track 21 rests on the member 37. When the door is moving to the inclined position as shown in fig 6 upper track 21 meets the edge 46 of upper floor 9 and rotates around the axles 42 away from member 37 and constructs an additional path making the inclined way longer and decreasing the angle between the door 8 and ground in the inclined position (fig 6).The door 8 comprises of a downward track 44 which is flexibly coupled to the axles 40 belonging to the door 8 and attached some distance above the downward edge of door 8.The length of the track 44 is longer then the distance between the axles 40 and the downward wheels 19, so wheels 23 flexibly coupled to track 44 (fig.5)and wheels 19 operate in tandom.The track 44 reduces the final angle between the ground and the door 8 in the inclined position and constructs the approach for car 4 .So the access track is divided into 3 subtracks (door 8, tracks 21 and 44 ).The subangles between each of them has a lifting angle which is less then the maximum approach angle allowed for any individual car.

The installation comprises a central control unit 7 with or without remote control (fig 1).

It is not necessary to have a housing 1 when using a 2 story parking installation for commercial purposes. The installation may consist of numerous 2 story structure units and may or may not have a united housing for all structure units.

1. A 2 storey parking installation with already parked cars is shown in fig As is shown the door 8 is brought into the vertical position by any combination of the members for driving 18,27,28,29,30,33,34,35,36,39,40 the upper edge of the door 8 with wheels 18 rolling in the linear runways 14 is lifted to the upper position; the downwards wheels 19 are resting in the guides 11; linear actuator 31 is in retrieved position and pulls the door 8 to the housing 1 (structure unit 38) so, that both bays 2 and 3 with cars 4 and 5 inside are securely locked the upper track 21, which is flexibly coupled to the door 8 rests under the force of gravity on the member 37 belonging to the door 8) and prevents the upper track 21 from falling down, and keeps the upper track 21 in position against the front edge 46 of upper floor 9 and hinge 47 aligned with hole 48 in the upper floor 9.

The wheels 23 of downwards track 44 are resting on the ground 38. When driving an upper floor car 4 out (in) the door 8 occupies an inclined position as shown in fig 6. For constructing the inclined position as it is shown in fig. 6 the driver activates a central control unit 7 by remote control which simultaneously activates the linear actuator 31 and the members for driving which release the flexible member 27 which is pulled •with the force of gravity on the door 8. The inclined position of the linear runways 14 and guides 11 constructs the situation when the part of the gravitational force which is acting horizontally on the downwards wheels 19 is substantial, and force the wheels 19 to 20 roll horizontally (on the ground while upper wheels 18 are rolling downwards along the linear runways 14.

The upper track 21 meets the front edge of the upper floor 9 and the hinge 47 meets hole 48 in upper floor 9. Moving downwards flexible member 27 constructs the shape of the track for an oncoming car 4. The hinge 47 penetrates inside the hole 48 and prevents the door 8 from collapsing in case of any failure of the members for driving.

Wheels 23 of downwards track 44 are resting on the ground in front of door's wheels 19 constructing the angle to the ground xhich is less then angle between the door 8 and the oo••o S"ground 38. So, the upper track 21, downwards track 44 and door 8 itself construct the shape of the final track for car's movement to the upper bay 3. The lifting angle for car's movement is going to be small because the height of the door 8 itself and the tracks 21 and 44 make the door in the inclined position even longer and the door with the tracks construct an appropriate shape for the final track.

Thus, an upper car 4 can be parked and retrieved without retrieving a ground floor car There are means for making the way towards the upper bay comfortable: rails 24 for preventing a car 4 from rolling off the track, flexible members 41 to prevent any damage to the car; adjustable guides 26 for the car's wheels, which have a continuation 13 in the upper bay 3 (12 in ground floor bay 2).

The garage's housing 1 is organized in the way to make it comfortable for drivers to use the garage despite the restricted volume.There are handles 6 on the upper floor 9, stairs for coming in and out. The position of ground floor car 5 is displaced to the position of upper floor car 4and upper floor 9is cut in the area where the driver of ground floor car is supposed to be. This allows the height of the 2 story parking installation to be suitable for the most private houses.

A driver activates the members for driving by means of the remote control and the control unit 7 for driving a ground floor car 5 in and out. The members for driving bring the upper edge of the door 8 in the same position on the front edge 46 of upper floor 9 as for the inclined position in fig 6; the linear actuator 32 (fig 7) extend to the fully extended position, swinging the door 8 around wheels 18 in runways 14. Thus, the gap between the door 8 and ground is constructed and this gap is larger then the height of the car.

The preferable embodiment of the linear actuator is a mechanical actuator which is in some applications a self breaking screw mechanism so any failure of the linear actuator is 20 not going to bring a door 8 down.

The 2 storey parking installation is going to be as safe for parking as an ordinary garage.

Another way to operate a 2 storey parking installation for parking the ground floor car is S" to allow the front edge of the door 8 to drop down until wheels 18 lay on the ground and the incoming car is coming into the ground bay 2 over the door 8 (fig In this case a linear actuator can be eliminated and any known locking mechanism can be incorporated.

An another embodiment of the invention (fig 9) which is the most reliable, contains a double screw mechanism as a member for driving. Each screw mechanism contains a screw 33 which drives a slide 18 up and down. Screw 33 is rotating in a bearing 34 which belongs to the structure 38. The screw 33 is threaded through the slide 18 which locates into runways 14.

Both screws rotate simultaneously by means of any type of drive, which can be a chain mechanism 36 or known horizontal wormdrive mechanism 36 instead of a chain 36. This -Jer II 9 embodiment allows the elimination of hinge 47 and hole 48 in upper floor 9 because the screw mechanism has a selfbrake a

Claims (4)

1.The 2-storey parking installation is a vehicle parking installation, characterized by comprising in combination: 2 story garage housing or number of housings fully located above the driveway, constructed so that front plane of the garage(s) is inclined from the vertical position inside the garage housing so the angle between front plain and the garage floor is less than 900 and said upper floor of said 2 storey garage housing is narrower from driver's side of the ground floor car leaving a space to the side wall of said garage's housing; and there is a gap between ,the front edge of the upper bay's floor and said front plane of the housing S'nd the upper floor contains holes or any known special means (brackets, axles.) which can be taught by a hinge initially located above the front edge of the upper floor when the garage housing's door is being inclined to allow parking into upper floor bay; 2 pairs of guides for the car's wheels correspondingly attached to said upper and ground floor and said pair of guides attached to said upper floor are offset to the said couple of guides A:ittached to the ground floor in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which cars move w"ivhen parking; i

2. The installation as defined in claim N1 characterized in that 'linear runways which are guides for upper wheels attached to the garage housing door run from ::upper left and right front comers of the garage opening right to the ground floor constructing S'more then 900 angle with the ground floor in opposite direction to the angle between said front plane and ground floor of the garage, so as summary angle between said runway and front of the garage has to be more then friction braking angle.

3. The installation as defined in claim N1, characterized in that along with wheels attached to upper horizontal edge of the door, which roll up and down into said runways said door contains another couple(s) of wheels (slides) which belongs to downwards horizontal edge of said door so the door can roll simultaneously on the ground and along the runways. and when the door is in the closed position said downwards wheels are forced by the door's .it to rest on said guides which construct the angle to the ground; 'A' .J t and said door comprises an upper track flexibly coupled to the upper horizontal edge of the door so as when said door is closed said track is resting on the door's structural member which occupies position parallel to or inclined to said upper floor so when the door moves down towards the upper floor into an inclined position said platform finally rests on the front edge of said upper floor constructing the path of car's movement; and there is a hinge (or numerous of hinges) which belongs to said upper track of the door which will catch while the upper track is lowering to the front edge of the upper floor in said hole fixing the track's and the door's final inclined position from unexpected lowering, and the door comprises a downward track flexibly coupled to the door at some distance above the downward edge of the door; and the downward track can contain a pair of wheels or slides with a flexible coupling to its downward edge; tnd the downward track is longer then the distance between the hinge of said track and the ."do ownward wheels of the door; :.:and there is a pair of rails attached from the both sides to the door to prevent a car driving off the track; and the door and both said tracks contain adjustable guides for car's wheels so said guides are continuation of the corresponding said upper floor's guides. The installation as defined in claim N 1, characterized in that any known transmission means for driving the door up and allowing it to slide down under the of gravity (rope, chain or other) is attached by one end to said upper edge of the door and another end to drive (transmission.), so said door-may slide under gravity from the closed p. position (when it rests on the front of said garage) to the fully released position when the door is resting on the driveway and a vehicle may proceed above the door into the ground floor opening. The installation as defined no claim N1, characterized in that said member for driving comprises a pair of slides which belongs to said upper edge of the door located inside the runways that run simultaneously up and down by means of a screw mechanism which consists of a pair of said screws comprises at least one bearing for each screw and any type of existing drive and any type of transmission (chain, belt horizontal worm drive or other) for simultaneous running of both screws. M. Bershteyn M. Gubenko /jr- c- ABSTRACT A 2-story vehicle parking installation is disclosed. The parking installation is a mechanical parking system, which allow 2 story parking installation without making a pit and without lifting car up to the first floor. The installation allows independent parking and retrieving first floor and ground floor cars. It is mechanical garage with a door 8 consisting of a pair of wheels 19 rolling on the ground and a pair of upper wheels 18 rolling inside a pair of linear runways 1.4 attached to the vertical plane of structure 38. The installation contains members 30 which drive the upper edge of the floor 8 up and can release the door allow it slide down under force of gravity until it rests fully on the ground. So, the upper wheels 18 are rolling up and down in the runways 14 while the downward wheels 19 are rolling on the ground. In vertical position the door 8 closes the housing 1 (structure 38); in inclined position when the upper of the door 8 is resting on the upper floor-driveway 9 the door 8 is going to be used as an access track for the upper floor car

4. The installation may (or may not) contain linear actuator 31 for swinging the door 8 into position when the upper edge of the door 8 is resting on the upper floor 9 and downwards edge of the door 8 is lifted constructing a gap for the ground car to access the ground bay 2. The installation contains an upper and downward track 21, 44 which are flexible coupled to the door 8 constructing the final access track for the upper floor car 5, it also contains means 24,41,26 for making parking safe and comfortable and means 47,48 for fixing the inclined position of the door 8 from accidental lowering. 0 a I