EP0527013A1

EP0527013A1 - Multi-storied garage

Info

Publication number: EP0527013A1
Application number: EP92306890A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Yasumoto c/o KABUSHIKIGAISHA TOUSHIN Murooka; Shigeo c/o BAU TEC. CO. LTD. Tokusa
Original assignee: TOTAL PARKING CENTER CO Ltd
Current assignee: TOTAL PARKING CENTER CO., LTD.
Priority date: 1991-08-06
Filing date: 1992-07-28
Publication date: 1993-02-10

Abstract

In a multi-storied garage having a vehicle entrance/exit floor (1) and vehicle accommodating floors (2) located upstairs and/or downstairs thereof, of the type wherein traversable units (3) movable transversely of the vehicle entering direction are provided on the latter floors (2) along with associated vehicle mounting means (4) which are adapted to be lifted up and/or lowered down between the entrance floor (1) and the respective units (3), the width of the said mounting means (4) is substantially equal to the width of a vehicle, without any additional space (riding width) to enable a driver to climb in and out, (as is conventional) so that additional vehicles may be accommodated compared to a conventional garage. Additionally, to accommodate yet further vehicles, vehicle mounting means (4′) on the entrance floor (1) may also be reduced in width to exclude any riding space. Moreover, in garages where there are posts (H) traversable means (3A) may be provided on the top floor (2A) (or bottom floor) to allow vehicles to be stored in positions normally blocked by such posts.

Description

The present invention relates to a multi-storied garage for accommodating automobiles efficiently.
Hitherto, a multi-storied garage as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 has been known.
The basic structure of this multi-storied garage comprises a floor on which vehicles are driven in and parked, or from which they are driven out (a vehicle entrance/exit floor 1), and floors located upstairs and/or downstairs (for example, a basement) of the vehicle entrance/exit floor 1 for accommodating vehicles (vehicle accommodating floors 2). In addition, in order to put a vehicle into the garage and to take it out of the garage, the floors other than the top floor 2A of the vehicle accommodating floors 2 have means for moving the accommodated vehicles transversely. The said floors 2, except for the top floor 2A, have a plurality of traversable units 3 and vehicle mounting means 4. Each traversable unit 3 is for moving a respective vehicle mounting means 4 transversely with respect to the vehicle entering direction. Each of the traversable units 3 is designed to couple with a vehicle mounting means 4 so they work as a set. The vehicle mounting means 4 receives a vehicle on it and is lifted up and/or lowered down between the vehicle entrance/exit floor 1 and one of the vehicle accommodating floors 2. The vehicle entrance/exit floor 1 also comprises vehicle mounting means 4′ in a manner to move transversely.
When driving a vehicle into or out of the garage, a space for a driver to get into or out-of the vehicle by opening and closing the door (hereinafter, the width of the space is referred to as a riding width) is required, and therefore the width of the vehicle mounting means 4, 4′ is the sum of the width of a vehicle itself and that of the riding width.
When driving a vehicle into such a garage, the vehicle is first moved onto a vehicle mounting means 4 which has been lowered onto the level of the vehicle entrance/exit floor 1, and then the vehicle mounting means 4 is lifted up so as to couple with its respective traversable unit 3.
When driving the vehicle out of the garage, other vehicle or vehicles parked below (on a lower floor) of the vehicle to be taken out are moved transversely to form a space through which the vehicle mounting means 4 with the vehicle on it is lowered to the level of the vehicle entrance/exit floor, so that the vehicle may be driven out of the garage.
Since there are no vehicles to be taken out from above the top floor 2A of the vehicle accommodating floors 2, it is not necessary to move vehicles on the top floor transversely to form such a vehicle lifting space. Therefore, vehicle traversing mechanisms, such as traversable units 3 provided on the other vehicle accommodating floors, are not provided on the top floor 2A of the vehicle accommodating floors 2.
Another known multi-storied garage is shown in Figs. 7 and Fig. 8.
This multi-storied garage has basically the same structure as the one described above. However, this garage includes several posts H. In this garage, if a vehicle parked at the position of a post H on the top floor 2A is lowered down to the vehicle entrance/exit floor 1 as it is, the post H on the vehicle entrance/exit floor blocks the exit of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 8, and the vehicle cannot be driven out of the garage.
The multi-storied garages described above are advantageous in that many vehicles are accommodated in a limited lot space. However, because of recent'land shortages and increase in the number of vehicles, a multi-storied garage capable of accommodating a greater number of vehicles would be beneficial.
An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-storied garage capable of accommodating a greater number of vehicles than conventional garages.
According to one aspect, the present invention provides a multi-storied garage comprising a vehicle entrance floor and vehicle accommodating floors located upstairs and/or downstairs of the vehicle entrance floor, the vehicle accommodating floors, other than the top floor in cases where accommodating floors are upstairs of the entrance floor and other than the bottom floor in cases where accommodating floors are downstairs of the entrance floor, being provided with a plurality of traversable units and vehicle mounting means, the traversable units being movable transversely with respect to the vehicle entering direction and the vehicle mounting means being designed to be lifted up and lowered down between the vehicle entrance floor and the respective transversable units on one of the vehicle accommodating floors, characterised in that the width of the said vehicle mounting means is substantially equal to the width of a vehicle to be mounted on it, and the width of the traversable units matches the width of the vehicle mounting means.
The vehicle entrance/exit floor may also advantageously be provided with a plurality of vehicle mounting means which are movable transversely with respect to the vehicle entering direction, and these may also each be substantially equal to the width of a vehicle.
The top floor 2a and/or bottom floor of the vehicle accommodating floors 2 may also include a plurality of traversable units which are movable transversely with respect to the vehicle entering direction, each of these traversable units being provided with a vehicle mounting means which receives a vehicle on it and is designed to be lifted up and/or lowered down between the vehicle entrance/exit floor 1 and the top and/or bottom floor of the vehicle accommodating floors.
The width of the aforesaid vehicle mounting means on the top and/or bottom floor is also preferably of nearly in the same width as that of a vehicle to be mounted on it, while the width of the traversable units matches the width of said vehicle mounting means.
According to a further aspect, the present invention further provides a multi-storied garage comprising a vehicle entrance floor and vehicle accommodating floors located upstairs and/or downstairs of the vehicle entrance floor, the vehicle accommodating floors other than the top floor in cases where accommodating floors are upstairs of the entrance floor and other than the bottom floor in cases where accommodating floors are downstairs of the entrance floor, being provided with a plurality of traversable units and vehicle mounting means, the traversable units being movable transversely with respect to the vehicle entering direction and the vehicle mounting means being designed to be lifted up and lowered down between the vehicle entrance floor and the respective traversable units on one of the vehicle accommodating floors, characterised in that top floor of the vehicle'accommodating floors in cases where accommodating floors are upstairs of the entrance floor and/or the bottom floor of the vehicle accommodating floors in cases where accommodating floors are downstairs of the entrance floor is additionally provided with a plurality of traversable units and vehicle mounting means, the traversable units being movable transversely with respect to the vehicle entering direction, and the vehicle mounting means being designed to be lifted up and/or lowered down between the top floor and/or the bottom floor and the vehicle entrance floor.
The other features mentioned above in relation to the first aspect may also be provided in combination with the aforesaid main feature of this further aspect, as set forth in claims 7 to 10 hereto.
Compared with the width of the conventional traversable unit which incorporates the riding width, the width of the traversable unit of the present Invention is narrower by the width of the riding space. Therefore, on the vehicle accommodating floors, the width corresponding to the product of multiplying the extra riding width by the number of the traversable unit 3 is further efficiently applied as a vehicle accommodating area.
Furthermore, when the vehicle entrance/exit floor Is provided with a plurality of vehicle mounting means which are movable transversely with respect to the vehicle entering direction, the garage accommodates even more vehicles. This is further increased where the majority of these mounting means also exclude riding space.
In a development of the present invention, even if a vehicle is parked on a vehicle mounting means coupled with a traversable unit on the top floor of the vehicle accommodating floors at a position of a post, the vehicle can be driven out of the garage by moving the traversable unit transversely to a position on the top floor free of the post and lowering the vehicle mounting means down to the vehicle entrance/exit floor 1. In other words, a vehicle can be accommodated at a position on the top floor of the vehicle accommodating floors corresponding to where there is a post.
By combining any of the features described above, the present invention provides a multi-storied garage which can accommodate a greater number of vehicles than conventional multi-stories garages do.
Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a front view showing the structure of a multi-storied garage in a first embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of a traversable unit and a vehicle mounting means of the multi-storied garage of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the structure of the vehicle mounting means in Fig. 1 with a vehicle is mounted on it;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the structure of the vehicle mounting means on a vehicle entrance/exit floor in the embodiment of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a front view showing the structure of a multi-storied garage in a second embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 6 is a front view showing the structure of a multi-storied garage in a third embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 7 is a front view showing the structure of a conventional multi-storied garage having a post in the vehicle entrance/exit floor;
Fig. 8 is a front view showing the structure of the conventional multi-storied garage of Fig. 7, where a vehicle at a position of a post H is being elevated between the entrance/exit floor and the top floor;
Fig. 9 is a front view showing the structure of another conventional multi-storied garage having no post In the vehicle entrance/exit floor; and
Fig. 10 is a front view showing the structure of the conventional multi-storied garage of Fig. 9, where a vehicle is being elevated between the vehicle entrance/exit floor and a position of a post on the top floor.

In the same manner as the conventional garage described above, the basic structure of the multi-storied garage shown in Fig. 1 comprises a vehicle entrance/exit floor 1 and vehicle accomodating floors 2. The multi-storied garage in this embodiment is composed of four stories, and the first (ground) floor is a vehicle entrance/exit floor 1 and the second to fourth floors are vehicle accomodating floors 2.
Hereinafter the vehicle entrance/exit floor is referred to as just the entrance floor.
Although the embodiments of the present invention are to be described below in the form of a four-storey garage on the ground, it is not limited thereto. And vehicle accomodating floors 2 may, of course, be located in the basement. Or the basement may be used as the vehicle entrance floor 2, and the first to fourth floors may be used as the vehicle accomodating floors 2. The present invention may also be applied to various floor combinations.
The vehicle accomodating floors 2 comprise plural sets of traversable unit 3 and vehicle mounting means 4.
As shown in Fig. 2, the vehicle mounting means 4 includes a rectangular plate member 40 on which a vehicle is mounted. The width of the plate member 40 is nearly equal to the width of the vehicle to be mounted on it. In other words, in contrast to a conventional multi-storied garage, the width of the plate member 40 does not include the space for driver to climb in and out the vehicle (the riding width).
In order for this plate member 40 to be moved up and down it is suspended by four chains 41 positioned outside the load points of the four tyres of a vehicle. These chains 41 are designed to be wound up by an elevating motor 34 affixed on the traversable unit 3 to be described later, so that the plate member 40 may be lifted up and lowered down between the vehicle entrance floor 1 and the traversable unit 3 on one of the vehicle accommodating floors.
The chains 41 are designed to incline outward of the car body under the influence of springs 42 when they reach the vehicle entrance floor 1 and become slack, as shown in Fig. 3. A plastic tube 43 covers a lower portion and each of the chains 41 to prevent that portion of each chain 41 from bending. It makes it easier for a driver to get in or out of a car by opening and closing the door, and also prevents the chains 41 from touching or hitting against the car body and damaging it.
Again, as shown in Fig. 2, the traversable unit 3 comprises a framework 30 having substantially the same width as the plate member 40, and this framework 30 includes a traversable mechanism and a windup mechanism for the chains 41.
The width of the framework 30 does not include the riding width which a conventional garage requires.
The traversable mechanism comprises a transverse driving motor 31 and a driving wheel 32 provided at the entrance side (the front side seen from the vehicle entering direction) of the bottom surface of the framework 30, and three driven wheels 33 disposed at positions corresponding to that of the transverse driving motor 31 and the driving wheel 32. By driving the transverse driving motor 31, the framework, or the traversable unit 3, is caused to traverse on a transverse track on which rails 5 are provided.
The windup mechanism for the chains 41 comprises the four chains 41 suspending the plate member 40 which are wound up by the elevating motor 34 as the vehicle mounting means 4 are pulled into the framework 30 forming the traversable unit 3.
Additionally, as shown in Fig. 4, the multi-storied garage of this embodiment is also provided on the vehicle entrance floor with vehicle mounting means 4′ which are movable transversely. This vehicle mounting means 4′ is formed of a plate member 40′ having the same width as the vehicle mounting means 4 of the vehicle accommodating floors 2 mentioned above, and a traversable mechanism Is disposed at the four corners of the plate member 40′.
The traversable mechanism comprises a transverse driving motor 31′ and a driving wheel 32′ provided at one corner of the inner side (seen from the vehicle entering direction) of the plate member 40′, and three driven wheels 33′ disposed at the other three corners. Driving the transverse driving motor 31′ causes the plate member 40′, or the vehicle mounting means 4′, to move transversely on a transverse track on which rails 5 are provided.
When a vehicle accommodating floor 2 is located in the basement (not shown here), the vehicle mounting means Is designed to climb up to the vehicle entrance floor 1, instead of being lowered down to the vehicle entrance floor 1.
In order to use this multi-storied garage smoothly and efficiently, vehicles are accommodated in the following manner.
In the description hereinafter, X denotes the width of the area for accommodating vehicles on each floor of the multi-storied garage and Y denotes the width of the traversable unit 3 as well as the width of the vehicle mounting means.
The number of vehicles which the fourth floor, or the top floor, may accommodate is about XY. The second floor and the third floor respectively require one blank space through which vehicles accommodated or to be accommodated on upper floors are lifted up and lowered down between the vehicle entrance floor and one of the vehicle accommodating floors. Therefore the number of vehicles each floor may accommodate is about (X ÷ Y) - 1.
A comparison between the accommodating capacity of the multi-storied garage of the present invention and that of the prior art is given below assuming the same practical conditions.
In other words, in both cases, the width of the area for accommodating vehicles on each floor (X) is taken to be 48,000 mm.

Conventional multi-storied garage

Assuming that, in the conventional multi-storied garage, the width of each traversable unit 3 (or the width of each vehicle mounting means 4) including the riding width on each floor (Y) and the width of the area for accommodating vehicles (X) on each floor are as follows :
Y ..... 2,400 mm/unit (or means)
X ..... 48,000 mm/floor
Then the accommodating capacity (the number of vehicles) of each floor is :

Multi-storied garage of the first embodiment

Supposing that the width of each traversable unit 3′ (or the width of each vehicle mounting means 4′) including the riding width in the first entrance floors (Y′), that of each traversable unit 3 (or each vehicle mounting means 4) excluding the riding width on the second, third and fourth floors (Y˝), and the width of the area for accommodating vehicles on each floor (X) are as follows, and the number of vehicles to be accommodated on the first floor is the same as the conventional multi-stories garage :
Y′ ..... 2,400 mm/unit (or means)
Y˝ ..... 1,900 mm/unit (or means)
X ..... 48,000 mm/floor
Therefore the accommodating capacity (the number of vehicles) of each floor is :
As shown above, the multi-storied garage of the first embodiment may accommodate more vehicles than the conventional one does.
Moreover, if the entrance floor is designed to have only one vehicle space which includes the riding width, then more vehicles may be accommodated there.
In other words, on the first floor, or the vehicle entrance floor 1, vehicles may be accommodated in an area excluding the width to allow a driver to get into a vehicle lowered down from one of the vehicle accommodating floors. Assuming that the sum of the width of the vehicle and the riding width may come to at most of the width of two vehicles, the number of vehicles to be accommodated on the first floor is about (X ÷ Y) - 2. In such conditions the number of vehicles which can be accommodated on the first floor is as follows. $48,000 mm ÷ 1,900 mm - 2 = 23 vehicles.$
Thus, such a garage may accommodate four more vehicles than the one mentioned above.
Fig. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, and the basic structure of this multi-storied garage comprises a vehicle entrance floor 1 and vehicle accommodating floors 2. The multi-storied garage of this embodiment is composed of four stories, and the first (ground) floor is a vehicle entrance floor 1 and the second to fourth floors are vehicle accommodating floors 2. In this second embodiment, vehicles are also accommodated on the vehicle entrance floor 1. The fourth floor is the top floor 2A of the vehicle accommodating floors 2. Furthermore, another vehicle accommodating floor 2 may be added in the basement, or the basement may be used as the vehicle entrance floor 1, and the first to third floors may be used as the vehicle accommodating floors 2.
The vehicle accommodating floors 2 include plural sets of traversable unit 3 and vehicle mounting means 4, both of which are the same as shown in Fig. 2 in respect of the first embodiment. Both the width of the plate member 40 of and the framework 30 are again nearly equal to the width of the vehicle to be mounted thereon, i.e. they do not include riding width.
In this second embodiment, just as in the first embodiment, the top (fourth) floor 2A of the vehicle accommodating floors 2, as well as the second and third floors, is provided with traversable units 3A which enable parked vehicles to move transversely so that even a vehicle parked on vehicle mounting means 4 at the position of the post H on the top floor 2A may be traversed to a position with no post H, lowered down to the vehicle entrance floor 2, and taken out of the garage. Also a vehicle on vehicle mounting means 4 may be lifted up to the top floor and moved transversely to the position of the post H and accommodated there. Thus, vehicles can be accommodated at the position of the post H on the top floor 2A and, conversely, a vehicle parked at the position of the post H can be taken out of the garage without any difficulty.
Additionally, as shown in Fig. 4 in respect of the first embodiment, the multi-storied garage of this embodiment is also provided on the vehicle entrance floor 1 with vehicle mounting means 4′ which is movable transversely and is of the same width as the vehicle mounting means 4 of the vehicle accommodating floors 2, i.e. substantially equal to the width of a vehicle itself without any riding width.
Just as with the previous embodiment, in order to put a vehicle into such a multi-storied garage, first of all, the vehicle is mounted on the vehicle mounting means 4, 4A on the vehicle entrance floor 1. And then the vehicle mounting means 4, 4A is lifted up so as to couple with a traversable unit 3, 3A on the floor where the vehicle is to be accommodated.
When taking the vehicle out of the garage, as shown In Fig. 5, the traversable unit 3 located below (downstairs) the vehicle is moved transversely to form a space for lowering the vehicle and the vehicle mounting means 4, 4a on which the vehicle is mounted is released from the traversable unit 3, 3A and lowered down to the vehicle entrance floor 1 through this space.
In order to use this multi-storied garage smoothly and efficiently, vehicles should be accommodated in the manner now to be described. The notation will be the same as used In relation to the first embodiment, namely X denoting the total width of the area for accommodating vehicles on each floor of the multi-storied garage, Y denoting the width of each traversable unit 3, 3A which is also the width of the vehicle mounting means 4, 4A.
On the first floor, i.e. the vehicle entrance floor 1, the width of the vehicle mounting means 4′ is Y. The actual width of the area for accommodating vehicles Is obtained by subtracting from X the riding width, and supposing a width B is needed on both sides, 2B is the total riding width for a driver to get out of a vehicle to leave it In the garage or to get into a vehicle to drive it away from the garage. Also, the entrance floor of the garage may only accommodate the number of vehicles obtained by the above calculation with further subtraction of one because a space Is needed for the vehicles parked upstairs to go out.
Therefore, vehicles accommodated : ((X - 2B)÷ Y) - 1.
On the second and third floors, a blank space corresponding to the width of one traversable unit 3 is needed for lifting and lowering vehicles between the vehicle entrance floor 1 and one of the vehicle accommodating floors including the top floor. So one unit must be subtracted. Therefore vehicles accommodated : (X ÷ Y) - 1.
On the fourth floor, the top floor 2A, a blank space corresponding to the width of one traversable unit 3A is needed for moving the traversable unit transversely. Therefore, vehicles accommodated : (X ÷ Y) - 1.
In this embodiment provision is specifically made for vehicles to be accommodated even on the top floor 2A at the positions posts H. In a conventional multi-storied garage vehicles cannot be put in or taken out from such positions because of the posts H. Therefore, it there are many posts in the multi-storied garage, a garage of this embodiment can accommodate more vehicles than the conventional garage by the number of posts H.
The vehicle accommodating capacity of the multi-storied garage of this embodiment is now compared with that of the conventional multi-storied garage in the same practical conditions. The width of the area for accommodating vehicles on each floor is taken to be 49,000mm in both of the garages.

Conventional multi-storied garages

Y ..... 2,400 mm/unit (or means)
X ..... 49,000 mm/floor
and the number of the posts H ..... 10 posts
Then, it follows that :
Since traversable units are not provided on the top fourth floor, no car can be accommodated at the positions of the ten posts H. Therefore ten is subtracted on the top floor.
The reason why the riding width is not subtracted from the vehicle accommodating width on the first floor is because this is already included in the width of each vehicle mounting means 4, 4′.

Multi-storied garage of the second embodiment

Assuming :
Y ..... 2,000 mm/means (unit)
X ..... 49,000 mm/floor
the riding width (2B) ..... 1,000 mm.
Then, it follows that :
capacity (number of vehicles) on each floor
Thus, the multi-storied garage of this embodiments may accommodate more vehicles than the conventional garage.
Fig. 6 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In the same manner as the conventional garage described above, the basic structure of this multi-storied garage comprises a vehicle entrance floor 1 and vehicle accommodating floors 2.
In this embodiment, however, the multi-storied garage doesn't have any posts H in the entrance floor. This garage is also composed of four stories, and the first (ground) floor is a vehicle entrance floor 1 and the second to fourth floors are vehicle accommodating floors 2. Vehicles may be accommodated on the vehicle entrance floor 1, too. As mentioned above, the vehicle accommodating floors 2 may be located in the basement, or the basement may be used as the vehicle entrance floor 1, and the first to third floors may be used as the vehicle accommodating floors 2.
The vehicle accommodating floors 2 except for the top floors 2A are provided with plural sets of traversable unit 3 and vehicle mounting means 4, which are exactly the same as in the first and second embodiments, i.e. as shown in Fig. 2. Both width of the plate member and of the framework 30 are again nearly equal to the width of a vehicle to be mounted thereon, i.e. they do not include riding width.
On the top floor 2A of the vehicle accommodating floors 2, a plurality of the vehicle mounting means 4A are disposed so as to be lifted up and lowered down between the top floor 2A and the vehicle entrance floor 1. The vehicle mounting means 4A is virtually the same as the vehicle mounting means 4 mentioned above, and the width of its plate member does not include the riding width. The same type of the lifting mechanism (not shown here) as mentioned above is provided o n the top floor 2A. However, the traversable mechanism is not provided.
In a variation of this third embodiment, the width of the vehicle mounting means 4A on the top floor 2A may include riding width in the same manner as a conventional garage.
As in the first and second embodiments, and as shown in Fig. 4, the garage of this third embodiment is also provided on the vehicle entrance floor 1 with vehicle mounting means 4′ which is movable transversely and is of the same width as the vehicle mounting means 4 of the vehicle accommodating floors 2, i.e. substantially equal to the width of the vehicle to be mounted, without including any riding width (which the conventional garage requires).
The traversable mechanism is again the same as in Fig. 4, and the manner of the use of the garage is as previously described.
In order to use this multi-storied garage smoothly and efficiently, vehicles should be accommodated on the first or vehicle entrance floor 1 and on the second and third floors exactly as in the preceding (second) embodiment. Thus the same equations apply for calculating the capacity of those floors.
On the fourth floor, i.e. the top floor 2A of the vehicle accommodating floors 2, the garage of this embodiment has neither a vehicle to go out upstairs of the top floor 2A of the vehicle accommodating floors 2, nor a post H on the first floor. Thus, vehicles on the top floor don't need to move transversely so as to make a space for vehicles parked upstairs or be lowered down to a position where there is no post H in the vehicle entrance floor. Therefore a space for traversing vehicles does not have to be left empty.
Hence, the vehicle accommodating width (X) may be fully utilized for accommodating vehicles, and supposing the width of each vehicle mounting means 4A is Y, the number of vehicles to be accommodated there is : X ÷ Y.
The vehicle accommodating capacity of the multi-storied garage of this embodiment is now compared with that of the conventional multi-storied garage in the same practical conditions. The width of the area for accommodating vehicles on each floor is taken to be 49,000mm in both of the garages.

Conventional multi-storied garage

Assuming:
Y ..... 2,400 mm/means (unit)
X ..... 49,000 mm
Then, it follows that :
The reason why the riding width is not subtracted from the width of the vehicle accommodating area in the first floor is because this riding width is already included in the width of each vehicle mounting means 4, 4′.

Multi-storied garage of the third embodiment

Assuming:
Y mm ..... 2,000 mm/means (unit)
X mm ..... 49,000 mm
the riding width (2B) ..... 1000 mm
Then, if follows that :
capacity (number of vehicles) on each floor
Thus, the multi-storied garage of this embodiment may accommodate more vehicles than the conventional garage.
In the modified version where the vehicle mounting means 4A on the fourth floor does include riding width, the vehicle lifting spaces on the second and third floors must be set wide enough for the width of the vehicle mounting means 4A including the riding width, namely, with a width of 2,400 mm, instead of 2,000 mm. The number of vehicles accommodated on the second and third floors are then : (X - width of 4A) Y
Then, it follows that:
capacity on each floor in this case
In this case, the number of vehicles to be accommodated is less than the above case by 4 vehicles. However, more vehicles may still be accommodated compared with the prior art.
Multi-stories garage in accordance with the present invention have the following effects.
On the vehicle accommodating floors 2, the width of an area equal to the product of multiplying the number of the traversable u nits 3 by the riding width, which is not necessary for the present invention, may be efficiently used for accommodating vehicles. Therefore multi-storied garages of the present invention can accommodate more vehicles than the conventional multi-storied garages.
In certain embodiments of the present invention where there are posts H in the entrance floor vehicles can be also accommodated at corresponding positions on the top floor. In these circumstances multi-storied garages in accordance with the present invention can accommodate more vehicles than similar garages in the prior art.
Multi-storied garages of the present invention may accommodate vehicles even on the vehicle entrance floor 1. Moreover, when the width of the vehicle mounting means 4' on the entrance floor excludes any riding width, a larger number of vehicles may be accommodated.
The illustrated embodiments are preferred embodiments of the invention, and various modifications In the shape and size of portions are possible without departing from the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Claims

A multi-storied garage comprising a vehicle entrance floor (1) and vehicle accommodating floors (2) located upstairs and/or downstairs of the vehicle entrance floor (1), the vehicle accommodating floors (2), other than the top floor in cases where accommodating floors are upstairs of the entrance floor and other than the bottom floor In cases where accommodating floors are downstairs of the entrance floor, being provided with a plurality of traversable units (3) and vehicle mounting means (4), the traversable units (3) being movable transversely with respect to the vehicle entering direction and the vehicle mounting means (4) being designed to be lifted up and lowered down between the vehicle entrance floor (1) and the respective traversable units (3) on one of the vehicle accommodating floors, characterised in that the width of the said vehicle mounting means (4) is substantially equal to the width of a vehicle to be mounted on it, and the width of the traversable units (3) matches the width of the vehicle mounting means (4).
A multi-storied garage according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of vehicle mounting means (4′) on the vehicle entrance floor (1), the said vehicle mounting means (4′) being movable transversely with respect to the vehicle entering direction.
A multi-storied garage according to claim 2, wherein the width of the vehicle mounting means (4′) on the vehicle entrance floor (1) is substantially equal to the width of a vehicle to be mounted on it.
A multi-storied garage according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the top floor (2A) of the vehicle accommodating floors (2) in cases where accommodating floors are upstairs of the entrance floor (1) and/or the bottom floor of the vehicle accommodating floors in cases where accommodating floors are downstairs of the entrance floor (1) is additionally provided with a plurality of traversable units (3A) and vehicle mounting means (4A), the traversable units (3A) being movable transversely with respect to the vehicle entering direction, and the vehicle mounting means (4A) being designed to be lifted up and/or lowered down between the top floor (2A) and/or the bottom floor and the vehicle entrance floor (1).
A multi-storied garage according to claim 4 wherein the width of the vehicle mounting means (4A) on the top floor (2A) and/or the bottom floor is substantially equal to the width of a vehicle to be mounted on it, and the width of the traversable units (3A) matches the width of the vehicle mounting means (4A).
A multi-storied garage comprising a vehicle entrance floor (1) and vehicle accommodating floors (2) located upstairs and/or downstairs of the vehicle entrance floor (1), the vehicle accommodating floors (2), other than the top floor in cases where accommodating floors are upstairs of the entrance floor and other than the bottom floor in cases where accommodating floors are downstairs of the entrance floor, being provided with a plurality of traversable units (3) and vehicle mounting means (4), the traversable units (3) being movable transversely with respect to the vehicle entering direction and the vehicle mounting means (4) being designed to be lifted up and lowered down between the vehicle entrance floor (1) and the respective traversable units (3) on one of the vehicle accommodating floors, characterised In that top floor (2A) of the vehicle accommodating floors (2) in cases where accommodating floors are upstairs of the entrance floor (1) and/or the bottom floor of the vehicle accommodating floors in cases where accommodating floors are downstairs of the entrance floor (1) is additionally provided with a plurality of traversable units (3A) and vehicle mounting means (4A), the traversable units (3A) being movable transversely with respect to the vehicle entering direction, and the vehicle mounting means (4A) being designed to be lifted up and/or lowered down between the top floor (2A) and/or the bottom floor and the vehicle entrance floor (1).
A multi-storied garage according to claim 6 wherein the width of the vehicle mounting means (4A) on the top floor (2A) and/or the bottom floor is substantially equal to the width of a vehicle to be mounted on it, and the width of the traversable units (3A) matches the width of the vehicle mounting means (4A).
A multi-storied garage according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the width of the vehicle mounting means (4) on the other vehicle accommodating floors (2) is substantially equal to the width of a vehicle to be mounted on it, and the width of the traversable units (3) matches the width of the vehicle mounting means (4).
A multi-storied garage according to claim 6, 7 or 8, further comprising a plurality of vehicle mounting means (4') on the vehicle entrance floor (1), the said vehicle mounting means (4′) being movable transversely with respect to the vehicle entering direction.
A multi-storied garage according to claim 9 wherein the width of the vehicle mounting means (4') on the vehicle entrance floor (1) is substantially equal to the width of a vehicle to be mounted on it.