GB2429442A

GB2429442A - Apparatus for parking a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2429442A
Application number: GB0517411A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Andrew Timmins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-08-25
Filing date: 2005-08-25
Publication date: 2007-02-28
Also published as: GB0517411D0

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for parking a vehicle in a parking space (14) includes at least one carrier (28) engageable with the vehicle. The carrier (28) is moveable from a first position exterior to the parking space (14) to a second position within the parking space (14) thereby to park the vehicle in the parking space (14).

Description

Title: Apparatus for Parking a Vehicle

Description of Invention

This invention relates to an apparatus for parking a vehicle.

It is a common problem for a garage, car port or the like parking space, to be marginally too small widthways, easily to park a vehicle therein, or at least for the parking space, where the garage or car port for examples to be cluttered thus reducing its clear width to less than that desired for parking the vehicle.

Elderly and disabled persons particularly may require more space than average when the vehicle is parked, to get in and out of the vehicle.

According to a first aspect of the invention I provide an apparatus for parking a vehicle in a parking space including at least one carrier which is moveable from a first position exterior to the parking space, to a second position within the parking space, the carrier being engagable with vehicle to be parked, whereby with the carrier in engagement with the vehicle, the carrier is moveable into the parking space to park the vehicle.

Thus utilising an apparatus in accordance with the invention, a driver and any passengers may alight the vehicle while the vehicle is outside the parking space, and the apparatus may automatically park the vehicle without a driver having to drive the vehicle into the parking space. Thus the vehicle may be parked in a parking space which has barely more width, or at least clear width, than the width of the vehicle.

The carrier may be moveable by a motive device.

The carrier may include first and second wheel engaging devices, each of which may be engagable with the wheel of vehicle to be parked, at a respective side of the vehicle, the carrier being moveable by the motive device when each wheel engaging device is in engagement with the respective wheel, to park the vehicle.

However, other carrier arrangements may be provided. For example, in its simplist form, a carrier may be engaged by the wheels as the vehicle is driven onto the carrier, and/or the carrier may have jacks to engage lifting points of the vehicle rather than engaging the wheels.

In each case, the carrier may be driven by a motive device provided by the carrier, from the first to the second position, but preferably the motive means is connected to the carrier by a drive member.

The drive member may be a cable which extends from a winch or the like to the carrier, typically located in the parking space, or the cable may be entrained in a loop about guide wheels, and may carry the carrier, the motive device driving one of the guide wheels to move the carrier into the parking space, hauling the vehicle into the parking space.

If desired, particularly but not exclusively, where the cable extends from a winch which serves to drive the cable, the carrier may have its own motive device to drive the carrier outwardly of the parking space to the first position, such as an electrical drive device, in which case is desired, the carrier may be guided along a track to its first position.

In another example, the drive member may be electrically driven, and may be guided in and out of the parking space, along a track, or the drive member may be a fluid operated actuator for another example. In each case, the wheel engaging devices of the carrier may be engagable with the vehicle wheels when the carrier is in its first position.

Where the carrier includes wheel engaging devices, each wheel engaging device may include a pair of wheel engaging members which are closeable with respect to the respective vehicle wheel, to raise the vehicle wheel off the ground, so that the vehicle may be moved into the parking space when the wheels are braked or a transmission is in gear, or in the case or a vehicle with an automatic transmission, with the transmission locked up in a "park" position.

Thus each wheel engaging device may include an actuator, which is preferably pneumatically operated, but may be instead be hydraulically operated or electrically operated, to move the wheel engaging members together to raise the wheel.

Although the vehicle may be driven over the carrier to position the vehicle suitably for the wheel engaging devices to be engaged with their wheels, desirably the wheel engaging devices are moveable from an inboard position in which the devices are located laterally relatively inwardly between the pair of vehicle wheels, to an outboard position in which the devices may be engaged with the wheels.

Thus the carrier may be moved from the second position inwardly of the parking space, to the first position beneath the vehicle, and subsequently the wheel engaging devices may be engaged with their respective wheels.

In one arrangement, with the carrier in the first position, the wheel engaging devices may each be moved between their inboard and outboard positions, in a direction generally perpendicularly to a direction along which the carrier moves between the first and second positions. In another example though, the carrier may be moved to the first position in a first orientation with respect to the drive member in which the wheel engaging devices are in their inboard positions, and the orientation of the carrier is adjustable with respect to the drive member, to move the wheel engaging devices to their outboard positions. Preferably the orientation of the carrier is adjustable and the wheel engaging devices are movable in a direction generally perpendicularly to the carrier movement direction, when the orientation of the carrier is generally perpendicular to the movement direction.

It will be appreciated that the vehicle, when exterior to the parking space, may not ideally be aligned with the parking space for operation of the apparatus.

Thus desirably the apparatus includes a stop provided on the ground, to facilitate a driver positioning the vehicle exterior to the parking space in a preferred position for operation of the apparatus and/or a sensor system which assists a driver of the vehicle in aligning the vehicle at least close to the preferred position. Nevertheless, by providing for the orientation of the carrier to be movable as described, it will be appreciated that in the event of any minor misalignment between the vehicle wheels and the perpendicular to the direction in which the carrier moves between its first and second positions, as the orientation of the carrier changes towards the orientation generally perpendicular to the carrier movement direction, such vehicle minor misalignment will be corrected as the carrier will tend to carry the vehicle to an aligned condition.

Desirably, the carrier, at or towards its outer ends, and/or the wheel engaging devices, have ground engaging devices such as wheels, roller, castors or even skids, to support the carrier arid/or wheel engaging devices when the vehicle is being carried and the carrier is moved to its second position to park the vehicle in the parking space.

Desirably, the apparatus includes a pair of carriers, one for the pair of vehicle wheels closest to the parking space when the vehicle is exterior to the parking space, and the other being for the pair of wheels furthest from the parking space. The distance between the first and second carriers may be a fixed distance depending upon the wheel base of a vehicle to be parked, or the distance between the two carriers lengthways of the vehicle may be adjustable using appropriate wheel position sensors in use, to suit different wheel base vehicles.

If required, one or more sensors may be provided to sense the position of one or more vehicle wheels at least when the carrier is at or near to its first position, the sensor providing an input to a controller which controls the movement of the or each carrier between the first and second positions, and/or the orientation of the or each carrier relative to the direction of movement of the carrier between the first and second positions, and/or the operation of the wheel engaging members to raise their respective wheels.

According to a second aspect of the invention I provide a method of parking a vehicle in a parking space utilising an apparatus in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, the method including engaging the carrier with the vehicle to be parked, and moving the carrier from a first position exterior to the parking space, to a second position within the parking space to park the vehicle.

Examples of embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- FIGURE 1 is an illustrative view of a vehicle in a first position exterior to a parking space in which the vehicle is to be parked; FIGURE 2 is an illustrative plan view of a parking apparatus in accordance with the invention; FIGURE 2a is an enlarged more detailed plan illustrative view of a carrier of the apparatus shown in figure 2; FIGURE 2b is an enlarged more detailed side illustrative view of part of the carrier of figure 2 with a wheel engaging device engaging a vehicle wheel.

Referring to the drawings, a parking apparatus 10 is shown for parking a vehicle 12 in a parking space which in this example, is a within a garage 14.

The width W of the garage 14, is in this example inadequate to permit vehicle doors 15, 16 to be sufficiently opened to allow a driver or any passenger, to alight the vehicle 12 after parking it.

Accordingly the parking apparatus 10 includes a drive member 18 which in this example is a loop of cable which extends around a first driveable guide wheel 19 which is located within the garage 14, and is rotatable about a generally upright axis A, and around a second guide wheel 20 which is located exterior to the garage 14, and is rotatable about another generally upright axis B. In this example, the first guide wheel 19 is driveable by a motive device such as an electrical motor 21 under the control of a controller (not shown).

The vehicle 12 is driven to the position shown in figure 1 in front of the garage 14, above the drive member 18, in which ideally, both front vehicle wheels 24a, 24b of the front pair of wheels 24, are touching a ground mounted stop 25, although as will be described hereinafter, some minor vehicle 12 misalignment may be tolerated. In another arrangement, a sensor system may be provided to aid a driver in positioning the vehicle at least close to the ideal position.

The drive member 18 carries a pair of carriers 28, 29 which are substantially similar in construction and thus only one of the carriers 28 will be described in more detail. Carrier 28 is provided to act upon the wheels 24 nearest the garage 14, whilst carrier 29 is provided to act upon the other pair of wheels 26 distant most from the garage 14.

Referring to figure 2, the carrier 28 includes a pair of frames 30, 31 which are relatively moveable laterally of a direction D of extent of the drive member 18.

Such relative movement is achieved in this example by a pneumatic actuator 32 mounted between the frames 30, 31, but such relative frame movement may be achieved by a hydraulic actuator, or an electrically driven device, by way of further examples, as required. In each case a service line 34 to convey compressed air, hydraulic fluid or electricity to the carriers 28, 29 from a supply position 35, would be required. In the example, the service line 34 extends between two cable side runs 18a, 18b of the drive member 18.

The frames 30, 31 also each carry respective wheel engaging devices 36, 37, each wheel engaging device 36, 37 in this example, including a pair of wheel engaging members 40, 41 which include rollers (best seen in figure 2b) by means of which a respective vehicle wheel 24a, 24b may be raised off the ground.

To achieve this, the wheel engaging devices 40, 41 are moveable together and apart, by actuators 44 between the dotted line and full line positions indicated in figure 2b. When closed around the wheel 24a, below the axis of rotation C of the wheel 24a, the rollers 40, 41 will raise the wheel 24 off the ground.

The wheel engaging device actuators 44, are preferably pneumatically actuated, like carrier the frame actuator 32, but where the carrier frame actuator 32 is otherwise actuated, the wheel engaging device actuators 44 are preferably actuated similarly, so that a single service line 34 only, is required.

The carrier 28 is carried by the cable drive member 18 by being attached pivotally to one side run I 8a of the loop as seen at 45 by a clamp. Thus as the one side run I 8a of the loop drive member 18 moves along direction D in the direction indicated by the arrow F in figure 1, the carrier 28 will be carried by the drive member 18. In this example, a pneumatically actuated clamp 46 may be selectively operated pivotally to attach the carrier 28 to the other side run 1 8b of the loop drive member 18 for a purpose hereinafter explained.

Each wheel carrying device 36, 37 includes a respective ground engaging support device 49, 50 which in this example is a roller, to support the carrier 28 as the carrier is moved by the drive member 18, particularly when the carrier 28 is supporting the partial weight of the vehicle 12.

Operation of the parking apparatus 10 will now be described.

Starting with the vehicle 12 positioned as seen in figure 1, outside the garage 14, and with the two carriers 28, 29 located within the garage 14 in a stowed condition, the guide wheel 19 is driven to move the carriers 28, 29 outwardly of the garage 14. Desirably, the carriers 28, 29 are each in the orientation relative to the drive member 18 indicated in dotted lines in figure 1, i.e. the carriers 28, 29 are each inclined at other than right angles, relative to the direction D of movement of the carriers 28, 29 between their first positions outwardly of the garage 14, and their second positions inwardly of the garage 14, and the wheel engaging members 40, 41 of each of the wheel engaging devices 36, 37 are maximally spaced apart, in the dotted line positions shown in figure 2b.

The carriers 28, 29 are moved along direction D beneath the vehicle 12, and by virtue of the inclination of the carriers 28, 29 to the drive member 18, and with the carrier frames 30, 31 retracted in length by the carrier actuator 32, the wheel engaging devices 36, 36 are inboard of the wheels 24a, 24b so that the carriers 28, 29 may be moved beneath the vehicle 12, to the first positions, adjacent their respective pairs of wheels 24, 26.

During this movement of the carriers 78, 79, the pneumatically actuated clamp 46 is inactive so that the one and other loop side runs 18a, 18b may relatively move in opposite directions as the carrier 28, 29 is attached to the one side run 18a only.

However, when the carriers 28, 29 are in their first positions, outside the garage 14 beneath the vehicle 12, the clamp 46 is operated. Thus with the carriers 28, 29 each pivotally attached to both cable runs 18a, 18b, differential movement between the cable side runs 18a, 18b will cause the carriers 28, 29 to turn relative to the drive member 18, to an orientation in which the carriers 28, 29 are each generally perpendicular to the direction D of movement of the drive member 18, and with the wheel engaging members 40, 41 positioned one to each side of the respective wheel 24a, in direction D. Next, the wheel engaging members 40, 41 of each of the carriers 28, 29 are moved outboard of the drive member 18 to either side of the wheel 24 as indicated in figure 2b. Then the wheel engaging members 40, 41 are moved towards one another by the actuators 44, to raise the respective wheels 24, 26 * above the ground.

The clamp 46 is then released and the drive member 18 is operated to haul the raised vehicle 12 into the garage 14, thus parking the vehicle 12 in the garage 14.

In the event that the vehicle 12 is not exactly in the position indicated in figure 1 with both of the pair of wheels 24a and 24b in contact with the ground mounted stop 25, the apparatus 10 is able to tolerate minor vehicle 12 misalignments. The wide apart spacing of the wheel engaging member 40, 41 when the actuators 44 are extended, may be sufficient that these may be engaged with misaligned respective wheels 24, 25, adjusting the alignment of the vehicle 12 as the wheel engaging members 40, 41 close towards one another around the respective wheels 24a, 24b. Greater misalignments may be tolerated by providing one or more sensors to sense the positions of the wheels 24, 26 relative to the carriers 29, 29, which sensor or sensors may signal the controller which may control the orientation of one or both carriers 28, 29 relative to the drive member 18 appropriately to enable the wheel engaging devices 40, 41 to engage the wheels 24, 25 when the carriers 28, 29 are at other than perpendicular to the direction D of the extent of the drive member 18. The orientation of each carrier 28, 29 may individually be controlled in this way, by operating the respective clamp 46, and driving the guide wheel 19 a small amount.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

As indicated above, if desired, instead of the carrier actuator 32 and wheel engaging device actuators 44 being pneumatically actuated, these may be hydraulically or electrically or otherwise actuated as desired.

The dual frame construction 30, 31 of the carriers 28, 29 is given by way of example only, and other carrier 28, 29 constructions may be employed. The two carriers 28, 29 need not be of a substantially similar construction to each other, but may be individually configured.

At least one of the ground engaging support devices, i.e. rollers 49, 50, may be arranged to move along a track as the carrier 28, 29 is moved in direction D, to guide the carrier 28, as indicated on dotted lines at 54.

In another example, instead of the drive member 18 being a continuous loop of cable, a drive member being a length of cable between e.g. a winch in the garage 14 and the carriers 28, 29 may be provided. In this case, the carriers 28, 29 may be driven outwardly of the parking space 14 to the first position beneath the vehicle 12 to be parked, by a motive device such as a transmission which may drive the ground engaging support devices 49, 50 or other ground engaging wheels or the like. If desired, a track may be provided along which the carriers 28, 29 would move. For example, a metal guide track may be embedded in the ground, the presence of the track being sensed by metal detecting sensor means provided on the carrier 28, 29. However a track physically to guide the carriers 28, 29 may instead be provided as required.

Where the carriers 28, 29 are attached to a single cable, means other than the clamp 46as described would be required if it is a requirement to change the orientation of the carriers 28, 29 as described above.

In another example, only a single carrier 28 may be provided, which acts to haul the vehicle 12 into the garage 14 or other parking space, by raising one of the pairs 24, 26 of vehicle wheels only (particularly the pair 24 closest the parking space) above the ground. In this case, the other pair 26 of wheels will need to be free to rotate as the vehicle 12 is hauled.

Whereas desirably, the apparatus controller automatically controls the operation of the apparatus 10, for example when actuated, and when any garage door is opened, the apparatus 10 may be controlled manually, by a user controlling the various method steps in turn e.g. from a control pad.

It will be appreciated by requiring a security token, such as a key, a password or the like, to control the apparatus 10 to move the carriers 36, 37 and thus the vehicle out of the parking space 14, the invention provides a high degree of security against theft of the vehicle 12 from the parking space 14.

Although it is envisaged that the driveable guide wheel 19 or a winch, is located within the parking space 14, this may be located beyond an end, e. g. where the parking space is provided in a garage 14, beyond an end wall 52 of the garage 14, where the parking space length is too small to accommodate both the drive member drive wheel 19 or winch, and the vehicle 12.

Where the various actuators 32, 44, and clamp 46 are pneumatically actuated, an air compressor would be required to provide the supply 35 of pressurised air. This may be located within or exterior to the parking space 14 as required.

In another embodiment, the parking apparatus 10 need not include a pair of wheel engaging carriers 28, 29, which engage with the wheels to raise the vehicle and permit the vehicle to move into the parking space 14. A single carrier may be provided, or a pair of carriers, the vehicle wheels engaging the carrier or carriers by being driven onto the carrier or carriers. The carrier may then be moved, preferably after being raised from the ground, into the parking space.

In yet another embodiment, one or more carriers may instead of engaging with wheels of the vehicle 12, may include jacks which engage with lifting points of the vehicle to raise the vehicle from the ground and permit the vehicle to be moved along with the carrier or carriers into the parking space. This latter proposal is particularly beneficial for parking a classic car, for example, where it is desirable to park such a vehicle 12 for long periods particularly, with the vehicle weight removed from the wheels.

In another embodiment, one or more carriers may be driven by its own motive device, inwardly and/or outwardly of the parking space 14. Examples of appropriate alternative motive devices would be a fan to generate an air cushion, or a linear motor, which each permit one or more carriers to be moved when engaged with the vehicle 12, as well as being moveable from inside the parking space 14 outwardly to the first position where the carrier or carriers may be engaged with the vehicle.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. An apparatus for parking a vehicle in a parking space including at least one carrier which is moveable from a first position exterior to the parking space, to a second position within the parking space, the carrier being engagable with vehicle to be parked, whereby with the carrier in engagement with the vehicle, the carrier is moveable into the parking space to park the vehicle.

2. An apparatus according to claim I wherein the carrier is moveable by a motive device.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the carrier includes first and second wheel engaging devices, each of which are engagable with the wheel of the vehicle to be parked at a respective side of the vehicle, the carrier being moveable by the motive device when each wheel engaging device is in engagement with a respective wheel, to park the vehicle.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2 in which the carrir is driven between the first and second positions by a motive device provided on the carrier.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2 in which the motive device is connected to the carrier by a drive member.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the drive *member is a cable.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the cable extends from a winch to the carrier.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the cable is entrained in a loop about guide wheels, and carries the carrier, there being a motive device to drive one of the guide wheels, to move the carrier.

9. An apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 7 wherein each wheel engaging device includes a pair of wheel engaging members which are closeable with respect to the respective vehicle wheel, to raise the vehicle wheel off the ground.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein each wheel engaging device includes an actuator to move the wheel engaging members together to raise the wheel.

11. An apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 10 wherein the wheel engaging devices are moveable from an inboard position in which the devices are located laterally relatively inwardly between the pair of vehicle wheels, to an outboard position in which the devices are engagable with the vehicle wheels.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein with the carrier in the first position, the wheel engaging devices are each moveable between their inboard and outboard positions, in a direction generally perpendicular to a direction along which the carrier moves between the first and second positions.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the carrier is moveable to the first position in a first orientation with respect to the drive member in which the wheel engaging devices are in their inboard positions, and the orientation of the carrier is adjustable with respect to the drive member, to move the wheel engaging devices to their outboard positions.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein, with the carrier in the first position, the wheel engaging devices are each also moveable, in a direction generally perpendicular to a direction along which the carrier moves between the first and second positions.

15. An apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 14 wherein a stop provided on the ground, to facilitate a driver positioning the vehicle exterior to the parking space in a preferred position for operation of the apparatus.

16. An apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 15 wherein the carrier, at or towards its outer ends, and/or the wheel engaging devices, have ground engaging devices to support the carrier and/or wheel engaging devices when the vehicle is being carried and the carrier is moved to its second position to park the vehicle in the parking space.

17. An apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 16 wherein the apparatus includes a pair of carriers, one for the pair of vehicle wheels closest to the parking space when the vehicle is exterior to the parking space, and the other being for the pair of wheels furthest from the parking space.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the distance between the first and second carriers lengthways of the vehicle, is adjustable in use.

19. An apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 18 wherein one or more sensors are provided to sense the position of one or more vehicle wheels at least when the carrier is at or near to the first position, the sensor providing an input to a controller which controls the movement of the or each carrier between the first and second positions, and/or the orientation of the or each carrier relative to the direction of movement of the carrier between the first and second positions, and/or the operation of the wheel engaging members to raise their respective wheels.

20. An apparatus for parking a vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.

21. A method of parking a vehicle in a parking space utilising an apparatus in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, the method including engaging the vehicle to be parked, and moving the carrier from a first position exterior to the parking space, to a second position within the parking space to park the vehicle.

22. A method of parking a vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

23. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.