WO2009057073A2

WO2009057073A2 - Driveway leveler

Info

Publication number: WO2009057073A2
Application number: PCT/IB2008/054527
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anthony Fiorilli
Original assignee: Anthony Fiorilli
Priority date: 2007-10-31
Filing date: 2008-10-30
Publication date: 2009-05-07
Also published as: WO2009057073A3; CA2610392A1

Abstract

A device (which is the whole driveway/platform itself) that conceals an underground garage when its in the upright position, and then pitches itself downward to expose the garage, and to provide access to park the vehicle(s).This device can be installed to an existing home or incorporated into a new home, to increase living space of the home without compromising land, in this case, by not using a bigger foundation perimeter or by not adding another storey. This device is to utilize the most living space (sq/ft) for the lot size, making it more efficient in creating living space and/or create more land space, for the same square footage. This device is mainly used for utilizing the unexcavated portion of a home foundation, by putting a garage there, and in turn providing the space that would have been taken up by the vehicles (above ground), into living space. This device is also to conceal the garage by leveling itself to the upward position, and to give the home nice aesthetics by giving it the garage-less look. For aesthetics purposes, this invention also provides two elevation configurations by tilting the driveway/platform (the invention itself) upwards or downwards with a touch of a button.

Description

Driveway Leveler

This invention relates to a hydraulically (or motor driven screw type propulsion system) driven platform (driveway), that tilts (pitches) up and down to access and conceal a garage that is below ground level.

It is common that most homes with a garage attached to it, is either above ground level or below it. If it is above ground level, then underneath the garage is unexcavated, which is space not utilized optimally. If the home has a garage which is in the back of the home with a lane way, then again, space is not utilized optimally because of the land the garage takes up in the backyard. If the home has a garage incorporated into the home which is beneath ground level (e.g. bungalow), then the driveway is always sloped (fixed) which can cause certain challenges to the home owner, compared to that of a driveway that is leveled horizontally.

I have found that these disadvantages may be overcome by putting the garage below ground, use the space above it, and conceal the garage by leveling the invention (platform/driveway) horizontally. When you need to park the vehicle in the garage, you simply push a button and the whole driveway (platform) pitches downward to access the garage. This invention basically increases living space, front yard and backyard space by replacing the garage space with any or all of the spaces just mentioned. By having the garage underground and the invention (platform/driveway) concealing the garage door (up & leveled position), it can also provide cooler temperatures in the summer (for the vehicles) and warmer temperatures in the winter just by the fact that the garage is underground. The invention basically tilts (from level position) down to reveal the garage (and vise versa), by being mounted on top of a wedge shaped concrete pit embedded into the ground. Not to make the home owner go around the whole driveway when its in the downward pitch, there is also a mechanically escalating stair that works in unison with the driveway's/platform's upward and downward pitching motion. These mechanically escalating stairs is more of a convenience feature rather than an improvement to an existing article, and which is also part of this invention as a whole. This device is to utilize the most living space for the chosen lot size, and making it more efficient in creating living space and/or saving land space, for the same amount of square footage requested by the builder/owner.

In the drawings which illustrate the embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is a 3D elevation drawing of the invention incorporated into a home in the downward position (garage level), and Figure 2 is a 3D elevation drawing of the invention incorporated into a home in the upright position (ground level), Figure 3 is a section of the line A-A of Figure 1, Figure 4 is a section of the line B-B of Figure 1, Figure 5 is a section of the line C-C of Figure 2, Figure 6 is a section of the line D-D of Figure 2, and Figure 7 is a 3D elevation drawing of a home without the invention incorporated into it (for visual comparison only, of a home with and without the invention)

The device illustrated comprises of an array of perpendicular beams 11 interconnected by fasteners 17 to form a skeletal chassis of the platform 3. At the street 24 side of the platform 3, it has spindle 18 to make the whole platform 3 pivot (pitch), and at the garage opening 9 side, it is secured to a lifting ram 19 using a spindle 18 to eliminate torque between the two embodiments. The invention has a third spindle on the bottom of the propulsion unit, which in this example of propulsion (Fig. 3 & 5), would be where the lifting ram 19 and motor 20 intersect (motor 20 housing). All three spindles 18 work in unison to pivot the platform 3, and to eliminate any torque between the platform 3, the lifting ram 19 and the motor 20 housing , from the arc shaped trajectory the platform creates during its operation of ascent and decent. The lifting ram 19 can either be a hydraulic piston ram, a pneumatic piston ram, or a ball screw lifting ram (ball screw lifting ram is the example that is shown on Fig. 3 and Fig.5). Any type of vertical thrust is would make the invention work, as it would be at the choice of the customer.

The top of the platform chassis is clad with metal sheathing 15, and can be topped with a variety of driveway surfaces and textures. To hold the asphalt, concrete, or interlocking bricks in place, an L-shaped metal bar would be welded on top of the metal sheathing 15, around the platform 3 perimeter.

This whole structure (platform 3) pivots up and down to conceal and reveal the garage opening 9 with a touch of a button on the remote (not shown). For example, if the "up or conceal" button is pressed, the remote sends a signal to the ECM 23 (Electronic Control Module) and its starts the electric motor 20, which causes the lifting ram 19 to thrust upwards (ascend), and then levels itself with ground level 5 to conceal the garage opening 9 and garage area 1 for aesthetics purposes.

Operating in unison with the platform 3 is the mechanical escalating stairs 4. Each mechanical escalating step 4 slide up and down on track guide 14 that are vertically embedded in the retaining wall 10. The mechanical escalating stairs begin where the walkway 7 ends, and ends at the platform 3. When the platform 3 is at garage level (Fig. 1, 3 and 4), each step 4 rest at the bottom of its own track 14, in which each step 4 has a predetermined resting height. When the platform 3 starts to pivot (ascend) towards the ground level 5, the cantilever beam 13 lifts each step 4 out of its resting position and height in sequence from lowest to highest, until the platform 3 reaches its leveled position (Fig. 2, 5 and 6) at ground level 5, and that all steps are flush with the walkway 7 at one end and flush with the platform on the other end. When the platform 3 starts to pitch downward towards garage level (Fig. 1, 3 and 4), the cantilever beam 13 descends, and rests each step to the bottom of its own predetermined height of the track. The whole mechanical escalating stairs gets its kinetic energy from the cantilever beam. The cantilever beam is connected to the platform 3 by fasteners 17, and the platform 3 is gets its kinetic energy/ thrust from the lift ram, making this invention and its symphony of moving embodiments/parts (including the safety grate/ sewer grate 21) powered by one source (the lift rami 9/ motor 20). For safety reasons, due to the danger of the moving parts in the concrete pit area 12, there is a safety feature that is a sewer grate 21 in the down position (Fig.3) and then it unfolds and becomes a vertical safety barrier grate 21 as the platform 3 pitches/ pivots upwards towards the ground level 5 position (Fig. 5). The vertical safety barrier 21 prevents any person from accessing the dangers that lie underneath the platform 3 and in the pit 12, while at ground level or during operation of ascent and descent of the platform 3. So this embodiment serves two purposes. A second safety feature is the light beam trigger system 22, which if the light beam is broken during the ascending platform 3 by an object, it will send a signal to the ECM 23 and stop the motor 20, lifting ram 19 and stop the platform 3 from ascending any further.

A third safety feature is the vertical stabilizer 25, made of concrete, which anchors the spindle 18 on the street 24 side and prevents any excessive vertical load on the lift ram 19, in which the lift ram 19 was not engineered to take from the sudden braking of the vehicle/s on the platform 3. This also prevents the platform from hitting the dwelling.

It will be apparent that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. The lifting ram 19 can either be a hydraulic piston ram (not shown), a pneumatic piston ram (not shown), or a ball screw lifting ram (ball screw lifting ram is the example that is shown on Fig. 3 and Fig.5). Any type of vertical thrust that was just mentioned would make the invention work.

Claims

ClaimsThe embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A driveway leveling device/ apparatus situated in a concrete pit that is embedded into and flush with the ground level, which is incorporated into a residential or commercial building, that comprises of a platform which pitches vertically up and down by means of a thrust type propulsion system, in which it conceals and can access a garage opening/ level with a vehicle that is underneath the main floor of the dwelling on ground level, and to create additional living space in the dwelling above ground level, by moving the garage area/ space below ground level.

2. A driveway leveling device defined in claim 1 in which it is used to conceal an underground garage level and its opening for residential homes and commercial buildings for aesthetic purposes.

3. A driveway leveling device defined in claim 1 and claim 2, in which a cantilever beam protruding from the side platform, lifts and lowers a series of steps guided on a track embedded in the side of the retaining walls, to a predetermined height to cause an escalating series of steps.

4. A driveway leveling device defined in claim 1, claim 2, and the mechanical escalating device defined in claim 3, in which the motion of platform/ driveway leveler of claim 1 is to work in unison with the mechanical stairs/ escalating device of claim 2, so people can access the platform/ driveway leveler from the walkway, whether the driveway leveler in claim 1 is pitched in the up or down position, by a series of escalating steps.

5. A driveway leveling device as defined in claim 1, in which any one of the three following types of thrust propulsion system can be used as the main source for thrust propulsion in the invention, which can be:

1. Cylindrical hydraulic piston ram

2. Cylindrical pneumatic piston ram

3. Ball screw or Acme screw driven rams (coverts rotary motion into thrust)