Material or article handling – Apparatus particularly adapted for charging or discharging a... – With means to transfer – or facilitate transfer of – vehicle...
Patent
1992-06-05
1994-07-19
Werner, Frank E.
Material or article handling
Apparatus particularly adapted for charging or discharging a...
With means to transfer, or facilitate transfer of, vehicle...
414273, 414279, 414243, 414252, 191 1R, E04H 606
Patent
active
053303059
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a three dimensional parking system having lifts and movable platforms for carrying vehicles. More particularly, it relates to a mechanism for driving a platform adapted to move a vehicle between the platform and lifts by means of fork beams formed in a comblike arrangement.
BACKGROUND ART
As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 62-86272, a three dimensional parking system is known, in which a vehicle is transferred between a movable platform having comblike fork beams for carrying a vehicle and lifts having comblike fork beams. As shown in FIG. 8, this three dimensional parking system includes housing stations 41, 42 provided on each floor for accommodating vehicles, and a lift compartment 43 defined between the housing stations 41, 42 for allowing lifts 44 to be moved upward or downward.
A plurality of separate drive rollers 45 are provided on the same level at the opposite ends of each of the housing stations 41, 42 and the lift compartment 43. Further, driver motors 46 are provided in each of the housing stations 41, 42 and the lift compartment 43 for the respective groups of these drive rollers.
Each drive motor 46 and its corresponding drive rollers 45 are connected by a chain which is driven by the drive motor 46. By driving these groups of drive rollers 45 simultaneously, a movable platform 47 used to carry vehicles is moved on the drive rollers to a predetermined position in the housing stations 41, 42 or to a predetermined position in the lift compartment 43.
However, since a plurality of drive rollers 45 are provided in each of the housing stations 41, 42 and the lift compartment 43, it is required to adjust the level of the drive rollers 45 so as to level the groups of the drive rollers 45 with each other. Therefore, the conventional three dimensional parking system presents a drawback, namely that significant labor and time are required for maintenance.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a drive mechanism for a three dimensional vehicle parking system which can be easily maintained, by improving a drive mechanism which drives a movable platform for carrying a vehicle.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The three dimensional parking system of the present invention includes a plurality of housing stations that are arranged in a vertical direction for accommodating vehicles. A lift-moving passage is provided adjacent to the housing stations. Lifts are vertically movable along the lift-moving passage while carrying vehicles. A movable platform carries the vehicles, and is capable of transferring these vehicles between the lifts and the platform. A platform is provided in each one of the housing stations.
Each platform comprises drive wheels, a drive motor for driving the drive wheels, and an energy storage device. The energy storage device stores electrical power supplied from an outside source, and supplies the stored electrical power to the drive motor when the platform is driven. Therefore, each platform can move independently between the housing station and part of the lift-moving passage adjacent thereto.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a three dimensional parking system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the three dimensional parking system shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view showing a movable platform for carrying a vehicle;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the lifts and the platform;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram useful in explaining a control mechanism of the platform;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a variation of the platform;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the three dimensional parking system which includes a different arrangement of housing stations for accommodating vehicles; and
FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view showing a conventional three dimensional parking system.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
One embodiment of the invention
REFERENCES:
patent: 3063580 (1962-11-01), Dierks
patent: 3896955 (1975-07-01), Collins et al.
patent: 3973685 (1976-08-01), Loomer
patent: 3984012 (1976-10-01), Ennis et al.
patent: 4265581 (1981-05-01), Ives et al.
patent: 4286911 (1981-09-01), Benjamin
patent: 4950117 (1990-08-01), Go
patent: 5002449 (1991-03-01), Kita et al.
Fujihensokuki Co., Ltd.
Werner Frank E.
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