OVERHEAD VEHICLE STORAGE SYSTEM

• US 20080075566A1
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BEC Companies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: BEC Companies, Inc.
• Inventors: Lackinger, Richard E., Yates, Christian A., Pfeifer, Brian G., Benedict, Charles E., Bladen, Scott K., Dobbs, James R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,909,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/228
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 6/182 using car-gripping transfer means E04H6/285 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for the safe storage of vehicles wherein a storage structure is provided having a first section in which vehicles are stored in vertically oriented cells with each vehicle being carried within a vehicle storage unit such that the units may be stacked one upon another and wherein at least one transfer vehicle is provided for selectively engaging and conveying the vehicle storage units along an overhead grid track system between the first section and a second section wherein the grid track system is at least partially oriented over a roadway such that the at least one transfer vehicle may be used to either lift or lower a vehicle contained within a vehicle storage unit relative to the roadway and move the vehicle storage unit to and from a storage position in one of the vertical storage cells of the first section of the storage structure.

Claims

1. An overhead vehicle storage system for selectively elevating vehicles from a roadway, storing the vehicles within a storage facility and retrieving the vehicles from the storage facility, the storage system comprising a storage structure including a first section for storing the vehicles and a second section extending over the roadway, an overhead track system including first pairs of spaced and parallel tracks that extend within said first section of said storage structure and at least one second pair of spaced and parallel tracks that extends over the roadway, at least one powered transfer unit mounted to said overhead track system so as to be movable transversely in an X-Y plane above said first section of said storage structure and along at least one of an X or Y direction over said second section of said storage structure, a plurality of vehicle storage units each defining a frame supporting at least one vehicle supporting means, said at least one transfer unit including hoist means for selectively engaging said vehicle storage units, each of said frames being constructed to permit a vehicle to be loaded onto or from said at least one vehicle supporting means when one of said vehicle storage units is lowered onto the roadway by said hoist means, and said vehicle storage units being vertically stackable one above another within said first section of said storage structure, whereby said at least one transfer unit can be maneuvered along said overhead track system so as to lower one of said vehicle storage units onto the roadway to retrieve a vehicle from the roadway and elevate the retrieved vehicle from the roadway and thereafter convey the elevated vehicle to said first section of said storage structure wherein the vehicle and the vehicle storage unit are lowered into a stored position and wherein said vehicle storage units can be selectively maneuvered within said first section of said storage structure to obtain access to said vehicle storage units and wherein retrieving vehicles stored is said storage structure is accomplished by elevating a selected vehicle storage unit from a stored position and thereafter conveying the selected vehicle storage unit from said first section to said second section of said storage structure and subsequently lowering the selected vehicle storage unit into the roadway such that a vehicle carried thereby can be removed from the selected vehicle storage unit.

2. The overhead vehicle storage system of claim 1 wherein said second section of said storage structure includes at least two spaced column structures defining a space therebetween of a size to permit one of said vehicle storage units to be lowered therein to permit a vehicle to be loaded onto or from the vehicle storage unit, and guide means extending between said at least two spaced column structures and said at least one second pair of tracks of said overhead track system to thereby guide the vehicle storage unit as the vehicle storage unit is raised and lowered relative to the space between said at least two spaced column structures.

3. The overhead vehicle storage system of claim 2 wherein said guide means includes at least one set of four vertical columns that extends between said at least two spaced column structures and said at least one second pair of tracks of said second section of said storage structure.

4. The overhead vehicle storage system of claim 1 wherein said at least one second pair of spaced and parallel tracks is cantilevered outwardly relative to said first section of said storage structure so as to be above the roadway.

5. The overhead vehicle storage system of claim 4 wherein said at least one second pair of spaced and parallel tracks includes pairs of tracks that intersect generally perpendicularly with one another.

6. The overhead vehicle storage system of claim 1 wherein said frame of each of said vehicle storage units includes upper and lower members connected by vertical frame members and between which a vehicle may be seated upon said at least one vehicle supporting means such that said vehicle storage units may be vertically stacked one upon another.

7. The overhead vehicle storage system of claim 6 wherein each of said vehicle storage units includes at least one rotating lock for securing at least one of said vertical frame members to said lower member.

8. The overhead vehicle storage system of claim 6 wherein said frame of each of said vehicle storage units is generally open at at least one end thereof to thereby permit a vehicle to be loaded to and from said at least one vehicle supporting means.

9. The overhead vehicle storage system of claim 6 wherein at least one of said vehicle storage units is substantially enclosed by wall portions to thereby protect a vehicle in storage from damage.

10. The overhead vehicle storage system of claim 6 wherein said vehicle supporting means includes at least two spaced parallel tracks and securing means for securing a vehicle stored within a vehicle storage unit.

11. The overhead vehicle storage system of claim 1 wherein said hoist means of said at least one transfer unit includes a lifting frame for engaging one of said vehicle storage units, and cables for raising and lowering said lifting frame relative to said at least one transfer unit.

12. The overhead vehicle storage system of claim 1 wherein said at least one transfer unit includes rotating means for rotationally supporting said hoist means therefrom.

13. The overhead vehicle storage system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of vehicle storage units includes vehicle storage units of different sizes for accommodating vehicles of different sizes.

14. The overhead vehicle storage system of claim 1 further comprising controlling means for automatically electronically controlling the storage and/or the retrieval of vehicles relative to said first section of said storage structure, said controlling means including electronic means for identifying a vehicle or a vehicle storage unit and activating means for activating said at least one transfer unit to appropriately store or retrieve from storage an identified vehicle or vehicle storage unit.

15. The overhead vehicle storage system of claim 1 wherein said first section of said storage structure has a plurality of vertically oriented storage cells for storing said vehicle storage units in a vertically stacked relationships to each other.

16. A method for storing vehicles in a protected storage structure having a first section in which vehicle storage units in which vehicles are housed may be vertically stacked relative to one another and a second section from which vehicles may be elevated from or returned to a roadway and wherein the vehicle storage units are selectively raised, lowered and maneuvered within the storage structure using at least one transfer vehicle that is movable along an overhead grid track system and which includes a hoist means including means for engaging one of the vehicle storage units, the method including the steps of:

A. Moving the at least one transfer unit along the overhead grid track system so as to be within the second section of the storage structure above the roadway and thereafter lowering a vehicle storage unit carried thereby onto the roadway;

B. Moving a vehicle into the lowered vehicle storage unit and elevating the vehicle storage unit to engage and support the vehicle;

C. Elevating the vehicle storage unit so as to be more closely spaced to the at least one transfer vehicle;

D. Maneuvering the at least one transfer vehicle along the overhead grid track system so as to be above a predetermined storage area in the first section of the storage structure;

E. Lowering the vehicle storage unit being stored into the predetermined storage area and releasing the vehicle storage unit;

F. Retrieving a vehicle within the vehicle storage unit by moving the at least one transfer vehicle along the overhead grid track system and above the predetermined storage area and lowering the hoist means to engage the vehicle storage unit;

G. Elevating the engaged vehicle storage unit and thereafter moving the at least one transfer vehicle along the overhead grid track system to the second section of the storage structure; and

H. Lowering the vehicle storage unit onto the roadway and moving the vehicle stored therein from the vehicle storage unit.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising an additional step of positively guiding the vehicle storage unit as it raised and lowered relative to the roadway.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising an additional step of securing a vehicle within the vehicle storage unit before conveying the vehicle storage unit to the first section of the storage structure.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising additional steps of electronically accessing an electronic control device for controlling movement of the at least one transfer vehicle and electronically requesting the retrieval of a predetermined vehicle or vehicle storage unit, whereupon the receipt of a retrieval request, the at least one transfer vehicle automatically retrieves the requested vehicle storage unit and transfers the retrieved vehicle storage unit to a requested location.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising additional steps of placing an identifying means for electronically identifying each of the vehicle storage units on the vehicle storage units and providing remote readers for communicating with the identifying means whereby the location of each vehicle storage unit is easily determined.