Automated Vehicle Parking Garage with Catwalk Installation
First Claim
1. In an automated parking garage having a three-dimensional warehousing facility for receiving a vehicle at a delivery bay, transporting the vehicle between the delivery bay and a parking area using shuttle vehicle and an elevator in electrical communication with a central computer controlling the movement of the shuttle vehicle and elevator in the facility, the improvement in the automated parking garage comprising:
- a main catwalk traversing the parking area, the catwalk defining parking spaces in the parking area to receive a first vehicle and a second vehicle, each vehicle having a front end and a rear end, with the desired end of each vehicle proximate the main catwalk.
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Abstract
An automated parking garage includes a three-dimensional warehousing facility for receiving a vehicle at a delivery bay, storing the vehicle in a parking area, and retrieving the vehicle from the parking area. The parking garage includes mechanical elements for transporting the vehicle between the delivery bay and the parking space, namely, at least one shuttle vehicle and at least one elevator. A central computer is in electrical communication with each of the mechanical elements to control the movement of the corresponding elements in the facility. A main catwalk extends the length of the facility to define parking spaces in the parking area to receive at least two vehicles, each vehicle having a front end and a rear end, with the desired end of each vehicle adjacent the main catwalk.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. In an automated parking garage having a three-dimensional warehousing facility for receiving a vehicle at a delivery bay, transporting the vehicle between the delivery bay and a parking area using shuttle vehicle and an elevator in electrical communication with a central computer controlling the movement of the shuttle vehicle and elevator in the facility, the improvement in the automated parking garage comprising:
a main catwalk traversing the parking area, the catwalk defining parking spaces in the parking area to receive a first vehicle and a second vehicle, each vehicle having a front end and a rear end, with the desired end of each vehicle proximate the main catwalk. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An automated parking garage for storing vehicles in a parking space, the automated parking garage comprising:
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a housing having a delivery bay on a ground level and multiple levels for storing vehicles; a central aisle extending along the length of the housing to define two parking areas; at least one shuttle vehicle located on each level of the housing, each shuttle vehicle traveling along the central aisle to horizontally transport a vehicle; an elevator positioned in the housing proximate the central aisle to vertically transport vehicles in the housing; a central computer in electrical communication with the platform, each shuttle vehicle, and each elevator to control the operation of the platform, each shuttle vehicle, and each elevator; and a main catwalk extending along each parking area below the path of each shuttle vehicle, the main catwalk defining the parking spaces to receive vehicles proximate the catwalk; wherein the shuttle vehicles transport the vehicles between one parking space and one elevator. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. An automated method for storing a vehicle having a front end and a back end in a three-dimensional warehousing facility and providing access to one end of the stored vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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a. receiving the vehicle in a delivery bay; b. determining a first parking space for the first vehicle on a parking level using a central computer; c. transferring the vehicle from the platform to an elevator using a shuttle vehicle; d. vertically moving the vehicle to the parking level with the elevator; e. transferring the vehicle from the elevator to the first parking space on the parking level using a second shuttle vehicle; and f. storing the vehicle in the first parking space with the front of the vehicle proximate a main catwalk extending the length of the facility. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. In an automated parking garage having a three-dimensional housing for receiving a vehicle at an entrance, transporting the vehicle between the entrance and a parking area using shuttle vehicles on multiple levels in the housing and an elevator in electrical communication with a central computer controlling the movement of the shuttle vehicle and elevator in the facility, the improvement in the automated parking garage comprising:
a primary bridge traversing the parking area to define parking spaces to receive a first vehicle and a second vehicle, each vehicle having a front end and a rear end, with the desired end of each vehicle proximate the primary bridge, wherein the primary bridge is positioned slightly below the path of travel of the shuttle vehicle on the corresponding level. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
Specification