Automated Vehicle Parking Garage with Catwalk Installation

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.

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.   
   
   
       2 . The automated parking garage as described in  claim 1 , wherein the main catwalk further comprises an inner catwalk traversing the parking area and an outer catwalk along an edge of the parking area, with the front end of the first vehicle proximate the inner catwalk and the front end of the second vehicle proximate the outer catwalk. 
   
   
       3 . The automated parking garage as described in  claim 1  wherein the catwalk is positioned below the path of travel of the shuttle vehicle. 
   
   
       4 . The automated parking garage as described in  claim 1  further comprising a rotatable platform in electrical communication with the central computer, the central computer directing the rotation of the platform to the desired orientation for the vehicle thereon. 
   
   
       5 . The automated parking garage as described in  claim 1  further comprising:
 a second main catwalk traversing a second parking area, the second catwalk defining parking spaces in the second parking area to receive additional vehicles; and   a connecting catwalk joining the two main catwalks in separate parking areas.   
   
   
       6 . An automated parking garage for storing vehicles in a parking space, the automated parking garage comprising:
 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.   
   
   
       7 . The automated parking garage as described in  claim 6 , wherein the main catwalk separates the parking area into parking spaces for at least two vehicles, each vehicle having a front end and a rear end, with the desired end of each vehicle positioned adjacent the main catwalk. 
   
   
       8 . The automated parking garage as described in  claim 7 , further comprising a rotatable platform to receive a vehicle and position the vehicle to the desired orientation corresponding for the desired end of each vehicle to be positioned adjacent the main catwalk. 
   
   
       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:
 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.   
   
   
       10 . The method as described in  claim 9 , further comprising after step b) the step of rotating a platform supporting the vehicle in the delivery bay to a desired orientation for the vehicle in the determined first parking space. 
   
   
       11 . The method as described in  claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:
 receiving a second vehicle in the delivery bay on the rotatable platform;   determining a second available parking space proximate the first parking space using a central computer;   rotating the platform according to the desired orientation of the second vehicle in the second parking space;   transferring the second vehicle from the platform to the elevator using a shuttle vehicle;   vertically moving the second vehicle to the parking level with the elevator;   transferring the second vehicle from the elevator to the second parking space on the parking level using a second shuttle vehicle; and   storing the second vehicle in the second parking space with the front of the second vehicle proximate the main catwalk.   
   
   
       12 . The method as described in  claim 11  further comprising the step of storing the second vehicle in the second parking space opposite the first vehicle, the front of the second vehicle facing the front of the first vehicle. 
   
   
       13 . The method as described in  claim 11  further comprising the step of:
 providing a main catwalk having a inner catwalk and an outer catwalk;   storing the first vehicle in the first parking space proximate the inner catwalk; and   storing the second vehicle in the second parking space proximate the outer catwalk.   
   
   
       14 . The method as described in  claim 10  wherein step c) further comprises the step of:
 transmitting an electronic signal from the central computer to the rotatable platform to direct the rotation of the platform.   
   
   
       15 . The method as described in  claim 10  wherein step g) further comprises the step of:
 providing the main catwalk slightly below the path of travel of the second shuttle vehicle.   
   
   
       16 . The method as described in  claim 10  wherein step b) further comprises:
 choosing from multiple parking levels in the facility above and below a ground level.   
   
   
       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.   
   
   
       18 . The automated parking garage as described in  claim 17 , wherein the primary bridge further comprises an inner bridge traversing the parking area and an outer bridge along an outer edge of the parking area, with the front end of the first vehicle proximate the inner bridge and the front end of the second vehicle proximate the outer bridge. 
   
   
       19 . The automated parking garage as described in  claim 17  further comprising a rotatable platform in electrical communication with the central computer, the central computer directing the rotation of the platform to the desired orientation for the vehicle thereon. 
   
   
       20 . The automated parking garage as described in  claim 17  further comprising:
 a second primary bridge traversing a second parking area, the second bridge defining parking spaces in the second parking area to receive additional vehicles; and   a connecting bridge along the edge of the parking areas joining the two primary bridges in separate parking areas.