Automated vehicle alignment and parking system

Abstract

A vehicle alignment system including a vehicle alignment base configured to support a vehicle upon entry into the vehicle parking system, the vehicle defining a longitudinal vehicle centerline. A module track is connected to the vehicle alignment base and defines a longitudinal alignment axis. The vehicle is disposable on the entry module track for translational movement along the longitudinal alignment axis. The vehicle alignment system further includes a vehicle sensor configured to detect the position of the vehicle relative to the longitudinal alignment axis. A vehicle alignment member is connected to the vehicle alignment base and is engageable with at least one pair of vehicle wheels. The vehicle alignment member is moveable relative to vehicle alignment base and substantially stationary relative to the vehicle to move the vehicle relative to the vehicle alignment base to dispose the longitudinal vehicle centerline substantially parallel to the longitudinal alignment axis.

1 . A vehicle alignment system for aligning a vehicle with a vehicle parking system, the vehicle defining a longitudinal vehicle centerline, the vehicle including two pair of vehicle wheels, each pair of vehicle wheels including one wheel disposed on a respective side of the longitudinal vehicle centerline, the vehicle alignment system including:
 a vehicle alignment base configured to support a vehicle upon entry of the vehicle into the vehicle parking system;   a module track connected to the vehicle alignment base, the module track defining a longitudinal alignment axis, the vehicle being disposable on the module track for translational movement along the longitudinal alignment axis;   a vehicle sensor configured to detect position of the vehicle relative to the longitudinal alignment axis; and   a vehicle alignment member connected to the vehicle alignment base, the vehicle alignment member being engageable with at least one pair of vehicle wheels, the vehicle alignment member being moveable relative to vehicle alignment base and substantially stationary relative to the vehicle to move the vehicle relative to the vehicle alignment base to dispose the longitudinal vehicle centerline substantially parallel to the longitudinal alignment axis.   
   
   
       2 . The vehicle alignment system of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle alignment member includes a rotating belt. 
   
   
       3 . The vehicle alignment system of  claim 2 , wherein the rotating belt is rotatable in a direction being substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal alignment axis. 
   
   
       4 . The vehicle alignment system of  claim 2 , wherein the vehicle alignment member includes a plurality of rotating belts, each rotating belt being engageable with a respective one of the vehicle wheels. 
   
   
       5 . The vehicle alignment system of  claim 1  wherein the vehicle sensor employs sonar technology. 
   
   
       6 . The vehicle alignment system of  claim 1  further including a pair of sleds connected to the entry module track, each sled being translatable along the entry module track to be disposable between a respective pair of vehicle wheels, each sled including:
 a sled body;   a hydraulic lifting device connected to the sled, the lifting device including a hydraulic piston and a lifting arm coupled to the hydraulic piston, the lifting arm being moveable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration, the lifting arm being configured to lift and support a respective vehicle wheel when the respective pair of arms is in the deployed configuration; and   a sled movement member connected to the sled and in operative communication with the sensor, the sled movement member being operative to move the sled member in response to receipt of the sled positioning signal.   
   
   
       7 . The hydraulic vehicle transporting device as recited in  claim 6 , wherein each sled member includes a hydraulic drive member in operative communication with the sled movement member, the hydraulic drive member being configured to provide power to drive the sled movement member. 
   
   
       8 . The vehicle transporting device as recited in  claim 6 , wherein each hydraulic lifting device includes two pair of arms, each pair of arms being moveable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration, a respective pair of the two pair of arms being configured to lift and support a respective vehicle wheel when the respective pair of arms is in the deployed configuration. 
   
   
       9 . The vehicle alignment system of  claim 6 , wherein the vehicle sensor includes a pair of vehicle sensors, each vehicle sensor being mounted on a respective one of the pair of sleds. 
   
   
       10 . A rotatable trolley for a vehicle parking system, the rotatable trolley including:
 a lower trolley frame;   an upper trolley frame configured to support a vehicle; and   a rotating element connected to the upper trolley frame, the rotating element configured to rotate the upper trolley frame 180° degrees relative to the lower trolley frame.   
   
   
       11 . The rotatable trolley recited in  claim 10  wherein the vehicle support member includes:
 a trolley track connected to the upper trolley frame; and   a vehicle movement member translatably connected to the trolley track, the vehicle movement member configured to be engageable with a vehicle for purposes of lifting the vehicle.   
   
   
       12 . The rotatable trolley recited in  claim 11  wherein the vehicle movement member includes a pair of sleds translatable along the trolley track, each sled including a plurality of lifting arms for lifting a pair of vehicle wheels. 
   
   
       13 . A wireless control system for a vehicle parking system having multiple parking levels, each parking level including at least one sled-trolley assembly including a sled configured to lift and transport a vehicle, and a trolley configured to transport the sled, each sled including a sled operational control mechanism and each trolley including a trolley operational control mechanism, the wireless control system including:
 a central control unit configured to generate trolley operational commands and sled operational commands;   a central transmitter in electrical communication with the central control unit, the central transmitter being operative to transmit the trolley position commands and the sled position commands;   a plurality of trolley control receivers, each trolley control receiver being connectable to a respective trolley and in wireless communication with the central transmitter to receive the trolley operational commands, each trolley control receiver being electrically communicable with the respective trolley operational control mechanism to relay the trolley operational commands thereto; and   a plurality of sled control receivers, each sled control receiver being connectable to a respective sled and in wireless communication with the central transmitter to receive the sled operational commands, each sled control receiver being electrically communicable with the respective sled operational control mechanism to relay the sled operational commands thereto.   
   
   
       14 . The wireless control system recited in  claim 13  further comprising a plurality of sled operations transmitters, each sled operations transmitter being communicable with the respective sled operational control mechanism to receive sled operational and position data therefrom, each sled operations transmitter being in wireless communication with the central control unit to communicate the sled operational and position data thereto. 
   
   
       15 . The wireless control system recited in  claim 13  further comprising a plurality of trolley operations transmitters, each trolley operations transmitter being communicable with the respective trolley operational control mechanism to receive trolley operational and position data therefrom, each trolley operations transmitter being in wireless communication with the central control unit to communicate the trolley operational and position data thereto. 
   
   
       16 . The wireless control system recited in  claim 13 , wherein the trolley control receivers located on a common parking level wirelessly communicate with central transmitter over a common frequency. 
   
   
       17 . The wireless control system recited in  claim 13 , wherein the trolley control receivers located on different parking levels wirelessly communicate with the central transmitter over different frequencies. 
   
   
       18 . The wireless control system recited in  claim 13 , wherein the sled control receivers located on a common parking level wirelessly communicate with central transmitter over a common frequency. 
   
   
       19 . The wireless control system recited in  claim 13 , wherein the sled control receivers located on different parking levels wirelessly communicate with the central transmitter over different frequencies. 
   
   
       20 . The wireless control system recited in  claim 13  further including a vehicle sensor for sensing vehicle position relative to the sled.