Automated parking garage/self-storage apparatus

Abstract

A parking system includes a plurality of trays having a parking platform for supporting a vehicle and legs for keeping the parking platform in an elevated position on a supporting surface of the parking facility. The parking system also has at least one automated guided vehicle for moving the tray with the vehicle thereon between an access location and a specified parking location. The automated guided vehicle has a frame and drive devices mounted on the frame. Each drive device has a turntable rotatable about a vertical axis and two independently driven wheels mounted on the turntable. The automated guided vehicle can fit beneath the parking platform of the tray and can lift the tray for moving the tray and the vehicle between the access location and the specified parking location.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . The parking access point, comprising:
 an ingress or egress having a driving surface for allowing entry or exit of a vehicle along a first direction;   at least one parking tray having a parking surface substantially flush with the driving surface; and   a platform having an upper surface movable between a first position where the upper surface of the parking platform is substantially flush with the driving surface and the parking surface and a second position where the upper surface of the platform is disposed to permit an automated guided vehicle to move along a second direction and beneath the parking tray for lifting the parking tray with the vehicle thereon and moving the parking tray and the vehicle into or out of the parking access point.   
     
     
         2 . The parking access point of  claim 1 , wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. 
     
     
         3 . The parking access point of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one parking tray is a first parking tray, the parking access point further comprising at least a second parking tray aligned with the first parking tray along the first direction. 
     
     
         4 . The parking access point of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one parking tray is a first parking tray, the parking access point further comprising at least a second parking tray aligned with the first parking tray along the second direction. 
     
     
         5 . The parking access point of  claim 1 , further comprising a tray magazine, the at least one parking tray comprising a plurality of parking trays stacked vertically in the tray magazine, the plurality of trays including an uppermost tray, the tray magazine including a lift mechanism operative for moving the uppermost tray into a position where the parking surface of the uppermost tray is substantially flush with the driving surface. 
     
     
         6 . The parking access point of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of trays includes a second highest tray beneath the uppermost tray, the lift mechanism of the tray magazine being configured for positioning the second highest tray so that the automated guided vehicle can move on to the parking surface of the second highest tray prior to lifting the uppermost parking tray with the vehicle thereon.