Passenger and Vehicle Elevator System

Abstract

The passenger and vehicle elevator system includes a plurality of elevator cars arrayed substantially equidistantly and equiangularly from a central shaft of the building (B). Each elevator car ( 12, 14, 16 ) includes a housing and at least one door ( 54 ). The housing has a floor, a ceiling, and at least one sidewall. A linearly translating platform ( 50 ) is mounted on the floor of each of the housings. The linearly translating platform ( 50 ) is adapted for automatically carrying the vehicle (V) and the at least one passenger through the at least one door ( 54 ). Further, the vehicle (V) may be rotated within the housing by driven rotation of the platform ( 50 ) or the floor, allowing for selective angular positioning of the vehicle (V) with respect to the housing. The elevator car ( 12 ) ascends and descends within a corresponding elevator shaft in a manner similar to that of a conventional elevator.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A multi-story building comprising:
 multiple stories having individual dwelling/office spaces;   garage spaces disposed adjacent said dwelling/office spaces, said dwelling/office spaces being disposed radially outward from said garage spaces;   a vehicle elevator system including:   an elevator car configured for being raised and lowered to said garage spaces, the elevator car having an opening for a vehicle to pass into and out of the elevator car to said garage spaces, a linearly translating platform mounted on the floor and being configured for carrying the vehicle through the opening.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-story building according to  claim 1 , wherein said dwelling/office spaces have an entrance/egress for direct access to corresponding said garage spaces. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-story building according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor configured for reading parking information from the vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-story building according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor disposed external to the elevator car, the sensor for preventing the vehicle from entering the elevator car when the sensor detects an engine of the vehicle is operating. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-story building according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor mounted within the elevator car, the sensor preventing the vehicle from being parked within the multi-story building when the sensor detects the engine of the vehicle is operating. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-story building according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one door for closing the opening. 
     
     
         7 . A passenger and vehicle elevator system, comprising:
 an elevator car configured for being raised and lowered, the elevator car having an opening for a vehicle to pass into and out of the elevator car, the elevator car being configured for carrying the vehicle and at least one passenger;   a linearly translating platform being configured for carrying the vehicle and the at least one passenger through the opening;   a garage space having an entrance/egress associated with a corresponding dwelling/office space, said entrance/egress providing direct access from said garage space into the corresponding dwelling/office space.   
     
     
         8 . The passenger and vehicle elevator system as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising at least one sensor configured for reading parking information from the vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The passenger and vehicle elevator system as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising a sensor disposed external to the elevator car, the sensor for preventing the vehicle from entering the elevator car when the sensor detects an engine of the vehicle is operating. 
     
     
         10 . The passenger and vehicle elevator system as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising a sensor mounted within the elevator car, the sensor preventing the vehicle from being parked within the multi-story building when the sensor detects the engine of the vehicle is operating. 
     
     
         11 . The passenger and vehicle elevator system as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising at least one door for closing the opening.