Automated parking garage
AssigneeRobotic Technology Administration, LLC
InventorsRoyce S. Monteverdi, Rajeev Aswal, Ramanathan Ramasubbu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automated parking garage with one or more novel features described herein. These novel features include a modular design a control system that is operable to move multiple items, such as vehicles, independently so that they can move concurrently or simultaneously, at least one storage space that comprises an electric vehicle charging station, the ability to communicate with autonomous (e.g., self-driving) vehicles to facilitate parking of autonomous vehicles, a pallet cleaning system, and/or can be configured to store containers or other items.
Claims26
An apparatus, comprising:
- an aisle;
- a terminal adjacent to the aisle;
- an entry level carrier configured to move along the aisle;
- a plurality of parking modules, parking modules comprise a combination of a terminal, a vertical storage unit having a plurality of storage spaces on a plurality of levels and a vertical lift carrier;
- wherein each of the plurality of modules are configured to align horizontal rails with each other to couple the horizontal rails with each other;
- and
- wherein each of the plurality of modules are interchangeable.
An apparatus, comprising:
- an aisle;
- a terminal adjacent to the aisle;
- an entry level carrier configured to move along the aisle;
- a vertical storage unit having a plurality of storage spaces on a plurality of levels;
- a vertical lift carrier;
- a parking space configured to providing automatic electric vehicle charging selected from the group consisting of the plurality of storage spaces;
- the parking space comprises a plurality of contacts on a bottom surface of the parking space, a switch with an electrical power source and coupled with a selected contact selected from the plurality of contacts;
- wherein the switch provides electricity from the electrical power source to the selected contact while in a predetermined position;
- and
- wherein the switch does not provide electricity to the selected contact while the switch is not in the predefined position.
An apparatus, comprising:
- an aisle;
- a terminal adjacent to the aisle;
- an entry level carrier configured to move along the aisle;
- a vertical storage unit having a plurality of storage spaces on a plurality of levels;
- a vertical lift carrier;
- a pallet stacking station;
- a pallet shuttle;
- a pallet cleaning system that comprises a vacuum source, a piping system coupled with the vacuum source, and a plurality of nozzles coupled with the piping system;
- a sensor;
- a controller coupled with the pallet shuttle and pallet cleaning system, and the sensor;
- the sensor is operable to detect a vehicle that was parked on a pallet exiting the terminal;
- the controller is responsive to the sensor detecting the vehicle exiting the terminal to;
- cause the pallet shuttle to retrieve the pallet,
- cause the pallet shuttle to move the pallet to the pallet cleaning system,
- cause the pallet cleaning system to clean the pallet, and
- cause the pallet shuttle to move the pallet to the pallet stacking station after the pallet cleaning system has cleaned the pallet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.