Automatic parking system and associated motor vehicle parking method

A method of parking motor vehicles of an automatic parking system allowing for storage and retrieval of motor vehicles, the automatic parking system comprising at least two carousel parking towers, each tower comprising:

• a vertical frame having a number N of pod spaces, and, on a ground level, a tower entrance and a tower exit for passage of a vehicle;
• at least N−1 pods connected to the vertical frame, each pod being connected to a pod space, each pod comprising a storage tray corresponding to a parking space of a motor vehicle and having a pod entrance and a pod exit for the passage of the vehicle;
• and
• a translational actuation mechanism for moving the pods in a closed path along the frame;
• each pod being loaded or unloaded when placed on the ground level of the tower;
• the at least two parking towers being arranged one behind the other, the at least two parking towers including at least one passage tower and one destination tower so that a tower exit of the at least one passage tower faces a tower entrance of the at least one destination tower so that a vehicle can pass directly from one of the at least two towers to another of the at least two towers, and defining a number R, R being equal to at least 2, of rows of parking towers, the at least one destination tower being positioned at least at row 2;
• the parking system comprising at least one four-wheeled vehicle transport conveyor comprising wedging arms, arranged to be positioned on either side of the treads of the wheels of the vehicle so as to carry or deposit the vehicle, the at least one conveyor being autonomously guided;
• the parking system comprising a control system configured to control the actuation mechanism of the at least two parking towers and the autonomously guided at least one conveyor;
• the method comprising:
• selecting a target pod of the at least one destination tower for storing or retrieving a vehicle;
• controlling the actuation mechanism of the at least two parking towers, comprising moving of the pods of the at least one destination tower to place the target pod on the ground level, and moving of the pods of the at least one passage tower, so as to align an empty pod or the empty pod space of the at least one passage tower with the target pod of the destination tower;
• and
• controlling movement of the at least one conveyor, carrying a vehicle or being empty, to cause the at least one conveyor to pass through the at least one passage tower, and access the target pod of the destination tower to store or retrieve the vehicle.