# US 9,752,341 B2 · Vehicle parking with automated guided vehicles, vertically reciprocating conveyors and safety barriers

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- Number: US 9,752,341 B2
- Document ID: US9752341B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/019,035
- Filed: 2016-02-09
- Published: 2017-08-10
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-02-09
- Assignees: Space Maker International Inc.
- Applicants: Park Plus, Inc.
- Inventors: Andreas N. Wastel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752341B2

## CPC

- E04H 6/424: {Positioning devices}
- E01F 13/044: {the barrier being formed by obstructing members situated on, flush with, or below the traffic surface, e.g. with inflatable members on the surface (E01F13/08, E01F13/10 take precedence; retractable speed humps E01F9/529)}
- E01F 13/046: {the obstructing members moving up in a translatory motion, e.g. telescopic barrier posts (for lane control E01F9/594)}
- E01F 13/048: {with obstructing members moving in a translatory motion, e.g. vertical lift barriers, sliding gates (E01F13/046, E01F13/105 take precedence)}
- E04H 6/12: with mechanical means for shifting or lifting vehicles
- E04H 6/24: characterised by use of dollies for horizontal transport {, i.e. cars being permanently parked on wheeled platforms}
- E04H 6/34: characterised by use of movable platforms
- E04H 6/42: Devices or arrangements peculiar to garages, not covered elsewhere, e.g. securing devices, safety devices {, monitoring and operating schemes; centering devices}
- E04H 6/426: {Parking guides}
- E05F 15/603: using rotary electromotors
- E05F 15/665: for vertically-sliding wings
- E05F 15/681: operated by flexible elongated pulling elements, e.g. belts
- E05F 15/70: with automatic actuation
- E06B 9/06: collapsible or foldable, e.g. of the bellows or lazy-tongs type (bellows-type doors E06B3/94; roll-type grilles E06B9/18)
- E06B 11/025: {vertically}
- E06B 2009/002: {Safety guards or gates}
- E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D)
- E01F: ADDITIONAL WORK, SUCH AS EQUIPPING ROADS OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLATFORMS, HELICOPTER LANDING STAGES, SIGNS, SNOW FENCES, OR THE LIKE
- E05F: DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING
- E06B: FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES (shades or blinds for greenhouses A01G9/22; curtains A47H; lids for car boots or bonnets B62D25/10; skylights E04B7/18; sunshades, awnings E04F10/00)

## Abstract

A safety barrier assembly is provided for a parking garage is positioned in proximity to an opening for a VRC and includes a horizontal AGV safety beam and upper and lower pedestrian barriers having horizontal railings and vertical legs. The vertical legs are slidable within openings at opposite ends of the AGV safety beam. The vertical legs of the upper pedestrian barrier are longer than those of the lower pedestrian barrier. The AGV safety beam can be moved vertically between a lower position where the AGV safety beam is substantially adjacent a floor of the parking garage and an upper position where the AGV safety beam is elevated from the floor. The horizontal railings of the pedestrian barriers are parallel to and spaced above the AGV safety beam in the lower position. However, the horizontal railings abut the AGV safety beam in the upper position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A safety barrier assembly for a parking garage having a vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) and openings in floors of the parking garage for accommodating vertical movement of the VRC, the safety barrier assembly being positioned in proximity to each of the openings and comprising:
a substantially horizontally aligned automated guided vehicle (AGV) safety beam having opposite left and right longitudinal ends, openings formed vertically through the AGV safety beam in proximity to the longitudinal ends;
upper and lower pedestrian barriers having horizontal railings and vertical legs extending from opposite ends of the horizontal railings, the vertical legs of the upper and lower pedestrian barriers being slidable within the openings formed through the AGV safety beam, the vertical legs of the upper pedestrian barrier being longer than the vertical legs of the lower pedestrian barrier;
left and right columns engaged with the opposite left and right longitudinal ends of the AGV safety beam and guiding vertical movement of the AGV safety beam from a lower position where the AGV safety beam is substantially adjacent to a floor of the parking garage and an upper position where the AGV safety beam is elevated from the floor; and
a motor for selectively moving the AGV safety beam between the lower position and the upper position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The safety barrier assembly of claim 1, wherein the vertical legs of the upper pedestrian barrier are approximately 42 inches long.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The safety barrier assembly of claim 1, further comprising left and right wheeled carriages mounted respectively to the opposite left and right longitudinal ends of the AGV safety beam.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The safety barrier assembly of claim 1, wherein the AGV safety beam has a vertical height of approximately 4-12 inches.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The safety barrier assembly of claim 1, further comprising sensors and a control for controlling the AGV safety beam.