Modular vertical garage for the storage of bicycles

Abstract

The application relates to a modular three-dimensional garage facilitating bicycle storage, and belongs to the technical field of traffic facilities. The garage frame is formed by splicing a plurality of standard modules through a unified interface. The transmission of bicycles is realized by the gear and rack mechanisms of mutual connection between the modules. The system has key module quantity identification and module topology identification functions, and the connected module quantity is detected in real time through PLC. During operation, the system cooperates with motors and sensors based on the automatically generated layout, and follows the logic of first moving horizontally to clear the channel and then lifting to adjust the parking position to complete accurate storage and taking. The core feature of the application is that the modular design thought of standardized units and expandability is adopted, the number of frame can be flexibly increased or reduced according to the size of the urban fragmented space, on-demand expansion is realized, and the site adaptability and reconstruction flexibility of the three-dimensional garage are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of transportation infrastructure technology, and specifically relates to a modular, multi-level parking garage that facilitates bicycle storage in urban areas. Background Technology

[0002] With accelerated urbanization and a surge in car ownership, traffic congestion and exhaust pollution have become common problems in most large cities, making it urgent for the country to promote low-emission modes of transportation. To alleviate urban traffic problems and promote a green transportation transformation, the government has begun to advocate for public transportation. While the implementation of public transportation (subways and buses) has improved traffic in various cities to some extent, a problem has also emerged: although public transportation (subways and buses) has wide coverage, it is difficult to directly reach residential areas and office buildings. The last 1-3 kilometers from the station to the destination lack the most convenient option. The emergence of bicycles has solved this problem. Bicycles are powered by human power, produce zero exhaust emissions, and meet the goal of "carbon neutrality," making them an important method for reducing urban carbon emissions. This has not only improved residents' travel experience but also had a profound impact on urban governance and social development.

[0003] In recent years, bicycles have been widely promoted and applied in cities as a convenient and environmentally friendly mode of transportation. However, bicycles are typically parked in densely populated areas such as subway stations, bus stops, shopping malls, and residential areas, resulting in significant occupation of sidewalks and non-motorized vehicle lanes, affecting pedestrian traffic and traffic order. Furthermore, while single-level parking systems exist, they occupy a large area, have low space utilization, and haphazard parking further exacerbates the strain on urban public space. Moreover, the increasing development of cities makes land increasingly precious. Therefore, multi-level bicycle parking systems that offer high space utilization, are intelligent, efficient, and convenient are a powerful tool for solving bicycle storage problems and promoting green and environmentally friendly travel.

[0004] Patent CN116607830A describes an integrated bicycle garage that uses a coupling to drive a worm gear inside a reduction gearbox. The worm gear meshes with a worm wheel, driving a first pulley, which in turn drives a second pulley and a second drive shaft via a belt. Finally, the drive sprocket, driven sprocket, and chain drive the bracket to rotate. Patent CN112554616A, while employing a modular cabin, still uses a monolithic guide rail frame. Expansion requires replacing the entire structure, and the fixed motor position makes it difficult to adapt to flexible changes in site dimensions.

[0005] As can be seen from the above patents, although existing multi-level bicycle parking systems have alleviated the problem of haphazard bicycle parking in urban areas to some extent, their fundamental flaw lies in the lack of a modular design concept, with the overall structure adopting a fixed, integrated design. This non-modular architecture results in a rigid length of the main bicycle frame, making it impossible to adjust according to actual site requirements or changes in the number of parking spaces, greatly limiting its application scope. Due to the lack of modular design support, existing technologies often face problems in large-scale parking applications, such as low transmission efficiency, inability to flexibly add or remove modules according to the scenario, and complex and low-fault-tolerance control systems, limiting their application to small, scattered parking scenarios. Therefore, the inflexible frame length, inability to adjust length as needed, and inability to be effectively applied to large-scale, high-efficiency parking scenarios in existing technologies remain unresolved issues. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention provides a modular, three-dimensional bicycle parking garage that facilitates bicycle storage, thereby addressing the problem of haphazard bicycle parking mentioned above.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: The garage adopts a modular architecture based on a two-layer partition, mainly composed of a basic support module, a composite motion execution module, and several high-strength lightweight storage unit modules. The main garage frame of the basic support module is divided into a two-layer structure. The first layer is a ground interaction layer with a first support base in the middle and a vertical motion frame built on it to realize storage and retrieval interaction. The second layer is a high-density parking layer with support frames on both sides, forming a storage space extending above the waiting areas on the left and right sides. Pushing components and horizontal motion structures are installed in conjunction with the parking layer. The composite motion execution module is detachably integrated into the frame, realizing the movement and positioning of the storage unit modules in the two-layer space through composite motion in the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0008] Furthermore, the composite motion execution module integrates a power transmission group. The two-story garage frame and the storage unit module (vehicle frame) are connected by a groove structure, with a horizontal motion frame installed on the inner side, and horizontal moving fixed wheels are mounted on this frame. Several transmission shafts are installed on the horizontal motion frame, with horizontal moving gears mounted on the shafts and meshing with the rack of the garage frame. At the same time, vertical moving gears are mounted on the frame and mesh with the vertical moving rack.

[0009] Furthermore, the first part of the storage unit module's frame includes a slot for placing the bicycle. This slot has a trapezoidal cross-section, specifically 140mm wide at the bottom, 75mm wide at the top, and 115mm high, with a total length of 1615mm. The internal slot is 34mm wide and 100mm deep. To enhance stability and structural strength and ensure stable bicycle placement, two triangular trusses are added to the top and middle triangular plate of the slot. Two triangular ribs are added to the sides and the triangular plate. A 30mm×30mm×30mm protrusion is integrated at the front end of the slot to prevent the bicycle from slipping. Five square holes are formed on both sides of the slot. The triangular plate used in this module has a base length of 140mm, a height of 690mm, and a thickness of 15mm. The center is hollowed out to reduce weight and improve aesthetics. This triangular plate provides a 40mm lateral convex edge to accommodate the slide rail and connect the front and rear slots, significantly increasing the overall strength of the module.

[0010] Furthermore, the storage unit module integrates a high-strength interactive interface module on its rear side, featuring a dedicated rear groove with dimensions of 84mm length, 60mm thickness, 650mm height, 30mm depth, 550mm effective height, and 40mm width. This groove is designed to cooperate with the lifting components in the dual-axis linkage transfer module. A 100mm long detachment groove is specially designed 200mm above this groove to facilitate automatic detachment and engagement between the frame and the lifting components. The lifting components on one side of the first-layer frame are equipped with a vertically moving gear and a meshing vertically moving rack. The vertically moving gear engages with the frame via bearings and a shaft.

[0011] Furthermore, the rolling bearings are preferably 6203 deep groove ball bearings to withstand radial loads. The main frame structure is made of 1060 metal (aluminum alloy), and the rear groove requires high-strength materials due to the need for long-term fit, so AISI 4340 steel (annealed) is selected.

[0012] Furthermore, the motor control selects a brushless DC motor, which is placed on the back plate of the horizontal moving frame and the vertical moving frame to control the rack and pinion transmission.

[0013] Furthermore, to address the issue of smooth transmission at the module splicing points, this invention designs a rack and pinion connection mechanism. The rack segments of the new and old modules are fixed together using a combination of locating pins and a backplate. The precise positioning characteristics of the locating pins eliminate splicing errors and prevent rigid impacts when the gears pass through the gaps, thereby extending the horizontal travel range.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention, based on a modular design philosophy, constructs a highly efficient and scalable three-dimensional parking system. Unlike existing manual bicycle parking racks, this invention achieves significant technical advantages by integrating modular mechanical structures with modular control logic. Firstly, in terms of automated storage and retrieval, the system employs a modular composite motion execution module as the core execution unit. This module integrates a drive motor system and a rack and pinion transmission mechanism, forming an independent power execution module. Users only need to complete the initial vehicle placement at the standard interface on the ground level. The control system can then call the encapsulated storage and retrieval subroutine to command the composite motion execution module to automatically complete vertical lifting, horizontal lateral movement, and positional shifting. This design greatly reduces the user's operational threshold and time cost, and standardizes parking order through standardized storage and retrieval actions, effectively solving the urban management problem of haphazard bicycle parking. Secondly, in terms of space utilization, this invention breaks through the limitations of traditional single-layer parking, utilizing the stackable characteristics of modular components to construct a two-layer three-dimensional expansion structure. The system defines the storage unit module as a standardized, modular component, which is arranged in a vertical and horizontal array through the basic support module. The electric lifting system and the horizontal moving mechanism are designed as independent subsystems. The two are independently addressed and work together in terms of control logic, which doubles the parking capacity under the same land area. Its flexible modular assembly method can quickly adapt to the remaining space in different terrains such as subway stations, business districts and residential areas, effectively making use of valuable urban ground resources.

[0015] In terms of structural safety and reliability verification, this invention strictly adheres to the principles of modular standard component selection and segmented verification to ensure the overall system's safety redundancy. Key transmission nodes preferentially utilize standard components such as 6203 deep groove ball bearings, and the tooth surface contact strength and tooth root bending strength of gears and racks at the interfaces of modules such as the vertical frame, horizontal frame, and pusher are checked. Simultaneously, the SolidWorks static simulation module is used to perform segmented analysis and overall coupling verification of the garage frame, independent frame, and moving frame. The results show that the stress of each module under full load conditions is far less than the allowable stress of the material. This modular design and verification not only ensures the safe operation of the equipment but also allows for subsequent maintenance to focus on replacing only the specific faulty module, significantly reducing the lifecycle maintenance costs. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a modular three-dimensional garage that facilitates bicycle storage according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the detailed structure of the assembly of a modular three-dimensional garage for convenient bicycle storage according to the present invention. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the motion frame structure of a modular three-dimensional garage for convenient bicycle storage according to the present invention; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the vertically movable frame structure of a modular three-dimensional garage for convenient bicycle storage according to the present invention; Figure 5 The control flowchart of a modular three-dimensional garage frame for convenient bicycle storage according to the present invention; In the diagram: 1. Garage frame; 2. Chassis; 3. Pusher; 4. Pusher gear; 5. Pusher rack; 6. Lifting parts; 7. Chassis vertical movement gear; 8. Chassis vertical movement rack; 9. Horizontal movement frame; 10. Horizontal movement fixed wheel; 11. Shaft; 12. Horizontal movement gear; 13. Garage frame rack; 14. Vertical movement gear; 15. Vertical movement rack; 16. Key; 17. Deep groove ball bearing; 18. Shaft with keyway; 19. Vertical movement frame; Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0018] Conversely, this invention encompasses any substitutions, modifications, equivalent methods, and solutions made within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, to provide a better understanding of the invention, certain specific details are described in detail below. However, those skilled in the art will fully understand the invention even without these detailed descriptions.

[0019] like Figure 1As shown, the present invention provides a technical solution: a modular three-dimensional garage for convenient bicycle storage, comprising a basic support module consisting of a garage overall frame (1). To meet the requirements of high strength load-bearing capacity and long-term durability, the main body of the frame is made of AISI 4340 annealed steel and integrally formed by precision welding and casting processes. The overall length of the garage overall frame (1) is set to 3410mm and the height to 2120mm. Its skeleton members are made of square steel with a cross-sectional dimension of 60mm×60mm to ensure overall rigidity. In terms of spatial functional zoning, the frame is divided into a double-layer structure. The ground layer is equipped with a high-strength load-bearing plate with dimensions of 970mm×1660mm×60mm. This area serves as the system's interaction interface and is specifically used to place and support the vertical motion frame (19) to achieve a smooth transition with the ground. The upper parking area is the main storage space. The left side is divided into a waiting area with a width of 1100mm, a length of 1300mm, and a thickness of 100mm, and the right side is a parking area with a width of 1460mm and a length of 1300mm. The upper area is equipped with three types of guide rails, which are used to adapt to the sliding of the frame (2), the forward and backward movement of the pusher (3), and the lateral movement of the horizontal motion frame (9), respectively, so as to realize the orderly operation of each functional subsystem.

[0020] Secondly, the storage unit module, i.e. the frame (2), which is an independent load unit, is made of lightweight and corrosion-resistant 1060 aluminum alloy. The module includes a front trough for placing bicycles, a middle triangular plate, and a trough on the back side of the plate. The front trough has a roughly trapezoidal cross section with specific geometric parameters of 140mm bottom width, 75mm top width, 115mm height, and 1615mm total length. The internal long trough for accommodating the wheels is 34mm wide, 100mm deep, and 1615mm long. In order to solve the problem of insufficient rigidity of aluminum alloy materials and improve stability, two triangular trusses are specially added at the connection between the top of the trough and the middle triangular plate, and two triangular ribs are added between the side and the triangular plate. This structural reinforcement design effectively stabilizes the bicycles parked in the trough. At the same time, a 30mm×30mm×30mm protrusion structure is integrated at the front end of the trough as a physical limit stop to prevent the bicycles from accidentally sliding out of the trough during high-speed transfer.

[0021] The horizontal motion frame (9) and the front and rear sides of the garage frame (1) are connected to the shaft (11) via bearings 6303 (17). The other end of the shaft (11) is connected to a horizontal moving fixed wheel (10) to provide its horizontal movement. The horizontal motion frame (9) and the upper side of the garage frame (1) are connected to the garage frame rack (13) via a horizontal moving gear (12) to provide its movement.

[0022] Finally, the garage frame rack (13) is installed in segments. Adjacent rack segments are connected by a back connecting plate and a positioning pin. The positioning pin ensures the assembly space and ensures that the horizontal moving gear (12) meshes smoothly when crossing the module joint, thus achieving effective extension of the stroke.

[0023] like Figure 2 As shown, the pusher assembly and the frame interface adopt a modular integrated design, aiming to achieve high-precision horizontal pushing and vertical docking. The pusher (3) is an independent horizontal actuator, with a pusher gear (4) and a pusher rack (5) integrated on one side. The two drive the pusher to slide along the guide rail of the overall frame (1) of the garage within a stroke range of 0-755mm through precision meshing. This stroke design ensures that the pusher can smoothly push the frame (2) to the center interaction position of the vertical motion frame. Considering that the pusher mainly undertakes displacement guidance rather than heavy-load tasks, the module is made of lightweight 1060 aluminum alloy and formed by casting process to reduce the moment of inertia. In terms of fit tolerance, the key connection holes with a diameter of 40mm all adopt the basic hole interference fit, and the surface of all raised guide grooves is hardened, which significantly enhances the wear resistance and fatigue strength of the module. Meanwhile, a modular lifting component (6) is provided on the frame (2). The component has a rotating pair with the shaft (18) through a deep groove ball bearing (17), which drives the vertical moving gear (7) of the frame to mesh with the vertical moving rack (8) of the frame. The final structure is shown in the assembly diagram.

[0024] like Figure 3 As shown, the assembly relationship of the drive module reflects the high integration of the system. The vertical moving rack (15) is modularly embedded in the inner side slot of the horizontal moving frame (9). The slot depth is designed to be 40mm to fully accommodate the rack, and the rack installation position is recessed by 10mm from the front surface. This embedded design protects the transmission components and optimizes the spatial layout. In terms of motion transmission, the deep groove ball bearing (17) is installed on the lifting part (6) in a concentric manner. The vertical moving gear (14) is then concentrically assembled with the bearing (17), ensuring that the front surface of the gear (14) and the front surface of the rack (15) are on the same reference plane, achieving precise coincident engagement. Based on the 80mm hole positioning dimension on the lifting part (6), the gear and rack mesh. In addition, the lifting part (6) is inserted into the T-slot interface of the frame through two coincident mating surfaces, and the rear slot of the frame (2) is made to coincide with the upper surface and front surface of the protrusion of the lifting part (6). The final structure is shown in the assembly diagram.

[0025] like Figure 4As shown, the vertical motion frame (19), as the core transportation module connecting the ground floor and the parking floor, adopts a high-strength structural design. The main body of the module consists of a bottom bearing plate and a rear mating frame. The bottom plate is 1200mm long, 450mm wide, and 80mm thick. This thickened design compensates for the strength gap caused by the inability to set up a triangular truss due to installation space limitations, and is sufficient to withstand the superimposed load of the frame (2) and the bicycle. A square groove with a depth of 40mm and a width of 15mm is opened at 230mm on the rear side of the bottom plate as a slide rail interface, and the three working surfaces of the groove are all surface treated to improve wear resistance. The rear mating frame is formed by three rods with a cross section of 30mm×40mm (710mm high and 450mm wide). Two mounting plates with a length of 140mm, a width of 40mm, and a thickness of 10mm are welded on each side. The plates have a 40mm diameter interference fit round hole machined 40mm from the outer edge for installing bearings (17) and mating with vertical moving gears (14). In terms of materials, the main structure is made of 1060 aluminum alloy casting, and the functional plates on both sides are connected by welding process, which achieves the unity of lightweight and high strength. The final structure is shown in the assembly diagram.

[0026] like Figure 5 The control flow diagram shown illustrates that the control system of this invention adopts a PLC-based modular architecture. During the parking process, the user obtains the parking space number by scanning a QR code with their mobile phone and places the vehicle into the chassis. After clicking "Store," the PLC acts as the central hub, scheduling each independent module: the vertical lifting subsystem starts first, using a rack and pinion mechanism to lift the chassis to the second-level interactive area; subsequently, the horizontal transfer subsystem takes over, sending the chassis's horizontal movement device into the conveyor trough; finally, the pusher execution module pushes the vehicle in, and each movement unit then resets. When retrieving the vehicle, the system executes reverse logic: the horizontal transfer subsystem responds to the command and moves to the target position, while the vertical lifting subsystem cooperates to complete the high-level grabbing and detachment of the chassis. After the horizontal mechanism returns to zero, the vehicle is smoothly lowered to the ground. This design, through standardized control interfaces and timing management, ensures efficient and precise automatic coordination among the mechanical modules during storage and retrieval operations.

[0027] This type of storage and retrieval is more convenient, and the compact size allows for expansion to fit parking spaces. Its modular design makes it a highly efficient and automated bicycle parking system. It doesn't occupy excessive public space, and the overall aesthetics and tidiness are improved after storage, without affecting the city's appearance.

Claims

1. A modular three-dimensional garage for convenient bicycle storage, comprising a garage frame (1), characterized in that: The garage adopts a modular, layered design, mainly composed of a basic support module, a composite motion execution module, and several independent storage unit modules. The basic support module includes a garage frame (1) as the main structure. The garage frame (1) integrates a guide and support track structure and is equipped with a garage frame rack (13) to form the static base of the system. The composite motion execution module is detachably installed inside the garage frame (1). This module includes a horizontal motion frame (9) and a vertical motion frame (19). The storage unit modules are precisely positioned in the garage through a gear and rack transmission system. The storage unit modules are independently detachable frames (2). They are lifted by the composite motion execution module to perform storage and retrieval operations within the space of the garage frame (1).

2. The modular three-dimensional garage for convenient bicycle storage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The composite motion execution module adopts a modular integration of gear rack transmission and shaft system components. The horizontal motion frame (9) serves as the main carrier for horizontal displacement and is equipped with a horizontal moving fixed wheel (10) to maintain stable movement. The frame is equipped with a power transmission component, including several shafts (11). A horizontal moving gear (12) is installed on the shaft (11) through a key (16) and a keyed shaft. The horizontal moving gear (12) meshes with the garage frame rack (13) on the basic support module to realize modular drive in the horizontal dimension. The end of the shaft (11) is equipped with a rolling bearing (17) to ensure the operation of the module.

3. The modular three-dimensional garage for convenient bicycle storage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The composite motion execution module integrates a vertical lifting subsystem. A vertical moving gear (14) is installed on the horizontal motion frame (9). The gear meshes with the vertical moving rack (15). The vertical motion frame (19) is fitted inside the frame. Vertical displacement is achieved through the transmission cooperation between the vertical moving gear (14) and the vertical moving rack (15), thus forming a lifting function unit independent of the horizontal motion.

4. A modular, multi-level parking garage for convenient bicycle storage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The storage unit module integrates a clamping and pushing mechanism. The frame (2) is designed with an independent access interface and is equipped with a lifting part (6). One side of the lifting part (6) integrates a vertical moving gear (7) of the frame and meshes with a vertical moving rack (8) of the frame on the module to realize the fine adjustment or handover of the frame relative to the motion execution module. In addition, the frame (2) also integrates a pusher assembly, which includes a pusher (3), a pusher gear (4) and a pusher rack (5). The pusher gear (4) meshes with the pusher rack (5) and drives the pusher (3) to move, thereby realizing the function of pushing the bicycle out of the storage unit.

5. A modular, multi-level parking garage for convenient bicycle storage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The garage frame rack (13) is composed of several standard rack segments spliced ​​together. Adjacent rack segments are fixed by a connecting back plate and are positioned by positioning pins to calibrate the pitch.

6. A modular, multi-level parking garage for convenient bicycle storage according to claim 2, characterized in that: The power transmission component is driven by a motor, which is mounted on the back plate side of the horizontal motion frame (9) and the vertical motion frame (19) to provide power to the gear and rack transmission system.

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