Mechanical parking device and remote monitoring system and method thereof

Abstract

To provide a mechanical parking device and remote monitoring means thereof capable of easily detecting an initial abnormal symptom and an abnormal part of a pallet support part (e.g., a driving cell) difficult to access.SOLUTION: A mechanical parking device 50 has multiple pallets 2, multiple pallet support parts 18 and a monitoring pallet 20. The monitoring pallet 20 is incorporated in at least one pallet 2, and has a measuring device 22, an imaging device 24 and a monitoring control device 26. The measuring device 22 detects state data of a pallet support part 18 in a horizontally moving time. The imaging device 24 images image data of the pallet support parts 18 in the horizontally moving time. The monitoring control device 26 records and transmits the state data detected by the measuring device 22 and the image data imaged by the imaging device 24. A remote monitoring system 30 has the mechanical parking device 50 and a monitoring device 60 communicating with the mechanical parking device 50 via a network circuit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mechanical parking device and a remote monitoring means thereof that can detect early symptoms of an abnormality and the location of the abnormality. [Background technology]

[0002] Mechanical parking systems, such as horizontally circulating parking systems, are systems in which multiple drive cells that support and move pallets are arranged so that the pallets are adjacent to each other in a checkerboard pattern on a horizontal plane, and the pallets are moved lengthwise or widthwise at each position to circulate the pallets and allow vehicles to enter and exit the system. Such a device is disclosed, for example, in US Pat. No. 5,649,999.

[0003] On the other hand, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses a remote maintenance system that remotely monitors the operating state of a mechanical parking device and determines whether maintenance is necessary. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-184800 A [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 3996492 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the horizontal circulation parking system described above, in a parking space where many pallets are arranged adjacent to each other, at least one drive cell is an empty cell with no pallets, and a pallet on a drive cell adjacent to the empty cell can be moved horizontally (horizontally or vertically) onto the empty cell. This horizontal movement moves the position of the empty cell to an adjacent position, and by repeating this, the pallets on each level can be freely moved horizontally (horizontally or vertically).

[0006] In horizontally circulating parking systems, the drive cells that support the pallets and move them horizontally (horizontally or vertically) have a complex structure, which can lead to malfunctions. Meanwhile, in parking spaces, multiple pallets are placed adjacent to each other on top of multiple drive cells, and the space where the drive cells are located below the pallets is so narrow and low that people cannot enter and move around. This means that people cannot access the drive cells except in areas where the cells are empty, making it difficult to detect drive cell abnormalities early or identify the location of the abnormality.

[0007] Furthermore, in the "Remote Maintenance System for Parking Equipment" of Patent Document 2, the operating status of the machine is remotely monitored by monitoring the operating time of the electric motor and the operation of the sensors, but these monitoring methods alone are not able to detect early symptoms of abnormalities occurring in the drive cell (abnormal noises, vibrations, scratches, cracks, wear, etc. on components).

[0008] The present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems. That is, the object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical parking system and a remote monitoring means that can easily detect the early symptoms and abnormalities of a pallet support part (e.g., a drive cell) that is difficult to access. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to the present invention, a plurality of pallets for carrying vehicles; a plurality of pallet support portions that support the pallet during horizontal movement; A mechanical parking device is provided which includes a monitoring pallet which is incorporated into at least one of the pallets and which has a measuring device which detects status data of the pallet support part during the horizontal movement, an imaging device which captures image data of the pallet support part during the horizontal movement, and a monitoring control device which stores and transmits the status data and the image data.

[0010] According to the present invention, there is provided a parking system comprising: a monitoring device that communicates with the mechanical parking device via a network line, The mechanical parking device includes a wireless receiver that is provided outside the pallet and wirelessly receives the status data and the image data from the monitoring pallet; a network device that communicates with the monitoring device via the network line; the mechanical parking device receives the status data and the image data from the monitoring pallet during the horizontal movement of the monitoring pallet and transmits them to the monitoring device together with position data of the pallet support part; The remote monitoring system is characterized in that the monitoring device detects an early symptom of an abnormality in the pallet support part from the status data, and stores the image data and position data at the time of abnormality detection.

[0011] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the above-mentioned remote monitoring system is used, The mechanical parking device receives the status data and the image data from the monitoring pallet during the horizontal movement of the monitoring pallet and transmits them to the monitoring device together with the position data of the pallet support part; The remote monitoring method is characterized in that the monitoring device detects an early symptom of an abnormality in the pallet support part from the status data, and stores the image data and position data at the time of abnormality detection. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The mechanical parking system of the present invention includes a monitoring pallet with a measuring device, an imaging device, and a monitoring control device built into at least one of the pallets. With this configuration, the monitoring pallet can be supported by multiple pallet support parts (e.g., drive cells) and moved horizontally like other pallets. In addition, the measuring device detects status data of the pallet support parts during horizontal movement, the imaging device captures image data of the pallet support parts during horizontal movement, and the monitoring control device stores and transmits the status data and image data. With this configuration, by supporting the monitored pallet with multiple pallet support parts and moving it horizontally like other pallets, it is possible to easily detect early symptoms of abnormalities and abnormal locations in pallet support parts that are difficult to access from the stored or transmitted status data and image data.

[0013] Furthermore, according to the remote monitoring system and method of the present invention, the mechanical parking device receives status data and image data from the monitoring pallet as it moves horizontally, and transmits them to the monitoring device together with position data of the pallet support. The monitoring device also detects early symptoms of an abnormality in the pallet support from the status data, and stores the image data and position data at the time the abnormality is detected. This configuration makes it possible to remotely monitor the status data of a pallet support unit (for example, a drive cell) that is difficult to access, and to remotely detect the initial symptoms of an abnormality and the location of the abnormality. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are a side view and a plan view showing an example of a conventional horizontal circulation type parking device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the horizontal circulation type parking device. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a bottom view showing a specific example of a pallet. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a drive cell. [Figure 5] 1 is a diagram illustrating the overall configuration of a remote monitoring system according to the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a monitoring pallet that constitutes the mechanical parking device of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] FIG. 1 is a side view (A) and a plan view (B) showing an example of a conventional horizontal circulation type parking system 100. The horizontally circulating parking device 100 is a device in which a plurality of drive cells 4 that support and move pallets 2 are arranged so that the pallets 2 are adjacent to each other in a checkerboard pattern on a horizontal plane, and the pallets 2 are moved lengthwise or widthwise at each position to circulate the pallets 2 and allow vehicles 1 to enter and leave the device. The vehicle 1 is, for example, a passenger car. The vehicle 1 may be a small car, a medium-sized car, a large car, a high-roof car, or the like.

[0016] 1(A) and 1(B), the horizontal circulation parking system 100 is an underground type with two storage areas, an upper and lower, underground. Also, a lift 3 is provided that moves vertically between the loading / unloading area on the ground and the upper and lower underground levels, lifting pallets 2 between them. In this example, each of the upper and lower storage areas has a vehicle storage space for 11 vehicles in the range other than the position where the lift 3 raises and lowers the pallet 2.

[0017] In this figure, each vehicle storage space is provided with a drive cell 4 that moves a pallet 2 carrying a vehicle 1 in the width and length directions. In this example, a drive cell 4 is also provided on the lift 3.

[0018] The drive cell 4 is configured to be able to move the pallet 2 carrying the vehicle 1 in both its width direction (lateral feeding) and its length direction (vertical feeding).

[0019] 1, in this example, each of the two upper and lower stages is provided with one drive cell 4 for each vehicle storage space for 11 vehicles. Each drive cell 4 has a frame 9 (see FIG. 4) that corresponds in size to the pallet 2 in a plan view. In each of the two upper and lower stages, multiple frames 9 are arranged at regular intervals from each other and are supported horizontally at their four corners. In each stage, at least one drive cell 4 does not have a pallet 2 placed on it, while the other drive cells 4 have pallets 2 placed on them. A drive cell 4 without a pallet 2 placed on it will be referred to as an "empty cell" below.

[0020] With the above-described configuration of the horizontal circulation type parking system 100, at least one drive cell 4 is empty on each level, so the pallet 2 on the drive cell 4 adjacent to the empty cell can be moved horizontally (horizontally or vertically) onto the empty cell. This horizontal movement moves the position of the empty cell to an adjacent position. Therefore, by repeating this process, the pallets 2 on each stage can be freely moved horizontally (transversely or vertically).

[0021] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the horizontal circulation type parking device 100 described above. In this figure, the lift position is indicated by 5. Note that the arrangement of the drive cells 4 in this figure is different from that in FIG.

[0022] Figure 2 shows the operation of vehicle 1 (hereinafter referred to as vehicle a) indicated by the symbol a moving horizontally to lift position 5 in the order of (A), (B), (C), and (D), and then being transported by lift 3 to the loading / unloading area on the ground. As shown in this figure, the horizontal movement of pallets 2 in the horizontal circulation parking device 100 is controlled by a computer to determine the shortest route for entry and exit, allowing vehicles 1 to move horizontally efficiently one after another like a puzzle, thereby realizing the shortest waiting time for entry and exit.

[0023] 3 is a bottom view showing a specific example of the pallet 2. This figure shows the bottom surface of the pallet 2. The pallet 2 is set to a size that allows the entire vehicle 1 (for example, a passenger car) to be placed thereon, with no part of the vehicle 1 protruding outside the pallet 2 in a plan view.

[0024] 3, the pallet 2 has, on its underside, a pair of widthwise rails 6a, a pair of lengthwise rails 6b, and a plurality of switching rails 6c. Hereinafter, unless otherwise necessary, the widthwise rails 6a, lengthwise rails 6b, and switching rails 6c will be simply referred to as "support rails 6."

[0025] The pair of widthwise rails 6a extend horizontally at a fixed interval in the width direction of the pallet 2. In the following, "horizontal" means that the pallet 2 is horizontal when in use. The pair of longitudinal rails 6b extend horizontally at a fixed interval along the length of the pallet 2. The interval between the pair of widthwise rails 6a and the interval between the pair of longitudinal rails 6b are set so as to support the pallet 2 horizontally.

[0026] Multiple (four in this example) switching rails 6c are provided at the intersections 7 (four in this example) of the widthwise rails 6a and the lengthwise rails 6b, and are configured to be rotatable between the widthwise and lengthwise directions. The switching rail 6c rotates around a vertical axis, and is not provided with a rotation drive mechanism, but can be rotated freely by an external force.

[0027] The lower surfaces of the width direction rail 6a and the length direction rail 6b are flush with each other and form a horizontal plane, and the widths of the width direction rail 6a and the length direction rail 6b are set to be the same. The widthwise rails 6a and the lengthwise rails 6b are separated at an intersection 7, and their end faces are spaced a fixed distance from the rotation center of the switching rail 6c. The outer ends of the widthwise rails 6a and the lengthwise rails 6b extend to the vicinity of the outer edge of the pallet 2.

[0028] The switching rail 6c is a single rail having the same width as the widthwise rail 6a and the lengthwise rail 6b. The lower surface of the switching rail 6c is a horizontal surface at the same height as the widthwise rail 6a and the lengthwise rail 6b. The length of the switching rail 6c is set so that the widthwise rail 6a and the lengthwise rail 6b, which are separated at the intersection 7, are connected via the switching rail 6c.

[0029] With the configuration of the pallet 2 described above, the switching rail 6c can be rotated horizontally and the divided widthwise rails 6a can be connected via the switching rail 6c, thereby forming a pair of rails extending across the entire width of the pallet 2 using the widthwise rails 6a and the switching rail 6c.

[0030] Similarly, by rotating the switching rail 6c horizontally and connecting the divided longitudinal rail 6b via the switching rail 6c, a pair of rails extending along the entire length of the pallet 2 can be formed by the longitudinal rail 6b and the switching rail 6c.

[0031] As mentioned above, the pallet 2 is designed to carry the vehicle 1, but it does not have a drive device (power source) to move itself, and instead moves horizontally passively via the drive cell 4 located below.

[0032] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the drive cell 4. As shown in FIG. In this figure, the drive cell 4 comprises a frame 9 and a pallet drive device 10 mounted on the frame.

[0033] The frame 9 is a frame for the drive cell 4 that moves the pallet 2 carrying the vehicle 1 in its width and length directions. 4, multiple frames 9 are arranged at regular intervals from one another and are supported horizontally at their four corners. In this case, vertically extending pillars (not shown) are provided on the outer sides of the four corners of the frames 9, and the pallets 2 can pass between the pillars by moving horizontally in the width and length directions.

[0034] The pallet drive device 10 includes a pair of drive units 12 , a pair of driven units 14 , and a turning mechanism 16 . A pair of drive units 12 and a pair of follower units 14 are provided at the rotation center positions of the four switching rails 6c of the above-mentioned pallet 2, and are attached so as to be able to freely rotate around the rotation center of the switching rail 6c. In this example, a pair of drive units 12 and a pair of follower units 14 are each disposed at diagonal positions among the four rotation centers of the switching rail 6c.

[0035] The turning mechanism 16 has a plurality of interlocking rods 17a that sequentially connect a pair of drive units 12 and a pair of driven units 14, and a turning drive unit 17b that moves the interlocking rods 17a horizontally. With this configuration, the pair of drive units 12 and the pair of driven units 14 are rotated horizontally in synchronization via the linkage rod 17a by the swivel drive unit 17b, and the drive direction of the drive units 12 and the guide direction of the driven units 14 can be switched between the width direction and the length direction.

[0036] The drive unit 12 has a drive wheel 12 a that supports and drives the pallet 2 , and a plurality of guide rollers 12 b that rotate horizontally together with the drive wheel 12 a and guide the horizontal movement of the pallet 2 . The drive wheel 12a is driven to rotate around a horizontal axis. The drive wheel 12a is disk-shaped, and the upper surface of its outer periphery supports the lower surface of the support rail 6 of the pallet 2. As the drive wheel 12a rotates, it drives the pallet 2 in the horizontal direction.

[0037] The driven unit 14 is the same as the drive unit 12 except that the drive wheels 12a of the drive unit 12 are replaced with driven wheels 14a and the drive motor 13 is omitted.

[0038] With the above-described configuration, the drive direction of the drive unit 12 and the guide direction of the driven unit 14 can be switched in conjunction with each other in the width direction and the length direction by the interlocking rod 17a. Furthermore, when the support rails 6 form a pair of rails in the width direction or length direction, a pair of drive units 12 are positioned on each of the pair of rails, support the pallet 2 via the pair of rails, and can drive the pallet 2 horizontally in the width direction or length direction. Furthermore, in this case, a pair of follower units 14 are also positioned on the pair of rails, respectively, to support the pallet 2 via the pair of rails and to guide the pallet 2 in the width direction or length direction. Therefore, the above-mentioned pallet driving device 10 can switch between horizontal feeding, in which the pallet 2 carrying the vehicle 1 is moved in its width direction, and vertical feeding, in which the pallet 2 is moved in its length direction.

[0039] The above-described configurations of the pallet 2, drive cell 4, and pallet drive device 10 are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these, and other configurations may also be used.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a remote monitoring system 30 according to the present invention. In this figure, the remote monitoring system 30 comprises a mechanical parking device 50 and a monitoring device 60 that communicates with the mechanical parking device 50 via a network line.

[0041] The mechanical parking device 50 of the present invention comprises a plurality of pallets 2 on which vehicles 1 are placed, a plurality of pallet support parts 18 that support the pallets 2 during horizontal movement, and a monitoring pallet 20. In this example, the mechanical parking device 50 is the horizontal circulation type parking device 100 described above, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be any other mechanical parking device. Palette 2 is the Palette 2 described above in this example. The pallet support 18 is, in this example, the pallet drive device 10 including the drive unit 12 and driven unit 14 described above.

[0042] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the monitoring pallet 20 that constitutes the mechanical parking device 50 of the present invention. In this figure, (A) is a side view of the monitoring pallet 20, and (B) is a bottom view of the monitoring pallet 20 as seen from below.

[0043] In Fig. 6(A), the pallet 2 has a vehicle mounting plate 2a on which the vehicle 1 is placed, and a support frame 2b located between the vehicle mounting plate 2a and the support rails 6. The support frame 2b is located between the width direction rails 6a and length direction rails 6b and the vehicle mounting plate 2a, and has enough rigidity to support the vehicle 1 and prevent deformation of the support rails 6. The support frame 2b is, for example, a steel beam (H-shaped or rectangular) with an overall height of 100 to 150 mm.

[0044] 6(A) and 6(B), the monitoring pallet 20 is incorporated into at least one of the pallets 2, and includes a measuring device 22, an imaging device 24, and a monitoring control device . The measuring device 22, the imaging device 24, and the monitoring control device 26 are positioned between or outside the support frames 2b so as not to interfere with the above-mentioned pallet driving device 10, and their overall height is set lower than that of the support frames 2b.

[0045] The measuring device 22 detects state data of the pallet support portion 18 during horizontal movement. The state data is sound pressure data, vibration data, contact pressure data with the pallet support portion 18, or level data of the pallet support portion 18 during horizontal movement. In this example, the measuring device 22 is a sound level meter 22a that detects sound pressure data, a vibration meter 22b that detects vibration data, a surface pressure meter 22c that detects contact pressure data, and a level meter 22d that detects level data. The sound level meter 22a and the vibration meter 22b are fixed to, for example, the rear surface of the vehicle mounting plate 2a, and detect sound pressure data and vibration data, respectively. The surface pressure gauge 22c is, for example, a strain gauge attached to the switching rail 6c, and detects contact pressure data from strain occurring in the switching rail 6c. The level meter 22d is, for example, a laser distance meter fixed to a part of the support frame 2b, and detects the amount of wear of the pallet drive device 10 (for example, the drive wheel 12a) from the distance to the corresponding position of the drive cell 4.

[0046] The imaging device 24 captures image data of the pallet support part 18 during horizontal movement. In this example, the imaging device 24 is a plurality of cameras that are provided outside the intersection part 7 and capture images of the drive unit 12 or the driven unit 14.

[0047] The monitoring control device 26 is, for example, a computer (PC) with wireless communication equipment, and controls the measurement timing of the measuring device 22 and the image capture timing of the imaging device 24 during horizontal movement. This timing is preferably set, for example, when the intersection 7 is positioned above the drive wheels 12a and driven wheels 14a of the pallet support part 18. Furthermore, the monitoring control device 26 stores and transmits the status data detected by the measuring device 22 and the image data captured by the imaging device 24.

[0048] 6(A) and 6(B), the monitoring pallet 20 further includes a position detection device 27 and a power supply device 28. The position detection device 27 and the power supply device 28 are also positioned between or outside the support frames 2b so as not to interfere with the above-mentioned pallet drive device 10, and their overall height is set lower than that of the support frames 2b.

[0049] The position detection device 27 is, for example, a GPS or an image processing device. The GPS detects position data of the pallet support part 18 on which the monitoring pallet 20 is placed. The image processing device processes the image obtained by the imaging device 24 and detects position data of the drive unit 12 and the follower unit 14, for example, from marks (e.g., two-dimensional codes) attached in advance to the drive unit 12 and the follower unit 14. The position detection device 27 is not essential, and it may be omitted, and the control device (parking lot control device 52) of the mechanical parking device 50 may detect the position data of the pallet support part 18 on which the monitoring pallet 20 is placed.

[0050] The power supply device 28 includes, for example, a charging connector, a battery, and a transformer, and supplies power to the measuring device 22, the imaging device 24, and the monitoring and control device 26. The battery is charged by a charging device 53 (described later) provided at a fixed position in the parking space or the loading / unloading room, for example.

[0051] As described above, the mechanical parking device 50 of the present invention includes a monitoring pallet 20 having a measuring device 22, an imaging device 24, and a monitoring control device 26 incorporated into at least one of the pallets 2. With this configuration, the monitoring pallet 20 can be supported by multiple pallet support parts 18 and moved horizontally, just like the other pallets 2.

[0052] Furthermore, the measuring device 22 on the monitoring pallet detects status data of the pallet support 18 during horizontal movement (for example, when the intersection 7 is positioned above the driving wheel 12a and driven wheel 14a of the pallet support 18). Additionally, the imaging device 24 captures image data of the pallet support 18 during horizontal movement, and the monitoring control device 26 stores and transmits the status data and image data. With this configuration, by supporting the monitoring pallet 20 with multiple pallet support parts 18 and moving it horizontally, it is possible to easily detect the initial symptoms of an abnormality and the location of an abnormality in a pallet support part 18 (e.g., drive cell 4) that is difficult to access from the stored or transmitted status data and image data.

[0053] As described above, the monitoring pallet 20 is incorporated into one of the pallets 2, and like the pallet 2, it does not have a drive device (power source) to move itself, but rather moves horizontally passively by the drive cell 4 located below. Therefore, the parking lot control device 52 (described later) of the mechanical parking device 50 allows the vehicle 1 to move freely to the parking space and entrance / exit area in the same way as other pallets 2. In this case, the vehicle 1 may or may not be placed on the monitoring pallet 20. In addition, the monitoring control device 26 stores status data and image data during horizontal movement, so that pallet support parts 18 that have initial symptoms of an abnormality (abnormal noise, vibration, or sudden change in surface pressure) can be identified from changes in sound pressure based on sound pressure data, vibration based on vibration data, or surface pressure based on contact pressure data. Furthermore, by using an image processing device to analyze image data obtained when the pallet support part 18, where initial symptoms of an abnormality have been identified, is moved horizontally, abnormal areas (scratches, cracks, wear, etc. in components) can be easily detected.

[0054] In FIG. 5, the mechanical parking device 50 further includes a parking lot control device 52, a charging device 53, a wireless receiver 54, and a network device 56. The parking lot control device 52 is, for example, a computer (PC) and controls the operation of the constituent devices. The charging device 53 is provided outside the pallet 2 (for example, at a fixed position in the parking space or loading / unloading room) and charges the battery of the power supply device 28. This charging is preferably done by contactless power supply. The wireless receiver 54 is installed outside the pallet 2 (for example, in a parking space or a loading / unloading room) and wirelessly receives status data and image data from the monitoring pallet 20. The network device 56 communicates with the monitoring device 60 via a network line.

[0055] When the monitoring pallet 20 moves horizontally, the mechanical parking device 50 receives status data and image data from the monitoring pallet 20 and transmits them to the monitoring device 60 together with position data of the pallet support portion 18. In this example, the parking lot control device 52 also has a monitoring unit 58. The monitoring unit 58 detects early symptoms of an abnormality in the pallet support part 18 from the status data, and stores image data and position data at the time the abnormality is detected. The monitoring unit 58 preferably has the same functions as the monitoring device 60, which will be described later. The monitoring unit 58 is not essential and may be omitted.

[0056] The monitoring device 60 is a monitoring computer (PC) that communicates with the mechanical parking device 50 via a network line, detects initial symptoms of abnormalities in the pallet support part 18 from the status data received from the mechanical parking device 50, and stores image data and position data at the time the abnormality is detected. The monitoring device 60 also has an image processing device that compares multiple image data with the same position data and detects abnormalities from the differences between them. The number of mechanical parking devices 50 with which the monitoring device 60 communicates is not limited to one, and may be multiple.

[0057] The remote monitoring method according to the present invention uses the above-described remote monitoring system 30 and includes the following steps (processes). (A) A first step in which the mechanical parking device 50 receives status data and image data from the monitoring pallet 20 when the monitoring pallet 20 moves horizontally and transmits the data to the monitoring device 60 together with the position data of the pallet support portion 18. (B) A second step in which the monitoring device 60 detects an early symptom of an abnormality in the pallet support portion 18 from the status data, and stores image data and position data at the time the abnormality is detected.

[0058] In the second step, the magnitude of the condition data (sound pressure, vibration, surface pressure) is compared with the respective threshold values, and if the threshold values ​​are exceeded, an early symptom of an abnormality is detected. In the second step, it is preferable to compare a plurality of image data having the same position data by image processing, and identify an abnormality from the difference between the image data.

[0059] It is also preferable to discontinue use of the pallet support unit 18 (drive cell 4) in which an abnormality has been detected. In other words, if an abnormality is detected, the use of the drive cell 4 in that location is automatically stopped. This prevents further wear of the abnormal location or accidents such as derailment of the pallet 2 from the drive cell 4.

[0060] Furthermore, it is preferable to create a new route that bypasses the pallet support unit 18 (drive cell 4) in which an abnormality has been detected. A new, shortest route is determined by computer control to bypass the abnormality, eliminating the abnormality. This allows vehicles to continue entering and leaving the parking system without stopping the entire system, preventing the system from being unavailable until an inspector arrives.

[0061] According to the above-described remote monitoring system 30 and remote monitoring method of the present invention, the mechanical parking device 50 receives status data and image data from the monitoring pallet 20 when the monitoring pallet 20 moves horizontally and transmits them to the monitoring device 60 together with the position data of the pallet support portion 18. The movement of the monitoring pallet 20 may be controlled by the parking lot control device 52 of the mechanical parking device 50, allowing it to be freely moved to the parking space and entrance / exit area like other pallets 2, or it may be remotely controlled via the parking lot control device 52. In addition, the monitoring device 60 can identify pallet support parts 18 that are showing early symptoms of an abnormality (abnormal noise, vibration, or sudden change in surface pressure) from the status data received during horizontal movement, changes in sound pressure from sound pressure data, vibration from vibration data, and surface pressure from contact pressure data. Furthermore, by analyzing image data obtained when the pallet support part 18, for which an initial symptom of an abnormality has been identified, is moved horizontally, it is possible to easily detect abnormalities (scratches, cracks, wear, etc. in components). Therefore, it is possible to remotely monitor the status data of the pallet support portion 18 (for example, the drive cell 4) which is difficult to access, and to remotely detect the initial symptoms of an abnormality and the location of the abnormality.

[0062] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1 vehicle, 2 pallet, 2a vehicle loading plate, 2b support frame, 3 lift, 4 drive cell, 5 lift position, 6 support rail, 6a Width direction rail, 6b Length direction rail, 6c Switching rail, 7 intersection, 9 frame, 10 pallet drive device, 12 drive unit, 12a driving wheel, 12b guide roller, 14 driven unit, 14a driven wheel, 16 swivel mechanism, 17a interlocking rod, 17b swivel drive unit, 18 Pallet support, 20 Monitoring pallet, 22 Measuring device, 22a Sound level meter, 22b Vibration meter, 22c Surface pressure meter, 22d Level meter, 24 Imaging device, 26 Monitoring control device, 27 Position detection device, 28 Power supply device, 30 Remote monitoring system, 50 Mechanical parking device, 52 Parking control device, 53 charging device, 54 wireless receiver, 56 network equipment, 58 monitoring unit, 60 Monitoring device, 100 Horizontal circulation parking device

Claims

1. A number of pallets on which the vehicles are placed; A plurality of pallet support parts for supporting the pallet during horizontal movement; A mechanical parking device comprising: a monitoring pallet incorporated in at least one of the pallets, the monitoring pallet having an imaging device that captures image data of the pallet support part during the horizontal movement, and a monitoring control device that stores and transmits the image data.

2. The monitoring pallet has a measuring device that detects state data of the pallet support part during the horizontal movement, The mechanical parking device according to claim 1 , wherein the monitoring control device stores and transmits the status data.

3. The state data is sound pressure data, vibration data, contact pressure data with the pallet support part, or level data of the pallet support part during the horizontal movement, The mechanical parking device of claim 2, wherein the measuring device is a sound level meter that detects the sound pressure data, a vibration meter that detects the vibration data, a surface pressure meter that detects the contact pressure data, or a level meter that detects the level data.

4. The mechanical parking device according to claim 2 , wherein the monitoring pallet has a position detection device that detects position data of the pallet support portion.

5. the monitoring pallet has a power supply device that supplies power to the measuring device, the imaging device, and the monitoring control device, The mechanical parking device according to claim 2, further comprising a charging device provided outside the pallet for charging the power supply device.

6. Equipped with a parking lot control device that controls the operation of the component equipment, The mechanical parking device according to claim 4, wherein the parking lot control device has a monitoring unit that detects initial symptoms of an abnormality in the pallet support part from the status data and stores the image data and the position data at the time an abnormality is detected.

7. The mechanical parking device according to claim 1 ; A monitoring device that communicates with the mechanical parking device via a network line, The mechanical parking device includes a wireless receiver that is provided outside the pallet and wirelessly receives the image data from the monitoring pallet; a network device that communicates with the monitoring device via the network line; The mechanical parking device receives the image data from the monitoring pallet during the horizontal movement of the monitoring pallet and transmits the image data together with position data of the pallet support part to the monitoring device, The monitoring device compares multiple image data sets having the same location data, detects abnormalities from the differences between the image data sets, and stores the image data and location data at the time the abnormality is detected.

8. The monitoring pallet has a measuring device that detects state data of the pallet support part during the horizontal movement, The monitoring and control device stores and transmits the status data, the wireless receiver wirelessly receives the status data from the monitoring pallet; The mechanical parking device receives the status data from the monitoring pallet during the horizontal movement of the monitoring pallet and transmits the status data together with the position data of the pallet support part to the monitoring device; The remote monitoring system according to claim 7 , wherein the monitoring device detects an early symptom of an abnormality in the pallet support portion from the status data.

9. 8. The remote monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein the monitoring device comprises an image processing device that compares a plurality of the image data having the same position data and detects an abnormality from a difference between the image data.

10. A parking lot control device for controlling the operation of the component devices, The remote monitoring system described in claim 7, wherein the monitoring pallet can be freely moved to the parking space and entrance / exit area in the same way as other pallets via the parking lot control device, or can be remotely controlled via the parking lot control device.

11. Using the remote monitoring system according to claim 7, The mechanical parking device receives the image data from the monitoring pallet during the horizontal movement of the monitoring pallet and transmits the image data together with the position data of the pallet support part to the monitoring device; The remote monitoring method is characterized in that the monitoring device compares multiple image data having the same position data, detects abnormalities from the differences between the image data, and stores the image data and the position data at the time the abnormality is detected.

12. The monitoring pallet has a measuring device that detects state data of the pallet support part during the horizontal movement, The monitoring and control device stores and transmits the status data, The mechanical parking device receives the status data from the monitoring pallet during the horizontal movement of the monitoring pallet and transmits the status data together with the position data of the pallet support part to the monitoring device; The remote monitoring method according to claim 11, wherein the monitoring device detects an early symptom of an abnormality in the pallet support portion from the status data.

13. The remote monitoring method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of: ceasing use of the pallet support unit in which the abnormal portion is detected.

14. The remote monitoring method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of creating a new route that bypasses the pallet support section in which the abnormal portion is detected.

15. The state data is sound pressure data, vibration data, contact pressure data with the pallet support part, or level data of the pallet support part during the horizontal movement, The method of claim 12, further comprising comparing the magnitude of said status data with respective thresholds, and detecting an early symptom of said anomaly when said thresholds are exceeded.

16. The remote monitoring method according to claim 11 , further comprising the steps of: comparing a plurality of pieces of image data having the same position data by image processing; and identifying an abnormality from a difference between the pieces of image data.

17. A plurality of pallets for carrying vehicles; A plurality of pallet support parts for supporting the pallet during horizontal movement; A mechanical parking device including a monitoring pallet, the monitoring pallet having an imaging device incorporated in at least one of the pallets for capturing image data of the pallet support part during the horizontal movement, and a monitoring control device for storing and transmitting the image data; A monitoring device that communicates with the mechanical parking device via a network line, the monitoring device has an image processing device for comparing a plurality of the image data having the same position data of the pallet support portion and detecting an abnormality from a difference between the image data, Stop using the pallet support part in which the abnormality was detected, or A remote monitoring method comprising creating a new route that bypasses the pallet support section in which the abnormality has been detected.

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