Horizontal circulation type parking device and method for controlling the same

Abstract

To provide means for improving overall smoothness by making effective use of a one-way area, which is a low-ceiling area where vehicles cannot be stored.SOLUTION: A vehicle storage floor 6A has a vehicle storage area 7A that can store actual vehicle pallets 2A and a one-way area 7C which is a low-ceiling area that can store empty pallets 2B. A horizontal circulation type parking device 100 comprises a plurality of drive cells 4 that moves the pallets 2 in two directions, a one-way drive cell 9 that is installed in the one-way area and moves the empty pallets in only one-way, a smaller number of pallets than the drive cells located in the vehicle storage area, and a control device 20 that controls the drive cells. The drive cells are installed adjacent to each other in both the vehicle storage area and the one-way area 7C. The control device 20 moves the empty pallets in both the vehicle storage area and the one-way area 7C when the vehicle 1 enters or exits the storage area, and also moves the empty pallets to empty cells 4b in the one-way area 7C to increase the number of the empty cells 4b in the vehicle storage area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a horizontal circulation type parking system that effectively utilizes a one-way area that is a low-ceiling area where vehicles cannot be stored, and a control method thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] A "horizontal circulation type parking device" is a mechanical parking facility that moves a pallet carrying a vehicle (e.g., a passenger car) in a horizontal plane to allow the vehicle to enter and leave the parking facility (enter and exit the parking facility). Such a device is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1.

[0003] In addition, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses a means for effectively utilizing parking spaces by parking high-roof vehicles in spaces with high ceilings and parking standard vehicles in spaces with low ceilings. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-241811 A [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 4559136 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] A horizontally recirculating parking system uses a drive cell that can move a pallet carrying a vehicle both in its width direction (lateral transport) and its length direction (vertical transport). This drive cell includes a frame having a size corresponding to the size of the pallet in a plan view, and a pallet drive device installed on this frame.

[0006] In horizontal circulation parking lots, there may be areas on the vehicle storage floor where the ceiling is so low that vehicles cannot be stored (hereinafter referred to as "low-ceiling areas"; for example, areas below elevator pits, horizontal beams, exhaust ducts, etc.). In cases where the ceiling is higher than the low-ceiling area and low-height vehicles (eg, standard cars) can be stored therein, the parking space can be effectively utilized according to Patent Document 2. However, the solution of Patent Document 2 cannot be applied to low-ceiling areas where vehicles cannot be stored, and so low-ceiling areas have traditionally been unusable areas.

[0007] The present invention has been invented to solve the above-mentioned problems. That is, the object of the present invention is to provide a horizontal circulation type parking system and a control method thereof that can effectively utilize low-ceiling areas where vehicles cannot be stored due to low ceilings and improve overall smoothness. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to the present invention, in a horizontal circulation type parking device in which a pallet carrying a vehicle is moved in two mutually perpendicular directions in a horizontal plane on a vehicle storage floor to allow the vehicle to enter and leave the parking lot, The vehicle storage floor includes a vehicle storage area capable of storing an actual vehicle pallet, which is the pallet on which the vehicle is placed; a one-way area that is adjacent to the vehicle storage area in only one of the two directions and is a low-ceiling area in which an empty pallet that does not carry the vehicle can be stored; The horizontal circulation type parking device includes a plurality of drive cells that carry the pallets and move them in the two directions; a unidirectional driving cell that is installed in the unidirectional region and that carries the empty pallet and moves it in only the unidirectional direction; a number of said pallets located in said vehicle storage area that is less than the number of said drive cells; A control device for controlling the drive cell, A plurality of the drive cells are disposed adjacent to each other in both the vehicle storage area and the one-way area, A horizontal circulation type parking device is provided in which the control device moves the empty pallet in both the vehicle storage area and the one-way area when the vehicle enters or leaves the parking lot.

[0009] According to the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling the above horizontal circulation type parking apparatus, comprising the steps of: A control method for a horizontal revolving parking apparatus is provided, which moves the empty pallets in both the vehicle storage area and the one-way area when the vehicle enters and leaves the parking apparatus. Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided a control method for the above-mentioned horizontal revolving parking device, which moves the empty pallet to an empty cell, which is a driving cell in the one-way area that does not have the pallet on it, thereby increasing the number of empty cells in the vehicle storage area. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, since the vehicle storage floor has a smaller number of pallets than the drive cells located in the vehicle storage area, the loaded vehicle pallets can be moved in two directions in the vehicle storage area to allow vehicles to be loaded and unloaded.

[0011] In addition, the vehicle storage floor further has a one-way area which is a low-ceiling area, and multiple drive cells are installed adjacent to each other in both the vehicle storage area and the one-way area, so that empty pallets not carrying vehicles can be moved in both the vehicle storage area and the one-way area.

[0012] Therefore, by moving empty pallets in both the vehicle storage area and the one-way area when a vehicle is brought in or out, the freedom of the empty pallet's movement path can be increased, shortening the time it takes to bring in or out and improving overall smoothness. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are a side view and a plan view showing an example of a horizontal circulation type parking system of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the horizontal circulation type parking device (parking device). [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a horizontal circulation type parking device according to the present invention. [Figure 4]FIG. 2 is an overall flow diagram of a control method for a horizontal circulation type parking apparatus according to the present invention. [Diagram 5] A diagram showing a specific example of "low ceiling use route A". [Figure 6] This shows the first half of a specific example of "low ceiling non-used route B". [Figure 7] This figure shows the second half of a specific example of "low-ceiling non-used route B." [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a second example of a horizontal circulation type parking device according to the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a third example of a horizontal circulation type parking device according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, common parts in each drawing are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a side view (A) and a plan view (B) showing an example of a horizontal circulation type parking system. A horizontal circulation parking system (hereinafter simply referred to as "parking system") is a mechanical parking facility that moves a pallet 2 carrying a vehicle 1 within a horizontal plane to allow the vehicle 1 to enter and exit the parking facility. 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 (B), the parking device is an underground type with two storage areas, an upper and lower, underground. Also, a lift 3 is provided that moves vertically between the entrance and exit area on the ground and the upper and lower levels underground, lifting and lowering a pallet 2 between them. In this example, each of the two upper and lower levels (each storage area) has a vehicle storage space for 11 vehicles in a 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 for moving a pallet 2 carrying a vehicle 1 in its width and length directions. In this example, the lift 3 is also provided with a drive cell 4.

[0018] The drive cell 4 is configured to be able to move the pallet 2 carrying the vehicle 1 in two directions: "horizontal feed" to move it in its width direction, and "vertical feed" to move it in its length direction. The drive cell 4 also has a "mechanism for changing the conveying direction" between "horizontal feed" and "vertical feed."

[0019] 1, in this example, one drive cell 4 is provided for each of the two upper and lower stages in the vehicle storage space for 11 vehicles. Each drive cell 4 has a frame (not shown) that corresponds to the size of the pallet 2 in a plan view. In each of the two upper and lower stages, multiple frames are arranged at a fixed distance 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, and the other drive cells 4 have a pallet 2 placed on them. A drive cell 4 without a pallet 2 placed on it will be referred to as an "empty cell 4b" below.

[0020] With the above-mentioned configuration of the parking device, at least one drive cell 4 in each row is an empty cell 4b, so that the pallet 2 on the drive cell 4 adjacent to the empty cell 4b can be moved horizontally (laterally or vertically) onto the empty cell. This horizontal movement moves the position of the empty cell 4b 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 above-mentioned horizontal circulation type parking device (parking device). In this figure, reference numeral 5 denotes a lift position. Note that in this figure, the arrangement of the drive cells 4 is different from that in FIG.

[0022] Figure 2 shows the operation of vehicle 1 indicated by the symbol a (hereinafter referred to as vehicle 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 diagram, the horizontal movement of pallets 2 in this parking device is computer-controlled to determine the shortest route for entering and exiting the parking lot, efficiently moving vehicles 1 horizontally one after another like a puzzle, thereby realizing the shortest waiting time for entering and exiting the parking lot.

[0023] 3 is a diagram showing an example of a horizontal circulation type parking system 100 according to the present invention, in which (A) is a plan view and (B) is a view taken along line BB. In this figure, a horizontal circulation parking device 100 according to the present invention is a device for allowing a vehicle 1 to enter and leave the parking lot by moving a pallet 2 carrying a vehicle 1 in two perpendicular directions on a horizontal plane on vehicle storage floors 6A, 6B.

[0024] In this example, the vehicle storage floors 6A, 6B are two upper and lower storage areas provided underground for vehicles 1. Of these, the upper vehicle storage floor 6A has a vehicle storage area 7A capable of storing a pallet 2 carrying a vehicle 1 (hereinafter, "loaded vehicle pallet 2A"), and a low-ceiling area 7B capable of storing only a pallet 2 not carrying a vehicle 1 (hereinafter, "empty pallet 2B"). The vehicle storage floors 6A, 6B are not limited to being located underground, but may be located above ground. The low-ceiling area 7B is located in a part of the vehicle storage floor 6A, and is an area with a low ceiling that cannot store the vehicle 1. The low-ceiling area 7B has a ceiling height that can store the drive cell 4 and the empty pallet 2B. The low-ceiling area 7B is, for example, the lower part of an elevator pit, a horizontal beam, an exhaust duct, etc. Also in this example, 8 is a pillar located in a part of the vehicle storage floor 6A.

[0025] In FIG. 3, the horizontal circulation type parking device 100 includes a plurality of drive cells 4, a plurality of pallets 2, and a control device 20.

[0026] A plurality of (23 in this example) drive cells 4 are installed adjacent to each other in both the vehicle storage area 7A and the low ceiling area 7B. Each drive cell 4 is configured to be movable in two directions with a pallet 2 placed on it. The "two directions" refer to the above-mentioned "horizontal feed" direction and "vertical feed" direction. Also, in this figure, the illustration of the 23 driving cells 4 is omitted. In addition, the drive cells 4 located on the outer edge of the vehicle storage floor 6A do not require "lateral feed" and "longitudinal feed" toward the outside, and therefore may be omitted.

[0027] Further, the number of pallets 2 (22 in this example) provided in the vehicle storage area 7A is smaller than the number of drive cells 4 located in the vehicle storage area 7A. FIG. 3(A) shows a state in which one pallet 2 to be stored in the vehicle storage area 7A is placed on a drive cell 4 provided on the lift 3. In this example, a driving cell 4 provided on the lift 3 is configured to be able to move the pallet 2 between the driving cell 4 in three directions except for the outside of the outer edge (upper side in the drawing).

[0028] In Fig. 3(A), 22 pallets 2 are shown as rectangles, of which 20 filled pallets 2A are shown as gray rectangles and 2 empty pallets 2B are shown as white rectangles. The small numbers (1 to 22) on each pallet are the pallet numbers n.

[0029] The horizontal circulation type parking device 100 in Fig. 3 described above can store 22 vehicles 1 on the upper vehicle storage floor 6A, including the filled vehicle pallet 2A (n=22) placed on the lift 3. Also, in Fig. 3(A), there are two vacant cells 4b for vehicles, which correspond to the two pallets 2. When the loaded vehicle pallet 2A (n=22) of the lift 3 is stored in the vehicle storage area 7A, the empty cell 4b will be only for one vehicle.

[0030] In FIG. 3, a controller 20 controls all of the drive cells 4 in a vehicle storage floor 6A. The control device 20 is, for example, a computer (PC), and has a function of moving the empty pallet 2B in both the vehicle storage area 7A and the low-ceiling area 7B when the vehicle 1 enters and leaves the warehouse. The control contents by the control device 20 will be described later.

[0031] In FIG. 3, the horizontal circulation type parking device 100 further includes an occupied vehicle pallet detection device 22. The vehicle pallet detector 22 is provided at the boundary between the vehicle storage area 7A and the low-ceiling area 7B, and detects the vehicle pallet 2A moving from the vehicle storage area 7A to the low-ceiling area 7B. In FIG. 3(A), the loaded pallet detector 22 is provided on both sides in the width direction of the low ceiling area 7B and on the side of the lift 3. The actual vehicle pallet detection device 22 may be, for example, a photocell that detects the actual vehicle pallet 2A when the vehicle 1 blocks the sensor light, or a rope-type limit switch that detects the actual vehicle pallet 2A when the vehicle 1 contacts a rope or the like. The photocell may be, for example, a through-beam type, a retroreflective type, a diffuse reflective type, or a distance setting type, and the rope-type limit switch may be, for example, a pull cord switch or a rope-type emergency stop switch.

[0032] When the vehicle pallet detector 22 detects the vehicle pallet 2A, the control device 20 performs an emergency stop on the operation of all the drive cells 4. It is also possible to similarly detect the filled vehicle pallet 2A by the filled vehicle pallet detection device 22 without using the control device 20, and bring all the drive cells 4 to an emergency stop. The above-described configuration can prevent the loaded pallet 2A from moving to the low-ceiling area 7B due to an incorrect route plan.

[0033] FIG. 4 is an overall flow diagram of a control method for a horizontal circulation type parking apparatus according to the present invention. In this diagram, the control method for the horizontal circulation type parking apparatus has steps (processes) S1 to S5.

[0034] In step S1, an instruction to enter or leave the vehicle 1 and a pallet are specified, for example, by pressing a start button, by a person using the vehicle 1. This operation is performed using an operation panel at the entrance / exit gate, a smartphone, or the like. In step S2, the current layout of each pallet is read by the control device 20 based on a storage command or a delivery command.

[0035] In step S3, a pick procedure for the specified pallet is calculated based on the current layout of each pallet. In this example, step S3 is made up of steps S31 to S33. In step S31, a route plan A using the low-ceiling area 7B (hereinafter, "low-ceiling use route A") is created. In the low-ceiling use route A, when the vehicle 1 enters or leaves the warehouse, the empty pallet 2B is moved in both the vehicle storage area 7A and the low-ceiling area 7B. In step S32, a route plan B that does not use the low-ceiling area 7B (hereinafter, "route B not using low-ceiling") is created. In step S33, the route plans A and B are compared to select the one that is more advantageous for removing the designated pallet 2. The "more advantageous one" is preferably the one that allows the vehicle 1 to enter and leave the warehouse in the shortest time. When the parking lot is full, it is difficult to effectively use the low-ceiling area 7B, so route plan B may be more advantageous, but route plan A is generally more advantageous.

[0036] In step S4, each driving cell 4 is operated based on the selected path plan. In step S5, it is confirmed whether the specified pallet 2 has been taken out or not, and if the taking out has not been completed (NO), step S4 is repeated, whereas if the taking out has been completed (YES), the control ends.

[0037] The control device 20 executes steps 2 to 5 described above. The control device 20 may be configured with a control PC and a parking lot control device. It is preferable that software for executing each of the above-mentioned steps is installed in the control device 20.

[0038] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of the "low ceiling use route A" in the horizontal circulation type parking system 100 shown in FIG. This example shows steps T1 to T4 from the layout of each pallet shown in Figure 3 (step T0) to moving an empty pallet 2B with pallet number n of 1 to the lift 3. Each of steps T1 to T4 is an operation in only one of two directions ("horizontal feed" and "vertical feed") that are orthogonal to each other in the horizontal plane.

[0039] In step T0, an empty pallet 2B (n=1) is commanded for new storage. Steps T1 to T4 correspond to route A using a low ceiling. In step T1, the two empty cells 4b are used to transport the loaded pallet 2A (n=12) vertically as indicated by the arrow. In step T2, two empty pallets (n=1,5) are fed traversely through the low ceiling area 7B. In step T3, the loaded pallet (n=22) on the lift is fed laterally to make the lift an empty cell 4b. In step T4, an empty pallet (n=1) is vertically transported onto the lift. After that, the lift is raised to a storage floor (for example, the ground floor), and a new vehicle 1 can be stored on the empty pallet (n=1). In the above-mentioned low-ceiling use route A, the empty pallet 2B (n=1) can be moved onto the lift in four steps from step T0 to step T4.

[0040] 6 and 7 are diagrams showing specific examples of the "low-ceiling non-used route B" in the horizontal circulation type parking system 100 shown in FIG. Like Fig. 4, this example shows steps T1 to T20 from the layout (T0) of each pallet shown in Fig. 3 to moving an empty pallet 2B with pallet number n of 1 to the lift 3. Each of steps T1 to T20 is an operation in only one of two directions ("horizontal feed" and "vertical feed") that are orthogonal to each other in the horizontal plane.

[0041] (Comparison of route A using low ceiling in Fig. 5 with route B not using low ceiling in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7) According to the present invention, when a vehicle 1 is brought in or taken out, the empty pallet 2B can be moved in both the vehicle storage area 7A and the low-ceiling area 7B, thereby greatly increasing the freedom of the movement path of the empty pallet 2B (low-ceiling use path A), thereby shortening the time required for bringing in or out and improving overall smoothness.

[0042] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a second example of the horizontal circulation type parking system 100 according to the present invention. In this figure, the vehicle storage area 7A is the top four rows, and the low-ceiling area 7B is the bottom row. That is, the low-ceiling area 7B is, for example, the lower part of the horizontal beam, and only the drive cell 4 is installed in this part.

[0043] The horizontal circulation type parking device 100 in Fig. 8 described above can store 17 vehicles 1 on the upper vehicle storage floor 6A, including the filled vehicle pallet 2A (n=17) placed on the lift 3. In addition, in this figure, the vehicle storage area 7A has two empty cells 4b equivalent to the two pallets 2. When the loaded vehicle pallet 2A (n=17) of the lift 3 is stored in the vehicle storage area 7A, the empty cell 4b will be only for one vehicle.

[0044] In this example, the control method of the present invention moves empty pallets (e.g., n=13 to 16) to empty cells 4b in the low-ceiling area 7B when or before a vehicle 1 enters or leaves the warehouse, thereby increasing the number of empty cells 4b in the vehicle storage area 7A. As a result, when the vehicle 1 enters and leaves the facility, the number of vacant cells 4b in the vehicle storage area 7A can be increased, for example, from two to six as shown in the figure, which significantly increases the flexibility of the low-ceilinged, unused route B when entering and leaving the facility, thereby shortening the time required for entering and leaving the facility and improving overall smoothness.

[0045] FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a third example of a horizontal circulation type parking system 100 according to the present invention. In this example, in addition to the configuration of Figure 8, the vehicle storage floor 6A further has a one-way area 7C that is adjacent to the vehicle storage area 7A (or low ceiling area 7B) in only one of the two directions, "horizontal feed" and "vertical feed", and is capable of storing only empty pallets 2B. In this example, one of the two unidirectional regions 7C allows only "lateral feeding," and the other allows only "vertical feeding." In this example, the horizontal circulation type parking device 100 further includes a one-way drive cell 9 that is installed in the one-way area 7C and that carries an empty pallet 2B and moves it in only one direction. In this example, one of the two unidirectional drive cells 9 is capable of moving only in the "lateral" direction, and the other is capable of moving only in the "vertical" direction. With the configuration of the third example described above, the one-way drive cell 9 does not require the "mechanism for changing the transport direction" required for the drive cell 4, and therefore the structure is simplified.

[0046] According to the embodiment of the present invention described above, since the vehicle storage floor 6A has a smaller number of pallets 2 than the driving cells 4 located in the vehicle storage area 7A, the loaded vehicle pallet 2A carrying the vehicle 1 can be moved in two directions in the vehicle storage area 7A to allow the vehicle 1 to be loaded and unloaded.

[0047] In addition, since the vehicle storage floor 6A further has a low-ceiling area 7B, and multiple drive cells 4 are installed adjacent to each other in both the vehicle storage area 7A and the low-ceiling area 7B, the empty pallet 2B can be moved in both the vehicle storage area 7A and the low-ceiling area 7B.

[0048] Therefore, when the vehicle 1 is brought in or taken out, the empty pallet 2B can be moved in both the vehicle storage area 7A and the low-ceiling area 7B, thereby increasing the freedom of the movement path of the empty pallet 2B, shortening the time it takes to bring in or take out the vehicle, and improving overall smoothness.

[0049] In addition, by moving empty pallets 2B to empty cells 4b in the low-ceiling area 7B and increasing the number of empty cells 4b in the vehicle storage area 7A, the flexibility of the low-ceiling unused route B when entering and leaving the facility can be greatly increased, shortening the time required for entering and leaving the facility and improving overall smoothness.

[0050] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1 vehicle, 2 pallet, 2A full vehicle pallet, 2B empty pallet, 3 lift, 4 drive cell, 4b empty cell, 5 lift position, 6A, 6B vehicle storage floor, 7A vehicle storage area, 7B low ceiling area, 7C one-way area, 8 pillar, 9 one-way drive cell, 20 control device, 22 full vehicle pallet detection device, 100 horizontal circulation type parking device

Claims

1. In a horizontal circulation type parking device, a pallet carrying a vehicle is moved in two mutually perpendicular directions on a horizontal plane on a vehicle storage floor to allow the vehicle to enter and leave the parking lot, The vehicle storage floor includes a vehicle storage area capable of storing an actual vehicle pallet, which is the pallet on which the vehicle is placed; a one-way area that is adjacent to the vehicle storage area in only one of the two directions and is a low-ceiling area in which an empty pallet that does not carry the vehicle can be stored; The horizontal circulation type parking device includes a plurality of drive cells that carry the pallets and move them in the two directions; a unidirectional driving cell that is installed in the unidirectional region and that carries the empty pallet and moves it in only the unidirectional direction; a number of said pallets located in said vehicle storage area that is less than the number of said drive cells; A control device for controlling the drive cell, A plurality of the drive cells are disposed adjacent to each other in both the vehicle storage area and the one-way area, The control device is a horizontal circulation type parking device that moves the empty pallet in both the vehicle storage area and the one-way area when the vehicle enters or leaves the parking lot.

2. 2. The horizontal circulation type parking device according to claim 1, wherein the one-way area is a lower area of ​​a low-ceiling area in which the vehicle cannot be stored in an upper area.

3. 2. The horizontal circulation type parking device according to claim 1, wherein the one-way area is an area capable of storing only the empty pallets.

4. A method for controlling a horizontal circulation type parking apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A control method for a horizontal circulation type parking device, which moves the empty pallet in both the vehicle storage area and the one-way area when the vehicle enters and leaves the parking device.

5. A control method for a horizontally circulating parking device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising the step of moving the empty pallet to an empty cell, which is a driving cell in the one-way area that does not have the pallet on it, thereby increasing the number of empty cells in the vehicle storage area.

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