Parking device with locking plate

Abstract

To provide a parking device with a locking plate that can detect disconnection at a connection point between a motor side and a locking plate at an early stage.SOLUTION: A parking device 100 with a locking plate comprises a motor side rotary shaft 13 that is actuated by a motor 11, a locking plate side rotary shaft 22 that elevates and lowers a locking plate 21 by rotation, a connecting member LK that connects the motor side rotary shaft 13 and the locking plate side rotary shaft 22, and a disconnection determination unit 50d that determines occurrence of disconnection at the connecting member LK according to a rotation status of the motor side rotary shaft 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lock plate type parking device for managing parking spaces using a lock plate. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, there are known devices that adjust the opening and closing speed and motor torque when opening and closing the lock plate to prevent the lock plate from becoming stuck with packing tape or the like (see Patent Document 1), and devices that prevent damage to the drive mechanism due to unauthorized exit, etc. by releasing the connection between the lock section and the drive mechanism when a force greater than a predetermined level is applied to the lock section (see Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-78968 [Patent Document 2] JP 2011-214306 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 does not necessarily deal with a case where the lock plate is run over by a vehicle tire, for example. Also, in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, when an incident occurs in which the connection between the lock unit side and the drive mechanism side is released, it is necessary to detect the release of the connection early and restore it.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned points, and aims to provide a lock plate type parking device that can detect early release of the connection between the motor side and the lock plate side. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objective, a lock plate type parking device comprises a motor side rotating shaft that receives action from the motor, a lock plate side rotating shaft that raises and lowers the lock plate by rotation, a connecting member that connects the motor side rotating shaft and the lock plate side rotating shaft, and a connection disconnection determination unit that determines whether or not a connection has occurred in the connecting member depending on the rotational status of the motor side rotating shaft.

[0007] In the above-mentioned lock plate type parking device, the connection disconnection determination unit determines whether a connection has been disconnected in the connecting member, making it possible to detect early release of the connection between the motor side and the lock plate side.

[0008] In a specific aspect of the present invention, the disconnection determination unit determines that a disconnection has occurred when excessive rotation of the motor-side rotating shaft that exceeds the rotatable range of the lock plate is detected. In this case, the occurrence of a disconnection can be detected quickly and accurately based on the rotation status of the lock plate.

[0009] In another aspect of the present invention, a rotation range regulating unit is provided that determines a limit to the rotational increase of the lock plate, and the disconnection determining unit determines that a disconnection has occurred when the rotational state of the motor-side rotating shaft corresponds to a state in which the rotational increase limit of the lock plate has been exceeded. In this case, excessive rotation can be accurately detected.

[0010] In still another aspect of the present invention, an encoder is provided that measures the amount of rotation of the motor-side rotating shaft, and the disconnection determination unit determines whether disconnection has occurred based on the measurement by the encoder. In this case, measurement of the amount of rotation for detecting the occurrence of disconnection can be performed quickly and accurately.

[0011] In still another aspect of the present invention, the disconnection determination unit determines that the lock plate has been stepped on if the amount of rotation of the motor-side rotating shaft at the time when the lock plate has completed rising is less than a predetermined lower limit. In this case, the lock plate being stepped on can be detected separately from the disconnection.

[0012] In yet another aspect of the present invention, an elastic member acts on the motor-side rotating shaft in a direction to lift the lock plate, and the motor-side rotating shaft has a contact portion that comes into contact with the motor, and receives a force from the motor via the contact portion that acts in a direction to lower the lock plate, and exerts a force from the elastic member that acts in a direction to lift the lock plate on the motor. In this case, the motor-side rotating shaft is raised and lowered based on the relationship between the force from the elastic member that lifts the lock plate and the force from the motor via the contact portion that acts in a direction to lower the lock plate.

[0013] In still another aspect of the present invention, the connection / disconnection determination unit determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred on the motor side based on whether or not the lock plate rises when the motor acts to lower the lock plate. In this case, an abnormality caused by another factor can be detected.

[0014] In still another aspect of the present invention, a notification unit is provided that notifies the outside of the device of the determination result by the connection loss determination unit. In this case, the occurrence of connection loss can be notified to the outside of the device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a parking lot in which an embodiment of a lock plate type parking device is installed. FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a conceptual perspective view for explaining an overview of a lock plate type parking device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1A is a conceptual plan view for explaining the connection points between the motor side and the lock plate side, and FIG. 1B is a conceptual side view for explaining the configuration on the motor side. [Figure 4] 1A to 1D are diagrams illustrating an example of a configuration of a connecting member and its role (connecting state). [Diagram 5] 1A to 1D are conceptual side views for explaining one configuration example of an encoder that measures the amount of rotation of a motor-side rotating shaft. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining one configuration example of a lock plate type parking device. [Figure 7] 1A to 1E are conceptual diagrams for explaining an example of the operation of a lock plate type parking device under normal circumstances. [Figure 8] (A) to (D) are conceptual diagrams for explaining an example of the operation of a lock plate type parking device when a connection is broken, and (E) and (F) are conceptual diagrams for explaining the difference between when a connection is broken and normal operation. [Figure 9] (A) to (D) are conceptual diagrams for explaining an example of the operation of a lock plate type parking device when the lock plate is stepped on, and (E) and (F) are conceptual diagrams for explaining the difference between when the lock plate is stepped on and normal times (or after the lock plate is released). [Figure 10] 4 is a flowchart for explaining a series of operations in a lock plate type parking device. [Figure 11] 1A to 1E are conceptual diagrams for explaining an overview of the occurrence of an abnormality caused by a motor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] An example of a lock plate type parking device according to an embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. 1 and the like. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the state of a parking lot PA in which a lock plate type parking device 100 according to this embodiment is installed. In the illustrated example, a lock plate type parking device 100 is installed in each vehicle compartment CA provided in the parking lot PA, and each lock plate type parking device 100 is connected to a payment machine PM installed in the parking lot PA. In the illustrated example, the payment machine PM is connected (for example, wirelessly connected) to a higher-level device CM that functions as a central management unit that manages multiple parking lots in an integrated manner, and the parking lot PA is managed under the control of the higher-level device CM. It can be considered that the above includes each lock plate type parking device 100 installed in the parking lot PA, the payment machine PM, and the higher-level device CM, and further, a parking lot management system 500 for managing the parking lot PA. It can also be considered that the payment machine PM and the higher-level device CM, or even a part of them, are included in the lock plate type parking device.

[0017] Hereinafter, a specific configuration of the lock plate type parking device 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 2 and the like. FIG. 2 is a conceptual perspective view for explaining the outline of the lock plate type parking device 100. As shown in the figure, the lock plate type parking device 100 of this embodiment includes a motor side device 10 constituting the motor side as a drive mechanism, a lock plate side device 20 constituting the lock plate side that rises and falls by the motor drive, and a control device 50 that controls the lock plate operation by the motor drive. In addition to the control device 50, the motor side device 10 and a part of the lock plate side device 20 are stored in a housing CS and are in a protected state in the example shown in the figure. In addition to the above, the lock plate type parking device 100 also includes a vehicle detection sensor VD for detecting a vehicle entering from the direction of the arrow AA1, and functions as a parking device by controlling the operation of the lock plate while detecting the entry and exit of the vehicle. In particular, in this embodiment, the connection breakage of the connecting member LK connecting the motor side and the lock plate side is determined, and the disconnection between the motor side and the lock plate side can be detected early.

[0018] A specific configuration example of the lock plate type parking device 100 will be described below with reference to Fig. 2 as well as Fig. 3(A) and Fig. 3(B). Fig. 3(A) is a conceptual plan view for explaining the connection points between the motor side and the lock plate side of the lock plate type parking device 100, and Fig. 3(B) is a conceptual side view for explaining the configuration of the motor side.

[0019] First, as shown in FIG. 2, the motor side device 10 includes a motor 11, a link member 12, a motor side rotating shaft 13, a spring 14 which is an elastic member, and an encoder 15. The lock plate side device 20 includes a lock plate 21 and a lock plate side rotating shaft 22. The motor side device 10 and the lock plate side device 20, that is, the motor side and the lock plate side, are connected by a connecting member LK as described above. In addition to the above, the lock plate side device 20 includes a rotation range restricting unit 23 as shown in FIG. 3(B), for example. The rotation range restricting unit 23 determines the limit of the rotational rise of the lock plate 21, and in the illustrated example, is configured as a stopper member that physically holds the lock plate 21 so that it does not rise (is not allowed to rise) beyond a predetermined angle.

[0020] First, the components of the motor-side device 10 will be described. In the motor-side device 10, the motor 11 rotates to raise and lower the lock plate 21 for locking and unlocking on the lock plate side in accordance with a command from the control device 50. That is, the motor 11 rotates (turns) in both directions around the central axis as the rotation axis, as shown by the arrow DD1 in the figure.

[0021] In the motor-side device 10, the link member 12 is a member for transmitting the rotational drive of the motor 11 while switching it to an operation for raising and lowering on the lock plate side, and in the illustrated example, it is configured by connecting rod-shaped (or plate-shaped) first and second members 12a, 12b and a sector-shaped third member 12c. Among the first members 12a to 12c, the third member 12c, which is the member closest to the lock plate, is provided with an abutment portion 12t, which is a protruding member for abutting against the motor-side rotating shaft 13. In response to the rotation of the motor 11 in the direction indicated by the arrow DD1, the third member 12c rotates (pivots) in the direction indicated by the arrow DD2, and at this time, the abutment portion 12t moves in response to this.

[0022] The motor-side rotating shaft 13 is a cylindrical member and rotates around its central axis as its axis of rotation. For example, the motor-side rotating shaft 13 has a contact portion 13t which is a protruding member that contacts the abutment portion 12t. When the contact portion 13t is in contact with the abutment portion 12t, the motor-side rotating shaft 13 receives a force (action) from the third member 12c in a direction to lower the lock plate 21, and rotates accordingly. That is, the abutment portion 12t provided on the third member 12c moves in the direction indicated by the arrow DD2 due to the motor 11, and acts on the contact portion 13t (the force from the motor 11 is applied). In the above case, a force is applied to the contact portion 13t, and by extension, to the motor-side rotating shaft 13 due to the motor 11, in the direction indicated by the arrow AR1 (the direction to lower the lock plate 21). On the other hand, the motor-side rotating shaft 13 is also connected to a spring 14, which will be described later, and receives a force (action) from the spring 14 as well, and rotates accordingly. That is, due to the spring 14, a force acts on the motor-side rotating shaft 13 in the direction of the arrow AR2 (the direction in which the lock plate 21 is raised), which is the opposite direction to the arrow AR1. In other words, the motor-side rotating shaft 13 also exerts a force from the spring 14, which is an elastic member, on the motor 11 in a direction in which the lock plate 21 is raised. Furthermore, the motor-side rotating shaft 13 is connected to the lock plate-side rotating shaft 22 on the lock plate side via a connecting member LK, and transmits the force (action) in both directions of the arrows AR1 and AR2 to the lock plate-side device 20 as a force (action) from the motor-side device 10.

[0023] As described above, the spring 14 is connected to the motor-side rotating shaft 13 and is attached so as to apply an elastic force to the motor-side rotating shaft 13 in a direction (the direction of the arrow AR2) that raises the lock plate 21 of the lock plate-side device 20. In other words, the elastic force of the spring 14 is always applied to the motor-side rotating shaft 13, and the elastic force of the spring 14 is transmitted to the lock plate-side device 20 via the connecting member LK.

[0024] The encoder 15 is provided along the circumference of the motor-side rotating shaft 13 to measure the amount of rotation of the motor-side rotating shaft 13. As the encoder 15, various types can be used as long as they can measure the amount of rotation of the motor-side rotating shaft 13 within the required range (angle range), and an example will be described later. Here, by measuring the degree of rotation of the motor-side rotating shaft 13 with the encoder 15, it is possible to check the degree of ascent and descent of the lock plate 21 of the lock plate device 20.

[0025] Next, each part of the lock plate side device 20 will be described. Of the lock plate side device 20, the lock plate 21 is composed of, for example, a metal plate member, and as described above, rotates by the action of the motor side device 10 via the lock plate side rotating shaft 22, i.e., moves up and down. The lock plate side rotating shaft 22 is connected to the lock plate 21, and as described above, is connected to the motor side rotating shaft 13 on the motor side via the connecting member LK, and is acted upon by the motor side device 10.

[0026] Further, here, the rotation range of the link member 12 caused by the motor 11 is larger than the rotation range of the motor-side rotating shaft 13 restricted by the rotation range restricting portion 23. Therefore, for example, as shown in Fig. 3(B), as a result of excessive rotation of the contact portion 12t caused by the motor 11, the contact portion 12t not restricted by the rotation range restricting portion 23 and the contact portion 13t restricted by the rotation range restricting portion 23 may be separated from each other.

[0027] In the above configuration, the control device 50 controls the operation of each part and monitors the operation. That is, it detects whether there is any abnormality in each part. In particular, in the above configuration, when the connection is cut off in the connecting member LK (disconnection occurs), the force (action) from the motor side is not transmitted to the lock plate side. Therefore, it is important to detect the presence or absence of an abnormality in the connection by the connecting member LK. In response to this, in this embodiment, the control device 50 is provided with a disconnection determination unit 50d in order to determine the occurrence of disconnection in the connecting member LK. The control device 50 measures the amount of rotation of the motor side rotating shaft 13 using the encoder 15 while controlling the drive of the motor 11 of the motor side device 10. At this time, the disconnection determination unit 50d of the control device 50 captures the rotation state of the motor side rotating shaft 13 based on these pieces of information, and determines the occurrence of disconnection according to the rotation state. That is, the occurrence of disconnection is determined based on the measurement of the encoder 15.

[0028] Hereinafter, the connection state by the connecting member LK will be described with reference to FIG. 4, and further, an example of the configuration of the encoder 15 will be described with reference to FIG. 5, thereby explaining the measurement of the rotation amount of the motor-side rotating shaft 13.

[0029] First, Fig. 4(A) to Fig. 4(D) are diagrams for explaining one configuration example and the role (connection state) of the connecting member LK, and Fig. 4(A) and Fig. 4(B) show a state before connecting the motor side rotating shaft 13 and the lock plate side rotating shaft 22. Fig. 4(A) also shows an AA cross-sectional view of the motor side rotating shaft 13 side and a BB cross-sectional view of the lock plate side rotating shaft 22, and Fig. 4(B) also shows a CC cross-sectional view of the fitting portion of the motor side rotating shaft 13 and the lock plate side rotating shaft 22. Fig. 4(C) shows a state in which the connecting member LK is inserted in the state of Fig. 4(B) (a state in which the motor side and the lock plate side are connected), and Fig. 4(D) shows a state in which the state of Fig. 4(C) is viewed from a different direction.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 4(A) and Fig. 4(B), the lock plate side rotating shaft 22 is one size larger than the motor side rotating shaft 13 in terms of shaft size (radius), and the end 13e of the motor side rotating shaft 13 can be fitted into the recess 22r provided in the lock plate side rotating shaft 22. That is, for example, the motor side rotating shaft 13 is brought close to the lock plate side rotating shaft 22 in the direction indicated by the arrow BB1 in Fig. 4(A) and the two are fitted together as shown in Fig. 4(B), so that they can be fitted together. Furthermore, the end 13e of the motor side rotating shaft 13 is provided with a first insertion hole 13h. Meanwhile, the recess 22r of the lock plate side rotating shaft 22 is provided with a second insertion hole 22h at a position corresponding to the first insertion hole 13h on the side surface. That is, as shown in Fig. 4(B), when the motor side rotating shaft 13 and the lock plate side rotating shaft 22 are engaged with each other and rotated appropriately, the first insertion hole 13h and the second insertion hole 22h are aligned, and an insertion hole can be formed at the engagement point. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 4(C) and Fig. 4(D), the motor side and the lock plate side are connected by the connecting member LK by inserting the connecting member LK into the insertion hole.

[0031] In the above-described connection, when a force exceeding a predetermined magnitude acts on the connecting member LK, the connecting member LK (or a part thereof) breaks, and the connection between the motor side and the lock plate side is released without applying a load exceeding the expected load to the motor side, for example. This makes it unnecessary to provide equipment for dealing with an unexpected load in the internal structure of the motor side device 10 in order to deal with a load due to an abnormality in normal operation on the motor side device 10 side, so that the motor side device 10 and each part of the connection can be configured simply. On the other hand, in the case of such a configuration, after the connecting member LK is broken, that is, after the disconnection occurs, the function of the lock plate type parking device 100, that is, the function of the parking device such as the raising and lowering (opening and closing) of the lock plate 21, is lost. Therefore, a quick response (on-site response such as reinserting a new connecting member LK) is required for recovery. On the other hand, a quick response is not necessarily required for abnormalities other than the disconnection (for example, the lock plate being stepped on, which will be described later). In consideration of this, in this embodiment, a determination as to the occurrence of an abnormality according to the characteristics at the time of disconnection is made based on the rotational state around the connecting member LK.

[0032] An example of measurement of rotation around the connecting member LK will be described below with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5(A) to Fig. 5(D) are conceptual side views for explaining an example of the configuration of encoder 15 that measures the amount of rotation of motor-side rotating shaft 13.

[0033] In the illustrated example, for example, in FIG. 5(A), the encoder 15 is composed of four photosensors PS1 to PS4 and an arc-shaped slit SL. The arc-shaped slit SL is attached to the motor-side rotating shaft 13 shown in FIG. 2 and rotates therewith, while each of the photosensors PS1 to PS4 is fixed at a predetermined position along an arc corresponding to the movement (rotation) of the arc-shaped slit SL in order to capture the movement (rotation) of the arc-shaped slit SL. Specifically, of the four, the first photosensor PS1 is disposed so as to detect the bottom end of the slit SL when the slit SL is at its lowest position as shown in FIG. 5(A), and the second to fourth photosensors PS2 to PS4 are disposed in order at positions on the upper side. The fourth photosensor PS4, which is disposed at the uppermost side, is disposed at the top end position of the slit SL when the motor-side rotating shaft 13 reaches the upper limit position of the lock plate 21 due to the regulation by the rotation range regulating unit 23 and reaches the highest position in normal operation, and the second photosensor PS2 is disposed at the bottom end position of the slit SL. As will be described in more detail later, the encoder 15 is able to detect excessive rotation of the slit SL, i.e., excessive rotation of the motor side rotating shaft 13, by combining detection by the third photosensor PS3 with detection by other sensors.

[0034] Each of the photosensors PS1 to PS4 or some of them can detect and count (read encoder pulses) the blocking and receiving of light from a light source (not shown) by the light blocking and light transmitting parts that are alternately arranged along the arc of the arc-shaped slit SL. With this structure, it is possible to calculate the angle of the motor-side rotating shaft 13, i.e., to measure the angle.

[0035] In the above case, first, as shown in FIG. 5(A), the lower end of the arc-shaped slit SL is present (detected) by the first photosensor PS1 located at the lowest side, so that it can be detected that the contact portion 13t of the motor-side rotating shaft 13 is located at the lowest side. That is, in this case, if the lock plate 21 is operating normally, it will be located at the lowest position. From this state, the slit SL moves (rotates) in the direction indicated by the arrow AR2 with the rotation of the motor-side rotating shaft 13, and as shown in FIG. 5(B), the slit SL moves away from the first photosensor PS1 (the first photosensor PS1 does not detect the slit SL, so that the movement of the slit SL from the first photosensor PS1 can be detected). Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5(C), when the upper end of the slit SL reaches the position of the fourth photosensor PS4 and the lower end of the slit SL reaches the position of the second photosensor PS2, the lock plate 21 reaches the position of the upper limit shown in FIG. 3(B). In this case, it can be confirmed that the slit SL has reached the position shown in FIG. 5C by detection by the fourth photosensor PS4.

[0036] Here, in the case of normal operation, the slit SL does not move in the direction indicated by the arrow AR2 beyond the situation shown in FIG. 5(C). In other words, for example, a situation in which the lock plate 21 rotates excessively beyond the rotatable range as shown in FIG. 5(D) does not occur. However, as described above, when the connecting member LK shown in FIG. 4 etc. is broken, the connection between the motor side rotating shaft 13 and the lock plate side rotating shaft 22 is released, and the motor side rotating shaft 13 rotates in a state separated from the lock plate side, the situation shown in FIG. 5(D) may occur. This is because, due to the disconnection from the lock plate side, the motor side rotating shaft 13 is in a state where it alone receives the action of the elastic force of the spring 14 on the motor side. From another perspective, in this case, the rotation state of the motor side rotating shaft 13 corresponds to a state where the lock plate 21 has exceeded its limit of rotational increase. In this embodiment, when the occurrence of a situation as shown in FIG. 5(D) is detected, that is, when excessive rotation as described above is detected, it is determined that a disconnection has occurred, making it possible to easily and reliably determine whether a disconnection has occurred between the motor side and the lock plate side.

[0037] In the example shown in Fig. 5(D), as a result of the occurrence of excessive rotation, the second photosensor PS2 does not detect the presence of the slit SL, but the third photosensor PS3 located above it detects the presence of the slit SL, and excessive rotation is detected by detecting this state. Alternatively, the encoder 15 may measure whether the state shown in Fig. 5(C) or 5(D) has been reached based on a count value detected for light blocking and light reception by a hole provided in the slit SL.

[0038] Hereinafter, one configuration example will be described with reference to the block diagram shown in Fig. 6 regarding the functional aspects of the lock plate type parking device 100. As shown in the figure and as described above, the lock plate type parking device 100 comprises a motor side device 10, a lock plate side device 20, and a control device 50, but here, one configuration example of the control device 50 will be described in detail, and the operation control of each part constituting the lock plate type parking device 100, including each part of the motor side device 10 and the lock plate side device 20, will be described.

[0039] As shown in the figure, the control device 50 is composed of, for example, various circuit boards and a CPU, and is equipped with a main control unit MM at its center, a vehicle detection unit 50v, a motor control unit 50m, a lock plate position detection unit 50f, the main control unit MM, and a communication unit 50t.

[0040] The vehicle detection unit 50v is connected to the vehicle detection sensor VD, receives the detection result from the vehicle detection sensor VD, and determines whether a vehicle is entering or leaving the garage.

[0041] The motor control unit 50m is connected to the motor 11, and controls the rotation (rotation) operation of the motor 11 described above.

[0042] The lock plate position detection unit 50f is connected to the encoder 15 including the photosensors PS1 to PS4, receives the measurement results from the encoder 15 described above, and detects the position of the lock plate 21 based on the detection results, i.e., performs position calculation based on the measurement results from the encoder 15.

[0043] The main control unit MM is connected to each of the above-mentioned units and controls various operations of the lock plate parking device 100. Here, it functions as a connection break determination unit 50d that determines whether a connection break has occurred in the connecting member LK (see FIG. 3, etc.) based on the degree of rotation of the motor 11 in the motor control unit 50m and the result of position calculation in the lock plate position detection unit 50f, i.e., the rotation status of the motor 11 and the motor-side rotating shaft 13.

[0044] The communication unit 50t communicates information with the settlement machine PM, which is an external mechanism, and the higher-level device CM. That is, the communication unit 50t functions as a notification unit NU that notifies various information to the outside, and in particular, notifies the judgment result of the main control unit MM, which serves as the connection cutoff judgment unit 50d, to the settlement machine PM, which is an external device, and the higher-level device CM.

[0045] Hereinafter, with reference to Figs. 7 to 9, the operation of the lock plate type parking device 100 under various conditions will be described while comparing the operating conditions of the motor side device 10 and the lock plate side device 20.

[0046] First, an example of the operation of the lock plate type parking device 100 in normal operation will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7(A) is a side view conceptually showing both the motor side device 10 and the lock plate side device 20 constituting each part of the lock plate type parking device 100. Meanwhile, Fig. 7(B) to Fig. 7(E) show each part constituting the motor side device 10 and each part constituting the lock plate side device 20 separately to explain an example of the operation of the lock plate type parking device 100 in each situation in normal operation, and within the frame of each figure, the left side shows the operating status of the motor side device 10, and the right side shows the corresponding operating status of the lock plate side device 20.

[0047] 7(B) illustrates an example in which the lock plate 21 is lowered in the lock plate-side device 20. To explain this in detail, first, in the motor-side device 10, the link member 12 is operated (rotated) in the direction indicated by the arrow DD1a in the motor 11 so as to act in a direction to lower the lock plate 21. In this case, the abutment portion 12t of the link member 12 abuts against the contact portion 13t of the motor-side rotating shaft 13, and a force Fm acts in a direction to press it down. That is, the motor-side rotating shaft 13 receives the force Fm caused by the motor 11 at the contact portion 13t. As already mentioned, the motor side rotating shaft 13 is constantly subjected to a force Fs from the spring 14 shown in FIG. 7(A) etc. in the direction to lift the lock plate 21. In the case shown in FIG. 7(B), the force Fs acts in the opposite direction to the force Fm. However, since the force Fm caused by the motor 11 is, for example, greater than the force Fs, the lock plate 21 is pushed down and is ultimately maintained in a fixed state at the lowest position.

[0048] On the other hand, Fig. 7(C) illustrates a case where the lock plate 21 is being raised. Specifically, in the motor-side device 10, the motor 11 operates (rotates) the link member 12 in the direction indicated by the arrow DD1b (opposite the direction of the arrow DD1a), which is opposite to Fig. 7(B). In this case, for example, the abutment portion 12t moves in a direction away from the contact portion 13t, but since the contact portion 13t is always subjected to a force Fs in the direction in which the motor-side rotating shaft 13 is raised by the spring 14, the contact portion 13t rotates to follow the abutment portion 12t. However, as shown in Fig. 7(D), since the rotation range of the motor-side rotating shaft 13 is restricted by the rotation range restricting portion 23 provided in the lock plate device 20, the motor-side rotating shaft 13 reaches the upper limit when it reaches a predetermined angle and does not rotate any further. Here, the contact portion 13t of the motor-side rotating shaft 13 or its position when it has risen to the limit is illustrated as contact portion 13q (or contact portion upper limit position 13q). When the contact portion 13t reaches the contact portion upper limit position 13q, a reaction force Fr is applied to the lock plate 21 from the rotation range regulating portion 23 in the lock plate side device 20. Regarding the above, in the motor-side rotating shaft 13, a force (reaction force) Fra corresponding to the reaction force Fr and the weight of the lock plate 21, etc. act to balance with the force Fs from the spring 14, and as a result, the contact portion 13t remains at the contact portion upper limit position 13q.

[0049] On the other hand, as described above, the rotation in the direction indicated by the arrow DD1b by the motor 11 is set to be larger than that of the motor-side rotating shaft 13, so that when the motor 11 has fully rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow DD1b shown in Fig. 7(E), the abutment portion 12t of the link member 12 moves further than the contact portion 13t that remains at the contact portion upper limit position 13q due to the action of the force (resistance force) Fra, and is separated from the contact portion 13t. The above-mentioned changes in the operating conditions of the motor-side rotating shaft 13 can be captured from the measurements of the encoder 15 shown in Figs. 3(A) to 3(C).

[0050] In contrast, when disconnection occurs in the lock plate parking device 100, that is, when the connection between the motor side rotating shaft 13 and the lock plate side rotating shaft 22 illustrated in Fig. 4 is released, the action (force) received by the motor side rotating shaft 13 is not transmitted to the lock plate side rotating shaft 22 and, by extension, to the lock plate 21. Below, with reference to Fig. 8, an example of the operation of the lock plate parking device 100 when disconnection occurs (when an abnormality occurs) will be described.

[0051] Fig. 8(A) corresponds to the operating state of the lock plate side device 20 shown on the right side of each of Fig. 7(B) to Fig. 7(E), and Fig. 8(B) to Fig. 8(D) correspond to the operating state of the motor side device 10 shown on the left side of each of Fig. 7(B) to Fig. 7(E). Fig. 8(E) and Fig. 8(F) are conceptual diagrams for explaining the difference between when a disconnection occurs and when normal, and Fig. 8(E) shows Fig. 8(A) on the right side and Fig. 8(D) on the left side within the frame for comparison with other situations.

[0052] When disconnection occurs, that is, when the lock plate side rotating shaft 22 of the lock plate side device 20 is released from the motor side rotating shaft 13 of the motor side device 10 shown in Fig. 8(B) etc. as indicated by an x ​​in Fig. 8(A), the lock plate 21 reaches a fully lowered state due to its own weight as shown in Fig. 8(A). In this case, the lock plate 21 maintains a fully lowered state regardless of the operating status of the motor side device 10, so that, for example, the lock plate 21 does not come into contact with the rotation range restricting portion 23. Therefore, the resistance force Fr (see Fig. 7) acting from the rotation range restricting portion 23 does not act on the motor side device 10.

[0053] In the above case, in the motor-side device 10, first, as shown in FIG. 8(B), the force Fm from the motor 11 acts on the motor-side rotating shaft 13 in the direction indicated by the arrow DD1a, and if this force Fm is greater than the force Fs from the spring 14, the motor-side rotating shaft 13 rotates in the direction in which the lock plate 21 is pushed down, as in the case of FIG. 7(B). When the lock plate parking device 100 is disconnected, the weight of the lock plate side device 20 does not act, and the overall pushing-down action is weakened (the action from the contact part 13t to the abutment part 12t caused by the force Fs becomes relatively large). However, even with this in mind, if the force Fm from the motor 11 is sufficiently large, the motor-side rotating shaft 13 is pushed down by the motor 11. In this case, the range in which the motor-side rotating shaft 13 is pushed down is appropriately determined, for example, by the movable range of the motor 11 in the direction of the arrow DD1a and the rotatable range of the motor-side rotating shaft 13.

[0054] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 8(C), when the motor 11 is operated (rotated) in the direction indicated by the arrow DD1b (opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow DD1a), the contact portion 13t rotates so as to follow the abutment portion 12t, as in the case of Fig. 7(C). That is, the motor-side rotating shaft 13 rotates in the upward direction so as to match the link member 12.

[0055] When the movement (rotation) in the direction indicated by the arrow DD1b continues, unlike the cases shown in Fig. 7(D) and Fig. 7(E), as shown in Fig. 8(D), the motor-side rotating shaft 13 continues to rotate even when the position of the contact part 13t exceeds the contact part upper limit position 13q indicated by the dashed line in the figure. This is because, as described with reference to Fig. 8(A), when disconnection occurs, the action caused by the rotation range regulating part 23 from the lock plate side device 20 does not affect, while the effect of the force Fs from the spring 14 on the motor-side rotating shaft 13 continues. In this case, the contact part 13t follows the abutment part 12t until it reaches the limit of the movable range in the direction of the arrow DD1b by the motor 11, for example. An example of the above situation, i.e., the operating situation when disconnection occurs, is summarized as shown in Fig. 8(E). As is clear from a comparison of FIG. 8(E) with FIG. 8(F) showing an example of a normal operating condition, when a disconnection occurs (when an abnormality occurs), excessive rotation of the motor side rotating shaft 13, which does not occur under normal circumstances, is detected.

[0056] In this embodiment, the excessive rotation of the motor-side rotating shaft 13 due to the occurrence of disconnection as described above can be detected by, for example, the encoder 15 having the configuration illustrated in Fig. 5. More specifically, under normal circumstances, an increase beyond the situation shown in Fig. 5(C) is not detected, but when disconnection occurs, the situation shown in Fig. 5(D) occurs, and the encoder 15 captures this situation. In the lock plate parking device 100 of this embodiment, the disconnection determination unit 50d determines that a disconnection has occurred in the connecting member LK connecting the motor side and the lock plate side when the excessive rotation of the motor-side rotating shaft 13 is detected from the measurement result of the encoder 15.

[0057] Hereinafter, with reference to Fig. 9, the occurrence of stepping on the lock plate, which is a typical example of an abnormality other than the above-mentioned occurrence of disconnection, will be described. Figs. 9(A) to 9(D) are conceptual diagrams for explaining an example of an operation when the lock plate is stepped on, and correspond to Figs. 8(A) to 8(D). Figs. 9(E) and 9(F) are conceptual diagrams for explaining the difference between when the lock plate is stepped on and when it is normal (or after the lock plate is released from being stepped on), and Fig. 9(E) shows Fig. 9(A) on the right side and Fig. 9(D) on the left side within the frame for comparison. Fig. 9(F) is shown in Fig. 7(E).

[0058] In the case of the lock plate type parking device 100 having the above-mentioned structure, the action of lifting (pushing up) the lock plate 21 is solely due to the force Fs from the spring 14. In this case, for example, a forced lifting force due to the driving of the motor 11 is not acting, so the possibility of damaging the bottom surface of the parked vehicle can be reduced. However, on the other hand, if the lock plate 21 is pushed down by a force (force) greater than the lifting action of the lock plate 21 caused by the force Fs from the spring 14, for example, the force Ft shown by the downward arrow in FIG. 9(A), exists, the lock plate 21 can remain in a lowered state. Specifically, the force Ft can be, for example, the lock plate 21 being stepped on by the tire of the vehicle or the lock plate 21 being attached to the ground with adhesive tape. When such a force Ft acts, the lock plate 21 will remain in a fully lowered state regardless of the operating state of the motor side device 10 as shown in FIG. 9(B) to FIG. 9(D). Here, the occurrence of such an event is referred to as the occurrence of the lock plate being stepped on.

[0059] When the lock plate is stepped on as described above, as shown in FIG. 9(B) to FIG. 9(D), the force Ft is transmitted from the lock plate device 20 to the motor side rotating shaft 13 via the connecting member LK, and a force Fta corresponding to the force Ft acts on the motor side rotating shaft 13. In other words, the force Fta that pushes down the motor side rotating shaft 13 is always applied. Therefore, when the lock plate is stepped on in the lock plate type parking device 100, for example, as shown in FIG. 9(B), even if the motor 11 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow DD1b, the motor side rotating shaft 13 remains in the lowered state and does not rotate, and the encoder 15 also detects that the motor side rotating shaft 13 is not rotating. In this respect, the contents of the detection result are different between when the lock plate is stepped on and when the connection is broken. In other words, in the lock plate type parking device 100, it is possible to distinguish between the connection breakage and the lock plate being stepped on.

[0060] Also, in the case where the lock plate is stepped on, if the force Ft disappears and the state is released from the state shown in FIG. 9(E) where the lock plate is stepped on (for example, the tire of the vehicle that was stepping on the lock plate 21 is no longer present), the state returns to the normal state shown in FIG. 9(F), that is, the state described with reference to FIG. 7(F). Therefore, after that, the lock plate type parking device 100 will function again as a normal parking device. In other words, there may be cases where no special measures such as repairs are required. In this respect, it also differs from the case of disconnection, which requires prompt measures such as replacing the damaged connecting member LK.

[0061] In the lock plate type parking device 100 of this embodiment, for example, when excessive rotation of the motor side rotating shaft 13 that exceeds the rotatable range of the lock plate 21 is detected, it is determined that a disconnection has occurred, and when the amount of rotation of the motor side rotating shaft 13 at the time when the lock plate 21 has completed rising does not reach a predetermined lower limit, it is determined that the lock plate has been stepped on. This makes it possible to distinguish between the occurrence of disconnection and the occurrence of the lock plate being stepped on.

[0062] A series of operations and judgment processes in the lock plate parking device 100 will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig. 10. Here, an example will be described for the process of raising the lock plate 21 from a lowered state, which is the operation of the lock plate parking device 100 described with reference to Figs. 7 to 9, etc., in which the raising of the lock plate 21 is monitored by measuring the amount of rotation (reading the encoder pulse) of the motor-side rotating shaft 13 using the light blocking and receiving of light in the encoder 15 described with reference to Fig. 5, etc.

[0063] When the lift control of the lock plate 21 starts, the main control unit MM of the lock plate parking device 100 first reads the first encoder pulse in the encoder 15, i.e., measures the initial amount of rotation of the motor-side rotating shaft 13, via the flap position detection unit 50f to obtain an initial encoder pulse value (step S101), and stores the value in a predetermined storage area as the current encoder pulse value (current encoder pulse value) (step S102). At the same time, the main control unit MM stores an encoder pulse value indicating the position of the motor-side rotating shaft 13 immediately before the lift control of the lock plate 21 starts, i.e., immediately before the initial encoder pulse value is obtained in step S101 (step S103). As a method for obtaining the position information in step S103, for example, detection using the first photosensor PS1 in the state of FIG. 5(A) can be used.

[0064] Next, the main control unit MM repeats the loop process shown in steps S104 to S108 until the ascent control is completed (step S105: OK) in order to monitor the ascent control of the lock plate 21, that is, to grasp the operating status based on the measurement of the amount of rotation of the motor-side rotating shaft 13. Specifically, when the main control unit MM starts monitoring the ascent control of the lock plate 21 (step S104), it first checks whether the ascent control is completed by, for example, collecting information from the motor control unit 50m regarding the operating status of the motor 11 and checking the information based on that information (step S105).

[0065] In step S105, if the ascent control is not completed (step S105: NG), that is, if the ascent control is continuing, the main control unit MM acquires the encoder pulse value after the ascent in the encoder 15 via the flap position detection unit 50f (step S106), and stores the value acquired in step S106 as a new current encoder pulse value in a predetermined storage area (step S107). That is, the current encoder pulse value is updated. When the update in step S107 is completed, a series of loop processes is completed (step S108), and the process from step S104 is started again and repeated.

[0066] In step S105, when the ascent control is completed (step S105: OK), the main control unit MM reads out the current encoder pulse value at that time and the encoder pulse value before the ascent control started that was stored in step S103, and calculates the difference between them as an ascent completion value that indicates the degree of ascent of the lock plate 21 (step S109). However, this value actually indicates the amount of rotation of the motor-side rotating shaft 13.

[0067] Next, the main control unit MM, as the disconnection determination unit 50d, reads out a rise completion reference value, which is a predetermined threshold, and checks whether the rise completion value calculated in step S109 exceeds the rise completion reference value (step S110). Here, the rise completion reference value as a predetermined threshold is an index for determining whether the encoder 15 is in a state as shown in Fig. 5(D), that is, whether the motor-side rotating shaft 13 is in an excessive rotation state as shown in Fig. 8(D) or Fig. 8(E). In other words, the rise completion value calculated in step S109 exceeding the rise completion reference value corresponds to an excessive rotation state. In step S110, if the rise completion value calculated in step S109 exceeds the rise completion reference value (step S110: OK), that is, if it corresponds to a state in which the limit of rotational rise of the lock plate 21 has been exceeded, the main control unit MM as the connection loss determination unit 50d determines that a connection loss has occurred (the connection of the connecting member LK has been released) and, for example, transmits this fact to the settlement machine PM (and ultimately the higher-level device CM), which is an external mechanism, via the communication unit 50t as the notification unit NU (step S111), and ends the series of processes.

[0068] On the other hand, in step S110, if the rise completion value does not exceed the rise completion reference value (step S110: NG), the main control unit MM reads out a rise completion lower limit value, which is another predetermined threshold value (predetermined lower limit value), and checks whether the rise completion value calculated in step S109 is below the rise completion lower limit value (step S112). Here, the rise completion lower limit value as a predetermined threshold value is an index for determining whether the encoder 15 remains in the state shown in FIG. 5(A), that is, whether the motor side rotating shaft 13 remains not risen due to the influence of some force Ft (FTa) even though the motor 11 has rotated in the direction shown by the arrow DD1b, as shown in FIG. 9(D) or FIG. 9(E). In other words, the rise completion value calculated in step S109 being below the rise completion lower limit value corresponds to a state in which the lock plate is stepped on. In step S112, if the rise completion value calculated in step S109 is lower than the rise completion lower limit value (step S112: OK), the main control unit MM determines that the lock plate has been stepped on, and, for example, transmits this fact to the external mechanism, that is, the settlement machine PM (and ultimately the higher-level device CM), via the communication unit 50t as the alarm unit NU (step S113), and terminates the series of processes.

[0069] In step S112, if the ascent completion value calculated in step S109 is not below the ascent completion lower limit value (step S112: NG), the main control unit MM determines that neither a disconnection nor a stepping on of the lock plate has occurred, and ends the series of processes.

[0070] In the above, the occurrence of the lock plate being stepped on has been described as an abnormality other than disconnection, but other than this, for example, as an abnormality caused by the motor 11, the rising of the lock plate 21 when the motor 11 acts to lower the lock plate 21 may be considered. The disconnection determination unit 50d may also determine the presence or absence of an abnormality on the motor side detected based on the rising of the lock plate 21. Below, an overview of the occurrence of an abnormality caused by the motor 11 will be described with reference to Figures 11(A) to 11(E).

[0071] FIG. 11(A) is a conceptual diagram showing the state of rotation when the normal motor 11 acts to lower the lock plate 21. As shown in the figure, the motor 11 is assumed to be configured to configure a gear head GH by combining, for example, multiple gears GRa, GRb, etc., and to perform a rotation operation at a moderate speed. In one example of FIG. 5(A), the rotation action (counterclockwise in the figure) of the gear GRb, which is one of the parts that configure the gear head GH, is transmitted to the gear GRa, thereby generating a rotation (clockwise in the figure) that operates (rotates) the link member 12 in the direction indicated by the arrow DD1a. In this case, as shown in FIG. 11(B), the lock plate 21 receives a force acting on the downward side indicated by the arrow DA1a.

[0072] In contrast, as shown in Fig. 11(C) and Fig. 11(D), if gears GRa and GRb have missing teeth MI (in the illustrated example, gear GRb has missing teeth MI), there will be a portion where the missing MI causes poor alignment, as shown in Fig. 11(D), which may cause the motor 11 to temporarily rotate unintentionally in the direction of arrow DD1c opposite to the direction shown by arrow DD1a. In this case, as shown in Fig. 11(E), the lock plate 21 will also be subjected to a force acting in the upward direction shown by arrow DA1b opposite to the direction of arrow DA1a.

[0073] In light of the above, the connection / disconnection determination unit 50d (see FIG. 6, etc.) can be configured to estimate in advance the magnitude of the reverse movement that may occur due to, for example, the above-mentioned loss of gear teeth, and if it is confirmed by detection by the encoder 15 or the like that a corresponding degree of lifting of the lock plate 21 occurs when the motor 11 acts to lower the lock plate 21, it can be determined that this is an abnormality on the motor side.

[0074] As described above, the lock plate type parking device 100 of this embodiment includes the motor side rotating shaft 13 that receives the action from the motor 11, the lock plate side rotating shaft 22 that raises and lowers the lock plate 21 by rotation, the connecting member LK that connects the motor side rotating shaft 13 and the lock plate side rotating shaft 22, and the connection disconnection determination unit 50d that determines whether the connecting member LK has been disconnected according to the rotation status of the motor side rotating shaft 13. In the above lock plate type parking device 100, the connection disconnection determination unit 50d determines whether the connecting member LK has been disconnected, so that the disconnection between the motor side and the lock plate side can be detected early.

[0075] 〔others〕 The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0076] First, in the above, the connecting member LK may be a pin-shaped member (weak point pin), or may be configured using an engaging member such as a bolt or wire. Also, the cross-sectional shape is not limited to a cylinder, and may be formed into various shapes such as a rectangle.

[0077] In addition, in the above, when an abnormality is detected, an alert is sent to the settlement machine PM, but the alert mode and destination are not limited to the above and can take various forms, and for example, it is possible to directly alert the parking management side, such as a higher-level device CM or a terminal carried by the manager.

[0078] Also, the means for grasping the rotational state of the motor-side rotating shaft 13 is not limited to the above-mentioned example of the encoder 15, and various means can be applied, and it is also possible to use other types of encoders and various types of sensors. Also, it is conceivable to provide an encoder or the like in order to measure the degree of operation (rotation) of the motor 11 in the motor control unit 50m, or to use the encoder 15 in a manner that allows the rotational state of the third member 12c to be confirmed at the same time. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 10...motor side device, 11...motor, 12...link member, 12t...contact portion, 13...motor side rotating shaft, 13e...end, 13q...contact portion upper limit position, 13t...contact portion, 14...spring, 15...encoder, 20...lock plate side device, 21...lock plate, 22...lock plate side rotating shaft, 22r...recess, 23...rotation range regulating portion, 50...control device, 50d...connection / disconnection determination portion, 50f...lock plate position detection portion, 50f...flap position detection portion, 50m...motor control portion, 50t...communication portion, 50v...vehicle detection portion, 100...lock plate type parking Apparatus, 500... parking lot management system, AA1, AR1, AR2, BB1... arrows, CA... vehicle compartment, CM... higher-level device, CS... housing, DA1a, DA1b... arrows, DD1, DD2, DD1a, DD1b, DD1c... arrows, Fm... force, Fr... resistance, Fra... force (resistance), Fs... force, Ft... force, Fta... force, GRa, GRb... gear, LK... connecting member, MI... tooth loss, MM... main control unit, NU... alarm unit, PA... parking lot, PM... payment machine, PS1 to PS4... photosensor, SL... slit, VD... vehicle detection sensor

Claims

1. a motor-side rotating shaft that receives an action from the motor; A lock plate side rotation shaft that raises and lowers the lock plate by rotating; a connecting member that connects the motor side rotating shaft and the lock plate side rotating shaft; a disconnection determination unit that determines whether or not a disconnection has occurred in the connecting member depending on a rotation state of the motor-side rotating shaft; A lock plate type parking device.

2. 2. The lock plate type parking device according to claim 1, wherein the connection / disconnection determination unit determines that a connection / disconnection has occurred when excessive rotation of the motor side rotating shaft that exceeds a rotatable range of the lock plate is detected.

3. A rotation range limiting portion is provided to limit the rotational elevation of the lock plate, 3. The lock plate type parking device according to claim 2, wherein the disconnection determination unit determines that a disconnection has occurred when the rotational state of the motor side rotating shaft corresponds to a state in which the limit of rotational increase of the lock plate has been exceeded.

4. an encoder for measuring the amount of rotation of the motor-side rotating shaft; The lock plate type parking device according to claim 1 , wherein the connection / disconnection determination unit determines whether a connection / disconnection has occurred based on a measurement by the encoder.

5. 2. The lock plate type parking device according to claim 1, wherein the connection / disconnection determination unit determines that the lock plate has been stepped on if the amount of rotation of the motor-side rotating shaft at the time when the lock plate has completed rising is less than a predetermined lower limit value.

6. an elastic member that acts in a direction to lift the lock plate relative to the motor-side rotation shaft; 2. The lock plate type parking device of claim 1, wherein the motor-side rotating shaft has a contact portion that comes into contact with the motor, and receives a force from the motor through the contact portion that acts in a direction to lower the lock plate, and exerts a force from the elastic member on the motor that acts in a direction to lift the lock plate.

7. 7. The lock plate type parking device according to claim 6, wherein the connection / disconnection determination unit determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred on the motor side based on the occurrence of rising of the lock plate when the motor acts to lower the lock plate.

8. 2. The lock plate type parking device according to claim 1, further comprising an alarm unit that notifies an outside party of the determination result made by the connection / disconnection determination unit.

Images