Mechanical parking lot

Abstract

To provide a mechanical parking lot allowing smooth loading / unloading of vehicles.SOLUTION: A mechanical parking lot 100 of an embodiment comprises: a boarding room 2 which has a car stopping region 22 in which a vehicle 1 can be parked and in which the vehicle 1 and a user 12 of the vehicle 1 can enter and exit the car stopping region 22; a parking room 3 in which multiple vehicles 1 can be parked; a first carrier device 4 in which the vehicle 1 can be carried into the parking room 3 and the vehicle 1 can be carried out from the parking room 3; a second carrier device 5 which can get into the boarding room 2 and the first carrier device 4 and carries the vehicle 1; and a temporary parking region 6 into which the second carrier device 5 can get and in which the unloading vehicle 1 or the loading vehicle 1 can be parked temporarily.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mechanical parking lot. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a mechanical parking facility in which vehicles are loaded and unloaded by transferring them between the loading / unloading entrance and the parking area using an elevator. In this facility, multiple loading / unloading waiting spaces where vehicles wait are provided on the side of a conveyor path extending toward the loading / unloading means. The facility is also provided with a conveyor that carries vehicles and travels along the conveyor path, transferring vehicles between the elevator and the loading / unloading waiting spaces. The conveyor has wheels and travels on a fixed route on traveling rails with vehicles loaded on pallets. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-062919 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the facility described in Patent Document 1, the waiting space for entering and leaving the facility is integrated with the boarding and disembarking space where passengers get on and off the vehicle, and these spaces are not separated, so the facility does not meet the equipment standards for boarding and disembarking spaces.In addition, this facility is disadvantageous in terms of cost because it uses large-scale equipment as a transportation means.

[0005] In a mechanical parking lot, if a vehicle is left behind without the user coming to collect it, the boarding and disembarking space will be occupied by the departing vehicle, temporarily halting operation of the entire parking lot and hindering smooth entry and exit. The equipment described in Patent Document 1 has a similar problem when the waiting space for entry and exit is full, and there is room for improvement in terms of realizing smooth entry and exit.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and one of its objects is to provide a mechanical parking lot that allows smooth entry and exit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, one embodiment of a mechanical parking lot of the present invention has a parking area where vehicles can be parked, and is equipped with a boarding and disembarking room where vehicles and vehicle users can enter and exit the parking area, a parking room where multiple vehicles can be parked, a first conveying device that can bring vehicles into the parking room and remove vehicles from the parking room, a second conveying device that can enter the boarding and disembarking room and the first conveying device and transports vehicles, and a temporary parking area where the second conveying device can enter and where departing or entering vehicles can be temporarily parked.

[0008] Any combination of the above components, or mutual substitution of the components or expressions of the present invention between methods, devices, systems, etc., are also valid aspects of the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, a mechanical parking lot that allows smooth entry and exit can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a mechanical parking lot according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the mechanical parking lot of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 2 is a plan view showing an example of a second transport device of the mechanical parking lot of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is another plan view showing the second transport device of FIG. 3. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a front view showing the second conveying device of FIG. 3. [Figure 6] 2 is a flowchart showing the exit operation of the mechanical parking lot of FIG. 1. [Figure 7]7 is a flowchart showing a continuation of the flowchart of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing a retrieval operation including a retrieval reservation. [Figure 9] 9 is a flowchart continuing from the flowchart of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] 2 is a flowchart showing the parking operation of the mechanical parking lot of FIG. 1. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing another example of the exit operation of the mechanical parking lot of FIG. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart showing another example of the parking operation of the mechanical parking lot of FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a mechanical parking lot according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention will be described below based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments and modifications, identical or equivalent components and members are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted where appropriate. The dimensions of the members in the drawings are enlarged or reduced as appropriate to facilitate understanding. Some members that are not important for explaining the embodiments will be omitted from the drawings.

[0012] Furthermore, terms including ordinal numbers such as first and second are used to describe various components, but these terms are used only to distinguish one component from another and do not limit the components.

[0013] [Embodiment] The configuration of a mechanical parking lot 100 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view of the mechanical parking lot 100. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the mechanical parking lot 100. The following description will be based on the XYZ Cartesian coordinate system. For convenience, the X-axis direction corresponds to the horizontal front-to-back direction, the Y-axis direction corresponds to the horizontal left-to-right direction, and the Z-axis direction corresponds to the vertical up-down direction. The Y-axis and Z-axis directions are each perpendicular to the X-axis direction.

[0014] First, the overall configuration of the mechanical parking lot 100 will be described. The mechanical parking lot 100 comprises a boarding / deboarding space 2, a parking space 3, a first transport device 4, a second transport device 5, a temporary parking area 6, and a control unit 8. In this embodiment, the boarding / deboarding space 2 and the temporary parking area 6 are provided in an interior space 16 of a building 28 on the ground, and the parking space 3 is provided underground. In the example of FIG. 2, the number of second transport devices 5 is three.

[0015] Hereinafter, a vehicle waiting to enter the mechanical parking lot 100 or a vehicle in the act of entering may be referred to as an "entering vehicle," and a vehicle waiting to leave the mechanical parking lot 100 or a vehicle in the act of leaving may be referred to as an "exiting vehicle." In addition, in this specification, the state in which a vehicle remains in place, regardless of whether a person is inside or not, is referred to as "stopped." In particular, when a vehicle is stopped with the purpose of remaining in place continuously, it is referred to as "parked." In the case of stopping and parking, the period during which a vehicle remains in place is referred to as the "stopping period."

[0016] The boarding / deboarding room 2 has a stopping area 22 where the vehicle 1 can be stopped. The stopping area 22 is configured to allow the vehicle 1 and the user 12 of the vehicle 1 to enter and exit. In the embodiment, a plurality (for example, four) of the boarding / deboarding rooms 2 are provided. Each boarding / deboarding room 2 is surrounded by walls on all four sides, and has a first entrance / exit 24 that leads to an approach space 14 that is adjacent to the outside of the building 28, and a second entrance / exit 26 that leads to the interior space 16 of the building 28.

[0017] The first entrance / exit 24 is connected to the roadway 15 via the approach space 14. A vehicle 1 entering the parking lot enters the approach space 14 from the roadway 15 and enters the boarding / deboarding room 2 through the first entrance / exit 24. A vehicle 1 leaving the parking lot exits from the boarding / deboarding room 2 through the first entrance / exit 24 into the approach space 14 and enters the roadway 15 from the approach space 14.

[0018] The first entrance / exit 24 is configured to be able to restrict entry and exit of the vehicle 1 and the user 12 of the vehicle 1 to the parking area 22. The first entrance / exit 24 is provided with a first door 242 that opens when allowing entry and exit of the vehicle 1 and the user 12 of the vehicle 1, and closes when restricting entry and exit. In FIG. 1 , the open first door 242 is indicated by arrow A, and the closed first door 242 is indicated by arrow B. Hereinafter, opening and closing the first door 242 will be referred to as opening and closing the first entrance / exit 24.

[0019] The second entrance 26 is configured to be able to restrict entry of the second conveying device 5 into the parking area 22. The second entrance 26 is provided with a second door 262 that opens when allowing entry and exit of the vehicle 1 and the second conveying device 5 and closes when restricting entry and exit. In FIG. 2 , the open second door 262 is indicated by arrow C, and the closed second door 262 is indicated by arrow D. Note that hereinafter, opening and closing the second door 262 will be referred to as opening and closing the second entrance 26.

[0020] The first entrance / exit 24 is closed when the vehicle 1 is on standby and when the vehicle 1 is being transported by the second transport device 5, and is opened when the vehicle 1 enters and exits. The second entrance / exit 26 is closed when the vehicle 1 is on standby and when the vehicle 1 enters and exits the boarding / deboarding compartment 2, and is opened when the vehicle 1 is being transported by the second transport device 5.

[0021] The parking space 3 is configured to be able to park multiple vehicles 1. In this example, the parking space 3 has one or multiple (e.g., two) floors. Each floor of the parking space 3 is provided with multiple parking sections 32 for parking the vehicles 1, and a moving mechanism 34 for moving the vehicles 1. The moving mechanism 34 can move the vehicles 1 between the parking sections 32 and the first conveying device 4, and between the multiple parking sections 32.

[0022] The first conveying device 4 is configured to be able to carry the vehicle 1 into the parking space 3 and to be able to carry the vehicle 1 out of the parking space 3. In other words, the first conveying device 4 is a moving mechanism that moves the vehicle 1 between the boarding / deboarding space 2 and the parking space 3. The first conveying device 4 in the embodiment has a loading / unloading area 42 into which the second conveying device 5 can enter. In a configuration in which the parking space 3 is provided on a different floor from the boarding / deboarding space 2 as in the embodiment, the first conveying device 4 is a lifting device that can raise and lower the vehicle 1, and the loading / unloading area 42 is a lift room, which may be referred to as the lift room 42 in the following description. As an example, the lift room 42 is provided with a pallet that transports the vehicle 1 between the ground floor and the first or second basement floor by a lift mechanism. Hereinafter, the pallet that is raised and lowered by the lift mechanism may be simply referred to as a "lift."

[0023] 2, a plurality of (for example, two) first conveying devices 4 are provided in the interior space 16 of the building 28. Only one first conveying device 4 may be provided. The ground floor portion of each first conveying device 4 is provided on the same floor as the boarding / deboarding room 2.

[0024] The temporary parking area 6 is configured to allow the second conveying device 5 to enter and to temporarily park an departing vehicle 1 or an incoming vehicle 1. In this example, the temporary parking area 6 is provided in an area that leads to the boarding / deboarding room 2 and the first conveying device 4 in the internal space 16 of the building 28. The temporary parking area 6 in FIG. 2 has multiple (e.g., three) parking sections 61 for parking the vehicle 1. By temporarily parking the vehicle 1, the temporary parking area 6 can fulfill the function (hereinafter referred to as the "buffer function") of mitigating the time lag in the processing time and phase time of each mechanism of the internal mechanism 7.

[0025] The control unit 8 controls the operation of the internal mechanism 7 of the mechanical parking lot 100. The control unit 8 receives instructions based on the operation of the operation panel 81 or the mobile terminal 17 carried by the user. The internal mechanism 7 includes the boarding / deboarding space 2, the parking space 3, the first transport device 4, and the second transport device 5. In particular, the control unit 8 can control the operation of the first transport device 4 and the second transport device 5, the opening and closing operation of the first entrance / exit 24 and the second entrance / exit 26 of the boarding / deboarding space 2, and the operation of the moving mechanism 34 of the parking space 3. In the example of FIG. 2, the control unit 8 is provided inside the operation panel 81 installed on the outer wall of the building 28. The control unit 8 can be realized by elements or mechanical devices such as a computer's CPU (Central Processing Unit).

[0026] The second conveying device 5 will be described with reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5. Figures 3 and 4 are plan views of the second conveying device 5. Figure 5 is a front view of the second conveying device 5. In Figures 3 and 4, the outer contour of the vehicle 1 is indicated by dashed lines, and the four tires 18 of the vehicle 1 are indicated by solid lines. The second conveying device 5 has a base 51, a driving device 52, and eight arms 53. The base 51 has a rectangular contour that is long in the front-to-rear direction in a plan view, and has a thin vertical length that allows it to slip between the vehicle 1 and the floor surface R. The driving device 52 drives wheels (not shown) provided on the base 51 to move the second conveying device 5. The arms 53 are cylindrical members supported by the base 51 so as to be extendable in the front-to-rear direction. Two arms 53 are arranged spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction for each of the four tires 18.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 3, with the arms 53 retracted, the second transport device 5 can be moved in the front-to-rear direction as indicated by arrow E to get under the vehicle 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the second transport device 5 can extend the arms 53 to the left and right as indicated by arrow F. In this state, the two arms 53 get between the tires 18 and the floor R. As shown in FIG. 5, the second transport device 5 can lift each tire 18 by moving the two front and rear arms 53 toward the center of each tire 18 as indicated by arrow G. In this state, the second transport device 5 can travel while supporting the vehicle 1.

[0028] The second conveying device 5 can enter the boarding / deboarding room 2, the first conveying device 4, and the temporary parking area 6. The second conveying device 5 can transport the vehicle 1 between the boarding / deboarding room 2 and the temporary parking area 6, between the boarding / deboarding room 2 and the first conveying device 4, and between the temporary parking area 6 and the first conveying device 4. The second conveying device 5 of the embodiment is equipped with a sensor that can detect its own position in the internal space 16 and the relative positional relationship between itself and the vehicle 1, and is a transport vehicle that can autonomously travel along a predetermined route instructed by the control unit 8 based on the detection results of the sensor.

[0029] (1st action) A first operation characteristic of this embodiment will now be described. If a user leaves a vehicle 1 that has been transported from a parking space 3 to a boarding / deboarding space 2 for departing without picking it up, the boarding / deboarding space 2 or the first transport device 4 will be occupied by the departing vehicle 1, temporarily rendering the mechanical parking lot 100 inoperable. Therefore, in this embodiment, the control unit 8 controls the internal mechanism 7 so that the second transport device 5 transports the vehicle 1 to the temporary parking area 6 when the period during which the departing vehicle 1 has been parked in the boarding / deboarding space 2 has passed a predetermined first period. In this case, the boarding / deboarding space 2 is no longer occupied, and the mechanical parking lot 100 becomes operable.

[0030] If the first period is too short, unnecessary operations will increase when users arrive within a short period of time. If the first period is too long, the mechanical parking lot 100 will be unable to operate for a long period of time. The first period can be set by experiment or simulation within a range that allows for these issues. As an example, the first period can be set within a range of 1 minute to 60 minutes.

[0031] (2nd action) The second operation will now be described. If the temporary parking area 6 is occupied for a long period of time by the vehicle 1 transported in the first operation, the buffer function of the temporary parking area 6 will be reduced. Therefore, in this embodiment, the control unit 8 controls the internal mechanism 7 so that the second transport device 5 transports the vehicle 1 to the parking space 3 when the period during which the vehicle 1 transported to the temporary parking area 6 has been stopped in the temporary parking area 6 has passed a predetermined second period.

[0032] If the second period is too short, unnecessary operations will increase when users arrive in a short period of time. If the second period is too long, the buffer function will be reduced. The second period can be set by experiment or simulation within a range that allows these issues to be tolerated. As an example, the second period can be set in the range of 1 minute or more and 60 minutes or less.

[0033] The first period in the busy season may be set to be shorter than the first period in the off-season. The second period in the busy season may be set to be shorter than the second period in the off-season. The control unit 8 may change the first period or the second period based on at least one of the season, date, day of the week, and time period. The first period or the second period may be changed based on at least one of the season, date, day of the week, and time period.

[0034] (3rd action) The third operation will now be described. In this embodiment, a departure instruction for the target vehicle 1 can be issued based on the operation of the operation panel 81 or the mobile terminal 17 carried by the user. The mobile terminal 17 may be a smartphone with a predetermined operation application installed, or may be any other wireless communication terminal. Upon receiving the first departure instruction from the user 12, the control unit 8 controls the internal mechanism 7 so that the second transport device 5 transports the target vehicle 1 parked in the parking space 3 to the boarding / de-boarding space 2.

[0035] If the user leaves the target vehicle 1 unattended after it has been transported to the loading / unloading space 2 in response to an exit instruction, the exiting vehicle 1 will occupy the loading / unloading space 2 or the first transport device 4, temporarily rendering the mechanical parking lot 100 inoperable. Therefore, in the embodiment, the control unit 8 controls the internal mechanism 7 so that the second transport device 5 transports the target vehicle 1 to the temporary parking area 6 when the target vehicle 1 has been parked in the loading / unloading space 2 for a predetermined first period. The first period of the third operation can be set from the same perspective as the first period of the first operation. The first period of the third operation may be the same as or different from the first period of the first operation.

[0036] (4th action) The fourth operation will now be described. When the target vehicle 1 is parked in the temporary parking area 6 due to the third operation, when the control unit 8 receives a second exit instruction from the user 12 after the first exit instruction, it controls the internal mechanism 7 so that the second transport device 5 transports the target vehicle 1 to the boarding / de-boarding compartment 2. In this case, the target vehicle 1 can be quickly removed.

[0037] (5th action) The fifth operation will now be described. In this embodiment, a reservation for leaving the target vehicle 1 can be made based on the operation of the operation panel 81 or the user's mobile terminal 17. When making a reservation for leaving the vehicle, the control unit 8 accepts and stores information such as the target vehicle 1 and its departure time in advance. Based on the stored results, the control unit 8 controls the internal mechanism 7 so that the second transport device 5 performs an operation (hereinafter referred to as the "preparatory operation") to transport the target vehicle 1 from the parking space 3 to the boarding and disembarking space 2 at a time a predetermined period earlier than the departure time. This operation allows the user to quickly leave the target vehicle 1 from the boarding and disembarking space 2.

[0038] If the target vehicle 1 remains parked for a long period of time in the fifth action, the target vehicle 1 may be transported to the temporary parking area 6 by the first action, or the target vehicle 1 may be transported to the parking space 3 by the second action.

[0039] (6th action) The sixth operation will now be described. There are cases where multiple departure reservations are concentrated in a certain time period, such as the morning rush hour. In this case, if some or all of the target vehicles 1 are transported to the temporary parking area 6 in advance, they can be smoothly taken out. Therefore, in this embodiment, when there are more than a predetermined number of departure reservations in a certain time period, the control unit 8 controls the internal mechanism 7 so that the second transport device 5 transports the target vehicles 1 with departure reservations parked in the parking spaces 3 to the temporary parking area 6.

[0040] If the target vehicle 1 is parked for a long period of time in the sixth action, the target vehicle 1 may be transported to the parking space 3 by the second action.

[0041] The first to sixth operations may be performed in combination as necessary.

[0042] An example of the exit operation of the mechanical parking lot 100 configured as described above will be described. Figures 6 and 7 are flowcharts showing an example of the exit operation S110 of the mechanical parking lot 100. In these figures, the right side of the dashed line shows the operation of the mechanical parking lot 100, and the left side of the dashed line shows the events of the user 12.

[0043] Please refer to Fig. 6. Operation S110 is started when the user 12 selects "exit" from the operation panel 81 or the mobile terminal 17. When operation S110 is started, the control unit 8 determines whether there is a vehicle waiting to be released (step S111).

[0044] If there is an item waiting to be taken out (Y in step S111), the control unit 8 sets the status to a waiting state for taking out (step S112). At this time, the user 12 can receive the order of taking out sent by the control unit 8. After executing step S112, the control unit 8 determines whether or not the order of taking out has arrived (step S113). If the order of taking out has not arrived (N in step S113), the control unit 8 returns the process to step S112 and repeats steps S112-S113.

[0045] If there is no vehicle waiting to be taken out (N in step S111), or if it is the vehicle's turn to be taken out (Y in step S113), the control unit 8 starts taking out the vehicle. Specifically, the control unit 8 places the target vehicle 1 on the first conveying device 4 (step S114). In this step, the target vehicle 1 in the parking space 3 is moved to the first conveying device 4 by the moving mechanism 34, and is loaded onto the first conveying device 4.

[0046] After executing step S114, the control unit 8 raises the lift and moves the target vehicle 1 to the lift room 42 on the ground floor (step S115). After executing step S115, the control unit 8 causes the second transport device 5 to enter the lift room and hold the target vehicle 1 on the second transport device 5 (step S116).

[0047] After executing step S116, the control unit 8 opens the second entrance / exit 26 (step S117). After executing step S117, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to convey the target vehicle 1 to the boarding / de-boarding compartment 2 (step S118).

[0048] After executing step S118, the control unit 8 separates the target vehicle 1 from the second conveying device 5, places it on the floor surface R, and causes the second conveying device 5 to exit the boarding / de-boarding compartment 2 (step S119). After executing step S119, the control unit 8 closes the second entrance / exit 26 (step S120). At this time, the control unit 8 transmits a message to the user that the departing vehicle has arrived at the boarding / de-boarding compartment 2, and the user 12 can receive the message that the departing vehicle has arrived at the boarding / de-boarding compartment 2.

[0049] After receiving the notification of the arrival of the departing vehicle, the user 12 can operate the operation panel 81 or the mobile terminal 17 to open the first entrance / exit 24 of the boarding / deboarding room 2.

[0050] After executing step S120, the control unit 8 determines whether or not an opening operation has been performed (step S122). If an opening operation has not been performed (N in step S122), the control unit 8 determines whether or not the period during which the target vehicle 1 has been parked in the boarding / alighting compartment 2 has elapsed a first period (step S123). The parking period can be measured by a timer. If the first period has not elapsed (N in step S123), the control unit 8 returns the process to step S122 and repeats steps S122-S123.

[0051] If the stopping period has exceeded the first period (Y in step S123), the control unit 8 advances the process to step S128 in FIG.

[0052] If the opening operation is performed (Y in step S122), the control unit 8 opens the first entrance 24 (step S124). Once the first entrance 24 is opened, the user 12 can get on the vehicle 1 and exit the boarding / exit room 2 together with the vehicle 1.

[0053] After executing step S124, the control unit 8 determines whether or not the vehicle 1 has exited the boarding / deboarding compartment 2 (step S125). If the vehicle 1 has not exited (N in step S125), the control unit 8 returns the process to the beginning of step S125 and repeats step S125. When the vehicle 1 has exited (Y in step S125), the control unit 8 closes the first entrance 24 of the boarding / exiting room 2 (step S126). When the first entrance 24 is closed, the leaving of the parking lot is completed.

[0054] See Figure 7. If the stopping period has elapsed the first period (Y in step S123), the control unit 8 executes the first operation described above. Specifically, the control unit 8 opens the second entrance / exit 26 of the boarding / deboarding compartment 2 (step S128). After executing step S128, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to enter the boarding / deboarding compartment 2 (step S129). After executing step S129, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to hold the target vehicle 1 (step S130).

[0055] After executing step S130, the control unit 8 causes the second conveyance device 5 to move the target vehicle 1 to the temporary parking area 6 and park it (step S131). After executing step S131, the control unit 8 closes the second entrance / exit 26 of the boarding / de-boarding room 2 (step S132). At this point, the first operation is completed.

[0056] After executing step S132, the control unit 8 determines whether the period during which the target vehicle 1 has been parked in the temporary parking area 6 has exceeded the second period (step S134). If the period has not exceeded the second period (N in step S134), the control unit 8 determines whether an opening operation has been performed (step S135). That is, the control unit 8 continues to monitor whether the user 12 has performed an operation to open the first entrance / exit 24 of the boarding / de-boarding room 2 using the operation panel 81 or the mobile terminal 17. If an opening operation has not been performed (N in step S135), the control unit 8 returns the process to step S134 and repeats steps S134-S135.

[0057] If the opening operation is performed (Y in step S135), the control unit 8 moves the target vehicle 1 parked in the temporary parking area 6 to the boarding / de-boarding compartment 2. Specifically, the control unit 8 causes the second transport device 5 to hold the target vehicle 1 in the temporary parking area 6 (step S136). After executing step S136, the control unit 8 opens the second entrance / exit 26 of the boarding / de-boarding compartment 2 (step S137).

[0058] After executing step S137, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to convey the target vehicle 1 to the boarding / deboarding room 2 (step S138). After executing step S138, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to exit the boarding / deboarding room 2 (step S139). After executing step S139, the control unit 8 closes the second entrance / exit 26 of the boarding / deboarding room 2 (step S140).

[0059] After executing step S140, the control unit 8 jumps the process back to the beginning of step S124 in FIG. 6, and executes steps S124 to S126.

[0060] If the parking period has elapsed beyond the second period in step S134 (Y in step S134), the control unit 8 executes the second operation to cancel the departure reservation. At this time, the control unit 8 transmits a message to the user that the departure reservation has been canceled, and the user 12 can receive the notification that the departure has been canceled. Specifically, the control unit 8 causes the second transport device 5 to hold the target vehicle 1 in the temporary parking area 6 (step S142).

[0061] After executing step S142, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to move the target vehicle 1 to the lift chamber 42 (step S143). After executing step S143, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to exit the lift chamber 42 and lowers the lift to move the target vehicle 1 to the underground parking space 3 (step S144).

[0062] After executing step S144, the control unit 8 stores the target vehicle 1 in the parking space 3 (step S145). In this step, the control unit 8 controls the moving mechanism 34 to move the target vehicle 1 in the first conveyance device 4 to a predetermined parking section 32. After executing step S145, the cancellation of the withdrawal is completed.

[0063] Next, we will explain an example of the exit operation of the mechanical parking lot 100 when an exit reservation is made. Figures 8 and 9 are flowcharts showing an example of the exit operation S210 of the mechanical parking lot 100. In these figures, the right side of the dashed line shows the operation of the mechanical parking lot 100, and the left side of the dashed line shows the event of the user 12.

[0064] See Fig. 8. Operation S210 is started when the user 12 selects "reserve leaving" from the operation panel 81 or the mobile terminal 17. When operation S210 is started, the control unit 8 reserves a reservation slot including the reserved time T1 for leaving for the target vehicle 1 (step S211).

[0065] After executing step S211, the control unit 8 determines whether the preparation start time T2 has passed (step S212). The preparation start time T2 can be set to a time that is earlier than the reservation time T1 by a preliminary transfer period ΔT. The preliminary transfer period ΔT can be set by adding a margin to the period required to transfer the vehicle 1 from the parking space 3 to the boarding / deboarding space 2.

[0066] If the preparation start time T2 has not passed (N in step S212), the control unit 8 waits for the reservation time (step S215), and then returns the process to the beginning of step S212, and repeats steps S212 and S215.

[0067] If the preparation start time T2 has passed (Y in step S212), the control unit 8 determines whether there is sufficient operational capacity (step S213). If there is sufficient operational capacity (Y in step S213), the control unit 8 executes a preliminary transfer operation to move the target vehicle 1 from the parking space 3 to the temporary parking area 6.

[0068] When the preliminary transfer operation is started, the control unit 8 places the target vehicle 1 on the first conveying device 4 (step S216). In this step, the target vehicle 1 in the parking space 3 is moved to the first conveying device 4 by the moving mechanism 34 and loaded onto the first conveying device 4.

[0069] After executing step S216, the control unit 8 raises the lift and moves the target vehicle 1 to the lift room 42 on the ground floor (step S217). After executing step S217, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to enter the lift room and hold the target vehicle 1 on the second conveying device 5 (step S218).

[0070] After executing step S218, the control unit 8 causes the second conveyance device 5 to move the target vehicle 1 to the temporary parking area 6 and park it (step S219). After executing step S218, the control unit 8 determines whether the reservation time T1 has passed (step S220). If the reservation time T1 has not passed (N in step S220), the control unit 8 returns the process to the beginning of step S220 and repeats step S220.

[0071] If the reservation time T1 has passed (Y in step S220), the control unit 8 causes the second conveyance device 5 to hold the target vehicle 1 (step S221). After executing step S221, the control unit 8 causes the process to jump to step S226.

[0072] If there is no margin for operation in step S213 (N in step S213), the control unit 8 determines whether the reservation time T1 has passed (step S214). If the reservation time T1 has not passed (N in step S214), the control unit 8 returns the process to the beginning of step S215.

[0073] If the reservation time T1 has passed (Y in step S214), the control unit 8 places the target vehicle 1 on the first conveying device 4 (step S223). In this step, the target vehicle 1 in the parking space 3 is moved to the first conveying device 4 by the moving mechanism 34 and loaded onto the first conveying device 4.

[0074] After executing step S223, the control unit 8 raises the lift and moves the target vehicle 1 to the lift room 42 on the ground floor (step S224). After executing step S224, the control unit 8 causes the second transport device 5 to enter the lift room and hold the target vehicle 1 on the second transport device 5 (step S225).

[0075] After executing step S225, the control unit 8 opens the second entrance 26 (step S226). After executing step S226, the control unit 8 causes the second conveyance device 5 to convey the target vehicle 1 to the boarding / de-boarding compartment 2 (step S227).

[0076] After executing step S227, the control unit 8 separates the target vehicle 1 from the second conveying device 5, places it on floor surface R, and causes the second conveying device 5 to exit the boarding / de-boarding compartment 2 (step S228). After executing step S228, the control unit 8 closes the second entrance / exit 26 (step S229). At this time, the control unit 8 transmits a message to the user that the departing vehicle has arrived at the boarding / de-boarding compartment 2, and the user 12 can receive the message that the departing vehicle has arrived at the boarding / de-boarding compartment 2.

[0077] After receiving the notification of the arrival of the departing vehicle, the user 12 can use the operation panel 81 or the mobile terminal 17 to perform an opening operation to open the first entrance / exit 24 of the boarding / de-boarding room 2.

[0078] After executing step S229, the control unit 8 determines whether or not an opening operation has been performed (step S231). If an opening operation has not been performed (N in step S231), the control unit 8 determines whether or not the stopping period of the target vehicle 1 in the boarding / alighting compartment 2 has elapsed a first period (step S233). The stopping period can be measured by a timer.

[0079] If the first period has not elapsed (N in step S233), the control unit 8 returns the process to step S231 and repeats steps S231 to S233. If the stopping period has elapsed the first period (Y in step S233), the control unit 8 proceeds to step S238 in FIG.

[0080] If the opening operation is performed (Y in step S231), the control unit 8 opens the first entrance 24 (step S234). Once the first entrance 24 is opened, the user 12 can get on the vehicle 1 and exit the boarding / exit room 2 together with the vehicle 1.

[0081] After executing step S234, the control unit 8 determines whether or not the vehicle 1 has exited the boarding / de-boarding space 2 (step S235). If the vehicle 1 has not exited (N in step S235), the control unit 8 returns the process to the beginning of step S235 and repeats step S235. If the vehicle 1 has exited (Y in step S235), the control unit 8 closes the first entrance / exit 24 of the boarding / de-boarding space 2 (step S236). Once the first entrance / exit 24 is closed, the exit from the parking lot is completed.

[0082] See Figure 9. If the stopping period has elapsed the first period (Y in step S233), the control unit 8 executes the first operation described above. Specifically, the control unit 8 opens the second entrance / exit 26 of the boarding / deboarding compartment 2 (step S238). After executing step S238, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to enter the boarding / deboarding compartment 2 (step S239). After executing step S239, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to hold the target vehicle 1 (step S240).

[0083] After executing step S240, the control unit 8 causes the second conveyance device 5 to move the target vehicle 1 to the temporary parking area 6 and park it (step S241). After executing step S241, the control unit 8 closes the second entrance / exit 26 of the boarding / de-boarding room 2 (step S242). At this point, the first operation is completed.

[0084] After executing step S242, the control unit 8 determines whether the period during which the target vehicle 1 has been parked in the temporary parking area 6 has exceeded the second period (step S244). If the period has not exceeded the second period (N in step S244), the control unit 8 determines whether an opening operation has been performed (step S245). That is, the control unit 8 continues to monitor whether the user 12 has performed an operation to open the first entrance / exit 24 of the boarding / de-boarding room 2 using the operation panel 81 or the mobile terminal 17. If an opening operation has not been performed (N in step S245), the control unit 8 returns the process to step S244 and repeats steps S244-S245.

[0085] If the opening operation is performed (Y in step S245), the control unit 8 moves the target vehicle 1 parked in the temporary parking area 6 to the boarding / de-boarding compartment 2. Specifically, the control unit 8 causes the second transport device 5 to hold the target vehicle 1 in the temporary parking area 6 (step S246). After executing step S246, the control unit 8 opens the second entrance / exit 26 of the boarding / de-boarding compartment 2 (step S247).

[0086] After executing step S247, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to convey the target vehicle 1 to the boarding / deboarding room 2 (step S248). After executing step S248, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to exit the boarding / deboarding room 2 (step S249). After executing step S249, the control unit 8 closes the second entrance / exit 26 of the boarding / deboarding room 2 (step S250).

[0087] After executing step S250, the control unit 8 jumps the process to the beginning of step S234 in FIG. 8, and executes steps S234 to S236.

[0088] If the parking period has elapsed the second period in step S244 (Y in step S244), the control unit 8 executes the second operation to cancel the departure reservation. At this time, the control unit 8 transmits a message to the user that the departure reservation has been canceled, and the user 12 can receive the notification that the departure has been canceled. Specifically, the control unit 8 causes the second transport device 5 to hold the target vehicle 1 in the temporary parking area 6 (step S252).

[0089] After executing step S252, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to move the target vehicle 1 to the lift room (step S253). After executing step S253, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to exit the lift room 42 and lowers the lift to move the target vehicle 1 to the underground parking space 3 (step S254).

[0090] After executing step S254, the control unit 8 stores the target vehicle 1 in the parking space 3 (step S255). In this step, the control unit 8 controls the moving mechanism 34 to move the target vehicle 1 in the first conveying device 4 to a predetermined parking section 32. After executing step S255, the cancellation of the withdrawal is completed.

[0091] Next, we will explain an example of the entry operation of the mechanical parking lot 100. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the entry operation S310 of the mechanical parking lot 100. In these figures, the right side of the dashed line shows the operation of the mechanical parking lot 100, and the left side of the dashed line shows the event of the user 12.

[0092] Operation S310 is an example of a parking operation in a full parking state where all the boarding / deboarding spaces 2 are occupied by vehicles. Operation S310 includes a temporary evacuation operation in which, when the boarding / deboarding spaces 2 are occupied and another parking request cannot be accommodated, some of the occupied vehicles are transferred to the temporary parking area 6 to vacate the boarding / deboarding spaces 2 and accommodate another parking request.

[0093] Operation S310 is started when the user 12 selects entry from the operation panel 81 or the mobile terminal 17. When operation S310 is started, the control unit 8 determines whether some of the multiple temporary parking areas 6 are vacant and whether there is space in the temporary parking areas 6 (step S311). If there is no space in the temporary parking areas 6 (N in step S311), the control unit 8 transmits the entry waiting time to the user 12 (step S312). At this time, the user 12 can receive the entry waiting time. After executing step S312, the control unit 8 ends operation S310.

[0094] If there is space in the temporary parking area 6 (Y in step S311), the control unit 8 executes the temporary evacuation operation (S313-S318). Specifically, the control unit 8 selects the boarding / alighting compartment 2 where the vehicle has been waiting for the longest time (hereinafter referred to as the "selected boarding / alighting compartment 2") (step S313).

[0095] After executing step S313, the control unit 8 opens the second entrance / exit 26 of the selected boarding / alighting compartment 2 (step S314). After executing step S314, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to enter the selected boarding / alighting compartment 2 (step S315). After executing step S315, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to hold the vehicle 1 (hereinafter referred to as the "selected vehicle 1") in the selected boarding / alighting compartment 2 (step S316).

[0096] After executing step S316, the control unit 8 causes the second transport device 5 to transport the selected vehicle 1 to the temporary parking area 6 (step S317). After executing step S317, the control unit 8 closes the second entrance / exit 26 of the selected boarding / deboarding space 2 (step S318). After executing step S318, the control unit 8 transmits entry availability information to the user 12 (step S319). At this time, the user 12 receives the entry availability information and can use the operation panel 81 or mobile terminal 17 to perform an opening operation to open the first entrance / exit 24 of the selected boarding / deboarding space 2.

[0097] After executing step S319, the control unit 8 determines whether or not an opening operation has been performed (step S320). If an opening operation has not been performed (N in step S320), the control unit 8 returns the process to the beginning of step S320 and repeats step S320. If an opening operation has been performed (Y in step S320), the control unit 8 opens the first entrance 24 of the selected boarding / deboarding compartment 2 (step S322).

[0098] When the first entrance / exit 24 is opened, the user 12 parks the vehicle 1 in the selected boarding / alighting compartment 2, disembarks the vehicle 1, and exits the selected boarding / alighting compartment 2. After executing step S322, the control unit 8 determines whether the user 12 has exited the selected boarding / alighting compartment 2 (step S323). If the user 12 has not exited (N in step S323), the control unit 8 returns the process to the beginning of step S323 and repeats step S323.

[0099] If the vehicle has exited (Y in step S323), the control unit 8 closes the first entrance / exit 24 of the selected boarding / deboarding room 2 (step S324). After executing step S324, the control unit 8 transports the entering vehicle 1 to the parking space 3 (step S325). In this step, the control unit 8 controls the second transport device 5, the first transport device 4, and the moving mechanism 34 to transport the entering vehicle 1. After executing step S325, the control unit 8 returns the selected vehicle 1 from the temporary parking area 6 to the selected boarding / deboarding compartment 2 (step S326). After executing step S326, the parking operation is completed.

[0100] Next, we will explain an example of the exit operation of the mechanical parking lot 100. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the exit operation S410 of the mechanical parking lot 100. In these figures, the right side of the dashed line shows the operation of the mechanical parking lot 100, and the left side of the dashed line shows the event of the user 12.

[0101] Operation S410 is an example of a departure operation in a state where all of the boarding / de-boarding spaces 2 are occupied by vehicles. Operation S410 includes a temporary evacuation operation in which, when the boarding / de-boarding spaces 2 are occupied and another departure request cannot be accommodated, some of the occupied vehicles are transferred to the temporary parking area 6 to vacate the boarding / de-boarding spaces 2 and accommodate another departure request.

[0102] Operation S410 is started when the user 12 selects "exit" from the operation panel 81 or the mobile terminal 17. When operation S410 is started, the control unit 8 determines whether some of the multiple temporary parking areas 6 are vacant and whether there is room in the temporary parking areas 6 (step S411). If there is no room in the temporary parking areas 6 (N in step S411), the control unit 8 transmits the waiting time for leaving to the user 12 (step S412). At this time, the user 12 can receive the waiting time for leaving. After executing step S412, the control unit 8 ends operation S410.

[0103] If there is space in the temporary parking area 6 (Y in step S411), the control unit 8 executes the temporary evacuation operation (S413-S418). Specifically, the control unit 8 selects the boarding / alighting compartment 2 where the vehicle has been waiting for the longest time (hereinafter referred to as the "selected boarding / alighting compartment 2") (step S413).

[0104] After executing step S413, the control unit 8 opens the second entrance / exit 26 of the selected boarding / alighting compartment 2 (step S414). After executing step S414, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to enter the selected boarding / alighting compartment 2 (step S415). After executing step S415, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to hold the vehicle 1 (hereinafter referred to as the "selected vehicle 1") in the selected boarding / alighting compartment 2 (step S416).

[0105] After executing step S416, the control unit 8 causes the second transport device 5 to transport the selected vehicle 1 to the temporary parking area 6 (step S417). After executing step S417, the control unit 8 closes the second entrance / exit 26 of the selected boarding / deboarding room 2 (step S418).

[0106] After executing step S418, the control unit 8 transfers the vehicle 1 to be departed from the parking space 3 to the boarding / de-boarding space 2 (step S419). In this step, the control unit 8 controls the moving mechanism 34, the first conveying device 4, and the second conveying device 5 to transfer the entering vehicle 1.

[0107] After executing step S419, the control unit 8 transmits the information indicating that the vehicle is ready to leave to the user 12 (step S420). At this time, the user 12 receives the information indicating that the vehicle is ready to leave and can use the operation panel 81 or the mobile terminal 17 to perform an opening operation to open the first entrance / exit 24 of the selected boarding / deboarding room 2.

[0108] After executing step S420, the control unit 8 determines whether or not an opening operation has been performed (step S421). If an opening operation has not been performed (N in step S421), the control unit 8 returns the process to the beginning of step S421 and repeats step S421. If an opening operation has been performed (Y in step S421), the control unit 8 opens the first entrance 24 of the selected boarding / deboarding compartment 2 (step S422).

[0109] When the first entrance / exit 24 is opened, the user 12 can get on the vehicle 1 and exit the boarding / alighting compartment 2 together with the vehicle 1. After executing step S422, the control unit 8 determines whether the vehicle 1 has exited the selected boarding / alighting compartment 2 (step S423). If the vehicle 1 has not exited (N in step S423), the control unit 8 returns the process to the beginning of step S423 and repeats step S423.

[0110] If the vehicle has exited (Y in step S423), the control unit 8 closes the first entrance / exit 24 of the selected boarding / deboarding compartment 2 (step S424). After executing step S424, the control unit 8 returns the selected vehicle 1 from the temporary parking area 6 to the selected boarding / deboarding compartment 2 (step S425). After executing step S425, the exit operation is completed.

[0111] Next, we will explain an example of the entry operation of the mechanical parking lot 100. Figure 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the entry operation S510 of the mechanical parking lot 100. In these figures, the right side of the dashed line shows the operation of the mechanical parking lot 100, and the left side of the dashed line shows the event of the user 12.

[0112] Operation S510 is an example of an entry operation when there are entry requests from multiple vehicles and an entry queue has formed in front of the mechanical parking lot 100. Operation S510 includes an intermediate transport operation that, when an entry queue has formed, transports some of the entering vehicles to the temporary parking area 6, thereby reducing the waiting time by the time it takes for the first transport device 4 to rise and fall.

[0113] Operation S510 is started automatically or based on operation of the operation panel 81 when an entry queue is formed based on multiple entry requests. When operation S510 is started, the control unit 8 sets the temporary parking area 6 to an entering vehicle only mode or an entering vehicle priority mode (step S511). The entering vehicle only mode is a mode in which the temporary parking area 6 is not used for departing vehicles, regardless of the status of entering vehicles. In the entering vehicle priority mode, entering vehicles use the temporary parking area 6 when there are entering vehicles, regardless of the status of departing vehicles, and the temporary parking area 6 is also used for departing vehicles when there are no entering vehicles.

[0114] After executing step S511, the control unit 8 determines whether the user 12 of the entering vehicle has operated the operation panel 81 or the mobile terminal 17 to open the first entrance / exit 24 (step S512). If the door is not opened (N in step S512), the control unit 8 returns the process to the beginning of step S512 and repeats step S512. If the door is opened (Y in step S512), the control unit 8 opens the first entrance 24 of the boarding / de-boarding room 2 (step S513).

[0115] When the first entrance / exit 24 is opened, the user 12 drives the vehicle 1 into the loading / unloading compartment 2, disembarks from the vehicle 1, and exits the loading / unloading compartment 2. After executing step S513, the control unit 8 determines whether the user 12 has exited the loading / unloading compartment 2 (step S514). If the user 12 has not exited (N in step S514), the control unit 8 returns the process to the beginning of step S514 and repeats step S514.

[0116] If the passenger has exited (Y in step S514), the control unit 8 closes the first entrance 24 of the selected boarding / deboarding room 2 (step S515). After executing step S515, the control unit 8 opens the second entrance 26 of the boarding / deboarding room 2 (step S516).

[0117] After executing step S516, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to enter the boarding / deboarding compartment 2 (step S517). After executing step S517, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to hold the vehicle 1 in the boarding / deboarding compartment 2 (step S518).

[0118] After executing step S518, the control unit 8 causes the second conveying device 5 to transfer the vehicle 1 to the temporary parking area 6 (step S519). After executing step S519, the control unit 8 closes the second entrance / exit 26 of the boarding / de-boarding room 2 (step S520).

[0119] By executing steps up to step S520, even if the lifting operation of the first conveying device 4 is not completed in time, the boarding / de-boarding compartment 2 will not be occupied by vehicles waiting to enter the warehouse, and the next vehicle will be able to enter the warehouse.

[0120] After executing step S520, the control unit 8 may return the process to the beginning of step S512 and repeat steps S512-S520, or may cancel the entering vehicle only mode or the entering vehicle priority mode and switch to the normal mode.

[0121] The above operations S110, S210, S310, S410 and S510 are merely examples, and various modifications are possible.

[0122] The following describes the features of the mechanical parking lot 100 configured as described above. The mechanical parking lot 100 has a parking area 22 in which a vehicle 1 can be parked, a boarding / deboarding space 2 where the vehicle 1 and the user 12 of the vehicle 1 can enter and exit the parking area 22, a parking space 3 in which multiple vehicles 1 can be parked, a first conveying device 4 that can bring the vehicle 1 into the parking space 3 and can take the vehicle 1 out of the parking space 3, a second conveying device 5 that can access the boarding / deboarding space 2 and the first conveying device 4 and transports the vehicle 1, and a temporary parking area 6 in which the second conveying device 5 can access and where an departing vehicle 1 or an entering vehicle 1 can be temporarily parked.

[0123] According to this configuration, by temporarily parking an entering or leaving vehicle in the temporary parking area 6, the effects of the time lag in the processing time and phase time of each mechanism of the internal mechanism 7 can be mitigated, thereby reducing waiting time.

[0124] As an example, the mechanical parking lot 100 may include a control unit 8 that controls an internal mechanism 7 including the boarding / deboarding space 2, the parking space 3, the first conveying device 4, and the second conveying device 5. In this case, the operation of the internal mechanism 7 can be automatically controlled.

[0125] As an example, the control unit 8 may control the internal mechanism 7 so that when the stopping period of the departing vehicle 1 in the boarding / deboarding space 2 has passed a predetermined first period, the second transport device 5 transports the vehicle 1 to the temporary parking area 6. In this case, the long-term occupation of the boarding / deboarding space 2 by the departing vehicle 1 can be reduced.

[0126] As an example, the control unit 8 may control the internal mechanism 7 so that when the vehicle 1 transported to the temporary parking area 6 has been parked there for a predetermined second period, the second transport device 5 transports the vehicle 1 to the parking space 3. In this case, the long-term occupation of the temporary parking area 6 by the vehicle 1 being released can be reduced.

[0127] As an example, when the control unit 8 receives a first exit instruction from the user 12, it may control the internal mechanism 7 so that the second transport device 5 transports the target vehicle 1 parked in the parking space 3 to the boarding / disembarking space 2, and when the target vehicle 1 has been parked in the boarding / disembarking space 2 for a predetermined first period, it may control the internal mechanism 7 so that the second transport device 5 transports the target vehicle 1 to the temporary parking area 6. In this case, it is possible to reduce the long-term occupation of the boarding / disembarking space 2 by the target vehicle 1.

[0128] As an example, when the control unit 8 receives a second exit instruction from the user 12 after the first exit instruction, if the target vehicle 1 is parked in the temporary parking area 6, the control unit 8 may control the internal mechanism 7 so that the second transport device 5 transports the target vehicle 1 to the boarding / de-boarding compartment 2. In this case, it is possible to reduce the long-term occupation of the temporary parking area 6 by the target vehicle 1 while it is being exited.

[0129] As an example, a plurality of boarding and disembarking spaces 2 may be provided, and the control unit 8 may control the internal mechanism 7 so that, when there are a predetermined number or more of exit reservations in a certain time period, the second transport device 5 transports the target vehicle 1 for which the exit reservation is made, parked in the parking space 3, to the temporary parking area 6. In this case, the long-term occupation of the boarding and disembarking spaces 2 by the target vehicle 1 can be reduced.

[0130] As an example, the first conveying device 4 may have a loading / unloading area 42 into which the second conveying device 5 can enter. In this case, the vehicle 1 can be easily loaded into and unloaded from the first conveying device 4 by the second conveying device 5.

[0131] As an example, the first transport device 4 may be a lifting device, and the loading / unloading area 42 may be a lift room. In this case, the parking room 3 may be provided on a different floor from the boarding / unloading room 2.

[0132] As an example, the boarding / deboarding room 2 may have a first entrance / exit 24 that can regulate the entry and exit of the vehicle 1 and the user of the vehicle 1 into the stopping area 22, and a second entrance / exit 26 that can regulate the entry of the second conveying device 5 into the stopping area 22. In this case, a closed space can be formed in the boarding / deboarding room 2.

[0133] As an example, the second conveyance device 5 may be a transport vehicle that can autonomously travel along a predetermined route. In this case, the number of steps required to operate the second conveyance device 5 can be reduced.

[0134] The present invention has been described above based on several embodiments. These embodiments are merely examples, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the claims of the present invention, and that such modifications and changes also fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention. Therefore, the descriptions and drawings in this specification should be treated as illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0135] (Variation) The following describes the modified examples. In the drawings and descriptions of the modified examples, the same or equivalent components and members as those in the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. Explanations that overlap with the embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the description will focus on the configurations that differ from the embodiment.

[0136] In the description of the embodiment, an example has been described in which the parking space 3 is provided on a different floor from the boarding / disembarking space 2, but this is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 13, the parking space 3 may be provided on the same floor as the boarding / disembarking space 2. The pallet carrying the vehicle 1 can move horizontally to the lift room 42 in the parking space 3 on the same floor. Inside the parking space 3, the pallet can move horizontally in the direction indicated by the arrow.

[0137] In the description of the embodiment, an example in which the second conveying device 5 is an integrated device has been described, but this is not limiting. The second conveying device can be configured as a device of various forms as long as it can transport vehicles. For example, the second conveying device can be a device that transports the vehicle 1 as an integrated device, a device that tows the vehicle 1, a device divided into two parts, left and right, in which each unit holds the vehicle 1 from the right and left sides, a device divided into two parts, front and rear, in which each unit holds the vehicle 1 from the front and rear sides, a device divided into four parts, in which each unit holds one tire 18, etc.

[0138] In the description of the embodiment, an example in which the number of boarding and disembarking compartments 2 is four has been described, but the number is not limited to this. For example, the number of boarding and disembarking compartments may be one to three, or five or more.

[0139] In the description of the embodiment, an example in which the number of lifts is two has been described, but the number of lifts is not limited to this. For example, the number of lifts may be one or three or more.

[0140] In the description of the embodiment, an example in which the number of temporary parking areas 6 is three has been described, but the number is not limited to this. For example, the number of temporary parking areas may be one, two, four or more.

[0141] In the description of the embodiment, an example in which the number of floors of the parking space is two has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the number of floors of the parking space may be one or three or more.

[0142] Each of these modifications provides the same functions and effects as the embodiment.

[0143] Any combination of the above-described embodiments and modifications is also useful as an embodiment of the present invention. A new embodiment resulting from the combination has the combined effects of the combined embodiments and modifications. [Explanation of symbols]

[0144] 1 vehicle, 2 boarding / exiting area, 3 parking space, 4 first conveying device, 5 second conveying device, 6 temporary parking area, 7 internal mechanism, 8 control unit, 12 user, 22 parking area, 24 first entrance / exit, 26 second entrance / exit, 42 loading / unloading area, 100 mechanical parking lot.

Claims

1. a boarding / alighting room having a stopping area where a vehicle can be stopped and where the vehicle and a vehicle user can enter and exit the stopping area; A parking space capable of parking multiple vehicles; a first transport device capable of transporting a vehicle into the parking space and transporting the vehicle out of the parking space; a second transport device that can enter the boarding / deboarding room and the first transport device and transports vehicles; a temporary parking area in which the second transport device can enter and in which an outgoing vehicle or an incoming vehicle can be temporarily parked; a control unit that controls an internal mechanism including the boarding / deboarding room, the parking space, the first transport device, and the second transport device; Equipped with A mechanical parking lot wherein the control unit controls the internal mechanism so that the second transport device transports the vehicle to the temporary parking area when the period during which the vehicle is stopped in the boarding / disembarking area during departing exceeds a predetermined first period.

2. 2. The mechanical parking lot described in claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the internal mechanism so that the second transport device transports the vehicle to the parking space when the vehicle transported to the temporary parking area has been parked in the temporary parking area for a predetermined second period.

3. A parking area where a vehicle can be parked, and a boarding and disembarking room where the vehicle and its user can enter and exit the parking area; A parking space capable of parking multiple vehicles; a first transport device capable of transporting a vehicle into the parking space and transporting the vehicle out of the parking space; a second transport device that can enter the boarding / deboarding room and the first transport device and transports vehicles; a temporary parking area in which the second transport device can enter and in which an outgoing vehicle or an incoming vehicle can be temporarily parked; a control unit that controls an internal mechanism including the boarding / deboarding room, the parking space, the first transport device, and the second transport device; Equipped with A mechanical parking lot in which, upon receiving a first exit instruction from a user for a target vehicle, the control unit controls the internal mechanism so that the second transport device transports the target vehicle parked in the parking space to the boarding and disembarking space, and when the target vehicle's stopping period in the boarding and disembarking space has exceeded a predetermined first period, the control unit controls the internal mechanism so that the second transport device transports the target vehicle to the temporary parking area.

4. 4. The mechanical parking lot of claim 3, wherein when the target vehicle is parked in the temporary parking area and a second exit instruction for the target vehicle is received from the user after the first exit instruction, the control unit controls the internal mechanism so that the second transport device transports the target vehicle to the boarding / exiting area.

5. A parking area where a vehicle can be parked, and a boarding and disembarking room where the vehicle and its user can enter and exit the parking area; A parking space capable of parking multiple vehicles; a first transport device capable of transporting a vehicle into the parking space and transporting the vehicle out of the parking space; a second transport device that can enter the boarding / deboarding room and the first transport device and transports vehicles; a temporary parking area in which the second transport device can enter and in which an outgoing vehicle or an incoming vehicle can be temporarily parked; a control unit that controls an internal mechanism including the boarding / deboarding room, the parking space, the first transport device, and the second transport device; Equipped with A plurality of the boarding and disembarking rooms are provided, A mechanical parking lot in which, when there are more than a predetermined number of exit reservations in a certain time period, the control unit controls the internal mechanism so that the second transport device transports the vehicle that is the subject of the exit reservation and is parked in the parking space to the temporary parking area.

6. A mechanical parking lot as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first transport device has a loading / unloading area into which the second transport device can enter.

7. The mechanical parking lot according to claim 6, wherein the first transport device is a lifting device and the loading / unloading area is a lift room.

8. A mechanical parking lot as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the boarding and disembarking room has a first entrance / exit that can regulate the entry and exit of vehicles and vehicle users into the stopping area, and a second entrance / exit that can regulate the entry of the second conveying device into the stopping area.

9. The mechanical parking lot according to claim 1 , wherein the second transport device is a transport vehicle that can autonomously travel along a predetermined route.

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