High-Rack Parking Layout with Passing Positions for Reduced Access Time

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing parking systems face challenges in achieving high parking space density while maintaining acceptable access times, particularly when multiple parking levels are stacked vertically.

Innovation Solution

The system employs receiving devices that can assume multiple positions, including a transport position and a passing position, allowing for lateral displacement within the parking grid to minimize transverse movement and enable efficient vertical transport, with a control device managing these movements to optimize access times and space utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If multiple parking levels are stacked vertically to increase parking space density, then the parking space density is improved, but the access time increases due to longer vertical transport distances

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparking space densityVSAvoidaccess time
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The receiving devices are made dynamically movable within the parking grid, transitioning between transport positions and passing positions. This dynamic repositioning allows the system to adapt to different operational states, enabling vertical transport while maintaining horizontal accessibility, thus resolving the contradiction between stacking levels for density and maintaining access time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces horizontal displacement capability as an additional dimension to the vertical stacking arrangement. By allowing receiving devices to move horizontally to passing positions, the system adds a lateral dimension to the multi-level vertical structure, enabling vehicles to be accessed from intermediate levels without requiring direct vertical alignment, thus maintaining access time while achieving high density

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If receiving devices are left within the parking grid, then the structural design is simplified, but the lifting elements cannot pass the receiving devices for vertical transport

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural designVSAvoidvertical transport efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The receiving devices are designed to be dynamically repositionable between transport positions and passing positions. This dynamic capability allows them to remain within the parking grid structure for ease of manufacture, while temporarily moving to passing positions to enable lifting elements to pass through for vertical transport, thus resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and transport efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Before vertical transport occurs, the receiving devices are preliminarily moved to passing positions to clear the path for lifting elements. This preliminary action enables the lifting elements to pass through the parking grid without collision, allowing vertical transport to proceed efficiently while maintaining the receiving devices within the grid structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Volume of moving object

If transverse displacements in intermediate levels are minimized, then the parking rack becomes more compact, but the receiving devices cannot be repositioned for vertical transport

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparking rack compactnessVSAvoidreceiving device repositioning capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements local quality by providing different positional states for receiving devices in different locations. Receiving devices at intermediate levels have the capability to move to passing positions for vertical transport, while maintaining minimal transverse displacement overall. This localized repositioning capability maintains compactness while enabling necessary adaptability for transport operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design achieves a high parking space density with reduced access times by allowing compact lateral displacements and efficient vertical transport of vehicles, optimizing the use of space and minimizing mechanical loads.

Implementation Method 1

at least one lifting device (72), in particular exactly one lifting device (72), for raising and/or lowering the respective receiving device (40) by means of a chain (86)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 2

at least one shifting device (54) for displacing the respective receiving device (40) horizontally within the parking level (26) by means of a drive unit (56)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP4097313B1Parking facility for motor vehicles
Publication Date: 2025.07.30 WOHR AUTOPARKSYST GMBH
  • EP4097313B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4097313B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4097313B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a parking facility for motor vehicles (14), said parking facility comprising a high-rack parking system (12) having two or more parking stack modules (22) adjacent to one another and a plurality of parking levels (26) arranged one above the other, the parking levels (26) comprising an uppermost parking level (28), a lowermost parking level (30), and at least one intermediate level (32) lying therebetween, and at least one parking level (26, 28, 30) being connected or connectable to an access (34), the high-rack parking system (12) defining parking spaces (36) for the motor vehicles (14) at regions where the parking stack modules (22) intersect with the parking levels (26, 28, 30), and the high-rack parking system (12) having at least one empty space (50) on the at least one intermediate level (32). Receiving devices (38) for the motor vehicles (14) are provided, together with at least one displacement device (54) operating at each parking space (36) to displace the receiving devices (38) on their respective parking levels (26, 28, 30), as well as at least one lifting device (72) having lifting elements (88), wherein at least one lifting element (88), which can be selectively coupled to one of the receiving devices (38) in order to transport same vertically within the parking stack module (22), is located on each parking stack module (22). The receiving devices (38) can each assume a transport position and at least one passing position.