Technical Field

The present invention relates in general to an automatic rotary parking machine and, more particularly, to a structural improvement in such a parking machine for lightening a rotary frame of the parking machine, reducing the operational noise and providing a safety unit for the parking machine.

Background Art This invention improves the structure of the automatic rotary parking machine disclosed in the applicant's Korean Utility Model Application No. 76130 and thereby provides improved power transmission means, means for preventing the swinging motion of the parking cages and means for reinforcing the cage hanger's structural strength.

Disclosure of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic rotary parking machine which lightens weight of a rotary frame, reduces the operational noise and includes safety means.

In order to accomplish the above object, an automatic rotary parking machine in accordance with the present invention comprises a vertically placed rotary frame

having a lattice structure with a central rotating shaft, half of the frame being hidden underground; a plurality of cage hanger bars for hanging a plurality of parking cages thereon, each of the hanger bar being fixed to each cross of the rotary frame's lattice structure; means for rotating the rotary frame within a predetermined rotating angle; means for sensing a selected stop position of the rotary frame, the positional sensing means being provided on the rotary frame and adapted for stopping the rotary frame when the frame has rotated at a desired rotating angle thereby making a parking cage level with the ground surface; and a safety unit provided between the rotary frame and the ground surface and adapted for preventing a possible swinging motion of the parking cage when a car either enters or exits from the cage.

Brief Description of Drawings

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1A is a perspective view of a lattice-structured frame with circular rim of the automatic rotary parking machine in accordance with a primary embodiment of the present invention; Fig. IB is a sectional view showing a plurality of frame drive rollers set in the circular rim of Fig. 1A;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a lattice-structured frame with no rim in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figs. 3A and 3B are exploded perspective view and sectional view showing the construction of a hanger bar in accordance with an embodiment of the invention respectively;

Fig. 3C is a sectional view showing the construction of a hanger bar in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a safety unit provided for the rotary parking machine of the invention.

Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

Fig. 1A is a perspective view of a circular frame of an automatic rotary parking machine in accordance with a primary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. IB is a sectional view showing a plurality of frame drive rollers of the above circular frame. As shown in the drawings, the vertically placed rotary frame 10 has a lattice structure with a circular rim 10A. Half of the frame 10 is hidden underground. The above rimmed frame 10 is provided with a central shaft S rotatably supporting the frame 10. Vertically fixed to every cross of the lattice structure is a hanger bar 1 for hanging a parking cage C thereon. The frame 10 is also rotatably supported by a plurality of support rollers R regularly spaced apart

from each other. The rollers R come into contact with the outer surface of the rim 10A thereby supporting total weight of the frame 10 while rotating the frame 10. A plurality of position sensing marks 2 such as numerals or symbols are marked on the outer surface of the rim 10A. The sensing marks 2 are spaced out at regular intervals. With the sensing marks 2, a selected stop position of the rotary frame 10 is sensed by either operator's eyes or known video sensing means. Therefore, the frame 10 can be precisely stopped at the selected position by a known brake unit so that the cages C hung on the hanger bars 1 having their own x, y coordinates can be precisely positioned in their places.

Meanwhile, the frame 10 includes means for driving the frame 10. In order to form the frame driving means in the primary embodiment of this invention, the circular rim 10A of the frame 10 is constructed of an I-beam and provided with a plurality of regularly spaced drive rollers R _j . The above rollers R _j are arranged in either or both sides of the I-beam's center portion as best seen in Fig. IB. The frame driving means also includes a motor-driven sprocket S _j gearing into the rollers R _j . The sprocket S thus rotates the rimmed frame 10 within a given rotating angle. The rotating angle of the frame 10 is limited to 90" in either direction. Of course, it should be understood that a sprocket driving motor is provided with a gear box in the conventional manner. In

this case, the positional setting operation for the frame 10 may be performed in accordance with the gear ratio of the above gear box.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a rotary frame 20 in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the frame 20 has no rim 10A differently from the primary embodiment of Figs. 1A and IB and thereby reduces weight. As the frame's weight is reduced by removing the rim 10A, the frame 20 doesn't need to be supported by both the shaft S and rollers R _j but can be supported by the shaft S exclusively. In this embodiment, the means for driving the frame 20 comprises a pair of wire guide wheels "d" which are placed in left and right sides of the frame 20. The frame driving means also includes a pair of winding drums D which are placed under the wheels "d" respectively. A wire W is connected between the drums D and passer over the wheels "d". The wire W is also fixed to the edge of the frame 20 at a fixing point WP so that the frame 20 can rotate on the serrated shaft S in either direction by the wire winding motion of the drums D. In this case, the rotating direction of the frame 20 is determined by the wire winding direction of the drums D.

In accordance with an embodiment of this invention, each hanger bar 1 comprises a serrated bar 11 tightly fitted in an outer pipe P2 as shown in Figs. 3A and 3B. As shown in the drawings, the serrated bar 11 is formed

by welding a plurality of angle bars A of triangular cross-section to the outer surface of an inner pipe P _j . The above structure with the serrated bar 11 fitted in the pipe P _j not only lightens hanger bar's weight, but also improves hanger bar's structural strength. Fig. 3C shows the cross-section of a hanger bar in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. In the embodiment of Fig. 3C, the hanger bar includes three pipes, that is, two inner pipes P _j and one outer pipe P2. A plurality of channel bars B, whose skirts orientate toward the center of each inner pipe P, are welded to the outer surface of each inner pipe P _j . The two inner pipes P _j with the channel bars B are tightly fitted in the outer pipe P one after another such that the hanger bar having the pipes P _j and P2 has a concentric cross-section. Of course, the number of inner pipes P _j with the channel bars B can be changed.

The rotary parking machine of this invention is provided with a safety unit used for preventing a possible swinging motion of each parking cage C when a car enters or exits from the parking machine. The safety unit is provided with a detachable safety railing. A preferred embodiment of the safety unit is shown in Fig. 4. As shown in this drawing, the safety unit includes channel members 31 which are arranged parallel to the front wall of each cage C. A column 3 used as a safety railing is pivoted to each channel member 31 by a hinged joint and

thereby can either vertically erect as shown in the phantom line of Fig. 4 or hide in the channel member 31 as shown in the solid line of that drawing. A safety rope 32 is connected between the safety columns 3 of the channel members 31. The safety unit also includes movable hooking rods 4 which are perpendicularly placed relative to the channel members 31. The channel members 31 and hooking rods 4 are alternately arranged and their axes cross with each other. Each hooking rod 4 is movably held by brackets 4B so that the rod 4 can axially move and rotate on its axis. The rear end of each hooking rod 4 is biased by a tension coil spring 41. Each hooking rod 4 also has a stopper 42 at the rear end portion and hooking means 43 at the front end portion. The hooking means 43 is selectively brought into engagement with a hanging rod C _j of each cage C as shown in the phantom line of Fig. 4. A lever 44 radially extends outward from a middle portion of each hooking rod 4.

A first operating lever L _j is commonly connected to the stoppers 42 of the rods 4 through a first wire W _j . This first wire W _j passes over pulleys 45 before the wire W _j is connected to the stoppers 42. The pulleys 45 are mounted to the front brackets 4B of the rods 4 respectively. Meanwhile, the hooking rod's levers 44 are commonly connected to a second operating lever I^ through a second wire W ₂ at their lower ends. Each lever 44 is also

connected to the lower end of an associated safety column 3 through a third wire W^. Therefore, the levering motion of the second operating lever L2 causes the rotating motion of the hooking rods 4 on the lever's axes simultaneously with causing the turning motion of the columns 3 about the column's hinge joints.

The operational effect of the above rotary parking machine will be described hereinbelow.

In the primary embodiment of Fig. 1A, the motor- driven sprocket S _j gears into the rollers R _j of the rimmed frame 10 and thereby rotates the frame 10. In this case, the rotatable rollers R _j reduces both the frictional force between the rollers R _j and the sprocket S _j and operational noise. When the rimmed frame 10 rotates on the shaft S in either direction within the rotating angle of 90°, a cage C of the frame 10 can be placed to be leveled with the ground surface. In this state, a car can either enter or exit from the cage C.

In the second embodiment of Fig. 2, the fixing point WP of the frame 20 will move counterclockwise in the drawing when the winding drums D rotate counterclockwise. On the contrary, the fixing point WP will move clockwise in the drawing when the winding drums D rotate clockwise. When the winding drums D rotate in either direction as described above, a cage will be placed to be leveled with the ground surface. In this case, the either directional rotating angle of the above frame 20 is limited to 90°.

As the frame 20 of the second embodiment has no rim 10A differently from the rimmed frame 10 of the primary embodiment, the structural strength of the frame 20 may be somewhat reduced than that of the rimmed frame 10. However, weight of the frame 20 is lightened so that the frame 20 is applied with less load. Additionally, the frame 20 scarcely generates operational noise as the frame 20 is operated by the wire winding motion of the drums D. Therefore, the above frame 20 may be preferably used with a small-sized parking machine.

In an embodiment of this invention, each hanger bar 1 has a concentre cross-section formed by fitting at least one serrated ar 11 in the outer pipe P _j as shown in Figs. 3A and 3B. In the serrated bar 11, the angle bars A of triangular cross-section are welded to the outer surface of the inner pipe P _j . The hanger bar 1 with the above concentric cross-sectional structure has a higher structural strength and lightens weight in comparison with a solid hanger bar. With the light weight of the hanger bar 1, the load applied on the rotary frame will be reduced. In accordance with another embodiment of this invention, a plurality of channel bars B instead of the above angle bars A are welded to the outer surface of the inner pipe P^. The channel bars B increase the contact area between the bars B and the pipes P _j and P _j and thereby improves the structural strength of the hanger bar 1.

The operational effect of the safety unit of the parking machine is as follows.

After the frame 10 or 20 is rotated to make a cage C level with the ground surface, the first operating lever L _j is operated to pull the first wire W _j . The hooking rods 4 thus move forward while tensioning the tension coil springs 41. As a result of advancement of the hooking rods 4, the stoppers 42 come into contact with the brackets 4B respectively. In this case, the front ends of the hooking rods 4 will be placed under the hanging rod C _j of the cage C. The hooking means 43 in this state is orientated horizontally.

Thereafter, the second operating lever L2 is operated to pull the second wire W2. The levers 44 of the hooking rods 4 thus turn counterclockwise at right angles. That is, the hooking rods 4 rotate counterclockwise on their axes. The hooking means 43 of the rods 4 is, therefore, brought into engagement with the hanging rod C _j of the cage C thereby preventing a possible swinging motion of the cage C.

The above turning motion of the levers 44 also pulls the third wire W3 and thereby causes the columns 3 to move from the erecting position as shown in the phantom line of Fig. 4 to the hiding position as shown in the solid line of that drawing. That is, the columns 3 hide in the channel members 31 respectively. In this state, a car can either enter or exist from the cage C.

Of course, it should be understood that at least two hooking rods 4 and at least two columns 3 may be provided for each channel member 31. The safety rope 32 such as railing chain is connected between the columns 3 and used for preventing a safety accident. The above operation of the safety unit will be reversed when the safety unit needs to return to its safety position. In the safety unit's operation for returning to the safety unit, the second operating lever L _j automatically returns to its original state by the restoring force of the tension coil spring 46.

Industrial Applicability

In the above description, the rotary frame of this invention is described to be used as an automatic parking machine. However, it should be understood that the rotary frame may be used as, for example, a rotary stocking structure. When the rotary frame of this invention is used as a rotary stocking structure, each hanger bar of the frame may be constructed of an angle bar or T-beam as the frame will be applied with less load. In this case, the angle bars or T-beams used as the hanger bars may be holed to hang the cages.

As described above, the present invention lightens the rotary frame of an automatic rotary parking machine, reduces the operational noise and provides a safety unit for the parking machine.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.