Parking facility

Abstract

An automated parking facility for motor vehicles is provided. The parking facility is made up of at least two storage grids and at least two transport grids. Motor vehicles are movable along a first direction of movement in each of the transport grids by a transport device. Storage-grid storage locations for storing motor vehicles positioned on storage devices exist in the storage grids. The storage devices are associated with the storage-grid storage locations. The storage devices are movable from the respective storage-grid storage locations into at least one transport grid and vice versa. In the transport grid, the motor vehicles are transferable from the respective transport device to the respective storage device and vice versa by mutual passing. The number of storage devices are greater than the number of the storage-grid storage locations and the excess storage devices are associated with transport-grid storage locations existing in the transport grids.

1 . Automated parking facility for motor vehicles, said parking facility being made up of grids and comprising at least two storage grids and at least two transport grids, wherein motor vehicles are movable along a first direction of movement in each of the transport grids by a transport device and wherein storage-grid storage locations for storing motor vehicles positioned on storage devices are provided in the storage grids, which storage devices are associated with the storage-grid storage locations, and wherein the storage devices are movable from the respective storage-grid storage locations into at least one transport grid in a second direction of movement oriented transversely to the first direction of movement and vice versa, in which transport grid motor vehicles are transferable from the respective transport device to the respective storage device and vice versa by mutual passing, wherein the number of storage devices is greater than the number of the storage-grid storage locations and wherein the excess storage devices are associated with transport-grid storage locations being provided in the transport grids. 
     
     
         2 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the maximum number of storage devices is such that at least one transport grid is clearable of storage devices. 
     
     
         3 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the number of storage devices is such that exactly one transport grid is clearable of storage devices. 
     
     
         4 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the parking facility comprises a control unit which, when not processing transactions of storing or retrieving motor vehicles, moves the storage devices into the storage-grid storage locations and transport-grid storage locations in such a way that at least one, in particular exactly one, transport grid is free of storage devices. 
     
     
         5 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the parking facility comprises shielding devices for protecting motor vehicles that are arranged below at least one of storage locations and storage devices. 
     
     
         6 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the shielding devices each comprise at least one shielding element of planar or trough-shaped configuration. 
     
     
         7 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein at least one of at least part of the storage-grid storage locations and part of the transport-grid storage locations have arranged thereat shielding devices at least partially covering said storage locations at the bottom side thereof. 
     
     
         8 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein at least part of the storage-grid storage locations have arranged thereat shielding devices that are fixedly attached to the storage grid. 
     
     
         9 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein storage-grid storage locations of a storage grid arranged between two transport grids do not have fixedly attached shielding devices arranged thereat. 
     
     
         10 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein at least part of the transport-grid storage locations have arranged thereat movable shielding devices that are movable from an open position in which the cross-section of the respective transport grid is opened up to at least the extent of the transport device movable therein to a shielding position in which the cross-section of the transport grid is reduced relative to the open position, and vice versa. 
     
     
         11 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the respective movable shielding device in the shielding position in each case closes off about one-quarter to one-third of the cross-section of the transport grid in a transverse direction of the transport-grid storage location, but leaves a residual cross-section of about one-half to one-third in the centre of the transport grid. 
     
     
         12 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the movable shielding devices are each displaceable along the second direction of movement transverse to the respective transport grid. 
     
     
         13 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the respective movable shielding device is movably supported on at least one fixedly attached shielding device of a storage grid adjacent to the transport grid. 
     
     
         14 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the movable shielding device is arranged above the fixedly attached shielding device. 
     
     
         15 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the respective movable shielding device comprises two shielding elements which, when moved from the open position to the shielding position, are introduceable into the transport grid from opposite sides thereof. 
     
     
         16 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the respective movable shielding device is couplable, or is coupled, to a storage device for its movement from the open position to the shielding position and vice versa. 
     
     
         17 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein at least part of the storage devices in each case comprise a movable shielding device which is movable from an open position to a shielding position, wherein the shielding device in the shielding position covers, at the bottom side, a motor vehicle positioned on the respective storage device to a proportion that is larger than that in the open position and wherein the shielding device in the open position, when the storage device is arranged in a transport-grid storage location, opens up the cross-section of the transport grid to at least the extent of the transport device movable therein. 
     
     
         18 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the storage devices each comprise at least one support part on which the respective shielding device is supported for displacement in a transverse direction of the storage device. 
     
     
         19 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the at least one support part in each case is arranged centrally in a transverse direction of the respective storage device and the respective movable shielding device comprises two shielding elements which are movable in opposite directions from the open position to the shielding position and vice versa, starting from the at least one support part. 
     
     
         20 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein the shielding elements are arranged one above the other. 
     
     
         21 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the respective movable shielding device in the shielding position in each case closes off about one-quarter to one-third of the cross-section of the transport grid in a transverse direction of the transport-grid storage location. 
     
     
         22 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the parking facility comprises at least one drain device for draining liquid off the shielding devices. 
     
     
         23 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein at least part of the storage devices have associated with them pallets that are releasably positionable thereon for the reception of motor vehicles, said pallets being transferable within the transport grid from the respective storage device to the respective transport device and vice versa by mutual passing. 
     
     
         24 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein the pallets are each free of openings. 
     
     
         25 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein the pallets and the storage devices each comprise cooperating alignment elements for alignment relative to each other in at least one spatial direction. 
     
     
         26 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein the pallets and the transport devices each comprise cooperating alignment elements for alignment relative to each other in at least one spatial direction. 
     
     
         27 . Parking facility in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein the parking facility comprises a control unit which causes the respective pallet to be transported to the storage device associated with it when there is no motor vehicle positioned on the pallet.