US2014286744A1PendingUtilityA1

Vehicle centering system

36
Assignee: UNITRONICS PARKING SOLUTIONS LTDPriority: Mar 21, 2013Filed: Mar 21, 2013Published: Sep 25, 2014
Est. expiryMar 21, 2033(~6.7 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Haim ShaniZvi Raz
B60S 13/02E04H 6/12E04H 6/40
36
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Claims

Abstract

An automated vehicle centering system for use with a transport mechanism in an automated parking facility comprising a rotatable platform for aligning a vehicle with a conveying direction of the transport mechanism; a plurality of weighing platforms on said rotatable platform for sensing a distribution of a weight of said vehicle on the tires of said vehicle; and a controller to calculate a center of weight for the tires based on said sensing and to determine a centerline of said vehicle.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An automated vehicle centering system for use with a transport mechanism in an automated parking facility comprising:
 a rotatable platform for aligning a vehicle with a conveying direction of the transport mechanism;   a plurality of weighing platforms on said rotatable platform for sensing a distribution of a weight of said vehicle on the tires of said vehicle; and   a controller to calculate a center of weight for the tires based on said sensing and to determine a centerline of said vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said plurality of weighing platforms comprises at least two weighing platforms. 
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein said at least two weighing platforms comprises four weighing platforms. 
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 3  wherein each of said four weighing platforms supports a different tire of said vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of load sensors to support said weighing platforms and to transmit said distribution of said weight of said vehicle to said controller. 
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 5  wherein said plurality of load sensors comprises at least two load sensors for supporting each weighing platform of said plurality of weighing platforms. 
     
     
         7 . A system according to  claim 6  wherein said at least two load sensors comprise three load sensors. 
     
     
         8 . A system according to  claim 6  wherein said at least two load sensors comprise four load sensors. 
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 1  further comprising a motorized motion mechanism to impart rotary motion to said rotatable platform responsive to a control signal from said controller. 
     
     
         10 . A system according to  claim 1  further comprising an interface module for interfacing said controller with the transport mechanism. 
     
     
         11 . A method of aligning a centerline of a vehicle with a conveying direction of a transport mechanism in an automated parking facility, the method comprising:
 measuring a distributed weight of the vehicle on each tire;   determining a position of each tire based on said distributed weight; and   calculating the centerline of the vehicle based on said determining of said position of each tire.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11  further comprising rotating the vehicle until the centerline is aligned with the conveying direction. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11  further comprising calculating a travel distance between the vehicle centerline and the conveying direction. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 11  further comprising determining a center of weight for each tire.

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