JP7503042B2 - Mechanical parking facilities - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a mechanical parking facility.

Conventionally, mechanical parking facilities have been known that include a boarding and alighting area for users to board and alight from a vehicle, a storage area that is provided separately from the boarding and alighting area and that stores the vehicle, and a transport device that transports the vehicle between the boarding and alighting area and the storage area. Such a mechanical parking facility is proposed, for example, in Patent Document 1.

The mechanical parking equipment in Patent Document 1 uses a sensor to detect the entire area inside the boarding and disembarking area after the vehicle leaves the parking lot, and when it is determined based on the detection value from this sensor that no users are present inside the boarding and disembarking area, the entrance and exit doors to the boarding and disembarking area are automatically closed, thereby starting the operation of the mechanical parking equipment.

JP 2005-330685 A

Patent Document 1 aims to improve convenience compared to when the operation of the mechanical parking equipment is started based on the user's safety confirmation. However, in Patent Document 1, there is a risk that the detection object, including the user, may enter an area in the boarding and disembarking area where the sensor cannot detect the detection object, and in such a case, there is a risk that the mechanical parking equipment may malfunction.

The present invention aims to provide a mechanical parking facility that can prevent malfunctions while improving convenience.

In order to solve the above problem, the mechanical parking equipment of the present invention comprises a boarding and alighting section for users to board and alight from a vehicle, a storage section for storing the vehicle that is provided separately from the boarding and alighting section, a transport device for transporting the vehicle between the boarding and alighting section and the storage section, and an equipment control device for controlling the operation of the mechanical parking equipment, the entire area within the boarding and alighting section is divided into a first area and a second area other than the first area, a sensor for detecting a detection target including the user present in the first area, and an intrusion prevention unit for preventing the detection target from intruding into the second area, the second area includes a third area in which the detection target cannot be detected by the sensor when the intrusion prevention unit is removed, and the equipment control device has a first determination unit for determining whether or not to start the operation of the mechanical parking equipment based on the detection value by the sensor.

According to the above configuration, the entire area within the boarding and disembarking area is divided into a first area and a second area other than the first area. Since a sensor is provided for detecting objects to be detected, including users, present in the first area, convenience can be improved. In addition, an intrusion prevention unit is provided for preventing the intrusion of objects to be detected into the second area, and the second area includes a third area in which the sensor cannot detect objects to be detected when the intrusion prevention unit is removed, making it possible to prevent malfunctions caused by objects to be detected intruding into the third area.

It is possible to provide a mechanical parking facility that is both convenient and prevents malfunctions.

1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a mechanical parking facility according to one embodiment of the present invention; A schematic diagram showing a second area in the boarding and disembarking section of a mechanical parking facility according to one embodiment of the present invention. A schematic diagram showing a third area in the boarding and disembarking section of a mechanical parking facility according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a schematic diagram showing users and first and second areas on the panel and surrounding area of a mechanical parking facility according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view showing a panel and its surroundings of a mechanical parking facility according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an operating device for a mechanical parking facility according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control system of a mechanical parking facility according to one embodiment of the present invention. 11 is a flowchart showing the case where leaving is performed in a first determination mode of a mechanical parking facility according to one embodiment of the present invention. 11 is a flowchart showing the case where leaving is performed in the second determination mode of the mechanical parking facility according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams showing users and first and second areas on a panel and its surrounding area of a mechanical parking equipment according to the first and second variants of one embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a schematic diagram showing the first variant, and (B) is a schematic diagram showing the second variant. An oblique view showing the fence and its surrounding area of a mechanical parking facility related to a third modified example of one embodiment of the present invention. An oblique view showing the fence and its surrounding area of a mechanical parking facility related to a fourth variant of one embodiment of the present invention. An oblique view showing the fence and its surrounding area of a mechanical parking facility related to a fifth variant of one embodiment of the present invention.

The following describes a mechanical parking facility according to one embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. In the following, the same or corresponding elements are given the same reference symbols throughout all the drawings, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

(Mechanical parking facility 10)
Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a mechanical parking facility according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, a mechanical parking facility 10 according to this embodiment includes a parking tower 12 that defines its outer shape. The parking tower 12 is a rectangular parallelepiped extending in the vertical direction. In the following description, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction are defined based on a vehicle V that has entered a boarding and disembarking section 20 (described later) as shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

The parking tower 12 has main pillars 14a to 14d provided at the four corners when viewed from above, and a front wall 15a, a rear wall 15b, a left wall 15c, and a right wall 15d supported by the main pillars 14a to 14d (see Figures 2 and 3 for the main pillars 14b, 14c, the left wall 15c, and the right wall 15d).

The mechanical parking facility 10 includes a boarding/disembarking section 20 for a user P (see FIG. 4, etc.) to board and disembark a vehicle V, and a plurality of storage sections 50 provided separately from the boarding/disembarking section 20 for storing the vehicle V. The boarding/disembarking section 20 is provided at the lowest level of the parking tower 12, and a plurality of storage sections 50 are provided at levels above the boarding/disembarking section 20 of the parking tower 12. A first elevator 16 extending in the height direction is provided in the center of the parking tower 12 when viewed from above. The lower end of the first elevator 16 is also a part of the boarding/disembarking section 20. Half of the plurality of storage sections 50 (hereinafter referred to as the "front half of storage sections 50") are arranged in parallel along the front side of the first elevator 16, and the remaining half of the plurality of storage sections 50 (hereinafter referred to as the "rear half of storage sections 50") are arranged in parallel along the rear side of the first elevator 16.

(Transportation device 60)
As shown in FIG. 1, the mechanical parking facility 10 further includes a transport device 60 for transporting the vehicle V between the boarding/disembarking section 20 and the multiple storage sections 50. The details of the transport device 60 are as follows. That is, a pit 18 is formed on the floor surface of the parking tower 12 (in other words, the floor surface of the boarding/disembarking section 20). A pallet turning device 64 is provided in the pit 18, which can lift a pallet 62 (non-detection object) with the vehicle V mounted thereon and turn it 90° in a horizontal plane. Also, an elevator 66 (same as above) for raising and lowering the pallet 62 is provided in the first elevator shaft 16. The elevator 66 can reciprocate in the first elevator shaft 16 from the pit 14 to the uppermost storage section 50. The elevator 66 is provided with a pallet transfer mechanism 74 for transferring the pallet 62 between itself and a shelf rail 72 described later.

A lifting drive device 68 for driving the elevator 66 to move up and down is provided near the first floor of the parking tower 12. A wire rope 70 is attached to the lifting drive device 68. One side of the wire rope 70 hangs down into the first elevator shaft 16 via the upper end of the parking tower 12, and the other end of the wire rope 70 hangs down along the storage section 50. The elevator 66 in the first elevator shaft 16 is attached to one end of the wire rope 70, and a counterweight 71 is attached to the other end of the wire rope 70. The counterweight 71 is provided to reduce the hoisting force by the lifting drive device 68.

Each of the storage sections 50 is provided with shelf rails 72 extending in the front-rear direction. The shelf rails 72 provided in the front half of the storage sections 50 have their front ends fixed to the main columns 14a, 14b, and their rear ends fixed to the shelf column 19a extending in the height direction along the front side of the first elevator 16. The shelf rails 72 provided in the rear half of the storage sections 50 have their front ends fixed to the shelf column 19b extending in the height direction along the rear side of the first elevator 16, and their rear ends fixed to the main columns 14c, 14d. The pallets 62 are transferred between the elevator 66 and the storage sections 50 along the shelf rails 72 by a pallet transfer mechanism 74 provided in the elevator 66.

By being equipped with the above-mentioned structure, the transport device 60 is capable of transporting a vehicle V mounted on a pallet 62 between the boarding and disembarking section 20 and multiple storage sections 50.

(Passengers and passengers boarding and disembarking section 20)
2 is a schematic diagram showing the second area (A ₂ ) in the boarding/disembarking section of the mechanical parking facility according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2 , an entrance/exit 21 for a vehicle V to enter and exit the boarding/disembarking section 20 and an entrance/exit door 22 for opening and closing the entrance/exit 21 are provided in the center of the rear wall 15b of the boarding/disembarking section 20. An entrance/exit sensor 23 is provided in the entrance/exit 21. The entrance/exit sensor 23 has a light projector for projecting a light beam L ₃ parallel to the entrance/exit door 22 and a light receiver for receiving the light beam L ₃ projected from the light projector. The entrance/exit sensor 23 can detect whether or not a detection target including a user P has passed through the entrance/exit 21 based on the state of reception of the light beam L ₃ by the light receiver.

An operation device 80 is provided on the outer surface of the rear wall 15b of the boarding and disembarking area 20, which receives operations by the user P, generates input values based on the received operations, and transmits the input values to the equipment control device 100 described later.

The above-mentioned pallet 62 for loading the vehicle V is placed in the center of the floor surface inside the boarding/disembarking section 20. The pallet 62 is rectangular in the front-to-rear direction in a plan view. A rising portion 63a is provided on the left edge of the pallet 62 extending in the front-to-rear direction. In addition, a rising portion 63b is provided on the right edge of the pallet 62 extending in the front-to-rear direction.

A duct 24 (non-detection object) extending in the height direction is provided in a position along the left wall 15c near the main pillar 14c in the boarding/alighting section 20. An elevator drive device 68 (same in front) for driving the elevator 66 to rise and fall is provided immediately in front of the duct 24 in the boarding/alighting section 20. A second elevator 26 (same in front) for raising and lowering the counterweight 71 is provided in a position along the left wall 15c near the main pillar 14b in the boarding/alighting section 20. A mirror 27 (same in front) is arranged parallel to the front wall 15a near the center in the left-right direction of the front wall 15a in the boarding/alighting section 20. An equipment control device 100 (same in front) for controlling the operation of the mechanical parking equipment 10 is provided in a position along the front wall 15a near the main pillar 14a in the boarding/alighting section 20.

As shown in Fig. 2, the entire area within the boarding/alighting section 20 is divided into area _A1 (first area) and area _A2 (second area) other than area _A1 . In Fig. 2, the area hatched with multiple diagonal lines parallel to the straight line connecting the main pillars 14a, 14c is area _A2 , and the area within the boarding/alighting section 20 that is not hatched in Fig. 2 (i.e., the area other than area _A2 ) is area _A1 . Here, area _A1 is mainly an area into which vehicles V can enter and users P can move. On the other hand, area _A2 is an area into which intrusion of detection objects is prevented by panels 40a to 40d (intrusion prevention sections).

The panel 40a is erected so as to surround the duct 24 in cooperation with the lifting drive device 68, the main pillar 14c, and the left wall 15c in a plan view. The panel 40a is linear in a plan view.

The panel 40b is erected near the front wall 15a. The panel 40b has a first portion extending forward from the front end of the second elevator 26, a second portion bending from the front end of the first portion and extending in the left-right direction to the equipment control device 100, and a third portion bending from the right end of the second portion and extending rearward. The mirror 27 is fixed to the inner surface of the second portion of the panel 40b.

The panels 40c and 40d are erected near the right wall 15d. The panel 40c has a fourth portion that extends rearward from the rear end of the equipment control device 100 along the right wall 15d, and a fifth portion that bends from the rear end of the fourth portion to the right wall 15d. The panel 40d has a sixth portion that extends in the left-right direction from the vicinity of the entrance door 22 to near the main pillar 14d, a seventh portion that extends forward from the right end of the sixth portion along the main pillar 14d and the right wall 15d, and an eighth portion that bends from the front end of the seventh portion to the right wall 15d. The fifth portion of the panel 40c and the eighth portion of the panel 40d face each other in parallel with a gap in the front-to-rear direction.

2, a part of area _A2 is an area surrounded by panel 40a, lift drive device 68, main pillar 14c, and left wall 15c. Another part of area _A2 is an area surrounded by panel 40b, second elevator 26, equipment control device 100, main pillars 14a, 14b, front wall 15a, left wall 15c, and right wall 15d. Another part of area _A2 is an area surrounded by panel 40d, main pillar 14d, and right wall 15d. As will be described later, area _A2 and each panel may be set to be outside the detection area of the range sensor.

As shown in FIG. 2, within the boarding/alighting section 20, range sensors 30a to 30c (sensors) and photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d (same as above) are provided in order to detect objects present within the above-mentioned area _A1 (i.e., the area mainly where the vehicle V can enter and where the user P can move).

The range sensor 30a is provided along the inner surface of the left side of the second portion of the panel 40b. The range sensor 30a mainly projects light beam _L1 toward the rear side of the panel 40b. Specifically, the range sensor 30a faces rearward in a plan view, and projects light beam L1 in an area of about 105° toward the left wall 15c from its own central axis (not shown) extending in the front-rear direction, and about 105° toward the right wall 15d from the central axis (not shown) (i.e., an area of about 210° in _total in a plan view).

Therefore, the range sensor 30a cannot detect the remaining area of about 150° in plan view (in other words, mainly the area in front of itself). Also, the light beam _L1 projected from the range sensor 30a is blocked by the rising portion 63a of the pallet 62 and cannot proceed to the right of this rising portion 63a. Therefore, the range sensor 30a mainly detects detection objects present in the area in front of and to the left of the pallet 62.

The range sensor 30b is provided along the inner surface of the front part of the seventh portion of the panel 40d. The range sensor 30b mainly projects light beam _L1 toward the left side of the panel 40d. Specifically, the range sensor 30b faces the left side in a plan view, and projects light beam L1 in an area of about 105° toward the front wall 15a from its own central axis (not shown) extending in the left-right direction, and about 105° toward the rear wall 15b from the central axis (not shown) (i.e., an area of about 210 _° in total in a plan view).

Therefore, the range sensor 30b cannot detect the remaining area of about 150° in plan view (in other words, mainly the area to the right of itself). Also, the light beam _L1 projected from the range sensor 30b is blocked by the rising portion 63b of the pallet 62 and cannot proceed to the left of this rising portion 63b. Therefore, the range sensor 30b mainly detects detection objects that exist in the area to the right and behind the pallet 62.

The range sensor 30c is provided in front of the mirror 27 (i.e., along the inner surface of the central part of the second part of the panel 40b). The range sensor 30c mainly projects light beam _L1 toward the rear side of the panel 40b. Specifically, the range sensor 30c faces rearward in a plan view, and projects light beam L1 in an area of about 105° toward the left wall 15c from its own central axis (not shown) extending in the _front -rear direction, and about 105° toward the right wall 15d from the same central axis (not shown) (i.e., an area of about 210° in total in a plan view).

Therefore, the range sensor 30c cannot detect the remaining area of about 150° in plan view (in other words, mainly the area in front of itself). Also, since the light beam _L1 projected from the range sensor 30c is projected toward the pallet 62 from the front side of the pallet 62, it is blocked by the rising portion 63a of the pallet 62 and cannot proceed to the left of this rising portion 63a, and is blocked by the rising portion 63b of the pallet 62 and cannot proceed to the right of this rising portion 63b. Therefore, the range sensor 30c mainly detects detection objects present between the rising portions 63a, 63b of the pallet 62.

Each of the range sensors 30a to 30c has a known structure for detecting an object to be detected that exists within the area _A1 by projecting a light beam _L1 at a predetermined height from the floor surface within the boarding and disembarking area 20 and scanning the area _A1 .

The range sensors 30a to 30c may be, for example, a scanning type light wave distance meter capable of outputting physical shape data of a space. The range sensors 30a to 30c may also be configured as one-axis scanning type range sensors that project a semiconductor laser in the horizontal direction and obtain two-dimensional data of the distance and angle to a detection target on a scanning plane.

Each of the photoelectric sensors 32a, 32b has a light-projector attached to either the rear surface of the second elevator 26 or the front surface of the elevator drive device 68 for projecting a light beam _L2 in the forward and backward directions, and a light-receiver attached to the other of the rear surface of the second elevator 26 or the front surface of the elevator drive device 68 for receiving the light beam _L2 projected from the light-projector.

The photoelectric sensors 32c, 32d are attached to either the fifth portion of the panel 40c or the eighth portion of the panel 40d and have a light projector for projecting a light beam _L2 in the forward and backward directions, and a light receiver for receiving the light beam _L2 emitted from the light projector and attached to the other of the fifth portion of the panel 40c or the eighth portion of the panel 40d.

Each of the photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d is capable of detecting a detection target present within the area _A1 based on the state of reception of the light beam _L2 by the light receiver.

3 is a schematic diagram showing the third area in the boarding and disembarking section of the mechanical parking facility according to the present embodiment. The above-mentioned area _A2 (i.e., the area where the intrusion of the detection object is prevented by the panels 40a to 40d) includes an area _A3 (third area) where the detection object cannot be detected by the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d when the panels 40a to 40d are removed. In FIG. 3, the area hatched with multiple diagonal lines parallel to the straight line connecting the main pillars 14a and 14c and multiple diagonal lines parallel to the straight line connecting the main pillars 14b and 14d is area _A3 .

As shown in Fig. 3, when the panels 40a to 40d are excluded, the area _A3 is an area where the light beam _L1 projected from the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c does not reach, and therefore the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c cannot detect the detection target. Specifically, the area _A3 is the area between the duct 24 and the left wall 15c, the area between the mirror 27 and the front wall 15a, and the area between the equipment control device 100 and the front wall 15a. The panels 40a to 40d prevent the detection target from entering the area _A3 , making it unnecessary for the sensors to detect the detection target.

In FIG. 3, the pallet 62 is positioned in the direction in which the vehicle V enters, and is rotated 90° relative to the elevator 66. When the elevator 66 rises or falls, the pallet 62 rotates 90° from this position and is placed on the elevator 66. The elevator 66 is provided with a wire rope 70 and a sensor pole 78 for mounting a sensor (not shown) for detecting protrusion of the vehicle V. The wire rope 70 and the sensor pole 78 are exposed inside the boarding and alighting section 20 when the elevator 66 is located inside the boarding and alighting section 20.

In addition, since the wire rope 70 and the sensor pole 78 are inside the first elevator 16 (within the frame of the elevator 66) in a plan view, they cannot be covered by the panels 40a to 40d fixed to the boarding and alighting section 20.

Area A4, which is in the shadow of the second hoistway 26, the wire rope 70 near the second hoistway, and the sensor pole 78 as seen from the range sensor 30a, and area _A4 , which is in the shadow of the panel 40d and the wire rope 70 near the panel _40d as seen from the range sensor 30b, are both within the first area and are areas where the light beam _L1 projected from the range sensors 30a to 30c does not reach, or where the wire rope 70 and the sensor pole 78 are obstacles making it difficult for the range sensors 30a to 30c to detect the detection target. As will be described later, area _A4 and non-detection targets may be set to be outside the detection areas of the range sensors.

The area in which the photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d detect the detection object includes an area _A4 in which it is difficult for the range sensor to detect the detection object, and therefore the area _A4 is included in the area _A1 .

4 is a schematic diagram showing the user and the first and second areas on the panel and its surroundings of the mechanical parking facility according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, in this embodiment, the panels 40a to 40d are flat plates with both main surfaces entirely flat. In FIG. 4, the light beams _L1 projected from the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c are shown by dashed lines. For example, the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c may scan a height of about 100 mm to 130 mm from the floor surface in the boarding and disembarking section 20.

Generally, the average height of a three-year-old's head from the floor is about 130 mm. Therefore, by projecting light beam _L1 at the above height and scanning area _A1 , each of the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c can reliably detect a detection target object present in area _A1 , regardless of the height or body type of user P, for example. The photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d may also project light beam _L2 at a similar height.

Each of the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c can arbitrarily set a desired detection area by masking a portion of the detectable area during data processing. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a boundary line B is set slightly inside the panels 40a to 40d (for example, about 20 mm to 50 mm inside the panels 40a to 40d), and the area inside this boundary line B (to the right of boundary line B in FIG. 4) is set as the desired detection area, and the area outside this boundary line B (to the left of boundary line B in FIG. 4) is set as the area not to be detected.

By setting the desired detection area in this way, it is easy to prevent the panels 40a-40d, wire rope 70, and sensor pole 78 from being mistakenly detected as detection targets, and it is possible to adequately detect detection targets even if they are leaning against the panels 40a-40d, for example.

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the panel and its surroundings of the mechanical parking facility according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 5, panel 40d may be constructed by arranging multiple panels side by side with no gaps. This is similar for panels 40a to 40c, so their description will not be repeated here. When elevator 66 is located inside boarding/alighting section 20, wire rope 70 and the like are located near the eighth portion of panel 40d extending from right wall 15d. However, since wire rope 70 and the like interfere with elevator 66 when elevator 66 is raised or lowered, they cannot be covered by panels 40a to 40d fixed to boarding/alighting section 20.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing an operating device for a mechanical parking facility according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 6, the operating device 80 has a touch panel 82 in which a touch sensor and a display unit are integrated, a card reader 90 for reading a user number recorded on an IC card, a "safety check (door close)" button 92 (described later), and a keyhole 94 for stopping the operation of the mechanical parking facility 10.

6, the screen of the touch panel 82 has a message display section 83 for displaying a message to the user P, a user number display section 84 for displaying a user number, and an image display section 85 for displaying an image captured by an imaging device (not shown) provided in the boarding and disembarking section 20. The screen of the touch panel 82 has a number display section 83 for displaying a message to the user P, a user number display section 84 for displaying a user number, and an image display section 85 for displaying an image captured by an imaging device (not shown) provided in the boarding and disembarking section 20.
The touch panel 82 further has numeric keys 86 up to , a "START" button 87, which will be described later, and a "CORRECTION" button 88 for correcting an operation. The screen configuration of the touch panel 82 shown in FIG. 6 can be changed as necessary.

Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the control system of the mechanical parking facility according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 7, the facility control device 100 is connected to the range measurement sensors 30a-30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a-32d, and has a first determination unit 102 for determining whether or not to start the operation of the mechanical parking facility 10 based on the detection values of the range measurement sensors 30a-30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a-32d. The facility control device 100 also has a second determination unit 104 connected to the operation device 80, and for determining whether or not to start the operation of the mechanical parking facility 10 based on the operation of the operation device 80 by the user P, regardless of the detection values of the range measurement sensors 30a-30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a-32d.

The equipment control device 100 further includes a judgment switching unit 106 for switching between a first judgment mode in which it is judged whether or not to start the operation of the mechanical parking equipment 10 based on the judgment result of the first judgment unit 102, and a second judgment mode in which it is judged whether or not to start the operation of the mechanical parking equipment 10 based on the judgment result of the second judgment unit 104. The judgment switching unit 106 is connected to the first judgment unit 102, the second judgment unit 104, the operation device 80, and an operation control unit 108 described later.

The facility control device 100 is connected to the operation device 80 and the judgment switching unit 106, and further includes an operation control unit 108 for controlling the operation of the mechanical parking facility 10. The facility control device 100 also includes a storage unit (not shown) for storing a user number (described later) and a PIN number linked to the user number.

(An example of a departure mode in the first determination mode)
An example in which a user P leaves a vehicle V in the first determination mode using the mechanical parking facility 10 according to this embodiment will be described mainly with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a flow chart showing a case in which leaving is performed in the first determination mode of the mechanical parking facility according to this embodiment.

In the following description, the user P has parked the vehicle V in the mechanical parking facility 10, the vehicle V is stored in one of the multiple storage units 50, and the entrance door 22 is closed. The user P has been assigned a user number and a PIN number linked to the user number in advance. Furthermore, the user P has at least an IC card (not shown) on which the user number is recorded.

First, user P touches an IC card (not shown) to the card reader 90 of the operating device 80, inputs a PIN number using the numeric keys 86, and then presses the "Start" button 87 (step S1-1 in FIG. 8).

The equipment control device 100 determines whether the PIN entered in step S1-1 is a PIN that is pre-linked to the user number read by the card reader 90. In other words, the equipment control device 100 determines whether the PIN entered in step S1-1 is correct (step S1-2 in FIG. 8).

If the equipment control device 100 determines that the PIN entered in step S1-1 is incorrect (step S1-2: NO), it displays an error screen (step S1-3 in FIG. 8) and returns to step S1-1 to wait for user P to re-enter the PIN.

On the other hand, if the equipment control device 100 determines that the PIN entered in step S1-1 is correct ("YES" in step S1-2), it transports the vehicle V from the storage section 50 to the boarding and alighting section 20 using the transport device 60 and opens the entrance door 22 (step S1-4 in Figure 8).

After step S1-4 has been performed, user P enters the boarding and alighting area 20 through the entrance/exit 21, gets into vehicle V, and then drives vehicle V out of the boarding and alighting area 20 through the entrance/exit 21, thereby performing exit (step S1-5 in FIG. 8). Here, the equipment control device 100 detects with the entrance/exit sensor 23 that user P has entered the boarding and alighting area 20, and then detects with the entrance/exit sensor 23 that vehicle V and user P driving vehicle V have exited the boarding and alighting area 20, thereby making it possible to recognize that step S1-5 has been performed.

After step S1-5 is performed, the equipment control device 100 uses the first determination unit 102 to determine whether the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d are not detecting the detection target (step S1-6 in FIG. 8).

If the equipment control device 100 determines in step S1-6 that the object to be detected is not undetected (step S1-6: NO), the process returns to step S1-6. On the other hand, if the equipment control device 100 determines in step S1-6 that the object to be detected is undetected (step S1-6: YES), the operation control unit 108 closes the entrance door 22 (step S1-7 in FIG. 8).

As described above, the user P can use the mechanical parking facility 10 according to this embodiment to leave the vehicle V in the first determination mode. It is preferable that the facility control device 100 starts the operation of the mechanical parking facility 10 by closing the entrance door 22 using the operation control unit 108, and then operates movable parts other than the entrance door 22 (e.g., the elevator 66). This ensures the safety of the mechanical parking facility 10.

(An example of a departure mode in the second determination mode)
An example in which a user P leaves a vehicle V in the second determination mode using the mechanical parking facility 10 according to this embodiment will be described mainly with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a flow chart showing a case in which leaving is performed in the second determination mode of the mechanical parking facility according to this embodiment. Note that, for example, when at least one of the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d fails, the determination switching unit 106 may automatically switch from the first determination mode to the second determination mode, or the user P may operate the operation device 80 to switch from the first determination mode to the second determination mode by the determination switching unit 106.

Steps S2-1 to S2-5 in FIG. 9 are the same as steps S1-1 to S1-5 in the first determination mode described above with reference to FIG. 8, so their description will not be repeated here. Furthermore, content similar to that of the first determination mode described above with reference to FIG. 8 will be omitted as appropriate.

After step S2-5 is performed, user P gets off vehicle V, confirms that no one is in the boarding and alighting area 20 (in other words, that no objects to be detected remain in the boarding and alighting area 20), and then presses the "Safety check (door close)" button 92 on the operating device 80 (step S2-6 in Figure 9).

After step S2-6 is performed, user P enters the PIN number using the numeric keys 86 (step S2-7 in FIG. 9).

After step S2-7 is performed, the equipment control device 100 determines whether the PIN entered in step S2-1 matches the PIN entered in step S2-7.

When the second judgment unit 104 of the equipment control device 100 judges that the PIN entered in step S2-1 does not match the PIN entered in step S2-7 ("NO" in step S2-8), the equipment control device 100 displays an error screen (step S2-9 in FIG. 9) and returns to step S2-7 to wait for user P to re-enter the PIN.

On the other hand, if the second determination unit 104 of the equipment control device 100 determines that the PIN entered in step S2-1 matches the PIN entered in step S2-7 (YES in step S2-8), the operation control unit 108 closes the entrance door 22 (step S2-10 in FIG. 9).

As described above, the mechanical parking facility 10 according to this embodiment allows the user P to exit the vehicle V in the second determination mode.

(effect)
In the mechanical parking facility 10 according to this embodiment, after the vehicle V leaves the boarding/alighting area 20, it is possible to determine that there is no object to be detected in the boarding/alighting area 20 based on the detection values of the range measurement sensors 30a-30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a-32d, and to automatically close the entrance/exit door 22 using the facility control device 100. This allows the mechanical parking facility 10 to improve convenience compared to, for example, the conventional case in which the user P disembarks from the vehicle V, checks for safety in the boarding/alighting area 20, and then operates the operating device 80 to close the entrance/exit door 22. It is also possible to prevent the entrance/exit door 22 from being left unclosed.

Furthermore, the mechanical parking facility 10 according to this embodiment is equipped with panels 40a-40d (intrusion prevention section) for preventing the intrusion of a detection object into area _A2 , and includes area A3 (third area) in which the detection object cannot be detected by the range measurement sensors 30a-30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a-32d when area _A2 excludes the panels _40a -40d, so that it is possible to prevent malfunction due to the intrusion of a detection object into area _A3 .

In the mechanical parking facility 10 according to this embodiment, the photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d are provided in the area _A4 which cannot be detected by the range sensors 30a to 30c, so that it is possible to efficiently and reliably detect an object to be detected that is present in the area _A1 within the boarding and disembarking section 20.

The mechanical parking facility 10 according to this embodiment is equipped with panels 40a-40d as intrusion prevention units, which makes it easier to install and reduces the number of parts compared to cases where other structures are used as intrusion prevention units.

In this embodiment, the facility control device 100 includes a second judgment unit 104 and a judgment switching unit 106 in addition to the first judgment unit 102, so it is possible to judge whether or not to start the operation of the mechanical parking facility 10 based on the operation by the user P. As a result, for example, when at least one of the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d is malfunctioning, it is possible to allow the vehicle V to leave the facility based on safety confirmation by the user P, regardless of the detection values by the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d.

It is possible to easily check whether at least one of the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d is malfunctioning, for example, by performing a logic check using the equipment control device 100. Here, the logic check means, for example, checking whether the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d detect the user P after the entrance/exit sensor 23 detects that the user P has entered the boarding/disembarking section 20. If a contradiction is confirmed by this logic check, that is, for example, if the entrance/exit sensor 23 detects that the user P has entered the boarding/disembarking section 20 but the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d do not detect the user P, the equipment control device 100 may determine that at least one of the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d is malfunctioning.

In addition, for example, even if the detection object is not actually present in area _A1 within the boarding/disembarking area 20, the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d may detect the detection object, and the entrance/exit door 22 may not be closed when the user P leaves the mechanical parking facility 10. In this case, the entrance/exit door 22 can be closed based on a safety check by a person other than the user P (e.g., a maintenance worker).

(Modification)
From the above description, many improvements and other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the above description should be construed as merely illustrative and is provided for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode for carrying out the present invention. Details of the structure and/or function thereof may be substantially changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

(First Modification)
Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the panel and the surrounding area of the mechanical parking facility according to the first and second modified examples of this embodiment, in which the user and the first and second areas are clearly indicated. Fig. 10(A) is a schematic diagram showing the first modified example. Note that the mechanical parking facility 10 according to this first modified example has the same structure as the mechanical parking facility 10 according to the embodiment described based on Figs. 1 to 9, except for the structure of the panels 40a to 40d. Therefore, the same parts are given the same reference numbers, and similar descriptions will not be repeated.

In the above embodiment, as described based on FIG. 4, the case where the panels 40a to 40d are flat plate-shaped with both main surfaces being flat across the entirety has been described. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10A, in this first modified example, the panels 42a to 42d are flat plate-shaped, but a recess 43 is formed on the inner side of the bottom. This recess 43 is formed across the entire width of the panels 42a to 42d. Then, the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c each project a light beam _L1 at a height passing through the recess 43 to scan the area _A1 , and also set a boundary line B within the recess 43, and the area inside the boundary line B may be set as a desired detection area, and the area outside the boundary line B may be set as a non-detection area.

By being provided with the above configuration, in this first modified example, the desired detection area by the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c can be made larger than in the case described based on FIG. 4, so that it becomes possible to more reliably detect the detection target object present in area _A1 .

(Second Modification)
Fig. 10(B) is a schematic diagram showing a second modified example. The mechanical parking facility 10 according to the second modified example has the same structure as the mechanical parking facility 10 according to the embodiment described based on Figs. 1 to 9, except for the structure of the panels 40a to 40d. Therefore, the same parts are given the same reference numerals, and the same description will not be repeated.

10B, in this second modified example, each of the panels 44a to 44d is flat, but a triangular convex portion 45 is formed on the inner side of the portion near the floor surface in a side view. This convex portion 45 is formed over the entire width of the panels 44a to 44d. Each of the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c projects a light beam _L1 at a height passing between the convex portion 45 and the floor surface to scan the area _A1 , and sets a boundary line B between the convex portion 45 and the floor surface, and the inside of the boundary line B is set as a desired detection area, and the outside of the boundary line B is set as an area not to be detected.

By being provided with the above configuration, in this second modified example, the desired detection area by the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c can be made larger than in the case described based on FIG. 4, so that it becomes possible to more reliably detect the detection target object present in area _A1 .

In the second modified example, as shown in Fig. 10(B), the distance between the apex of the protrusion 45 and the inner surface of the panels 44a to 44c is sufficiently short so that the user P cannot stand on the protrusion 45. This prevents the user P from being unable to be detected by the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d even though the user P is in the area _A1 in the boarding and disembarking section 20 when the user P stands on the protrusion 45. The shape of the protrusion 45 is not limited to that shown in Fig. 10(B) and may be, for example, a hemisphere or other shape, but a shape that makes it difficult for a person to put his/her foot on, such as one that does not have an upward horizontal surface, is preferable.

(Third Modification)
Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the fence and its surroundings of a mechanical parking facility according to a third modified example of this embodiment. The mechanical parking facility 10 according to this third modified example has the same structure as the mechanical parking facility 10 according to the embodiment described based on Figs. 1 to 9, except for the structure of the panels 40a to 40d. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used for the same parts, and similar descriptions will not be repeated.

In the above embodiment, as explained based on Fig. 4, the case where the intrusion prevention unit is configured as the panels 40a to 40d has been described. On the other hand, in this third modified example, the intrusion prevention unit is configured as the fences 46a to 46d (fences 46a to 46c are not shown). Such an intrusion prevention unit may prevent the intrusion of the detection target into area _A2 in the boarding and disembarking section 20. Note that the intrusion prevention unit may have another structure capable of preventing the intrusion of the detection target into area _A2 in the boarding and disembarking section 20.

(Fourth Modification)
12 is a perspective view showing the fence and its surroundings of the mechanical parking facility according to the fourth modified example of this embodiment. The mechanical parking facility 10 according to the fourth modified example has the same structure as the mechanical parking facility 10 according to the third modified example, except for the structures of the fences 46a to 46d. Therefore, the same parts are given the same reference numerals, and the same description will not be repeated.

In this fourth modified example, a wire rope 70 for raising and lowering the elevator 66 is described, and the intrusion prevention section is configured as fences 46a to 46d (fences 46a to 46c are not shown) in a position where it does not interfere with the raising and lowering of the elevator 66. The wire rope 70 is exposed inside the boarding and alighting section 20, and this type of intrusion prevention section prevents the intrusion of the detection target into area _A2 inside the boarding and alighting section 20. Note that, as in the third modified example, the intrusion prevention section may be of another structure capable of preventing the intrusion of the detection target into area _A2 inside the boarding and alighting section 20.

(Fifth Modification)
13 is a perspective view showing the fence and its surroundings of the mechanical parking facility according to the fifth modified example of this embodiment. The mechanical parking facility 10 according to the fifth modified example has the same structure as the mechanical parking facility 10 according to the fourth modified example, except for the structure of the fences 46a to 46d. Therefore, the same reference numbers are used for the same parts, and the same description will not be repeated.

In the fifth modified example, there is a space above the elevator 66 near the wire rope 70 into which the object to be detected can enter. The intrusion prevention part fixed inside the boarding/disembarking section 20 is provided outside the first elevator shaft 16 where it is not interfered with by the raising and lowering of the elevator 66, and therefore cannot prevent the object to be detected from entering the space into which it can enter.

Therefore, in the fifth modification, the elevator 66 is provided with intrusion prevention units 47a to 47e so as to cover the wire rope 70 at the four corners of the elevator 66, and the boarding/disembarking section 20 is provided with panels 46e to 46h. The intrusion prevention units 47a to 47e, in combination with the panels 46a to 46h, prevent the detection object from intruding into the space outside the wire rope 70. As in the fourth modification, the intrusion prevention units may have other structures capable of preventing the intrusion of the detection object. In addition, the intrusion prevention units 47a to 47e may be configured to be able to move forward and backward so as to retreat to a position that does not interfere with the lifting and lowering of the elevator 66 (for example, outside the first elevator shaft 16) when the elevator 66 rises and falls, and advance to a position that interferes with the lifting and lowering of the elevator 66 (inside the first elevator shaft 16) only when the elevator 66 is stopped at the boarding/disembarking section 20 to prevent the intrusion of the detection object. In this case, a known advance/retract mechanism such as a hydraulic mechanism or a link mechanism can be used.

(Other Modifications)
In the above embodiment, an example in which a user P uses the mechanical parking facility 10 to leave a vehicle V has been described mainly based on Figures 8 and 9. However, the present invention is not limited to this case, and the mechanical parking facility 10 can be used in the same manner when a user P enters a parking space with a vehicle V, and the same effect can be obtained as when the vehicle is leaving the parking space.

In addition, when a user P parks a vehicle V in the first determination mode using the mechanical parking facility 10 according to the above embodiment, if the pallet 62 has a shape that does not obstruct the light beam _L1 of the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c, the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c can detect the presence of the four tires of the vehicle V mounted on the pallet 62 in the boarding/alighting section 20, and by excluding the rectangular area that includes these four tires from the desired detection area, it is possible to easily prevent the vehicle V from being erroneously detected as an object to be detected.

Furthermore, when a user P parks a vehicle V in the first determination mode using the mechanical parking facility 10 according to the above embodiment, it is possible to use microwaves to detect, for example, whether any person, including the user P, is still in the vehicle V mounted on the pallet 62 in the boarding and disembarking area 20. Here, the detection using microwaves may be a known structure that uses the Doppler effect to detect a moving detection target (for example, the heartbeat of a person, including the user P). This makes it possible to detect the presence of a person, including the user P, in the vehicle V, thereby ensuring the safety of the mechanical parking facility 10.

Here, in conventional mechanical parking facilities, when a user parks a vehicle, the rules state that the vehicle can enter the boarding and alighting area 20 with only the user (the driver) in the vehicle. Therefore, after the vehicle enters the boarding and alighting area 20, the entrance and exit sensor detects that user P has exited the area 20, which means that no one is currently in the vehicle V.

If the above rules are not followed and a vehicle is driven into the boarding and alighting area 20 with multiple people, including the driver, inside the vehicle, in the mechanical parking facility 10 according to the above embodiment, after the vehicle V has been driven into the boarding and alighting area 20, when the driver, user P, exits the boarding and alighting area 20, the entrance and exit door 22 will be closed even if there are people other than user P inside the vehicle V, making it impossible to ensure safety. Therefore, by using the above-mentioned Doppler sensor to detect people inside the vehicle V, it is possible to ensure the safety of the mechanical parking facility 10.

In the above embodiment and its modified example, the case where the range measurement sensors 30a to 30c and the photoelectric sensors 32a to 32d are used as the sensors has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this case, and only one of the range measurement sensors and the photoelectric sensors may be used as the sensors. In addition, when only the photoelectric sensors are used as the sensors, for example, a plurality of photoelectric sensors may be densely arranged. In this case, for example, in order to prevent the adjacent photoelectric sensors from interfering with each other, the timing at which the adjacent photoelectric sensors project light may be shifted by a short time from each other to perform detection. In addition, a so-called safety light curtain in which such a structure is packaged may be used as the sensor. Furthermore, the above-mentioned Doppler sensor may be used as the sensor, or a passive infrared sensor (so-called passive sensor) may be used.

Also, for example, at least a portion of the panels 40a-40d may be configured to be in a position that interferes with the operation of the elevator 66 before the first determination unit 102 determines that the mechanical parking facility 10 will start operating, and to move to a position that does not interfere with the operation of the elevator 66 after the first determination unit 102 determines that the mechanical parking facility 10 will start operating.

(summary)
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a mechanical parking equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a boarding and alighting section for users to board and alight a vehicle, a storage section for storing the vehicle that is provided separately from the boarding and alighting section, a transport device for transporting the vehicle between the boarding and alighting section and the storage section, and an equipment control device for controlling the operation of the mechanical parking equipment, wherein the entire area within the boarding and alighting section is divided into a first area and a second area other than the first area, and further comprises a sensor for detecting a detection object including the user present in the first area, and an intrusion prevention section for preventing the detection object from intruding into the second area, wherein the second area includes a third area in which the detection object cannot be detected by the sensor when the intrusion prevention section is removed, and the equipment control device has a first judgment section for determining whether or not to start operation of the mechanical parking equipment based on the detection value by the sensor.

According to the above structure, the entire area in the boarding and disembarking section is divided into a first area and a second area other than the first area. Since a sensor is provided for detecting objects to be detected, including a user, present in the first area, convenience can be improved. In addition, since an intrusion prevention unit is provided for preventing the intrusion of objects to be detected into the second area, and the second area includes a third area in which the sensor cannot detect objects to be detected when the intrusion prevention unit is removed, it is possible to prevent malfunctions caused by objects to be detected intruding into the third area. As a result, the mechanical parking equipment according to this embodiment can provide a mechanical parking equipment that can prevent malfunctions while improving convenience.

For example, the vehicle may further include a non-detection object that is provided within the boarding/alighting area and cannot be detected by the sensor, the third area including an area in which the detection object cannot be detected by the sensor when the intrusion prevention unit is removed due to being blocked by the non-detection object, and the intrusion prevention unit is provided such that at least a portion of the non-detection object is exposed to the first area.

For example, the non-detection object may include an elevator whose operation is controlled by the facility control device after the first determination unit determines that the mechanical parking facility has started operating, and a member that moves up and down integrally with the elevator.

For example, at least a part of the intrusion prevention unit may be configured to be in a position that interferes with the operation of the elevator before the first determination unit determines that the mechanical parking facility will start operating, and to move to a position that does not interfere with the operation of the elevator after the first determination unit determines that the mechanical parking facility will start operating.

For example, at least a part of the intrusion prevention portion may be provided on the elevator and rise and fall integrally with the elevator.

For example, the sensor may include at least one of a range sensor and a photoelectric sensor.

For example, the intrusion prevention unit may include at least one of a panel and a fence.

The equipment control device may further include a second judgment unit for judging whether or not to start the operation of the mechanical parking equipment based on the operation by the user, regardless of the detection value by the sensor, and a judgment switching unit for switching between a first judgment mode for judging whether or not to start the operation of the mechanical parking equipment based on the judgment result of the first judgment unit and a second judgment mode for judging whether or not to start the operation of the mechanical parking equipment based on the judgment result of the second judgment unit.

The above configuration allows the vehicle to leave the parking lot based on the user's safety confirmation, regardless of the detection value from the sensor.

LIST OF SYMBOLS 10 Mechanical parking equipment 12 Parking tower 14a to 14d Main pillar 16 First elevator 18 Pit 20 Boarding/disembarking section 21 Entrance/exit 22 Entrance/exit door 23 Entrance/exit sensor 24 Duct 26 Second elevator 27 Mirror 30a to 30c Range sensor 32a to 32d Photoelectric sensor 40a to 40d Panel 46a to 46h Fence 47a to 47e Panel 50 Storage section 60 Transport device 62 Pallet 64 Pallet rotation device 66 Elevator 68 Elevation drive device 70 Wire rope 71 Counterweight 72 Shelf rail 74 Pallet transfer mechanism 78 Sensor pole 80 Operation device 82 Touch panel 92 "Safety check (door closed)" button 94 Keyhole 100 Equipment control device 102 First judgment unit 104 Second judgment unit 106 Judgment switching unit 108 Operation control unit

Claims (9)

A mechanical parking facility comprising:
a boarding and disembarking section where users get on and off the vehicle;
A door for opening and closing the entrance of the boarding and disembarking section;
A sensor for detecting an object to be detected that is present in the boarding and disembarking area;
An equipment control device that controls the opening and closing operation of the door,
The equipment control device includes:
a first determination unit that determines whether or not to start a closing operation of the door based on a detection value of the sensor;
a failure determination unit that automatically determines whether or not the sensor is broken by performing a logical check on the detection value of the sensor ;
A second determination unit that determines whether or not to start a closing operation of the door based on the operation of the user;
a determination switching unit that automatically switches to a second determination mode in which the second determination unit determines whether to start the closing operation of the door when the failure determination unit determines that the sensor is broken in a first determination mode in which the first determination unit determines whether to start the closing operation of the door, regardless of an operation by the user;
A mechanical parking facility that automatically performs the closing operation of the door without operation by the user when the first determination unit determines that the closing operation of the door is to be started. Further, an entrance/exit sensor is provided for detecting whether the detection object has passed through the entrance / exit,
The mechanical parking facility according to claim 1 , wherein the failure determination unit determines whether or not the sensor is malfunctioning based on detection values of the sensor and the entrance/exit sensor as the logical check . The mechanical parking facility of claim 2, wherein the logical check includes determining that the sensor is faulty when the entrance/exit sensor detects that the object to be detected has entered the boarding/disembarking area but the sensor does not detect the object to be detected. The mechanical parking facility according to claim 1 , wherein the determination switching unit is capable of switching between the first determination mode and the second determination mode also by a human operation. A mechanical parking facility as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the entire area within the boarding and alighting area is divided into a first area and a second area other than the first area, an intrusion prevention unit is provided within the boarding and alighting area to prevent the detection object from intruding into the second area, the second area includes a third area in which the detection object cannot be detected by the sensor not only when the intrusion prevention unit is provided but also when the intrusion prevention unit is removed, and the sensor detects the detection object present in the first area. A non-detection object that is not a detection object of the sensor is further provided in the boarding and disembarking section,
the third area includes an area in which the sensor cannot detect the detection object due to being obstructed by the non-detection object,
The mechanical parking facility according to claim 5 , wherein the intrusion prevention portion is arranged so as not to cover the entire periphery of the non-detection object, but so that at least a portion of the non-detection object is exposed facing the first area. The mechanical parking facility of claim 6, wherein the non-detectable objects include an elevator whose operation is controlled by the facility control device after the first judgment unit determines that the door closing operation should be started, and a member that rises and falls integrally with the elevator. The mechanical parking facility of claim 7, wherein at least a part of the intrusion prevention unit is in a position that interferes with the operation of the elevator before the first determination unit determines that the closing operation of the door will begin, and moves to a position that does not interfere with the operation of the elevator after the first determination unit determines that the closing operation of the door will begin. The mechanical parking facility according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes at least one of a range sensor and a photoelectric sensor.

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