A vehicle transport apparatus is formed by a first robot and a second robot that enter underneath a vehicle, lift up wheels of the vehicle, and travel. The first robot and the second robot each include a distance sensor that detects a distance between the corresponding robot and an object near the corresponding robot, and a robot computing section that controls a travel operation and a loading operation of the corresponding robot. When the vehicle is to be lowered in a parking region, the robot computing section adjusts a parking position of the vehicle based on information detected by the distance sensor.

A parking system is described. The system includes a parking tower. The parking tower includes at least two levels and a vertical passageway. A vehicle gripping system is provided. The vehicle gripping system includes a 5 vertical lift frame vertically movable in the passageway. The vehicle gripping system also includes a horizontal slide frame slidably coupled to the vertical lift frame and horizontally movable relative to the vertical lift frame and across each level. A sliding wheel gripper is slidably coupled to and extending downwards from the horizontal slide frame, for releasably gripping a vehicle 10 by gripping the wheels of the vehicle. The sliding wheel gripper is longitudinally slidable along the horizontal slide frame between a release position and a gripping position.

The disclosure relates to a conveyor for moving four-wheel vehicles. The conveyor includes a chassis having stowable extensions movable between a position in which the extensions make it possible to move the chassis under the vehicle and a position in which the extensions make contact with the treads of the wheels. The chassis is telescopic and includes two segments that each have a pair of arms. At least one of the arm pairs is hinged so as to enable movement between a position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the chassis with an extension at least equal to the track width of the vehicle and a folded-up position that is to occupy a width less than the distance between the inner flanks of the wheels of the vehicle. The segments are movable between a position where the arms are not in contact with the wheels and a position where each arm makes contact with the tread of one of the wheels so as to raise or lower the vehicle.

Transferring carriage (100) of vehicles for automatic mechanic parking systems comprising at least a frame (1); means of handling of said carriage (100), and at least a device (13) of centering, raising and keeping up of the wheel (32) of a vehicle, said device (13) comprising at least a couple of clamp elements (17) and at least a movable support (14): each couple of clamp elements (17) being supported by said movable support (14); said movable support (14) being transversally translatable for positioning said clamp elements (17) of a same couple in proximity of a wheel (32) of an axle of a vehicle such that the centering, raising and keeping up of the two wheels (32) of an axle of a vehicle is achieved by means of a single transversal movement towards outside of the carriage of said at least one movable support (14) and of the couple of clamp elements (17) integral therewith.

An object of the instant application is to provide a vehicle that can minimize parking space and a parking facility that can efficiently park a large number of vehicles in a predetermined parking space. The vehicle 1 includes a bottom flap 7 arranged on a bottom surface of a vehicle body and vertically rotatable around a lower rear end of the vehicle body, a rear flap 8, and geared motors 9, 11 for respectively rotating the bottom flap 7 and the rear flap 8. The parking facility 20 for a vehicle 1 is configured to include an erecting mechanism (a rotating member 22, an electric motor 23, and a link mechanism 24) for erecting the vehicle 1 upright with a rear surface facing down, and a transfer mechanism (belt conveyor) 25 for transferring the vehicle 1 erected by the erecting mechanism to a predetermined position.

Transferring carriage (100) of vehicles for automatic mechanic parking systems comprising at least a frame (1); means of handling of said carriage (100); and at least a device (13) of centering, raising and keeping up of the wheel (32) of a vehicle, said device (13) comprising at least a couple of clamp elements (17) and at least a movable support (14); each couple of clamp elements (17) being supported by said movable support (14); said movable support (14) being transversally translatable for positioning said clamp elements (17) of a same couple in proximity of a wheel (32) of an axle of a vehicle such that the centering, raising and keeping up of the two wheels (32) of an axle of a vehicle is achieved by means of a single transversal movement towards outside of the carriage of said at least one movable support (14) and of the couple of clamp elements (17) integral therewith.

A carriage for handling a vehicle in an automatic parking system includes a frame axially movable along a first longitudinal axis, rotating clamps, each including a pair of counter-rotating arms rotating with respect to a vertical axis orthogonal to both the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis. The carriage includes a transverse-centering unit with transverse pushers, transversely extensible, moving along an axis parallel to the transverse axis and independent of the rotating clamps. In a first retracted position they do not interact with the vehicle wheels. When extended, they come into contact with at least one vehicle wheel. The extensible transverse pushers are on left and right sides of the carriage, and simultaneously move in a symmetrical extension, being operated by a respective motor positioned laterally of the longitudinal axis of the carriage. The extensible transverse pushers include a pantograph for longitudinally aligning the vehicle along the longitudinal axis.

The disclosure relates to a conveyor for moving four-wheel vehicles. The conveyor includes a chassis having stowable extensions movable between a position in which the extensions make it possible to move the chassis under the vehicle and a position in which the extensions make contact with the treads of the wheels. The chassis is telescopic and includes two segments that each have a pair of arms. At least one of the arm pairs is hinged so as to enable movement between a position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the chassis with an extension at least equal to the track width of the vehicle and a folded-up position that is to occupy a width less than the distance between the inner flanks of the wheels of the vehicle. The segments are movable between a position where the arms are not in contact with the wheels and a position where each arm makes contact with the tread of one of the wheels so as to raise or lower the vehicle.

Transferring carriage (100) of vehicles for automatic mechanic parking systems comprising at least a frame (1); means of handling of said carriage (100); and at least a device (13) of centering, raising and keeping up of the wheel (32) of a vehicle, said device (13) comprising at least a couple of clamp elements (17) and at least a movable support (14); each couple of clamp elements (17) being supported by said movable support (14); said movable support (14) being transversally translatable for positioning said clamp elements (17) of a same couple in proximity of a wheel (32) of an axle of a vehicle such that the centering, raising and keeping up of the two wheels (32) of an axle of a vehicle is achieved by means of a single transversal movement towards outside of the carriage of said at least one movable support (14) and of the couple of clamp elements (17) integral therewith.

A method (100) for handling chassis is disclosed. The method (100) can include: providing (110) a multi-level structure including a plurality of levels including a first level with an opening to receive a chassis and a second level; locating (120) a plurality of shelves adjacent to the opening including a port shelf and a starboard shelf, each configured to receive a chassis; and providing (130) an transfer mechanism configured to pick a chassis and place it on one of the plurality of shelves. The method allows compact storage, stacking and retrieving and inventorying of chassis, for enhanced logistics.