A door apparatus for closing an access opening and to a parking apparatus equipped therewith. The door apparatus has two vertically aligned guide rails and an inner and an outer door element which are each movably mounted in/on a vertically aligned inner or outer guide of the guide rails. In a closed position, the inner door element is arranged in a first region of the access opening which is situated lower than a second region in which the outer door element is arranged. In an open position, the inner and the outer door element are arranged in a third region of the access opening which is situated higher than the first and the second region. Furthermore, the door apparatus has a locking element and a coupling element.

A transverse elevator system having generally horizontal and generally vertical components in a building with horizontal pathways guiding first passenger vehicles on each floor that connect to a plurality of vertical pathways guiding second passenger vehicles intersecting the horizontal pathways at stops at the points of intersection, wherein passenger transfer from horizontal to vertical movement is achieved by locking the first vehicles to the second vehicles with passenger chutes defining panels that extend from the vertical pathways and lock the first vehicles to the vertical pathways. In a second embodiment, passengers are carried in a separate enclosed CAPULSEs that shift from the first vehicles to the second vehicles obviating the need for complex horizontal to vertical drive transfer mechanisms.

A transverse elevator system having generally horizontal and generally vertical components in a building with horizontal pathways guiding first passenger vehicles on each floor that connect to a plurality of vertical pathways guiding second passenger vehicles intersecting the horizontal pathways at stops at the points of intersection, wherein passenger transfer from horizontal to vertical movement is achieved by locking the first vehicles to the second vehicles with passenger chutes defining panels that extend from the vertical pathways and lock the first vehicles to the vertical pathways. In a second embodiment, passengers are carried in a separate enclosed CAPULSEs that shift from the first vehicles to the second vehicles obviating the need for complex horizontal to vertical drive transfer mechanisms.

A three-level vehicle lift. The lift includes a four-post configuration in which each post includes a pair of vertically extending, side-by-side channels. Two platforms are provided. Each includes a carriage configured to engage a respective one of the channels in each post and a hydraulic actuator and lifting cable system disposed within the platform for lifting the platform. An actuation system having a single hydraulic pump is provided with a valve for selectively supplying hydraulic power to either an upper- or a lower-platform hydraulic circuit. The simplified lift and actuation system configuration reduces manufacturing, shipping, installation, and materials costs and complexities.

An alignment mechanism for a robotic parking device is described. The device includes a number of stacks of containers, the stacks being positioned within a frame structure having uprights and a horizontal grid disposed above the stacks, the grid having substantially perpendicular rails on which load handling devices can run. Cars or vehicles are positioned in containers that are moved in to and out of the stacks by the robotic handling devices. The cars are put in to the grid at entry points that can be positioned at points under the stacks. The alignment mechanism includes a series of belts moveable relative to each other and relative to the container, the belts acting to align a long axis of a vehicle with a long axis of the container in to which the vehicle is to be placed.

The disclosure relates to an automated parking device comprising a frame, on which at least one movable, in particular raisable or lowerable platform is provided, and the automated parking device is equipped with a chain, part of which forms at least part of a chain deflection system. The chain deflection system consists of at least one chain piece, preferably a roller chain piece, and a deflection piece.

There is provided a conveying device that can support a car weight with a mechanism lighter in weight. A driving device (6) of a conveying device that lifts and lowers a loading-weight support along a rail (3) includes a wheel unit (13) and a link (14). The wheel unit (13) drives to rotate a driving wheel (15) in contact with a guide surface (11) to lift and lower the loading-weight support. The link (14) includes a first joint (17) connected to the wheel unit (13) and a second joint (18) rotatably supported by the loading-weight support. The second joint (18) is arranged in a position further apart from the guide surface (11) than the first joint (17), and above the first joint (17). The link (14) is arranged such that a straight line connecting the first joint (17) and the second joint (18) is tilted smaller than 45 degrees.

There is provided a conveying device that can support a car weight with a mechanism lighter in weight. A driving device (6) of a conveying device that lifts and lowers a loading-weight support along a rail (3) includes a wheel unit (13) and a link (14). The wheel unit (13) drives to rotate a driving wheel (15) in contact with a guide surface (11) to lift and lower the loading-weight support. The link (14) includes a first joint (17) connected to the wheel unit (13) and a second joint (18) rotatably supported by the loading-weight support. The second joint (18) is arranged in a position further apart from the guide surface (11) than the first joint (17), and above the first joint (17). The link (14) is arranged such that a straight line connecting the first joint (17) and the second joint (18) is tilted smaller than 45 degrees.

A storage system is disclosed where goods can be stored in containers and the containers are stored in stacks. Above the stacks runs a grid network of rails (e.g., tracks) on which load handling devices can run. To take containers from the stacks and deposit then at alternative locations in the stacks or deposit then at stations where goods may be picked. The framework may be provided with one or more of the following exemplary services: power, power control, heating, lighting, cooling, sensors, and data logging devices. The provision of these services within the framework rather than across the system as a whole, can allow for flexibility in storage whilst reducing cost and inefficiency.

An elevator system can include an elevator car comprising an elevator floor, the elevator car connected to a control system, wherein the elevator floor is configured to enable a rolling device to roll from a floor level onto the elevator floor, an elevator wireless communication module connected to the control system, an elevator framework in which the elevator car is configured and an elevator motor configured to raise and lower the elevator car as instructed by a mobile robot and as controlled by the control system according to instructions to the elevator system received via the elevator wireless communication module. The elevator system can be attached to a rack of shelves and be used to autonomously move mobile robots up and down to or from respective shelfs and/or a floor level.