WO2021001584A1 - Automated parking lot for electric vehicles and parking methods - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an automated parking lot for electric vehicles (1), stored on pallets (4), which has different types of electric charging, different electric charging speeds, independent charging stations for different types of electric charging, and a smart management system for electric charging. The parking lot comprises: a parking lot entrance area (2); a structure (3) where the parking lot is installed; a specific pallet (4) for electric vehicles with electric charging; mechanical and electric means for storing the pallets (4); an electric charging system inside the parking lot; and a system for controlling and managing the parking lot with charging for electric vehicles (1).

Description

AUTOMATED PARKING FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND PARKING PROCEDURES

TECHNICAL SECTOR

The present invention refers to an automated parking lot for electric vehicles, which is why automated parking lots for electric vehicles falls within the field of technology.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The electric car is an element currently present in large cities and that, in the short term, will become the majority transport element in them.

The biggest challenge facing large modern cities, in this sense, is the storage of electric vehicles and the charging of their batteries.

The challenge of storing conventional vehicles has been solved through the appearance of automated parking lots, mainly during the last decade. Automated car parks allow a high density of vehicles to be stored, for the same volume of land, as well as providing great comfort of use to car park users, since the user always deposits and collects the vehicle in the same place, which is usually be at street level, thus avoiding having to navigate the parking floors and the consequent going up / down the access ramps.

Vehicle storage, at a technical level, has been solved in two main ways, depositing the vehicle to be stored on an empty pallet or directly storing the vehicle without a pallet.

Within the first way, in which the vehicle is deposited on an empty pallet, there are warehouses in which a single elevator performs the entire parking maneuver, and others in which we have a main elevator and a shuttle for each parking level .

Within this section, in the case of car parks that have only one lift To carry out the entire maneuver, the transfer of the pallet to the location, where it is stored, is generally carried out with electric or hydraulic pushers on board the elevator, which slide the pallet on some metal profiles at the location. In the locations that have double storage depth, to store a pallet in the second line, we need to hook and push with a pallet from the first line. Another important aspect is that, to store the empty pallet, generated once the user withdraws his vehicle from the parking lot, a pallet warehouse is generally used within the facility. The problem in these car parks is that the entire maneuver depends on a single machine, making it a slow car park, especially when several simultaneous entry / exit orders are received. Likewise, the pallet warehouse takes up space and means a loss of at least one parking space, which leads to a loss of storage capacity and profitability of the car park.

To finish this section, in the other case, in which we have a main elevator and a shuttle for each parking level, the locations contain partially or completely motorized conveyors, as described in document WO2012 / 099616. In the latter case, the fundamental problem, which is not solved, is the management of the empty pallet. The use of an empty parking space to store said pallet entails a slowdown in the operation of the parking lot, especially in the double spaces, usually used in automated parking lots, which always forces the movement of the pallet on the first line, and its relocation in the parking lot, to remove an empty pallet from the second. This aspect, at the user level, is very important, since in car parks where the empty pallet is not properly managed, they are very slow, and with long user waiting times.

Within the second way of resolution, warehouses are those where the vehicle is moved and stored directly without a pallet, a shuttle can be used to collect the vehicle, or the vehicle can be moved directly through the parking lot.

Within this section, in the case of car parks where a shuttle picks up the vehicle, as described in document WO2010 / 063932, the shuttle passes under the vehicle and raises it on top of it, by means of folding extendable arms. Once the vehicle has been collected, it is mounted on the lift and, using a carrier trolley, directs it to its final location. At this location, the shuttle lowers the vehicle and parks its wheels on the parking floor. In this case, parking is very slow, depending on Due to the number of shuttles present in the installation, the vehicle collection process is slow, and requires in each storage place raceways with very strict horizontal tolerances, so that the shuttle can load heavy vehicles.

To finish this section, in the other case, the car parks where we move the vehicle directly are described in Spanish patent documents 2,403,362 and WO2015 / 063344. The problem is that the load to be stored, the vehicle, does not always have the same dimensions, its movement on rollers is often erratic and there is a real possibility of damaging the vehicle in the event of a problem presented during its movement. In addition, it does not admit cars of all dimensions, small battle vehicles are excluded from the parking.

Following the technical resolution of the storage of vehicles, we will talk about another important aspect, the constructive form and levels of automated parking lots.

On the one hand, the car park can be built on the ground, called above ground or under ground, called below ground. Although in general, the construction of the structure where the above-ground parking is installed is much cheaper than below ground, the choice of one type or another is fundamentally conditioned by the urban regulations of each town, as well as by the specific location of the car park, type of soil found, amount of water present in the soil ... In this regard, due to the value of the soil, above all those executed below ground level, the depth of the car park today constitutes a challenge for engineers, They have the task of making the parking space as compact as possible, since as the depth of the excavation increases, the economic impact at the time of construction is significantly greater.

On the other hand, the car park can have only one level or more than one. In the case of automated car parks, its installation for a single parking level is not recommended, since for this case there are solutions on the market that, although not fully automated, such as car-mounting platforms or height doublers, their installation cost is much less than fully automated systems, so in practice they are imposed on them.

As for the other challenge facing large cities, mentioned above, is that of charging the battery of electric vehicles. In today's cities, batteries can be charged mainly, in charging stations, similar to service stations for combustion vehicles, and in car parks.

Large electrical powers are available at the charging stations, which means that the charging or recharging time is short, currently reaching below 20 minutes. The problem with these facilities, like the service stations, is that the number that can be set up in cities is limited. Likewise, the infrastructures necessary to supply these powers are expensive and the charging time, today, is much higher than the time necessary to refuel the vehicle in a current service station, for combustion vehicles. Thus, the number of charging stations that would be needed in the cities would be much higher than the number of service stations for combustion vehicles present in them.

In general car parks, both conventional and automated today, the powers available for charging are significantly low.

In conventional car parks the load has been solved through the installation of individual charging posts for each space. The problem here is that as each customer has their own charging pole, the power available per pole is small, which entails many hours needed to fully charge the batteries of current electric vehicles.

In the case of automated car parks, it has been solved by using pallets with connectors. On the one hand, as described in document WO2015 / 145067, by means of pallets with towers for the connectors, which are connected in each parking space to an electrical power supply device. In this case, the problem is that the automatic means of movement are not specified, since moving and storing the pallets with towers is complex and in practice, in today's automated warehouses, it has been ruled out. On the other hand, as described in document US 2019/0054832, by using pallets with connectors that are stored with liftable automated guided vehicles (AGVs). In this case, the problem lies in the fact that the movement of loads by means of AGVs is a slow transport system, which requires, like the shuttles that collected the vehicles described above, not only very strict horizontal tolerances in the final locations, but also also along the entire route that the AGV takes at each parking level. In this case, the way to electrically connect the pallet to the location loading device is through pin connectors. This form of connection is slow, since it requires a small centering tolerance between both connectors and with use it suffers a lot of wear. A problem common to both solutions is that the secondary connector, the one that connects to the primary connector at the edge of the pallet, is fixed in the installation. It is the storage media that have to deposit the pallet in the location and 'plug it in' at the same time, which requires great positioning precision, or what is the same, longer positioning time, slower parking, and higher cost of the necessary equipment.

Another unsolved problem, also common to both solutions, is that when a pallet with a vehicle from the second line has to be removed, we have to move the pallet with a vehicle from the first line, so we have to stop the loading of the vehicle from the first line and then plug it back in, with which the number of connections / disconnections during the charging process increases, which is equivalent to an earlier deterioration of the batteries.

Likewise, in both systems, they do not solve the management of empty pallets, as well as, analogously to conventional car parks, having individual loading devices per location, the available power in each of them is small, which entails , as we discussed earlier, many hours required to fully charge the batteries of current electric vehicles. Another problem not solved, in general, in the current automated car parks for electric vehicles is the way of charging, since all the systems described are based on the use of a charging cable, which electrically connects the vehicle and the pallet. There are no automated parking facilities for electric vehicles with induction charging.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that, in all the cases set out above, both in automated car parks for conventional vehicles and for electric vehicles, all the control and management of the system is carried out through an industrial PLC. This entails, on the one hand, a security in the control, in terms of the operation of the installation, but on the other, a limitation in the management of parking resources. Although the development of PLC technology allowed the use of SCADAs, applications that run on a PC, both normal and industrial, and that mainly allow the visualization of certain parameters or values of PLC variables, just as it allowed the use of OPs, terminals or operator panels, with which the maintenance of the installation can access to carry out maintenance operations, troubleshooting, etc., the interaction of the SCADA and the OP with the PLC is limited. These systems are used, as we have said, mainly by the maintainers of the installation, since it allows to visualize the state of the installation remotely, without being physically there, and allows the solution of certain faults that occur in it, but is not accessible to the end user of the installation. Today, a parking management system is needed, with much more capacity, that allows us to store all the information associated with the user that we need, which through an 'app' or similar allows the end user to make a request to remove the vehicle, to inform the user in real time of the status of the charge, to inform him of the amount of the recharge made,.

Consequently, there is a need for an automated car park that allows the electric charging of the batteries of electric vehicles, with charging cables or other means, that allows a speed of electric charging higher than the current one, both in conventional car parks and automated, with a connection system between the pallet and the loading device of the location that does not depend on the connector pins. In addition, the system will have to manage the empty pallet generated by the normal operation of the car park, so as not to slow down its operation.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an automated parking system for electric vehicles that allows different forms of electrical charging, that allows rapid charging of the vehicle, that allows different speeds of electrical charging, with a robust and fast connection system. , with a pallet storage system that is fast and manages empty pallets efficiently. Additionally, it will have to have an adequate control and management system of the car park, which controls the car park, which informs users in real time of the state of charge of their vehicles and which also allows each user to charge the electricity consumed in recharging the battery of your electric vehicle.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

The automated parking for electric vehicles object of this invention comprises the following elements:

1. Parking entrance area.

2. Structure where the car park is installed.

3. Specific pallet for vehicles with electric charge.

4. Mechanical and electrical means for storing pallets. 5. Electric charging system inside the car park.

6. Control and management system for the car park with electric vehicle charging. 1. Parking entrance area

In this parking entrance area, or access area, the user deposits the vehicle on an empty pallet for storage and this is where it interacts with the parking control and management system. Similarly, in this parking area the user picks up the vehicle that has been stored, when said user gives the order to remove it to the parking control and management system.

Access to the entrance area is through a quick-opening door.

In this area are all the dimensional controls and parking aids, to ensure, on the one hand, that the vehicle complies with the maximum dimensions allowed by the parking control and management system, and on the other, to help the user to Place the vehicle correctly on the pallet, and also to confirm that the electric vehicle is suitable for the electric charge of its batteries when it is stored in the parking lot. In addition to the dimensional controls, to ensure that there is no presence of users within the entrance area, once the process of storing the vehicle inside the car park begins, security laser scanners are installed in said entrance area.

Attached to the entrance area of the car park, close to it, a terminal with a touch screen is installed, which allows the user to make requests to deposit the vehicle in the car park or pick up the vehicle from it.

2. Structure where the car park is installed

The structure where the car park is installed is fundamentally made of concrete, with concrete slabs and pillars, where the conveyors for pallets, both single and double, will be anchored, as well as the metal rails on which the double shuttle for pallets moves and the columns of the elevator. The concrete slabs, on each floor, will have only the space necessary to house the columns of the pallet lift and allow the movement of the counterweight throughout the entire route. The concrete columns can be replaced by metal columns.

In a preferred design, the structure where the car park is installed is below ground level. In this arrangement, the concrete slab, in the entrance area, will have a smaller gap than the concrete slabs on each floor, only for the passage of the mobile frame of the elevator, the columns of the elevator being anchored to the lower face of said entrance slab.

The deepest slab, corresponding to the last transport level, will be supported on the ground and will have a pit of measures, in plan, equal to the hollow of the intermediate concrete slabs of each floor, and a depth greater than the height of the mobile frame of the elevator.

Alternatively, the structure where the car park is installed may be above ground. In this arrangement, the concrete slab in the entrance area, being the deepest slab, will rest on the ground and will have a pit of measures, in plan, equal to the hollow of the intermediate concrete slabs of each floor, and a depth greater than the height of the mobile lift frame.

Additionally, a metallic intermediate level may be available between concrete slabs. In the metal structure of the intermediate level, in addition to being anchored, both the single and double pallet conveyors, as well as the metal rails on which the double pallet shuttle moves, corresponding to that level of transport, will be installed a walkable floor to be able to carry out maintenance work, together with access stairs from the concrete slab to the metal structure.

3. Specific pallet for vehicles with electric charge

The specific pallet for vehicles with electric charge that we need has to, in addition to supporting the vehicle for storage, allow a compact design of the pallet conveyor that stores it and support different types of electric charge in the electric vehicle deposited on it.

The pallet, object of this invention, is made up of a metal structure with a floor, provided with contrasting wheels, to guide the pallet during its movement. The floor is divided longitudinally into three zones, one central and two lateral, where the vehicle usually travels when entering / exiting the pallet.

The central area of the floor, in a preferred design, is raised with a shoulder. Alternatively it may be at the same height as the side areas. In the central part of the floor, in a preferred design, female connectors are installed, for the possible charging of the electric vehicle by means of a charging cable, which electrically connects the vehicle with the pallet. These connectors are protected by a metal sliding cover with spring, so that once the charging cable is disconnected from the pallet, the female connector is covered. In addition to the previous connectors, areas are also located on said floor for the possible charging of the electric vehicle by induction. Said areas of the floor are made of insulating non-metallic material, which allows it to be crossed by the field generated in the induction charging process, while electrically isolating the rest of the pallet from the same previous field generated by said charging process. Alternatively, the female connectors may be installed on the side of the floor. In this case, the metal sliding cover with spring will be reinforced, since the vehicle usually passes through this area of the ground when it enters / leaves the pallet.

To charge the electric vehicle by means of a charging cable, the charging interconnections are installed at the bottom of the pallet, which is not in contact with the vehicle. Said charging interconnections are those that electrically connect the female connectors of the pallets with the charging stations within the parking lot. The load interconnections are installed in duplicate, symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pallet, since the pallet during its movement within the parking lot does not have a fixed position with respect to this axis.

The electric vehicle charging process in the corresponding electric charging station is designed, on the one hand, for an electric charge with three-phase current, and, on the other hand, for communication with direct current.

Electric charging with three-phase current allows us to take full advantage of the power installed in the car park, as we will see later, and reduce the charging times of current electric batteries, since charging with single-phase alternating current, which is installed in the Today's automated parking lots, limits the power available for charging, so the charging time of the batteries shoots up. By way of illustrative example, the maximum charging powers used, due to a limitation in the charging of electric batteries, with single-phase alternating current is currently 3-4Kw, while electric batteries currently allow three-phase charging up to 50kw.

On the other hand, when using three-phase current as load power, and due to the great load powers available, communication has to be robust and free of interference, so we use direct current communication. Thus, continuing with the pallet load interconnections, these are wired to the pallet female connectors, with an electrical power and signal cable for communication, also installed at the bottom of the pallet.

The power cable for charging is, as we saw previously, for three-phase current, three phases plus earth, of an adequate section for the maximum charging power available in the electric cable charging stations within the parking lot. The signal cable, necessary for communication with the parking control and management system, is also for direct current power, with at least two wires.

The charging interconnections are made up of an electrically insulated support, where the appropriate copper sections are coupled or fixed for the maximum charging power of the car park's electric cable charging station. The number of copper sections required is at least six, four for three-phase load, three phases plus ground, and at least two for communication. The copper sections for communication can be the same size as the three-phase power sections or smaller.

Charging the electric vehicle by induction does not require any additional wiring, since the induction charging station itself connects directly to the batteries of the electric vehicle, without the need for any interconnection with the pallet.

With this arrangement the pallet will allow different forms of electrical charge.

Likewise, in a preferred design, the metallic structure of the pallet ends in reinforced folded sheets, which serve to support the pallet during its movement. In this way we can integrate the necessary conveyor for the pallet movement within the pallet height, as we will see later, with which the height or depth required for parking is less, depending on whether the parking is above or below ground, with the consequent savings in civil works.

Alternatively, the structure may not carry said finishes in reinforced folded sheets, making the height of the "conveyor + pallet" assembly greater.

4. Mechanical and electrical means for storing pallets

The mechanical means for storing pallets include: 4.1. Double conveyor for pallet.

4.2. Simple conveyor for pallet.

4.3. Double shuttle for pallets.

4.4. Pallet elevator.

The pallet conveyor that we are looking for has to solve the problem of managing the empty pallet, easily position the pallet for the loading process and allow different types of electric charge in the electric vehicle stored in it. The pallet conveyors, object of this invention, both double and single, store the vehicle within the parking lot, and allow the charging of the electric vehicle within the same parking lot.

4.1. Double conveyor for pallet. The double pallet conveyor is made up of three metal structures, interconnected, anchored to the structure where the parking lot is installed. Each metal structure is made up of two branches, where motorized solid steel wheels are housed, on which the pallet rests during its movement. Two of these three structures are at the same level, on the upper level, which we will call the first and second depth, and the third structure is below the one corresponding to the first depth, on the lower level, which we will call the first lower. The first and second depths have independent movements, while the one below the first depth, the first lower one, moves in sync with the second depth. The drive of the conveyor is carried out by means of two single gearmotors, which connect both branches of the structures, placing the gearmotor of the first depth in front of that of the second depth, following the structure of the lower level. The gearmotors are connected to each branch, in a preferred design, by two elastic couplings. Alternatively they can be connected via a continuous drive shaft. The transmission to the motorized solid steel wheels is carried out by means of a chain sprocket.

To stop the pallets on the conveyor, both in the first and second depths, two electrical sensors are installed, one for changing the speed of the pallet on the conveyor and the other for stopping it. One of them it is also used to confirm the presence of a pallet on the conveyor at each depth. For the first lower, since the movement is synchronized with the second depth, only an electrical sensor is installed to confirm the presence of a pallet in this part of the conveyor. The electrical sensors installed will preferably be of the inductive type. In this way, as we will see later, the positioning for the loading process, that is, the stopping of the pallet on the conveyor, is governed by the previous electrical sensors, with which the process of positioning the pallet for the loading process It is very simple.

The double pallet conveyor is designed, on the one hand, with the distance between the branches of the structures necessary for the reinforced folded sheets, of the specific pallet for electrically charged vehicles, to rest on the motorized solid steel wheels, and on the other side, with the minimum width of the structure of each branch so that this structure is integrated within the height of the pallet. Also, the contrast wheels can use the structure of the guide conveyor itself.

As the conveyor structure is integrated into the height of the pallet, the necessary motorization has to be below it, so we take advantage of the motorization height to incorporate a lower level, the first lower level, which we will use to store the empty pallet, moving the motorization of the set below the second depth. This compact design allows us, with the same height as a normal conveyor, to include a motorized lower level. Note that with a conventional conveyor we would need, to include a motorized lower level, twice the height of the double pallet conveyor designed, so that the height or depth required for parking would be greater, depending on whether the parking is above or below ground. with the consequent increase in the cost of civil works.

This solution, as we have mentioned, also allows us to store an empty pallet on the lower level, so that on the upper level we will always have a single empty pallet, a single pallet with a vehicle or two pallets with vehicles. We will never have two empty pallets or a pallet with a vehicle in the first depth and an empty pallet in the second depth, a case so common in current car parks, which greatly slows down operating times, since in order to park a vehicle in the car park we will have to remove the empty pallet of the second depth, moving and previously parking the pallet with the vehicle of the first depth.

In this way we have managed to solve the management of the empty pallet, its storage, and present a compact, minimal height design.

A less advantageous variant of the double pallet conveyor consists in not synchronizing the movement of the second depth with that of the first lower one. For this it is necessary to add an additional gearmotor, connecting each corresponding branch with its elastic couplings or with its continuous transmission shaft, for the movement of the first lower one. Also in the structure of the first lower we would have to install two electrical sensors, instead of one as in the preferred design.

A possible arrangement of the gearmotors would be to place the three gearmotors, one in front of the other, following the lower level structure. In this case, for each double pallet conveyor installed in the parking lot, we would have an increase in the cost due to the inclusion of a new power unit.

4.2. Simple conveyor for pallet

The simple pallet conveyor is made up of a metallic structure, anchored to the structure where the parking lot is installed. The metal structure is made up of two branches, where motorized solid steel wheels are housed, on which the pallet rests during its movement.

This metallic structure is at the same level, at the same height, as that corresponding to the first and second depth of the double pallet conveyor.

The drive of the conveyor is carried out by means of a single gearmotor, which connects both branches of the structure, in a preferred design, by means of two elastic couplings. Alternatively they can be connected via a continuous drive shaft. The transmission to the motorized solid steel wheels is carried out by means of a chain sprocket.

Two electrical sensors are installed to stop the pallet on the conveyor, one for changing the speed of the pallet on the conveyor and the other for stopping it. One of them is also used to confirm the presence of a pallet on the conveyor. The electrical sensors installed will preferably be of the inductive type. In this way, as we will see later, the positioning for the loading process, that is, the stopping of the pallet on the conveyor, is governed by the previous electrical sensors, with which the process of positioning the pallet for the loading process It is very simple. The simple pallet conveyor is designed, on the one hand, with the distance between the branches of the structures necessary for the reinforced folded sheets of the specific pallet for electrically charged vehicles to rest on the motorized solid steel wheels, and on the other side, with the minimum width of the structure of each branch so that this structure is integrated within the height of the pallet. Also, the contrast wheels can use the structure of the guide conveyor itself.

4.3. Double shuttle for pallets

The double pallet shuttle picks up the pallet from the elevator and transfers it to the double and single pallet conveyors for storage, or picks up a pallet from the double and single pallet conveyors and transfers it to the elevator.

The double pallet shuttle is made up of a metal structure that allows the shuttle to move or move horizontally at each level of the car park. The structure is supported by four wheels, two driving wheels and two non-driving wheels, called free. The four wheels are made of steel, covered with a polyurethane band, which improves the grip of the whole. The shuttle is moved on metal rails installed in the structure where the car park is installed.

The translation power unit is made up of a single gearmotor that drives these two driving wheels, in a preferred design, by means of two elastic couplings. Alternatively they can be connected via a continuous drive shaft.

A two-level pallet conveyor is installed on the metal structure of the shuttle. Said conveyor allows the transfer of the pallet at two different heights, those corresponding to the first depth and the first lower depth of the double conveyor for pallets, described above. It is composed of two independent metallic structures, anchored to the metallic structure of the shuttle. Each metal structure is made up of two branches, where motorized solid steel wheels are housed, on which the pallet rests during its movement.

One of these two structures, the two-level pallet conveyor, is on the upper level, which corresponds to the first depth of the double conveyor for pallets that we have described above, while the other is on the lower level, which corresponds to the first lower level of the previous double pallet conveyor. Each level has independent movements. The drive of the conveyor is carried out by means of two single geared motors, which connect both branches of the structures, being placed inside the metal structure of the shuttle, one in front of the other. The gearmotors are connected to each branch, in a preferred design, by two elastic couplings. Alternatively they can be connected via a continuous drive shaft. The transmission to the motorized solid steel wheels is carried out by means of a chain sprocket.

As the shuttle can receive the pallet from the elevator or from the pallet conveyors, both double and single, this time three electrical sensors are installed in each of the two structures to stop the pallets on the shuttle. One of them, located in the center of each structure, is used to change the speed of the pallet, and the other two, located at each end of the corresponding structure, are used to stop it. Likewise, one of the above sensors is used to confirm the presence of a pallet on the conveyor, at each level. The electrical sensors installed will preferably be of the inductive type.

The two-height pallet conveyor is designed, on the one hand, with the distance between the branches of the structures necessary for the reinforced folded sheets of the specific pallet for electrically charged vehicles to rest on the motorized solid steel wheels, and, on the other hand, with the minimum width of the structure of each branch so that this structure is integrated within the height of the pallet. Also, the contrast wheels can use the structure of the guide conveyor itself.

4.4. Pallet elevator

The pallet lift picks up the pallet from the parking entrance area and transfers it, at the level of the parking lot assigned for storage, to a double pallet shuttle or directly to a single or double pallet conveyor. Similarly, it also picks up the pallet, at a specific parking level, from a double pallet shuttle or directly from a single or double pallet conveyor to take it to the entrance area of the parking lot or to another level of the same. It also allows you to rotate the pallet, that after the user deposits the vehicle on an empty pallet, in the entrance area of the parking lot, the pallet with the vehicle is turned before storage. Thus, when the user removes the vehicle from the parking lot, said vehicle will be oriented in the direction of travel.

The pallet lift is made up of a fixed metal structure, made up of two lateral metal columns, anchored to the structure where the car park is installed, and of a mobile metal structure, called a mobile frame, on which the pallet is placed, and which It is the part of the elevator that moves vertically within the parking lot.

The mobile frame is suspended by means of lifting chains, and is guided between the two lateral metal columns, in its vertical movement. Said lifting chains connect the mobile frame with the lifting power unit, installed in the upper part of one of the columns, and a counterweight, which moves on the outside of the column that supports the lifting power unit. The drive unit is driven by a gearmotor and a transmission shaft with pinions.

The mobile frame is composed, in turn, of a rotating metal structure and a fixed, non-rotating metal structure, articulated by a rotating crown. Said slewing ring is provided with a toothed ring and is driven by a pinion directly coupled to a gear motor.

On the rotating metal structure, a pallet conveyor is installed. Said pallet conveyor is composed of a metallic structure, anchored to the rotating metallic structure. Between the metal structure of the conveyor and the rotating metal structure of the mobile frame, load cells are inserted, to weigh the vehicle when it is deposited on the pallet, in the entrance area of the parking lot.

The metal structure of the conveyor is made up of two branches, where motorized solid steel wheels are housed, on which the pallet rests during its movement.

The drive of the conveyor is carried out by a single gearmotor, which connects both branches of the structure. The gearmotor is connected to each branch, in a preferred design, by two elastic couplings. Alternatively it can be connected via a continuous drive shaft. The transmission to the motorized solid steel wheels is carried out by means of a chain sprocket.

As the elevator can receive the pallet from both sides or transfer the pallet to On both sides, on this occasion, to stop the pallet on the elevator, three electrical sensors are installed in the structure of the pallet conveyor. One of them, located in the center of the structure, is used to change the speed of the pallet, and the other two, located at each end of the structure, are used to stop it. Likewise, one of the above sensors is used to confirm the presence of a pallet on the conveyor. The electrical sensors installed will preferably be of the inductive type.

The elevator pallet conveyor is designed, on the one hand, with the distance between the branches of the structures necessary for the reinforced folded sheets of the specific pallet for electrically charged vehicles to rest on the motorized solid steel wheels, and, on the other hand, on the other hand, with the minimum width of the structure of each branch so that this structure is integrated within the height of the pallet. Also, the contrast wheels can use the structure of the guide conveyor itself.

The electrical means for storing the pallets include:

4.5. Main installation cabinet

4.6. Elevator locker

4.7. Shuttle locker

4.8. Zone cabinet

4.5. Main cabinet of the facility The main cabinet of the facility is installed, generally in an area close to the parking entrance area. It mainly contains the protection and differential of the main power line that feeds the installation or general connection line of the car park, together with its corresponding disconnector.

The main cabinet feeds the rest of the electrical panels distributed throughout the installation, and communicates with them through a field bus. For this, it contains, on the one hand, all the necessary line protections to supply these panels and, on the other, all the communication modules necessary for that communication with them.

It also contains the control PLC and the industrial system management PC, along with its corresponding UPS. A DC power supply is used to power all the electronics.

The main cabinet also feeds all the equipment in the parking entrance area, terminal with touch screen, quick-opening door, dimensional controls and parking aids and safety laser scanners, and communicates with them through a field bus. In the event that the main cabinet is not installed in one close to the parking entrance area, an additional electrical panel would be used to power the equipment in the entrance area and its communication. This additional electrical panel would be powered by the main cabinet and would communicate with it.

4.6. Elevator locker

The elevator cabinet is generally installed near the elevator's lifting power unit, on the nearest concrete slab. It contains the necessary protections for feeding the elevator gearmotors, lifting, turning and moving the pallet in the elevator. It also contains the necessary power variators to drive these gearmotors. It also contains the communication modules to communicate with the control system. On the other hand, to position the elevator at a certain height in the warehouse, we use a linear laser length meter.

4.7. Shuttle locker

The shuttle locker is generally installed on board the shuttle. It contains the necessary protections for feeding the shuttle geared motors, translation and pallet movement in the shuttle, which, in this case, having a two-level conveyor, has two gear motors for this movement. It also contains the necessary power variators to drive these gearmotors. It also contains the communication modules to communicate with the control system. To communicate the shuttle with the control system we use communication photocells. On the other hand, to position the shuttle in a certain position in the warehouse, we use a linear laser length meter. 4.8. Zone cabinet

The zone closet is generally installed on each level of concrete slab.

The zone cabinet feeds all the shuttles cabinets installed within that concrete slab level, and communicates with them, through a field bus. For this, it contains, on the one hand, all the necessary line protections to supply these panels and, on the other, all the communication modules necessary for that communication with them. Communication photocells are used for communication with the shuttle panels.

The zone closet also powers all conveyors, both double and single, installed within that concrete slab level. It contains the necessary protections for supplying the gearmotors of the conveyors.

The zone cabinet can contain the power variators necessary to drive the gearmotors of the conveyors. In this case the communication with the drives would be done directly in the panel.

If these drives are not installed in the zone cabinet, alternatively they can be installed directly in the terminal boxes of the gearmotors of the conveyors. In this case the communication with the drives would be done through a field bus.

The zone cabinet also feeds all the gearmotors that drive the loading stations, installed on these conveyors, as we will see later.

In addition to all the above, the zone cabinet also feeds some field signal boxes, which collect the signals from the electrical sensors of the conveyors and the loading stations installed in them, and communicates with them, with the boxes. of signals, through a field bus. Generally, a field signal box is installed for each double conveyor, for every two simple ones, or for each double conveyor with a single one, including the loading stations that are installed on said conveyors.

5. Electric charging system inside the car park

The electrical charging system inside the car park includes: 5.1. Main cargo locker

5.2. Zone Loading Cabinet

5.3. Cable charging stations

5.4. Induction charging stations

5.1. Main cargo locker

For charging electric vehicles we use a main charging cabinet designed for this purpose, different from the main cabinet of the installation. This main loading locker is generally installed next to the main locker of the facility, in an area close to the parking entrance area.

The main charging cabinet basically contains the protection and differential of the main power line available for charging electric vehicles, or the general connection line for charging the car park, together with its corresponding disconnector. It also contains an electrical interconnection with the main cabinet of the installation, both for power and communication.

Generally, the general connection line for the car park and the general connection line for the load are usually ordered as independent lines, due to their high power. In the event that we had a single connection line for the entire car park, both for the load and for the rest of the installation, this connection would be connected to the main load cabinet, feeding it to the main cabinet of the facility.

Similarly, if there was enough space, a single main cabinet could be built with two areas, one for loading and the other for the rest of the installation.

The main charging cabinet feeds the rest of the electric charging panels distributed throughout the installation, and communicates with them through a field bus. For this, it contains, on the one hand, all the necessary line protections for supplying these panels and, on the other, all the communication modules necessary for that communication with them.

5.2. Zone Loading Cabinet

The zone loading closet is generally installed on each level of concrete slab, if possible next to the installation zone closet, and supplies all the charging stations, only to the electrical charging part, as we will see later, both by cable and by induction, installed within that level of the concrete slab. For this, it contains all the necessary line protections for supplying these charging stations. Likewise, it contains for each power line, a current meter, to be able to record the consumption of each charging station during the process of charging the batteries of electric vehicles and a current switch, to be able to supply two different powers each electric charging station.

In the first place, the loading stations that we need have to be independent of the conveyor where they are installed, so that the loading station itself is 'plugged' into the pallet and not the storage means that, in addition to positioning the pallet, the 'plug in', as we saw what happens in today's automated car parks, which required great positioning precision, or what is the same, longer positioning time, slower parking, and higher cost of the necessary equipment.

The loading stations, object of this invention, can be installed on each conveyor, on the double pallet conveyor, on the second depth, or on the single pallet conveyor. In both cases they are installed under the corresponding metallic structures, so that they do not interfere with the movement of the pallet on the conveyor. The process of positioning the pallet for the loading process, that is, the stopping of the pallet on the conveyor, was already solved in a very simple way, through the electrical sensors installed in it, as we saw previously.

Note, as an additional advantage, that the compact design of the double pallet conveyor above allows us, in addition to storing the empty pallet in the first lower one, to install the loading stations under the structure of the second depth, at the height that occupies the motorization, at the same height as a normal conveyor.

Second, the charging stations must allow fast charging of the electric vehicle, which implies being able to charge at high powers.

At present, as we have already commented previously, the solution proposed in current car parks for electric vehicles basically consisted of connectors in all places, so the system allowed charging in all places and, moreover, simultaneously. This solution raised the two problems known, the positioning of the pallet in the connector and the load power. It is easily understandable that positioning a pallet with a vehicle in a connector and 'plugging it in' during its movement is more complex than having an independent loading station and connecting the station with the pallet stopped. On the other hand, these connectors can work with small powers. To be able to charge with high powers, we would need a connector that ensures an adequate connection, with the appropriate pressure, so that interference does not occur in the load. So we would return to the starting point, it would be even more complex to position and 'plug in'. Finally, by being able to charge all of them at the same time, and having a single power available, the power per connector would be small. As an example, with these charging systems and the size of current batteries, a full charge of a medium-size vehicle would take between 16 and 20 hours to charge and, furthermore, if the car is discharged, to have a minimum of battery for emergency use, called 'survival' charge, the time required would be between 4-6 hours.

In our case, to be able to charge at high powers, we need certain charging stations in the installation, less than the total number of places, in order to distribute the available power among fewer stations. We also need stations that can operate at that power and that ensure optimal contact in the charging process at that power. In addition, we will try to keep the time of a 'survival' charge for all electric vehicles to a minimum.

As a comment, we will add that once the electric vehicle is charged, it will move from the charging station to make way for another vehicle. This 'intelligent' load management will be carried out by the facility's management system, as we will see later.

As we have commented before, the loading stations, object of this invention, can be installed in each conveyor, in the double conveyor for pallet, in the second depth, or in the single conveyor for pallet, so that the maximum number of stations of electric charge, which can be installed in the car park, is always less than the number of places to be stored, since it can only load in the second depth of the double pallet conveyor.

To begin with, we are going to make optimal use of all the power available in the car park for the charging process.

We know that we have a general connection line for the car park, or a power for the installation, and a general connection line for the load, or a power for charging. Well, when the installation is stopped, that is, when it does not have to carry out any storage operation, we could use all the power of the installation, also, for the charging process. In these cases, the only power consumption of the installation would be that necessary to power the parking control and management system, consumption that is residual compared to the power available to power the installation. This situation is quite common in automated parking systems, especially at night and on holidays. Thus, most of the time we will have both the power for the installation and the power for the load available for the charging process. For this, we carry out the power interconnection between the main cabinet of the installation and the main load cabinet.

On the other hand, charging stations are designed for a certain maximum charging power. Although they are designed for this maximum charging power, the charging stations can operate in two modes of operation, either at maximum charging power or at nominal charging power, logically less than the maximum charging power. The ratio between them is generally 1: 2.

Well, to calculate the minimum number of charging stations in each installation, we would divide the sum of the powers of the general connection line for the car park and the general connection line for charging by the nominal design power of the charging station . In the event that we had a single connection line for the entire car park, we would divide the power of that single connection line by the design nominal power of the previous charging station.

From here, we will explain in detail the two types of charging stations present in the installation, cable charging stations and induction charging stations.

5.3. Cable charging stations

Cable charging stations allow charging of the electric vehicle deposited on a pallet, when the vehicle is electrically connected to the pallet by means of a charging cable. In this specific case, the cable charging stations electrically connect the charging interconnections of the pallet, installed in its lower part, with the power line of the charging station.

As we discussed earlier, the electric vehicle charging process in the cable charging station is designed, on the one hand, for an electric charge with three-phase current, and, on the other hand, for communication with direct current.

The cable charging station is made up of a metal actuator attached to an electrically insulated support, where the appropriate copper sections are coupled or fixed for the maximum power of the cable charging station. The number of copper sections required, as we saw in the pallet load interconnections, is at least six, four for the three-phase load, three phases plus ground, and at least two for communication. The copper sections for communication can be the same size as the three-phase power sections or smaller.

The metal actuator, which is attached to the electrically insulated support where the copper sections are coupled or fixed, is coupled in a preferred design, directly to a gear motor, with the appropriate support structure for the height at which the coupling with the pallet load interconnection. Said gearmotor raises the electrically insulated support from its initial position, a position in which the loading station does not interfere with the possible movement of the pallet on the conveyor where it is installed, to its final position, a position in which the copper sections the pallet charging interface and the cable charging station come into contact. To ensure a flat contact surface between both copper sections, the shape of the copper sections, both of the cable charging station and the pallet charging interconnection, will generally be square. In addition, to guarantee adequate contact between the copper sections of the two previous elements, the fixing between the electrically insulated support of the charging station and the metallic actuator that operates it is carried out by means of compression springs, with an adequate rigidity to the pressure necessary to guarantee adequate contact between the previous copper sections.

Alternatively, instead of directly coupling the metallic actuator to the gearmotor, any type of transmission can be inserted between said actuator and the gearmotor. In the same way, the metallic actuator can be coupled with a pusher, a lifting platform or any system that causes the vertical movement of the metallic actuator.

In any of the above cases, to control the initial and final position of the set, two electrical sensors are installed, one for each position. The electrical sensors installed will preferably be of the inductive type. Alternatively, there is the option of adding an encoder to the gearmotor that controls the rotation of the same, instead of using the previous electrical sensors.

In a normal process of charging the electric vehicle by charging cable, the pallet with the electric vehicle when it goes to the cable charging station, always stops in the same position of the pallet conveyor, both double and single, through the electrical sensors installed on the conveyor. As the contact surface is flat between the copper sections that are connected to each other, a minimum friction between them is guaranteed, since no connector has to enter into the other. In addition, the springs guarantee optimum pressure. The cable charging station thus features a robust design, simple operation and requires little future maintenance.

5.4. Induction charging stations

Induction charging stations allow the electric vehicle to be charged on a pallet, without any additional wiring, since the induction charging station itself connects directly to the electric vehicle's batteries, without the need for any interconnection with the pallet.

The induction charging station consists of an induction charging device that moves vertically, through a lifting mechanism driven by a gear motor. Said gearmotor raises the loading device by induction, from its initial position, a position in which the loading station does not interfere with the possible movement of the pallet on the conveyor where it is installed, to its final position, a position in which the The height between the induction charging device and the batteries of the electric vehicle is adequate, and allows the process of charging the batteries. The whole set is electrically insulated.

To control the initial and final position of the assembly, two electrical sensors are installed, one for each position. The electrical sensors installed will preferably be of the inductive type. Alternatively, there is the option of adding an encoder to the gearmotor that controls its rotation, instead of using electrical sensors.

Similarly in a normal induction electric vehicle charging process, the pallet with the electric vehicle when it goes to the induction charging station, always stops in the same position of the pallet conveyor, both double and single, through the sensors installed on the conveyor. Once in this position, all you have to do, the induction charging device, is move vertically to reach the proper height between the device and the electric vehicle batteries, as we have explained above. The induction charging station thus features a robust design, simple operation and requires little future maintenance.

As we discussed earlier, all the gearmotors that drive the charging stations, both by cable and by induction, are powered through the installation zone cabinet. In the same way, the electrical sensors that control the charging process are wired to the field signal boxes, which in turn are powered by the same installation zone cabinet. Thus, the zone charging cabinet only supplies the copper sections of the cable charging station, and the induction charging device of the induction charging stations.

As a summary of what is exposed here, we have presented independent charging stations, from the conveyor where it is installed, which allow different types of charging, both by cable and by induction, which allow fast charging of the electric vehicle, which implies being able to charge at high powers and also have a robust design.

Finally, we will talk about the 'survival' burden. This aspect is very important for the tranquility of the user who deposits an electric vehicle in a parking lot. The user needs to have the peace of mind that, even if they deposit the electric vehicle with its batteries practically discharged, in a short charging time, they will be able to have their electric vehicle in case of emergency or need. This problem is not solved in the current car parks. We cited earlier as an example that for a 'survival' charge, the time required would be between 4-6 hours.

In our solution, the charging stations, as we saw above, are designed for maximum charging power, but they can operate in two modes of operation, either at maximum charging power or at nominal charging power, less than the maximum power. load, in a ratio of 1: 2 generally. Well, the parking management system of our solution allows, as we will see later, for a short period of time, charging at the charging stations at maximum power. As an example, with the solution proposed here, and with the same power available for the installation as the previous example, a full charge of a medium-size vehicle would take, in our system at nominal charging power, between 3 and 4 hours charging and, in addition, if the car is unloaded, for a 'survival' charge, the time required would be about 30 minutes, at full charge power. In order to carry out all this load management, this 'smart management', we need a powerful management system in the facility.

In this way, the solution presented here has different electrical charge speeds, logically depending on the charging power. In a preferred design, we choose two charging speeds, at full power and at rated power. Alternatively we could charge at various charging speeds in each electrical charging process.

6. Control and management system for parking with electric vehicle charging

The parking control system, through a PLC, governs or controls all the equipment in the parking entrance area, all the mechanical means for storage and the electrical charging system.

The control system interacts with the user in the parking entrance area, when the user places the vehicle on an empty pallet for storage or when the user picks up the vehicle that has been stored when the user gives the order to remove it.

The control system takes care of the entire storage operation. Once the charging station has been assigned by the management system to which the pallet with an electric vehicle must go, the control system is in charge of transferring the pallet with the vehicle from the entrance area to the corresponding charging station, involving the different teams present in the installation, pallet elevator, double pallet shuttle, pallet conveyors. Similarly, it is in charge of the entire withdrawal maneuver of an electric vehicle, when the user gives the withdrawal order. Once the place of origin has been designated by the parking management system, the control system is in charge of transferring the pallet with the vehicle from the corresponding place to the entrance area, involving the different teams present in the installation. Finally, the control system is in charge of controlling the electrical charging process within the car park.

The process of storing an electric vehicle in the parking lot begins when the user places the electric vehicle correctly on an empty pallet, located in the pallet lift, in the entrance area of the parking lot, with the parking aids of the control system . Once the vehicle is deposited, the The control system verifies the dimensions of the vehicle, through the dimensional controls of the entrance area and its weight, through the load cells of the pallet lift. Once verified, the user connects the charging cable of the electric vehicle to the pallet, only in the case of charging the electric vehicle by means of a charging cable, obviously not being necessary in the case of charging the electric vehicle by induction. Next, the user makes the request to deposit the vehicle in the car park, at the touch screen terminal installed in an area adjacent to the car park entrance area. In either case, the control system informs the user, through the touch screen of the terminal, if the electrical connection of the charging cable and the pallet is correct, in the case of charging the electric vehicle using a charging cable , or, if the vehicle is positioned in the appropriate area of the pallet, in the case of charging the electric vehicle by induction. To finish, the user confirms the request with an identifier.

Once the control system does not detect the presence of users within the entrance area, through security laser scanners in the entrance area, it closes the access door to said entrance area and continues with the storage process.

Next, the control system transfers the pallet with the electric vehicle from the entrance area to the loading station assigned by the management system, installed on the corresponding pallet conveyor.

For this, the control system transfers the pallet with the electric vehicle through the pallet lift, where we turn the pallet with the electric vehicle, to store the vehicle in the direction of travel, passing through the double shuttle for pallets of the corresponding level and ending in the pallet conveyor with the assigned loading station, or, going from the pallet elevator directly to the pallet conveyor with the assigned loading station, of the corresponding level.

Once the pallet lift is released from this operation, that is, once the pallet lift transfers the pallet with the electric vehicle to the double pallet shuttle of the corresponding level or directly to the corresponding pallet conveyor, you can go to another level of the car park, to pick up an empty pallet, picking it up from the double shuttle for pallets on that level or, directly, from the pallet conveyor on that level, and thus taking it to the entrance area of the car park.

Once the pallet with the electric vehicle is in the assigned loading station of the corresponding pallet conveyor, the management system communicates to the control system the start of the electric charging process, the type of charging, by cable or by induction, the charging time at maximum power, that is, the 'survival' charging time, and if once this is finished 'Survival' charging continues or not with charging at nominal power, until the electric vehicle batteries are fully charged. If you do not continue charging at nominal power, the management system assigns you the place to temporarily store the vehicle, until you can recharge.

The electric loading process, controlled by the control system, starts once the control system has confirmation that the position of the pallet, on the conveyor corresponding to the assigned loading station, is correct for the start of loading, through the electrical sensors installed on the conveyor. Once this confirmation occurs, the control system operates the corresponding charging station. In the case of the cable charging station, the control system operates the gearmotor that raises the metal actuator with the electrically insulated support, where the copper sections are coupled or fixed, until it has confirmation that the contact between the copper sections of the loading station and the pallet loading interconnection is adequate, through the electrical sensors installed in the loading station.

In the case of the induction charging station, the control system operates the gearmotor that raises the induction charging device until it reaches the appropriate height between the device and the batteries of the electric vehicle, which allows the battery charging process , through the electrical sensors installed in the charging station.

Once this confirmation occurs, the control system allows 'survival' charging, that is, the power supply at maximum charging power of the charging station, by cable or by induction, through the corresponding zone charging cabinet , during the time assigned by the management system.

If it does not continue with the load at nominal power, the control system transfers the pallet with the electric vehicle from the transporter where the charging station is installed to the transporter where the vehicle is temporarily stored, until it can reload.

If you continue charging at nominal power, when the charging time at maximum charge power ends, the control system switches the power supply of the charging station from maximum power to nominal charge power, through the control cabinet. corresponding zone load.

The electric charging process ends when the vehicle communicates to the charging station, both by cable and by induction, that the electric vehicle's battery is charged. In the case of the cable charging station, this communication is carried out through the copper sections of the charging station intended for this purpose. In the case of the induction charging station, this communication takes place through the induction charging device itself. Once this communication occurs, the control system cancels the power supply to the charging station, through the corresponding zone charging cabinet.

In the case of the cable charging station, the control system operates the gearmotor that lowers the metal actuator with the electrically insulated support, where the copper sections are attached or fixed, until it has confirmation that the charging station It does not interfere with the possible movement of the pallet on the corresponding conveyor, through the electrical sensors installed in the loading station.

In the case of the induction loading station, the control system operates the gearmotor that lowers the induction loading device, until it has confirmation that the loading station does not interfere with the possible movement of the pallet on the corresponding conveyor , through the electrical sensors installed in the charging station.

Once in this position, the control system communicates the recharge consumption to the management system and thus ends the electric charging process of the vehicle.

Once the loading process is finished, the management system decides whether to leave the pallet with the vehicle at the loading station or to store it in another place. In this case, the control system is in charge of transferring the pallet with the vehicle to that new position in the warehouse. Once this operation is completed, the process of storing an electric vehicle ends.

The process of removing an electric vehicle from the parking lot begins when the user makes the request to remove the vehicle from the parking lot, at the touch screen terminal installed in an area adjacent to the parking entrance area. Once the request is made, the control system transfers the empty pallet from the entrance area to the place assigned by the management system, in a similar way to that described in the storage process of an electric vehicle. Once the empty pallet is stored, the control system transfers the pallet with the vehicle from the place where it is stored to the entrance area, through the pallet conveyor where it is located, through the double shuttle for pallets of the corresponding level and ending in the pallet elevator, or, through the pallet conveyor where it is located to the pallet lift directly. In the event that the pallet with the electric vehicle occupies the place corresponding to the second depth of a double pallet conveyor and we have another pallet with the electric vehicle in the first depth of that same conveyor, the control system would transfer the pallet with the Electric vehicle from the first depth to the double shuttle for pallets of another level, designated by the management system, depending on the pending operations to be carried out in the car park. With which the pallet with the desired vehicle could already be removed. Before removing the vehicle, the user disconnects the charging cable of the electric vehicle from the pallet, only in the case of charging the electric vehicle by means of a charging cable, obviously not being necessary in the case of charging the electric vehicle by induction. Once the operation is concluded, the control system would again store the pallet with the electric vehicle deposited in the double shuttle for pallets, of that other previous level, in the new location designated by the management system. Once this operation is completed, the process of removing an electric vehicle ends.

Note that the presence of a shuttle per parking level allows us to be able to remove the pallet from the first depth without having to dedicate a dedicated conveyor for this operation in the parking lot. In other words, in car parks with double conveyors without shuttles we have to have one more conveyor, an empty location, to be able to remove the pallet from the first depth, so this location cannot be used to store a pallet.

Additionally, in the case of having more than two parking levels, the shuttles of those levels of more can also be used as storage spaces, to be used when the parking lot is full.

Finally, the control system carries at all times, regardless of the process, storage or removal of an electric vehicle, a traceability of the empty pallet or the pallet with an electric vehicle. The process consists in that the control system, at the same time as it transfers the pallet with an electric vehicle through the different equipment, pallet elevator, double pallet shuttle, pallet conveyors, also transfers the data associated with the vehicle. electrical, from one computer to another, at a logical level. The initial data, associated with the electric vehicle, is recorded in a determined area of the PLC memory. Every time the control system confirms the transfer of the pallet with an electric vehicle from one equipment to another, through the electrical sensors installed in the structure of the pallet conveyor of the pallet lift, in the structure of the two-height pallet conveyor of the double shuttle for pallets or in the structure of the conveyors for pallet, both double and single, the PLC moves that memory area and communicates it to the management system, to incorporate it into the warehouse map. Therefore, the management system knows at all times where each pallet with an electric vehicle is located and the information associated with said user. To explain a little more in detail how this process works, as an example, let's start from a situation in which we have a pallet, empty or with an electric vehicle, in a team. In this equipment, which we will call the source equipment, we will have, at the traceability level, the occupied position bit activated. Well, for the control system to allow the pallet to be transferred to another equipment, which we will call the destination equipment, two conditions must be met, one on each equipment. The first condition that must be met is that, in the original equipment, in addition to the occupied position bit activated, we must have confirmation of the presence of the pallet on the equipment, through one of the electrical sensors installed in the structure of the team. The second condition that must be met is that, in the destination equipment, in addition to the occupied position bit not activated, we do not have to have a pallet present on the equipment, through any of the electrical sensors installed in the structure of the team. If any of these conditions are not met, the pallet will not move and the control system will give an alarm to warn. If both conditions are met, the pallet will be transferred from one machine to another. When the control system confirms that the pallet transfer has been carried out, through the electrical sensors installed in the destination equipment structure, the data associated with the pallet, at a logical level, is transferred from the original position to that of destination, subsequently deleting the data of the origin position. This is what we call memory area shifting. Next, the control system communicates it to the management system, to incorporate it into the warehouse map, as we discussed earlier.

It is worth mentioning that this traceability solution is very advantageous compared to other RFID solutions present in current automated car parks, as well as being safer in operation. On the one hand, with RFID you cannot Correctly positioning the pallet in a specific location only allows us to know if it is occupied or not. To correctly position the pallet with an electric vehicle on a piece of equipment or in a specific place, we need the previous electrical sensors installed in the structures of the equipment. On the other hand, the RFID system needs tags and radio frequency antennas. The latter are expensive and a good number of them are needed to ensure good coverage throughout the car park. This system is much more expensive and less secure than a signal cable, which is necessary to receive the signals from previous electrical sensors.

The parking management system, through an industrial PC, manages all the parking resources. The management system is a computer application that runs on an industrial PC, programmed in programming language, which constantly interacts with the installation's control system, so that the management system and the control system are in permanent communication.

The management system takes care of the intelligent management of the load. The management system, therefore, is in charge of enabling or disabling the car park's charging stations, depending on the power available in the facility for the charging process, as we discussed in the previous section. Depending on the storage operations pending in the installation, the management system enables a more or less number of charging stations, so that the use of the available power for the charging process is optimal. Likewise, the management system assigns, on the one hand, once the process of storing an electric vehicle has started, the charging station to which the pallet with an electric vehicle must go. On the other hand, once the pallet with the electric vehicle is in the assigned charging station, the management system informs the control system of the start of the electric charging process, the type of charging, by cable or by induction, the charging time at maximum power, the 'survival' charging time, and whether once this 'survival' charge is finished, it continues with the charge at nominal power or not, until the electric vehicle's batteries are fully charged. If it does not continue to charge at nominal power, assign the space to temporarily store the vehicle, until it can recharge. If it continues until the electric vehicle's batteries are fully charged, it assigns the place where the pallet with the vehicle will be stored, once the charging process is completed. Generally, the charge time at full charge power, the 'survival' charge time, is fixed for all users.

The management system, in the process of removing an electric vehicle, assigns the place where the empty pallet will be stored, or the double shuttle for pallets of another level, depending on the pending operations to be carried out in the parking lot, in the event that the pallet with the electric vehicle occupies the space corresponding to the second depth of a double pallet conveyor and we have another pallet with the electric vehicle in the first depth of that same conveyor.

The management system has an updated map of the warehouse, showing which user is stored in each parking space and the charging stations available for the loading process. It also knows, at all times, where each pallet with an electric vehicle is located and the information associated with that user. The management system stores all user information: type of vehicle, the type of charge to be carried out, by cable or by induction, if it is in the process of electric charging or if it has already been completed, whether or not it has received the charge from ' survival 'and recharge consumption.

The management system allows different tasks to be carried out in the car park and allows, among other things, the repositioning of pallets with electric vehicles when the installation is stopped, that is, when there is no pending storage operation. It also creates movement histories, so you can learn user guidelines. By way of example, the possibility of reserving certain locations, the ones closest to the parking entrance area, for the users who use the parking the most, being able to prioritize the loading process of the vehicle associated with one user over another, etc. In this way we use the 'dead' times of the facility, in addition to the loading process, also to reposition pallets with vehicles.

The management system allows users to access information related to the electrical charging process, through mobile devices, through an 'app' or similar, in real time. This access, in addition to being secure, which is not the case with PLCs, provides, among other information, the status of the charge and the amount of the recharge carried out. It also allows other functions to be carried out, such as a remote request for the removal of an electric vehicle, which allows the electric vehicle to be waiting in the entrance area when the user arrives, or a request to withdraw at an agreed time.

A fundamental difference between current systems, based on PLCs and the The solution presented here is that, as we saw at the beginning, the PLCs only allow access to the information through the use of SCADAs and OPs, used mainly by the maintenance of the installation, but this information is not accessible by the end user of the installation. It should be remembered that SCADAs applications are applications that run on a PC, both normal and industrial, and that mainly allow the visualization of certain parameters or values of PLC variables. Therefore, with current systems, control and small management are integrated within the PLC, that is, they are stored in the PLC memory, which is limited. SCADA is basically just a display. In our solution, the management system is a computer application that runs on an industrial PC, programmed in programming language, such as, for example, C ++. In this case, all the management information we need is stored on the PC, whose storage capacity, with respect to a PLC, is unlimited. Also, as we have seen, it allows users access to system information. However, we continue to maintain the control in the PLC, for operational safety reasons, as we mentioned at the beginning.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description, in which, with an illustrative and non-limiting nature, the following has been represented following:

Figure 1.- Shows a general view of an automated parking lot for electric vehicles.

Figure 2.- Shows a sectional view of an automated parking lot for electric vehicles.

Figure 3.- Shows a detailed view of an automated parking lot for electric vehicles.

Figure 4 Shows the top view in detail of a specific pallet for vehicles with electric charge.

Figure 5.- Shows the bottom view in detail of a specific pallet for vehicles with electric charge.

Figures 6 and 7.- They show the detail of a double conveyor for pallets, with and without pallets, along with electric charging stations.

Figure 8.- Shows the detail of a double pallet conveyor of minimum height, together with the electric charging stations.

Figure 9.- Shows the detail of a simple pallet conveyor, together with the electric charging stations.

Figure 10.- Shows the detail of a cable charging station.

Figure 11.- Shows the detail of an induction charging station.

Figures 12 and 13.- Show a front and rear view of a simple pallet conveyor with a pallet with an electric vehicle, in which the electric vehicle is connected to the pallet by means of a charging cable.

Figures 14 and 15.- Show a bottom view of a simple pallet conveyor with a pallet with an electric vehicle, during the electric charging process.

Figure 16.- Shows the detail of a double shuttle for pallets.

Figure 17.- Shows the detail of a pallet lift.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

A preferred way to carry out the invention consists of an automated parking for electric vehicles (1), arranged on a specific pallet for vehicles with electric charge (4), as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, with an entrance area (2 ) and a structure (3) below ground with two concrete levels, where the parking lot and a pallet lift (8) with pit (20) are installed.

For storage, at each slab level, there are double (5) and single (6) pallet conveyors, together with their respective loading stations, both by cable (16) and by induction (17), and a double shuttle for pallets (7) per level. The safety laser scanner (18) is installed in the entrance area (2). In an area near the entrance area (2) the terminal with a touch screen (19) is mounted, where the user interacts with the parking control and management system. Also in the same area are the main cabinet of the installation (9) together with the main loading cabinet (14). At each level of the slab, the zone cabinets (10) that feed the field signal boxes (11) and the shuttle cabinet (13) are installed. On the first level of the slab, close to the elevator lift power unit, we place the elevator cabinet (12). On the other hand, on each slab level, the zone loading cabinets (15) are arranged next to the zone cabinets previous (10). These zone loading cabinets (15) feed the loading stations, both by cable (16) and by induction (17), installed on each double (5) and single (6) pallet conveyor, of each level.

Figures 4 and 5 show the design of a specific pallet for vehicles with electric charge (4). In the top view you can see the metal structure with floor (21). On the side there are the reinforced folded sheets (22), rigidly attached to the metal structure with the floor (21). In the same structure (21) above, the contrast wheels (23) are mounted at the four corners. The floor, in this design, is divided into two zones, the central floor zone (24), raised with projections, and the lateral floor zones (25). In the central area of the floor (24), the female connectors (26) are installed on both sides for the possible charging of the electric vehicle (1) by means of a charging cable, inserted in an insulating material box. On top of the connectors (26) the spring loaded metal sliding covers (27) are placed. Also in the central area of the floor (24) the areas for the possible charging of the electric vehicle by induction (28) are distinguished.

In the bottom view of the pallet (4) we can see the load interconnections (29), symmetrically arranged. In this case, two interconnections have been arranged, but more can be installed. The more interconnections are installed, the more cable charging stations (16) will have to be installed on the corresponding conveyors. In these interconnections (29) the electrically insulated support (30) can be seen where the copper sections (31) are fixed or screwed. The front support (30) can be a mechanized insulating plastic, screwed to the pallet (4), where the copper sections (31) are screwed in turn. It is also appreciated, in this view, the necessary gap in the ground in the areas for the possible charging of the electric vehicle by induction (28), since the induction charging station (17) has to enter inside the structure of the pallet (21) to get closer to the top of the ground, during the induction charging process.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 show the design of a double pallet conveyor (5), with and without pallets (4), together with the electric charging stations, both by cable (16) and by induction (17) . In figure 7 the detail of the conveyor (5) can be seen. The conveyor (5) is composed of two structures connected at the same level, the first depth (32) and the second depth (33), and a structure connected at the lower level, the first lower (34). Each metal structure (32, 33 and 34) is made up of two branches, where motorized solid steel wheels (35) are housed. The drive of the conveyor (5) is done by two unique gearmotors (36) attached to each branch, in this design by elastic couplings (37). On each of the structures (32, 33 and 34) the electrical sensors (38) are installed, two in each structure (32 and 33) while the first lower one (34) is only installed one.

Figure 6 shows the detail of the design of the double pallet conveyor (5). As can be seen, the distance between the branches of the structures (32, 33 and 34) allows the reinforced folded sheets (22) of the pallet (4) specific for vehicles (1) with electrical charge, to rest on the solid steel wheels motorized (35). Furthermore, in the enlarged view, the minimum width of the structures (32, 33 and 34) of each branch, which are integrated within the height of the pallet (4), is observed. It is also appreciated how the contrast wheels (23) of the pallet (4) use the structure (32, 33 and 34) of the guide conveyor (5) itself. This solution allows us to store an empty pallet (4) on the lower level (34).

Figure 8 shows the detail of a double pallet conveyor (5) with a minimum height, where the compact design of the conveyor (5) can be clearly seen, which makes it possible to take advantage of the height of the motorisation necessary to incorporate a lower level, the first lower (34), which we will use to store the empty pallet (4), moving the motorization of the set below the second depth (33). It also allows us to install the charging stations, both by cable (16) and by induction (17), under the structure of the second depth (33). With the same height as a conventional conveyor, we have included a motorized lower level, to be able to store the empty pallet (4) and we have added the loading stations (16 and 17).

Figure 9 shows the design of a simple pallet conveyor (6), together with the electric charging stations, both by cable (16) and by induction (17). The conveyor (6) is composed of a single structure (39). Each metal structure (39) is made up of two branches, where motorized solid steel wheels (35) are housed. The drive of the conveyor (6) is carried out by a single gearmotor (36) attached to each branch, in this design by means of elastic couplings (37). On the structure (39) the electrical sensors (38) are installed.

Figure 10 shows the design of a cable charging station (16), in the initial position, or position in which it is not connected to the pallet (4), and in the final position or position in which it is connects with the pallet (4). The charging station (16) is made up of a metal actuator (40) that is attached to an electrically insulated support (41), where the copper sections (42) are coupled or fixed. The support Previous (41) can be a mechanized insulating plastic, screwed to the actuator (40), where the copper sections (42) are screwed in turn. The union of the actuator (40), in this design, is made by means of a bolt with bushings (43) and some springs (44) of the necessary rigidity to ensure good contact between the station (16) and the pallet (4).

In order to appreciate the detail of the springs (44), an enlarged view of the cable charging station (16) in initial position has been taken and it has been rotated to be able to appreciate said springs (44).

As can be seen, the metallic actuator (40) is directly coupled to a gearmotor (45), with its appropriate support structure (46). The electrical sensors (47) that control the initial and final positions of the assembly are installed in its support structure (48). The whole set is protected with a metal fairing (49). The cable charging station (16) is fed through the cable (50) coming from the zone charging cabinet (15).

Figure 11 shows the design of an induction charging station (17), in the initial position, or position in which it is not connected to the electric vehicle (1), and in the final position or position in which connects to the electric vehicle (1). The charging station (17) is made up of an induction charging device (51) that moves vertically, through a lifting mechanism driven by a gear motor (52), with its support structure (53). The electrical sensors (54) that control the initial and final positions of the assembly are installed in the support structure (53). The whole assembly is electrically isolated by means of a bellows-type insulator (55). The induction charging station (17) is powered through the cable (50) coming from the zone charging cabinet (15).

To illustrate the loading process, both by cable and by induction, figures 12 and 13 show a front and rear view of a simple pallet conveyor (6) with a pallet (4) with an electric vehicle (1), in where the electric vehicle (1) is connected to the pallet (4) by means of a charging cable. This figure also shows the detail of the design of the simple pallet conveyor (6). As can be seen, the distance between the branches of the structure (39) allows the reinforced folded plates (22), of the pallet (4) specific for vehicles (1) with electric charge, to rest on the motorized solid steel wheels (35) . It is also seen how the contrast wheels (23) of the pallet (4) use the structure (39) of the guide conveyor (6) itself.

Figures 14 and 15 show a bottom view of the simple pallet conveyor (6) above with a pallet (4) with electric vehicle (1) during the electric charging process. In figure 14 an electric vehicle (1) connected to the pallet (4) by means of a charging cable is shown, charging in a cable charging station (16). In this case, the cable charging station (16) is shown in the final position, connected to the pallet (4). In figure 15, in an analogous way, an electric vehicle (1) is shown charging in an induction charging station (17). In this case, the induction charging station (17) is shown in the final position, a position in which the height between the induction charging device (51) and the electric vehicle batteries (1) is adequate, and allows the process battery charging. As can be seen, the induction loading station (17) enters the pallet structure (21) to approach the top of the ground, during the induction loading process. In this case, the electric vehicle battery (1) is located at the front of the vehicle.

Figure 16 shows the design of a double shuttle for pallets (7), which is composed of a metallic structure (56), supported by four wheels, two driving wheels (57) and two free wheels (58). The single gear motor (59) drives these two driving wheels (57), by means of two elastic couplings (60). On the metallic structure (56) a conveyor for pallet at two heights (61) is installed. Each metal structure is made up of two branches, where motorized solid steel wheels (35) are housed. Electric sensors (38) are installed on the structure of the conveyor for pallet at two heights (61). As in the case of double (5) and simple (6) conveyors, the distance between branches of the structures of the conveyor for pallet at two heights (61) allows the reinforced folded sheets (22) of the pallet (4) specific for vehicles (1) with electric charge, support on the motorized solid steel wheels (35) and that the contrast wheels (23) of the pallet (4) can use the structure of the conveyor for pallet at two heights (61) as guide. The shuttle cabinet (13) is installed on one of the sides.

Figure 17 shows the design of a pallet lift (8) that is made up of two lateral metal columns (62) and a mobile frame, suspended by means of lifting chains (63) that connect with the lifting power unit. , driven by a gearmotor (65) and a transmission shaft with pinions (66), and a counterweight (64). The mobile frame is composed, in turn, of a rotating metal structure (67) and a fixed metal structure (68), articulated by a rotating crown

(69). On the rotating metal structure (67), a pallet conveyor is installed

(70). The metallic structure of the conveyor (70) is formed by two branches, where motorized solid steel wheels (35) are housed. The electrical sensors (38) are installed on the pallet conveyor structure (70). As in the case of double (5) and single (6) conveyors, the distance between branches of the pallet conveyor structure (70) allows the reinforced folded sheets (22) of the vehicle-specific pallet (4) to (1) with electric charge, rest on the motorized solid steel wheels (35) and that the contrast wheels (23) of the pallet (4) can use the structure of the guide pallet conveyor (70) itself.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION

This invention is applicable to any building, both residential and office.

Claims

1. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1), stored on pallets (4), with different types of electric charge, with different speeds of electric charge, with independent charging stations for different types of electric charge, with an intelligent management system electrical charge, comprising:

An entrance area of the car park (2).

- A structure where the parking lot is installed (3).

A specific pallet for electric vehicles with electric charge (4). Mechanical and electrical means for storing pallets (4).

Electric charging system inside the car park.

- Control and management system for parking with electric vehicle charging (1).

2. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that all the dimensional controls and parking aids are located in the parking entrance area (2), because access to said area is done through a quick-opening door , because security laser scanners (18) are installed in it and because a terminal with a touch screen (19) is installed in a nearby area.

3. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the structure where the parking lot (3) is installed is fundamentally made of concrete, with concrete slabs and pillars, of at least two parking levels.

4. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each parking space is associated with a specific pallet for electric vehicles with electric charge (4).

5. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1 and 4 characterized in that the specific pallet for electric vehicles with electric charge (4) is made up of a metal structure (21) with a floor, provided with contrasting wheels (23) for guiding the pallet, and because the structure

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) metal (21) ends in reinforced folded sheets (22), which serve to support the pallet (4) during its movement.

6. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1, 4 and 5 characterized in that in the specific pallet for electric vehicles with electric charge (4), for the possible charging of the electric vehicle (1) by means of a charging cable, in female connectors (26) are installed in the central part of the floor (24), protected by a metal sliding cover with spring (27).

7. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1, 4 and 5 characterized in that in the specific pallet for electric vehicles with electric charge (4), for the possible charging of the electric vehicle (1) by means of a charging cable, in the lateral parts of the floor (25) are installed female connectors (26), protected by a metal sliding cover with reinforced spring (27).

8. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7 characterized in that in the specific pallet for electric vehicles with electric charge (4), for the possible charging of the electric vehicle (1) by means of a cable load, in the lower part of the pallet (4), the load interconnections (29) are installed, in duplicate, placed symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pallet (4), wired to the female connectors of the pallet (26) with cable electrical power and signal, for communication, also installed in the lower part of the pallet (4). Because the power cable for charging is for three-phase current, three phases plus earth, with a suitable section for the maximum charging power available in the electric cable charging stations (16) of the car park. Because the signal cable, for communication, is for direct current power, with at least two wires. Because the charging interconnections (29) are composed of an electrically insulated support (30), where the copper sections (31) suitable for the maximum charging power of the electric cable charging station (16) of the parking. Because the number of copper sections (31) required is at least six, four for the three-phase load, three phases plus ground, and at least two for communication. And because the copper sections (31) intended for communication can be the same size as the three-phase power supply or smaller.

9. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 characterized in that in the specific pallet for electric vehicles with electric charge (4), for the possible charging of the electric vehicle (1) by induction se

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) located in the central part of the floor (24) some areas on the floor (28) made of insulating non-metallic material, which allows it to be crossed by the field generated in the induction charging process, while electrically isolating the rest of the pallet (4) from the same previous field generated by said loading process.

10. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the mechanical means for storing the pallets (4) comprise double pallet conveyors (5), simple pallet conveyors (6), double pallet shuttles (7 ) and pallet elevators (8). And because the minimum mechanical means for storing the pallets (4) are two double pallet conveyors (5) or two simple pallet conveyors (6) and a pallet elevator (8).

11. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1 and 10, characterized in that the double pallet conveyor (5) is composed of three metal structures, connected to each other. Because each metal structure is made up of two branches, where motorized solid steel wheels (35) are housed, on which the pallet (4) rests during its movement. Because two of those three structures, the first (32) and the second depth (33), are at the same level and the third structure, the first lower (34), is below the first depth (32).

12. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1, 10 and 11 characterized in that in the double pallet conveyor (5) the first (32) and second depth (33) have independent movements, while the first lower (34 ), it moves in sync with the second depth (33). Because the drive of the conveyor (5) is carried out by means of two single gearmotors (36), which connect both branches of the structures, placing the gearmotor (36) of the first depth (32) in front of that of the second depth (33), at continuation of the structure of the first lower (34). Because the transmission to the motorized solid steel wheels (35) is carried out by means of a chain sprocket. And because to stop the pallets (4) on the conveyor (5), both in the first (32) and in the second depth (33), two electrical sensors (38) are installed, while for the first lower (34) , only an electrical sensor (38) is installed.

13. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1, 10 and 11 characterized in that in the double pallet conveyor (5) the first

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) (32), second depth (33) and first lower (34), have independent movements. Because the drive of the conveyor (5) is carried out by means of three gear motors (36), which connect both branches of the structures. Because the transmission to the motorized solid steel wheels (35) is carried out by means of a chain sprocket. And because for the stopping of the pallets (4) on the conveyor (5) two electrical sensors (38) are installed in each structure.

14. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1, 10, 11, 12 and 13 characterized in that the double pallet conveyor (5) is designed, on the one hand, with the distance between branches of the structures necessary for the reinforced folded sheets (22), from the specific pallet for vehicles with electric charge (4), supported on the motorized solid steel wheels (35), and, on the other hand, with the minimum width of the structure of each branch so that it is structure is integrated within the height of the pallet (4). Because, in addition, the contrast wheels (23) of the pallet (4) can use the structure of the guide conveyor (5) itself. And because we incorporate the lower level, the first lower level (34), which we will use to store an empty pallet (4), moving the motorization of the set below the second depth (33) to achieve a compact design and efficient pallet management. (4) empty.

15. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1 and 10 characterized in that the simple pallet conveyor (6) is composed of a metal structure (39) formed by two branches, where motorized solid steel wheels (35) are housed , on which the pallet (4) rests during its movement. Because the drive of the conveyor (6) is carried out by a single gearmotor (36), which connects both branches of the structure. Because the transmission to the motorized solid steel wheels (35) is carried out by means of a chain sprocket. Because for stopping the pallets (4) on the conveyor (6) two electrical sensors (38) are installed. Because it is designed, on the one hand, with the distance between branches of the structures necessary so that the reinforced folded sheets (22), of the specific pallet for vehicles with electric charge (4), rest on the motorized solid steel wheels (35) , and, on the other hand, with the minimum width of the structure of each branch so that this structure is integrated within the height of the pallet (4). And because, in addition, the contrast wheels (23) of the pallet (4) can use the structure of the guide conveyor (6) itself.

Four. Five

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

16. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1 and 10 characterized in that the double shuttle for pallets (7) is composed of a metal structure (56), supported by four wheels, two driving wheels (57) and two free wheels (58). Because the four wheels are made of steel, covered with a polyurethane band. Because the power unit is made up of a single gearmotor (59), which drives these two driving wheels (57). Because a two-height pallet conveyor (61) is installed on the metal structure (56), made up of two independent metal structures, each formed by two branches, where motorized solid steel wheels (35) are housed, on those that the pallet (4) is supported during its movement. Because the drive of the conveyor (61) is carried out by means of two independent geared motors, which connect both branches of the structures. Because the transmission to the motorized solid steel wheels (35) is carried out by means of a chain sprocket. Because the electric sensors (38) are installed on the conveyor structure (61). Because the conveyor (61) is designed, on the one hand, with the distance between branches of the structures necessary so that the reinforced folded sheets (22), of the specific pallet for vehicles with electric charge (4), rest on the steel wheels solid motorized blocks (35), and, on the other hand, with the minimum width of the structure of each branch so that this structure is integrated within the height of the pallet (4). Because, in addition, the contrast wheels (23) of the pallet (4) can use the structure of the guide conveyor (61) itself. And because the shuttle cabinet (13) is installed on one of the sides.

17. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1 and 10 characterized in that the pallet lift (8) consists of two lateral metal columns (62) and a mobile frame, suspended by lifting chains (63) that connect to the lifting power unit and a counterweight (64). Because the drive of the motor group is carried out by means of a gear motor (65) and a transmission shaft with pinions (66). Because the mobile frame is composed, in turn, of a rotating metal structure (67) and a fixed metal structure (68), articulated by a rotating crown (69). Because said slewing ring is provided with a toothed ring and is driven by a pinion directly coupled to a gear motor. Because on the rotating metal structure (67), a pallet conveyor (70) is installed. Because said pallet conveyor (70) is composed of a metal structure, and between it and the rotating metal structure of the mobile frame (67), some

46

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) load cells. Because the metallic structure of the conveyor (70) is formed by two branches, where motorized solid steel wheels (35) are housed, on which the pallet (4) rests during its movement. Because the drive of the conveyor (70) is carried out by a single gearmotor, which connects both branches of the structure. Because the transmission to the motorized solid steel wheels (35) is carried out by means of a chain sprocket. Because the electrical sensors (38) are installed on the structure of the pallet conveyor (70).

And because the conveyor (70) is designed, on the one hand, with the distance between branches of the structures necessary for the reinforced folded sheets (22), of the specific pallet for vehicles with electric charge (4), to rest on the wheels of motorized solid steel (35), and, on the other hand, with the minimum width of the structure of each branch so that this structure is integrated within the height of the pallet (4). And because, in addition, the contrast wheels (23) of the pallet (4) can use the structure of the guide conveyor (70) itself.

18. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the electric means for storing the pallets (4) comprise a main cabinet of the installation (9), zone cabinets (10), lift cabinets ( 12) and shuttle cabinets (13). And because the minimum electrical means for storing the pallets (4) are a main cabinet of the facility (9), a zone cabinet (10) and a lift cabinet (12).

19. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1 and 18, characterized in that the main cabinet of the installation (9) supplies both the zone cabinets (10) and the lift cabinets (12) and is communicates with them, through a field bus. Because it contains the control PLC and the industrial PC for system management, together with its corresponding UPS.

And because it also powers all the equipment in the parking lot entrance area and communicates with them through a field bus.

20. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1 and 18, characterized in that the zone cabinet (10) is generally installed on each level of the concrete slab, feeds all the shuttles cabinets (13), all the conveyors, both double (5) and single (6), and to all the gearmotors that drive the charging stations installed on these conveyors, installed within that level of the concrete slab, and communicates with them, through a bus of field. And because it also feeds some boxes of

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) field signals (11), which collect the signals from the electrical sensors of the conveyors (38) and the charging stations installed on them, and communicates with them, with the signal boxes (11), through a field bus.

21. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the electric charging system within the parking lot comprises a main charging cabinet (14), zone charging cabinets (15), cable charging stations (16) and induction charging stations (17). And because the minimum electrical charging system within the car park is a main charging cabinet (14), a zone charging cabinet (15) and a cable charging station (16) or an induction charging station (17) .

22. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1 and 21 characterized in that the main charging cabinet (14) contains an electrical interconnection with the main cabinet of the installation (9), both power and communication, feeds all the zone load cabinets (15) and communicates with them, through a field bus.

23. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1 and 21 characterized in that the zone charging cabinet (15) is generally installed on each level of concrete slab and feeds all the charging stations, only the part of electrical charge, both by cable (16) and by induction (17), installed within that level of concrete slab. And because it contains a current meter and a current switch for each power line.

24. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1 and 21 characterized in that the charging stations, both by cable (16) and by induction (17), can be installed on each conveyor, on the double conveyor for pallets (5 ), in the second depth (33), or in the simple pallet conveyor (6), installed under the corresponding metal structures, so that they do not interfere with the movement of the pallet (4) on the conveyor, being independent of the conveyor where are installed.

25. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1, 21 and 24 characterized in that the charging stations, both by cable (16) and by induction (17), are designed for a certain maximum charging power and can operate in two operating modes, either at maximum load power or at nominal load power. Because running at nominal power allows fast charging of the electric vehicle (1). Because operating at maximum power, for a short determined time, allows a minimum charging time

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) of 'survival' of the electric vehicle (1). Because they present, in this way, different speeds of electric charge, depending on the power of electric charge. And because in order to carry out all this load management, this 'smart management', we need a powerful management system in the facility.

26. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1, 21, 24 and 25 characterized in that for optimal use of all the power available in the parking lot for the charging process, we calculate the number of minimum charging stations, both for cable (16) and by induction (17), dividing the sum of the powers of the general connection line for the car park and the general connection line for charging by the nominal design power of the charging station, and in the case If we had a single connection line for the entire car park, we would divide the power of that single connection line by the design nominal power of the previous charging station.

27. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claim according to claims 1, 21, 24, 25 and 26 characterized in that the cable charging station (16) is composed of a metal actuator (40) that has an electrically insulated support attached to it (41), where the copper sections (42) suitable for the maximum power of the cable charging station (16) are coupled or fixed, and the number of copper sections (42) required is at least six, four for three-phase load, three phases plus ground, and at least two for communication. And because the copper sections (42) intended for communication can be the same size as the three-phase power supply or smaller.

28. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1, 21, 24, 25, 26 and 27 characterized in that in the cable charging station (16) the metal actuator (40) is directly coupled, or through a transmission , to a gearmotor (45), with the support structure (46) suitable for the height at which the engagement with the pallet load interconnection (29) occurs.

29. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1, 21, 24, 25, 26 and 27 characterized in that in the cable charging station (16) the metal actuator (40) is coupled to a pusher, a lifting platform or any system that causes the vertical movement of the metallic actuator (40).

30. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 characterized in that in the cable charging station (16) the gearmotor (45) raises the electrically insulated support ( 41) from his

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) initial position, position in which the loading station (16) does not interfere with the possible movement of the pallet (4) on the conveyor where it is installed, until its final position, position in which the copper sections (31) of the pallet charging interconnection (29) and the copper sections (42) of the cable charging station (16) come into contact. Because to ensure a flat contact surface between both copper sections, the shape of the copper sections, both of the cable charging station (16) and of the pallet charging interconnection (29), will generally be square. Because the fixation between the electrically insulated support (41) of the cable charging station (16) and the metallic actuator (40) that operates it, is carried out by means of compression springs (44), with adequate rigidity to the pressure necessary to guarantee adequate contact between the previous copper sections. And because, to control the joint initial and final position, two electrical sensors (47) are installed.

31. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1, 21, 24, 25 and 26 characterized in that the induction charging station (17) consists of an induction charging device (51), which moves vertically, through a lifting mechanism driven by a gearmotor (52). Because said gearmotor (52) raises the induction loading device (51) from its initial position, a position in which the loading station (17) does not interfere with the possible movement of the pallet (4) on the conveyor where the itself, to its final position, a position in which the height between the induction charging device (51) and the batteries of the electric vehicle (1) is adequate, and allows the battery charging process. Because the whole assembly is electrically isolated (55). And because, to control the joint initial and final position, two electrical sensors (54) are installed.

32. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the parking control system with electric vehicle charging (1), through a PLC, governs or controls all the equipment in the parking entrance area ( 2), all the mechanical means for storage and the electrical charging system interacts with the user in the parking lot entrance area (2). Because it takes care of the entire storage maneuver, the entire removal maneuver of an electric vehicle, when the user gives the removal order and because it controls the electric charging process within the car park.

fifty

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

33. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1 and 32, characterized in that the control system of the parking lot with electric vehicle charging (1), carries at all times, a traceability of the empty pallet (4) or of the pallet (4 ) with an electric vehicle (1). Because the process consists in that the control system, while transferring the pallet (4) with the electric vehicle (1) through the different equipment, transfers the data associated with the electric vehicle (1), from one equipment to another , at a logical level. And because the initial data associated with the electric vehicle (1) is recorded in a certain area of the PLC memory, and each time the control system confirms the transfer of the pallet (4) with the electric vehicle (1) from a computer to another, through the electrical sensors installed in them (38), the PLC moves that memory area and communicates it to the management system, to incorporate it into the warehouse map.

34. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the parking management system with electric vehicle charging (1), through an industrial PC, manages all the parking resources. And because it is a computer application that runs on an industrial PC, programmed in programming language, which constantly interacts with the installation's control system, so that the management system and the control system are in permanent communication.

35. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1 and 34, characterized in that the management system for parking with electric vehicle charging (1) is responsible for the intelligent management of the charge. Because it is responsible for enabling or disabling charging stations in the car park, depending on the power available in the installation for the charging process. Because it assigns, once the process of storing an electric vehicle (1) has started, the charging station to which the pallet (4) with electric vehicle (1) has to go. Because, once the pallet (4) with the electric vehicle (1) is in the assigned charging station, it communicates to the control system the start of the electric charging process, the type of charge, by cable or by induction, the charging time at maximum power, the 'survival' charging time, and whether once this 'survival' charge is finished, it continues with the charge at nominal power or not, until the electric vehicle's batteries are fully charged. Because if it does not continue with the load at nominal power, it assigns the place where the vehicle is temporarily stored, until it can reload. And because if it continues until the load

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) full of the electric vehicle batteries, it assigns the place where the pallet with the vehicle will be stored.

36. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1, 34 and 35 characterized in that the parking management system with charging for electric vehicles (1), in the process of removing an electric vehicle (1), assigns the space where the empty pallet (4) is to be stored, or the double shuttle for pallets (7) of another level, depending on the pending operations to be carried out in the car park, in the case that the pallet (4) with The electric vehicle (1) will occupy the place corresponding to the second depth (33) of a double pallet conveyor (5) and we will have another pallet (4) with the electric vehicle (1) in the first depth (32) of that same conveyor (5).

37. Automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1, 34, 35 and 36, characterized in that the parking management system carries an updated map of the warehouse, where it appears which user is stored in each parking space and the charging stations available for the loading process. Because it knows at all times where each pallet (4) with electric vehicle (1) is and the information associated with that user. Because it stores all the user information: type of vehicle, the type of charge to be carried out, by cable or by induction, if it is in the process of electric charging or if it has already finished, whether or not it has received the 'survival' charge and the consumption of the recharge. Because it allows different tasks to be carried out in the car park and allows, among other things, the repositioning of the pallet (4) with electric vehicles (1) when the installation is stopped, that is, when there is no storage operation pending. Because it produces movement histories, with which it can learn user guidelines. And because it allows users access to information related to the electric charging process, through mobile devices, through an 'app' or similar, in real time, and allows other functions to be carried out, such as request for the removal of an electric vehicle. (1) remotely, which allows the electric vehicle (1) to be waiting in the entrance area (2) when the user arrives, or request to withdraw at an agreed time.

38. Procedure for storing an electric vehicle (1) in an automated parking lot for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1 to 37, characterized in that:

The storage process begins when the user places the electric vehicle (1) correctly on an empty pallet (4), located in the elevator to

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) pallet (8), in the entrance area of the car park (2), with the parking aids of the control system. Because once the vehicle (1) has been deposited, the control system verifies the dimensions of the vehicle, through the dimensional controls of the entrance area (2) and its weight, through the lift's load cells to pallet (8). Because once verified, the user connects the charging cable of the electric vehicle (1) to the pallet (4), only in the case of charging the electric vehicle (1) by means of a charging cable, not being necessary, obviously, in the case of charging the electric vehicle (1) by induction. Because then the user makes the request to deposit the vehicle (1) in the parking lot, at the terminal with a touch screen (19) installed in an area adjacent to the entrance area of the parking lot (2). Because, in either of the two cases, the control system informs the user, through the touch screen of the terminal (19), if the electrical connection of the charging cable and the pallet (4) is correct, in the case of charging the electric vehicle (1) by means of a charging cable, or, if the vehicle (1) is positioned in the appropriate area of the pallet (28), in the case of charging the electric vehicle (1) by induction. Because to finish the user confirms the request by means of an identifier.

Because once the control system does not detect the presence of users within the entrance area (2), through security laser scanners (18) of the entrance area (2), it closes the access door to said area input (2) and continues with the storage process.

Because then, the control system transfers the pallet (4) with the electric vehicle (1) from the entrance area (2) to the loading station assigned by the management system, installed on the corresponding pallet conveyor. Because, for this, the control system transfers the pallet (4) with the electric vehicle (1) through the pallet lift (8), where we turn the pallet (4) with an electric vehicle (1), to store the vehicle (1) in the direction of travel, passing through the double shuttle for pallets (7) of the corresponding level and ending on the conveyor for pallet with the assigned loading station, or passing from the elevator for pallet (8) directly to the conveyor for pallet with the assigned loading station, of the corresponding level. Because once the pallet lift (8) is released from this operation, you can go to another level of the car park to pick up an empty pallet (4), picking it up from the double pallet shuttle (8) of that level or, directly, from the pallet conveyor of that level, and thus take it to the entrance area of the car park (2).

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) Because once the pallet (4) with the electric vehicle (1) is in the assigned charging station of the corresponding pallet conveyor, the management system communicates to the control system the start of the electric charging process, the type of charging, by cable or by induction, the charging time at maximum power, that is, the 'survival' charging time, and whether once this 'survival' charge is finished, it continues or not with the charge at nominal power, up to full charge of the electric vehicle batteries. Because if you do not continue charging at nominal power, the management system assigns you the place to temporarily store the vehicle, until you can recharge.

Because the electric loading process, controlled by the control system, starts once the control system has confirmation that the position of the pallet, on the conveyor corresponding to the assigned loading station, is correct for the start of loading , through the electrical sensors (38) installed on the conveyor. Because once this confirmation occurs, the control system operates the corresponding charging station. Because in the case of the cable charging station (16), the control system operates the gearmotor (45) that raises the metal actuator (40) with the electrically insulated support (41), where the sections of copper (42), until you have the confirmation that the contact between the copper sections of the cable charging station (16) and the pallet charging interconnection (29) is adequate, through the electrical sensors ( 47) installed in the charging station (16). Because in the case of the induction charging station (17), the control system operates the gear motor (52) that raises the induction charging device (51) until it reaches the appropriate height between the device (51) and the batteries. of the electric vehicle (1), which allows the process of charging the batteries, through the electric sensors (54) installed in the charging station (17).

Because once this confirmation occurs, the control system allows 'survival' charging, that is, the power supply at maximum charging power of the charging station, by cable (16) or by induction (17), through of the corresponding zone load cabinet (15), during the time assigned by the management system. Because if it does not continue with the load at nominal power, the control system transfers the pallet (4) with the electric vehicle (1) from the conveyor where the charging station is installed to the conveyor where the vehicle is temporarily stored, until it can return to load.

Because if you continue with the load at nominal power, when the

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) charging at maximum charging power, the control system changes the power supply of the charging station from maximum power to nominal charging power, through the corresponding zone charging cabinet (15).

Because the electric charging process ends when the vehicle (1) communicates to the charging station, both by cable (16) and by induction (17), that the battery of the electric vehicle (1) is charged. Because in the case of the cable charging station (16), this communication takes place through the copper sections (42) of the charging station (16) intended for this purpose. Because in the case of the induction charging station (17), this communication takes place through the induction charging device (51) itself. Because once said communication occurs, the control system cancels the power supply to the charging station, through the charging cabinet (15) of the corresponding zone.

Because in the case of the cable charging station (16), the control system operates the gearmotor (45) that lowers the metal actuator (40) with the electrically insulated support (41), where the sections of copper (42), until you have confirmation that the loading station (16) does not interfere with the possible movement of the pallet (4) on the corresponding conveyor, through the electrical sensors (47) installed in the loading station (16).

Because in the case of the induction charging station (17), the control system drives the geared motor (52) that lowers the induction charging device (51), until it has the confirmation that the charging station (17 ) does not interfere with the possible movement of the pallet (4) on the corresponding conveyor, through the electrical sensors (54) installed in the loading station (17).

Because once in this position, the control system communicates the recharge consumption to the management system and thus ends the electric charging process of the vehicle.

Because once the loading process is finished, the management system decides whether to leave the pallet (4) with the vehicle (1) at the loading station or store it in another place. Because in this case, the control system is in charge of transferring the pallet (4) with the vehicle (1) to that new position in the warehouse.

And because once this operation is completed, the process of storing an electric vehicle ends (1).

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

39. Procedure for removing an electric vehicle (1) in an automated parking for electric vehicles (1) according to claims 1 to 37 characterized in that:

The process of removing an electric vehicle (1) from the car park starts when the user makes the request to remove the vehicle (1) from the car park, at the touch screen terminal (19) installed in an area adjacent to the parking area. parking entrance (2). Because once the request is made, the control system transfers the empty pallet (4) from the entrance area (2) to the space assigned by the management system, in a similar way to that described in the storage process of an electric vehicle (1). Because once the empty pallet (4) is stored, the control system transfers the pallet (4) with the electric vehicle (1) from the place where it is stored to the entrance area (2), through the pallet conveyor where It is located, passing through the double shuttle for pallets (7) of the corresponding level and ending in the elevator for pallet (8), or, going from the conveyor for pallet where it is located to the elevator for pallet (8) directly. Because in the case that the pallet (4) with the electric vehicle (1) occupies the place corresponding to the second depth (33) of a double pallet conveyor (5) and we have another pallet (4) with the electric vehicle (1 ) in the first depth (32) of that same conveyor (5), the control system would transfer the pallet (4) with the electric vehicle (1) from the first depth (32) to the double shuttle for pallets (7) of another level, designated by the management system, depending on the pending operations to be carried out in the car park, and the pallet (4) with the desired vehicle (1) could now be removed. Because before removing the vehicle (1) the user disconnects the charging cable of the electric vehicle (1) from the pallet (4), only in the case of charging the electric vehicle (1) using a charging cable, not being necessary, obviously, in the case of charging the electric vehicle (1) by induction. Because, once the operation is concluded, the control system would store again the pallet (4) with electric vehicle (1) deposited in the double shuttle for pallets (7) of that other previous level in the new location designated by the management system .

And because once this operation is completed, the process of removing an electric vehicle ends (1).

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)