Angulated parking

US11427447B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-11427447-B2
Application numberUS-201616322152-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateAug 1, 2016
Priority dateAug 1, 2016
Publication dateAug 30, 2022
Grant dateAug 30, 2022

How to read this patent

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  1. Title

    What the patent document calls the invention.

  2. Abstract

    A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.

  3. Assignees and inventors

    Who owns or filed the patent and who is credited as inventor.

  4. Key dates

    Filing, priority, publication, and grant dates set the timeline.

  5. First independent claim

    The legal scope of protection — read this for what is actually claimed.

  6. CPC / IPC classifications

    Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.

  7. Citations and related patents

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Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

A parking robot includes a lifting rail, a wheel clamp, and a lift motor. The wheel clamp is disposed on the lifting rail and is moveable from a first position to a second position along the lifting rail. The lift motor is operatively connected to the lifting rail and moves the wheel clamp from the first position to the second position.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

The invention claimed is: 1. A parking robot comprising: a lifting rail; a wheel clamp disposed on the lifting rail and moveable from a first position to a second position along the lifting rail; and a lift motor operatively connected to the lifting rail, wherein the lift motor moves the wheel clamp from the first position to the second position, wherein the wheel clamp includes: a first side wall; a second side wall spaced from the first side wall; and a clamping wall hingedly attached to the first side wall and movable from an open position to a closed position, wherein the clamping wall is disposed on the first side wall and the second side wall when in the closed position and is biased toward the open position; and a wall actuator operatively connected to the clamping wall for moving the clamping wall from the open position to the closed position. 2. The parking robot of claim 1 , wherein the lifting rail includes a gear operatively connected to an endless screw, and wherein the lift motor is operatively connected to the gear and the endless screw is attached to the wheel clamp. 3. The parking robot of claim 2 , wherein rotation of the lift motor rotates the gear, and wherein rotation of the gear linearly moves the endless screw. 4. The parking robot of claim 1 , further comprising: a housing; and a grip assembly extending from the housing to the lifting rail, wherein the grip assembly includes an articulated hand for gripping and releasing the lifting rail. 5. The parking robot of claim 4 , wherein the grip assembly includes a pneumatic actuator operatively connected to the articulated hand for moving the articulated hand between an open position and a closed position. 6. The parking robot of claim 1 , wherein the wall actuator includes: a wall motor; an endless screw operatively connected to the wall motor; and a finger disposed on the endless screw and engageable with the clamping wall, wherein rotation of the endless screw by the wall motor rotates the finger to move the clamping wall from the open position to the closed position. 7. A parking robot comprising: a housing; a lifting rail; a wheel clamp disposed on the lifting rail and moveable from a first position to a second position along the lifting rail; a grip assembly extending from the housing to the lifting rail, wherein the grip assembly includes an articulated hand for gripping and releasing the lifting rail; and a lift motor operatively connected to the lifting rail, wherein the lift motor moves the wheel clamp from the first position to the second position. 8. The parking robot of claim 7 , wherein the lifting rail includes a gear operatively connected to an endless screw, and wherein the lift motor is operatively connected to the gear and the endless screw is attached to the wheel clamp. 9. The parking robot of claim 8 , wherein rotation of the lift motor rotates the gear, and wherein rotation of the gear linearly moves the endless screw. 10. The parking robot of claim 7 , wherein the grip assembly includes a pneumatic actuator operatively connected to the articulated hand for moving the articulated hand between an open position and a closed position. 11. The parking robot of claim 7 , wherein the wheel clamp includes: a first side wall; a second side wall spaced from the first side wall; and a clamping wall hingedly attached to the first side wall and movable from an open position to a closed position, wherein the clamping wall is disposed on the first side wall and the second side wall when in the closed position. 12. The parking robot of claim 11 , wherein the clamping wall is biased toward the open position. 13. The parking robot of claim 12 , wherein the wheel clamp includes a wall actuator operatively connected to the clamping wall for moving the clamping wall from the open position to the closed position. 14. The parking robot of claim 13 , wherein the wall actuator includes: a wall motor; an endless screw operatively connected to the wall motor; and a finger disposed on the endless screw and engageable with the clamping wall, wherein rotation of the endless screw by the wall motor rotates the finger to move the clamping wall from the open position to the closed position.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • characterised by use of movable platforms · CPC title

  • Lifting platforms for vehicles or motorcycles or similar lifting apparatus · CPC title

  • B66F1/06Primary

    and the devices being actuated mechanically · CPC title

  • with a post and locking elements · CPC title

  • characterised by use of tiltable floors or floor sections · CPC title

Patent family

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Frequently asked questions

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What does patent US11427447B2 cover?
A parking robot includes a lifting rail, a wheel clamp, and a lift motor. The wheel clamp is disposed on the lifting rail and is moveable from a first position to a second position along the lifting rail. The lift motor is operatively connected to the lifting rail and moves the wheel clamp from the first position to the second position.
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Ford Global Tech Llc
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification B66F1/06. Mapped technology areas include Operations & Transport.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Aug 30 2022 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 3 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).