4/02/2014

Car Parking and Conveyor Belts

The simple, durable and reliable conveyor belt is found in surprising number and types of applications…even in automated car parking systems. Conveyor belts can be miles-and-miles long or less than a half-meter. They move tons or grams…fast or slow…continuously or intermittently…people, products, groceries, mail, sushi, sand, cars and much more.

The basic conveyor belt system consists of two pulleys (or drums) with a continuous belt running between them. One or both pulleys can be powered “drive pulleys” or one can be an unpowered “idler pulley”. To prevent the belt from sagging, either rollers or a flat plate/pan can support the belt between the pulleys. The choice of rollers or plate usually depends on the characteristics of the material or whatever that’s being moved. Flat plates are resistant to dirt and dust and support the belt uniformly. Rollers are better at distributing and carrying heavier, rigid objects.

In automated car parking applications, conveyor belts are used to move cars horizontally without the need for a driver and while the car engine is off, in parking mode and the doors locked. Rather than a single, wide conveyor belt, car parking uses two narrower conveyor belts to go under the cars’ tires with only the drive pulleys for the belts connected by a single drive shaft. The connected drive pulleys permit both conveyor belts to be driven by a single motor.

Compared to other car parking transport systems, the conveyor belt is very simple, straightforward and has a minimum of moving and part numbers. It is also extremely fast moving cars since there is virtually no wasted motion and very safe. Other systems typically waste up to 50% of their motion and operation time since they must extend or retract arms to pick up or place a car. Furthermore, unlike with other systems, the conveyor belt does not require the car be physically lifted up to be moved: the car always sits on its tires on the conveyor belt and is not touched in any other way.

Fancy robotic and other transport systems may be more intriguing and fun to watch, the conveyor belt system offers unsurpassed reliability, durability and performance.

Contact us to learn all about Skyline Parking’s unique conveyor belt system.