JPH08279098A - Vacant parking space display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide the vacant parking space display device which enables a vacant space to be found over the wide range of a large-scale outdoor parking lot from one place, and is relatively simple in structure and easily installed in and removed from an existent parking space. CONSTITUTION: A column 8 is stood on a base 7, a vehicle detection sensor 9 which detects whether or not there is a vehicle in a parking space 3 is arranged on the column 8, and a pilot lamp 10 which indicates the the parking space 3 linked to the vehicle detection sensor 9 is vacant is provided at the top of the column 8. When the parking space 3 is vacant, the pilot lamp 10 at the top of the column 8 illuminates to indicate the presence of the vacant space.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vacant parking space display device suitable for installation in a large outdoor parking lot, for example.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a parking lot such as a department store or a supermarket where a large number of cars can be parked, whether the current parking condition is full or there is a vacant space available for parking, that is, whether there is an empty car The status is displayed.
However, it only displays whether the vehicle is full or empty, and even if an empty space is displayed on the display panel at the entrance, etc. If it is an area, it is difficult to quickly determine where the empty space is in the parking lot. For this reason, in order to search for a vacant space, you have to temporarily stop the car in the aisle in the parking lot and check the location, it takes time to find a vacant space, Since the car is temporarily stopped in the aisle, the parking lot is often congested, and this congestion often affects the vicinity of the entrance of the parking lot and the general road facing the entrance of the parking lot.

In order to solve this problem, a detection means for detecting the presence of a car in each space of the parking lot is provided, and it is judged that the parking rate of the parking lot exceeds a certain rate in response to a signal from the detection means. However, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-363800 proposes a parking lot system in which an indicator provided near the parking space indicates that the space is empty only when the rate is exceeded.

However, this example is shown only as an example applied to a multi-storey multi-storey parking lot, and is not presented when it is applied to a large outdoor parking lot. According to this one, since the ultrasonic sensor which is a detecting means for detecting a car and the lamp for indicating that there is an empty space are separately installed on the lower surface of the ceiling above the parking space, the vicinity of the empty space is reduced. If there is a vacant space, it is easy to find it, but in the case of a large outdoor parking lot, it is difficult to confirm whether there is a vacant space over a wide area near the entrance of the parking lot. In addition, this is installed inside the building and each ultrasonic sensor
Since the equipment is large because it is connected to two main controllers, and it is necessary to install the ultrasonic sensor and the lamp separately, it takes time to install the device in the existing parking lot, and the expansion and modification of the parking lot are required. Even if it is necessary to remove the device in accordance with the above, the ultrasonic sensor and the lamp must be separately removed, which is similarly troublesome.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to find a vacant space from a single place over a wider area in a large outdoor parking lot, and the structure is relatively simple. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vacant parking space display device that can easily install or remove the device in an existing parking space.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the vacant parking space display device of the present invention comprises a vehicle detection sensor for detecting the presence of a vehicle in a parking space, in which a pillar is erected on a base. It is characterized in that it is arranged on a pillar, and an indicator lamp is provided on the top of the pillar to indicate that the parking space communicated with the vehicle detection sensor is an empty space.

[0007]

The vehicle detection sensor detects the presence of a vehicle in the parking space. When the vehicle detection sensor detects the presence of the vehicle in the parking space, the indicator light communicated with the vehicle detection sensor is turned off, and when the vehicle detection sensor does not detect the presence of the vehicle in the parking space, the indicator light is turned on. With the configuration that an indicator light that indicates that the parking space is an empty space is provided on the top of the pillar, it is possible to find an empty space in a wider area than the conventional one at any position in the large outdoor parking lot. It is possible.

The structure in which the vehicle detection sensor and the indicator lamp are arranged on the pillars erected on the base realizes the structure of the device with a relatively simple structure, and the device is installed in the parking space together with the base. It is possible to dispose of the device easily and install or remove the device easily.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an outdoor parking lot 2 in which an empty parking space display device 1 of the present invention is installed, and FIG.
It is a side view of a parking space of a parking lot 2 in which an empty parking space display device 1 is installed. As shown in FIG. 1, the vacant parking space display devices 1 are installed in each of the parking spaces 3 partitioned and set in the parking lot 2 in which one vehicle is parked. In addition, reference numeral 4 is an entrance of a parking lot,
Reference numeral 5 is an exit of the parking lot, and reference numeral 6 is a car passage in the parking lot 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the vacant parking space display device 1 is installed at the back of each parking space 3 in the vehicle entry direction. The empty parking space display device 1
A base 7 arranged on an outdoor installation site is provided.
A pillar 8 is erected upward in the vehicle, a vehicle detection sensor 9 for detecting the presence of a vehicle in the parking space 3 is arranged below the pillar 8, and a vehicle detection sensor 9 is provided on the top of the pillar 8. An indicator lamp 10 is provided which is in contact with the sensor 9 and indicates that the parking space 3 is an empty space.

The vehicle detection sensor 9 is, for example, a reflection type ultrasonic sensor having a transmission section for emitting an ultrasonic wave and a reception section for receiving a reflected wave, and is horizontal to a car parked in the parking space 3. When the vehicle is parked in the parking space 3, the ultrasonic wave emitted from the transmitting section of the vehicle detection sensor 9 is reflected at the front or rear of the vehicle and the reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave is received by the receiving section. Receive and detect parking.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing an outline of an electric system of the vacant parking space display device 1. The vehicle detection sensor 9 includes a sensor detection circuit 11, an on / off signal generation circuit 12 and a display drive circuit 13. It is connected to the indicator light 10. The reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave received by the receiving section of the vehicle detection sensor 9 is converted into an electric signal, and then input to the sensor detection circuit 11 to be waveform-shaped and input to the on / off signal generation circuit 12. The on / off signal generation circuit 12 generates an off signal when a signal is input from the sensor detection circuit 11, and generates an on signal when there is no signal input from the sensor detection circuit for a fixed time. The display drive circuit 13 turns on the indicator lamp 10 in response to the ON signal from the ON / OFF signal generating circuit 12, and turns off the indicator lamp 10 in response to the OFF signal from the ON / OFF signal generating circuit 12.

Reference numeral 14 is a power supply section for supplying a required operating DC voltage to each of the ultrasonic sensor 9, the sensor detection circuit 11, the on / off signal generation circuit 12, the indicator lamp drive circuit 13 and the indicator lamp 10.

Next, the operation of the vacant parking space display device 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, parking space 3
When the vehicle is parked in, the ultrasonic waves emitted from the vehicle detection sensor 9 are reflected at the front or rear of the vehicle,
Parking is detected by receiving the reflected waves of ultrasonic waves. An electric signal corresponding to the reflected wave is input from the vehicle detection sensor 9 to the on / off signal generation circuit 12 via the sensor detection circuit 11,
In response, the on / off signal generating circuit 12 outputs an off signal,
The display drive circuit 13 turns off the indicator lamp 10 in response to the off signal.

When the parking space 3 is an empty space in which the vehicle is not parked, the reflected wave is not received by the ultrasonic sensor 9, so that the signal output from the ultrasonic sensor 9 remains off, and the sensor detection is performed accordingly. The output of the on / off signal generation circuit 12 via the circuit 11 becomes an on signal, and the display drive circuit 13 lights the indicator lamp 10 in response to the on signal, and notifies that the parking space 3 is an empty space.

Since the indicator light 10 for indicating that the parking space 3 is an empty space is provided at the top of the pillar 8, the lighting state thereof can be easily visually recognized even from a distant place, and the large scale outdoors. It is possible to find a vacant space in a wider area than in the conventional case at an arbitrary position in the parking lot, for example, even at the entrance of the parking lot 2, so that the parking lot user does not stay in the car passage. The vehicle can be quickly moved to an empty space. In addition, since the indicator lamp 10 is turned on when the parking space 3 is a vacant space, the visibility is improved especially when the surroundings are dim, such as at dusk.

Further, by disposing the vehicle detection sensor 9 and the indicator lamp 10 on the pillar 8 which is erected on the base 7, the empty parking space display device 1 can be made to have a simple structure, and the empty parking space can be parked. The space display device 1 may be arranged in the parking space together with the base 7, and the device can be easily installed in the existing parking lot and the device can be easily removed in a short time when the parking lot is expanded or changed.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but various modifications can be made. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, when the parking spaces are adjacent to each other in the extension of the approach direction of the vehicle, the empty parking space display device 1 is installed between the one parking space 3A and the other parking space 3B. , A vehicle detection sensor 9A that detects the presence of a vehicle in one parking space 3A, and a vehicle detection sensor 9B that detects the presence of a vehicle in the other parking space 3B are installed on one side and the other side of the column 8, respectively. The indicator lamp 10 provided on the top of the pillar 8 is used for both the parking space 3A and the parking space 3B. In this case, the vehicle detection sensor 9A and the sensor detection circuit 11A detect the vehicle as shown by the broken line in FIG. When the sensor 9b and the sensor detection circuit 11B are connected in parallel and both the parking space 3A and the parking space 3B are vacant spaces, or the parking space Either one of 3A and parking space 3B may be lighted indicator lamp 10 when an empty space.

Further, in the electric system shown in FIG. 3, the column 8 may be hollow and the column may be built in, or the column may be arranged inside the base 7.

Further, when the power supply from the outside cannot be received, as shown in FIG. 4, the solar cell 15 is attached to the pillar 8 and the battery 16 for charging the electromotive force generated by the solar cell 15 is installed. It may be provided inside the column 8 or inside the base 7.

[0021]

The vacant parking space display device of the present invention is
When the parking space is an empty space, the indicator light provided on the top of the pillar lights to notify the existence of the empty space, so that the lighting state can be easily visually recognized even from a distance, and It is possible to find a wider empty space at any position in a large-scale parking lot, for example, even at the entrance of the parking lot, compared to the conventional one, and therefore, the parking lot user does not get stuck in the car passage. , The vehicle can be quickly moved to an empty space, and the visibility will be improved when the surroundings are dim, especially at dusk, and it is suitable to be installed in a large outdoor parking lot. is there.

Further, by disposing the vehicle detection sensor and the indicator lamp on the pillars erected on the base, the device can have a simple structure, and the device is arranged in the parking space together with the base. The device can be installed in an existing parking lot and the device can be easily removed in a short time when the parking lot is expanded or changed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an outdoor parking lot in which an empty parking space display device of the present invention is installed.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing an example of an installed state of an empty parking space display device in a parking space of a parking lot.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing an outline of an electric system of an empty parking space display device.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing another example of the installation state of the empty parking space display device in the parking space of the parking lot.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Empty parking space display device 2 Parking lot 3 Parking space 4 Entrance 5 Exit 6 Car passage 7 Base 8 Support 9 Vehicle detection sensor 10 Indicator light 11 Sensor detection circuit 12 ON / OFF signal generation circuit 13 Display drive circuit 14 Power supply section 15 Solar cell 16 batteries

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pillar is erected on a base, a vehicle detection sensor for detecting the presence of a vehicle in a parking space is provided on the pillar, and the top of the pillar is in contact with the vehicle detection sensor. An empty parking space display device, which is provided with an indicator light for indicating that the parking space is an empty space.