Enclosure system
A modular enclosure system comprising a plurality of detachably interconnected wall panels, each comprising a rectangular frame that includes upper and lower transverse beams and spaced apart side-forming elements attached to the upper and lower transverse beams where each of the side-forming elements comprise a coupling device for detachably interconnecting the frame to a similar side-forming element of an adjacent wall panel frame with at least one locking spline in sliding engagement with each inter panel coupling in the system for securing adjacent wall panels together.
The present invention relates to modular construction of an enclosure, the concept of which can be employed to create partitions, storage containers or rapidly erected habitable buildings.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn recent years there has been extensive development of storage complexes where variably sized enclosures are rented on a short or long term basis for storing goods and equipment. Typically the renter must transport the items to be stored to a storage facility and remove them when the rental term is ended. The storage units are usually constructed as one story structures with ground level doors, requiring substantial ground area.
More recently an improved concept has been developed where a “pod” or container is delivered to the renter at his/her home or place of business and at that location the pod is packed with the renter's goods. The pod is then transported to a storage facility, such as a warehouse, where numerous pods may be stacked vertically, one upon another, to conserve floor space. A renter's pod is redelivered to him/her when the goods are called for or the rental term is ended. To implement such a system empty pods must be distributed to the warehousing facility and often moved from one facility to another. Such transportation and storage of empty pods is uneconomical because of the large volume of space that is consumed by an empty pod.
In addition to modular storage containers that are structurally sturdy enough to be stacked, there is a continuing need for easily interconnected rigid panels that can adapted for a variety of uses from office partitions to personnel housing units.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a framing and interconnecting system for modular panels that will facilitate quick and easy assembly and erection of a unit that, when assembled, will possess the structural strength to serve the unit's purpose.
A second object of the invention is to provide modular panels for an enclosure that are transportable and storable as a plurality of stacked flat panels, thus saving space and associated transportation and storage costs.
Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon a reading of the following description of a preferred form of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is an enclosure system comprising a plurality of detachably interconnected wall-forming panels. Each panel includes a frame having top and bottom members that are interconnected by side forming couplers. The couplers act to interconnect two or more panels. Each coupler includes first and second elongated members that form the respective sides of adjacent panels, each of which elongated members include a bulkhead adapted to interlock with the bulkhead of the other elongated member. A friction lock spline engages a portion of the bulkhead of one of the elongated members and a portion of the other elongated member for securing said members together.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
According to the present invention, modular enclosures ranging from storage containers to habitable buildings are constructed from a number of panels interconnected by a novel coupling system whose mating components require minimal time and effort to interconnect and lock together. A preferred form of the invention will be described in the context of a simple hexahedron that could be used as a storage container.
Each of the panels 5 comprises a rigid rectangular frame 6 with an attached wall-forming cover 7. A panel frame includes spaced apart mutually parallel sides, each of which comprises one half of a mating pair of coupling members 20. The two frame sides are interconnected at their upper and lower ends by respective horizontal top and bottom beams 21 and 24.
As will become clear from the subsequent description, the individual wall panels 5 and 9, the front opening frame and roll door, the floor 12 and the top cover member 14 may, when not assembled into a container or other type of enclosure, be laid flat and stacked, thus minimizing storage and transportation space.
The coupling members 20 that form the sides of the frames 6 are of three basic types: straight 20s (
As seen in
Referring again to
When the two cooperating elements of the in-line version of the coupling member 20s are interconnected the bulkhead projections 31 of one element nest into a groove 33 of the other element to stabilize the interconnection of the two elements. Similar to the bulkheads of the in-line version shown in
In each angular version of the coupling member 20 the bulkheads of the paired coupling elements are locked together by a spline 40. As seen in
By selectively sizing the transverse frame beams 21 and 24 and the coupling members 20 that comprise the frame 6 of each panel an infinite variety of enclosures may be developed. The enclosures may be made large enough to form emergency or very low cost housing units. In such a case the panel coverings 7 can easily be provided with windows, doors and insulation, if necessary. The primary advantages of the structure of the present invention are its ability to be transported or stored in a flat low volume configuration, its fast and efficient assembly, the simple locking mechanism, its overall strength and its ability to withstand the pressures of being stacked with similar enclosures.
Claims
1. An enclosure system comprising,
- a plurality of detachably interconnected wall panels, each comprising, a rectangular frame including, upper and lower transverse beams, spaced apart side-forming elements attached to the upper and lower transverse beams, each of said elements comprising coupling means for detachably interconnecting the frame to an adjacent wall panel, and a locking spline in sliding engagement with the coupling means for securing adjacent wall panels together.
2. The enclosure system of claim 1 and further including,
- a floor having means for receiving each of the wall panels, and
- a top secured to the upper transverse beams and adapted to cover the enclosure formed by the interconnected wall panels.
3. The enclosure system of claim 1 where each of the side-forming elements comprise,
- spaced apart legs and
- an irregularly contoured bulkhead interconnecting the legs.
4. The enclosure system of claim 3 and further including,
- a first channel disposed between the legs having a planar bottom surface.
5. The enclosure system of claim 4 where at least a portion of the bulkhead is parallel with the planar bottom surface of the first channel.
6. The enclosure system of claim 4 where at least a portion of the bulkhead is disposed at an angle to the planar bottom surface of the first channel.
7. The enclosure system of claim 3 and further including,
- a second channel disposed in the coupling means, said second channel having parallel sides defined by a portion of one leg of the coupling means included in a first frame and a portion of one leg of the coupling means included in a second adjoining frame, said second channel having, a bottom surface comprising a portion of the bulkhead of the coupling means included in the first frame, and coplanar grooves in the parallel sides,
- a spline plate slidably disposed in the coplanar grooves of the second channel, and
- screw means threadingly engaged with the spline plate and adapted for contact with the bottom surface of the second channel.
8. An enclosure system comprising,
- a plurality of detachably interconnected wall-forming panels,
- a floor underlying the wall-forming panels,
- coupling means for interconnecting the panels, said coupling means each including first and second elongated members that form the respective sides of adjacent panels each of which elongated members include a bulkhead adapted to interlock with the bulkhead of the other elongated member, and
- locking means engaging the bulkhead of at least one of the elongated members for securing said members together.
9. The system of claim 8 where at least a portion of each bulkhead is perpendicular to the plane of panels adjacent to the panel containing the bulkhead.
10. The system of claim 8, where at least a portion of each bulkhead is disposed at an angle to the plane of at least one of the panels adjacent to the panel containing the bulkhead.
11. The system of claim 8 where at least one of the panels has a closable opening therein.
12. The system of claim 8 where the floor includes channel means in which the panels are seated.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 23, 2006
Publication Date: Aug 23, 2007
Inventor: Kevin Kvols (Steamboat Springs, CO)
Application Number: 11/359,936
International Classification: A47B 43/00 (20060101);