Removable and Transportable Modular Microhousing and Method of Using the Same
The current invention is modular housing system which includes a docking or support structure and a plurality of removable, transferable, and customizable modular housing units. The docking/support structure provides all the basic utilities for each housing unit as well as a permanent, stationary location for accommodating each of a number of modular housing units in a dense urban environment without disrupting or altering the character of the surrounding neighborhood. Each housing unit is a self-contained living unit and includes all the basic necessities and features including a kitchen, living area, and bedroom. Each housing unit may further be vinyl wrapped so as to cosmetically match the housing units to the surrounding neighborhood or to provide any appearance desired by the owner/user.
The invention relates to the field of modular housing, in particular removable and transportable modular housing which may be placed or docked in a stationary utility support structure.
Description of the Prior ArtAccording to U.S. Census figures, of the share of American adults who are single, divorced or never married, there were 128.2 million singles in the U.S. in 2015, or 51.2 percent of the population. These figures are similar to those in the study reported by Bloomberg, which was based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics which estimated that roughly 125 million Americans over the age of 16, or 50.2 percent, are currently single. That's up from 37.6 percent in 1976. Singles make up more than half the population in 27 of the 50 states with the share of single adults ranging from a low of 43.7% to a high of 55.7%.
The increased number singles in the nation has placed an incredible amount of stress on the currently available housing opportunities, especially for those in dense, popular urban areas such as San Francisco and New York City. According to Mayor de Blasio's Housing New York, Five Borough
Ten Year Plan, “The current supply of rental units is not well suited for the City's changing households. Our households also are changing in size, and there is a disconnect between the type and size of available apartments and the housing demands of modern households. There are 1.9 million one- and two-person households in the City (more than 60 percent of all the City's households), but only 1.25 million studios and one-bedroom apartments. Of course, some of the households will prefer to stay in, or move to, larger apartments. But the demand for smaller units also comes from individuals who would prefer to form their own household, but who are forced by high rents to live with roommates or family. When individuals can't afford studios and join up to rent multi-bedroom apartments, they also drive prices for those apartments out of the reach of families with children. To address these challenges, we need not only more housing, but also a mix of new housing types that reflects the diversity of New Yorkers' needs.”
In view of the increasing population of singles, there is a corresponding increase in demand for innovative small scale housing which promotes community, is functional, is convenient, and has state of the art technology all under one tiny roof. What is needed therefore is a housing solution that is geared to provide affordable housing to a shared demographic of both single and partnered individuals with an interest to refined living and a sensitivity towards community and environmental responsibility. While there are many benefits to redefining the need of personal space, the most notable is the benefit of ownership. Typical condominiums or single family homes are beyond the reach of most first time buyers, graduating students or adults living alone. Therefore any new housing solution should also offer a new innovative approach to home ownership for a growing demographic of consumers currently tethered to the concept of renting.
BRIEF SUMMARYThe current invention is designed and positioned to provide affordable housing on underused public and private sites in partnership with both state, public authorities, non-profit institutions and private owners who have land that could be deployed for affordable housing. The unique ‘nut-and-bolt’ assembly and delivery of ‘turn key’ modular real estate minimizes the impact of new construction to neighborhoods and is minimally disruptive to traffic and communities.
The current invention is a modular housing system which includes a docking structure and a plurality of removable housing units which are coupled to the docking structure. The docking structure itself includes a plurality of gates, a plurality of levels coupled to each of the plurality of gates, and at least one staircase disposed in at least one of the plurality of levels. Each of the plurality of housing units receives a plurality of utility lines from at least one connection point disposed within the docking structure.
In one particular embodiment, each of the plurality of gates specifically include a pair of vertical supports and a horizontal member disposed between the pair of vertical supports, each of the plurality of gates further accommodating at least one unit floor portion of at least one level between the pair of vertical supports.
In another embodiment, each of the plurality of levels includes at least one access platform and a plurality of decks, wherein the at least one access platform is adjacently disposed to the at least one staircase, and wherein the plurality of decks are in turn adjacently disposed to the at least one access platform and to the plurality of housing units.
In yet another embodiment, the at least one staircase is disposed at a rear portion of the docking structure. Conversely, in a separate embodiment, the at least one staircase may be disposed in a center portion of the docking structure.
In another embodiment, each of the plurality of housing units comprises a customizable vinyl wrap that is removably adhered to its outside surface.
Relatedly, each of the plurality of housing units may include a bathroom, a kitchen area, a convertible living-bed room area, and a storage area or any combination thereof.
In yet another embodiment, a foyer may be disposed between at least two of the plurality of housing units, the foyer serving to join two housing units together to form a single enclosed unit.
In a separate embodiment, the docking structure also includes at least one storage space disposed beneath the plurality of levels within the docking structure.
In another embodiment, the plurality of utility lines that are received from at least connection point disposed within the docking structure may include a water supply line, a gas line, a drain, and an electrical line or any combination thereof.
In a further embodiment, the docking structure also includes an electrical closet, the electrical closet being electrically connected to an outside power line and to the plurality of housing units.
In another embodiment, the plurality of housing units include a balcony that is disposed on a rear wall of each of the plurality of housing units.
The invention further includes a method for providing a modular housing system. The method includes constructing a docking structure, disposing a removable plurality of housing units into the docking structure, connecting a plurality of utility lines disposed within the docking structure to each of the plurality of housing units. The method further includes matching the aesthetic appearance of the docking structure and the plurality of housing units to a surrounding environment.
In one particular embodiment, removably disposing a plurality of housing units into the docking structure includes disposing each of the plurality of housing units into one of a plurality of corresponding housing unit spaces defined within the docking structure. In this embodiment, disposing each of the plurality of housing units into one of a plurality of corresponding housing unit spaces defined within the docking structure includes disposing one of the plurality of housing units into a carrier, elevating the carrier to a selected housing unit space defined within the docking structure, and aligning a pair of loading rails of the carrier with a corresponding pair of unit rails of the docking structure. Next, the housing unit is slid across the loading rails of the carrier and onto the unit rails of the docking structure and then locked to the docking structure. This embodiment further includes that when aligning the pair of loading rails of the carrier with a corresponding pair of unit rails of the docking structure, a pair of inner rails disposed within the loading rails are inserted into the unit rails of the docking structure.
In another embodiment, the method step of connecting a plurality of utilities from the docking structure to each of the plurality of housing units includes connecting a water supply line disposed in the docking structure to at least one of the plurality of housing units, connecting a gas line disposed in the docking structure to at least one of the plurality of housing units, connecting a drain disposed in the docking structure to at least one of the plurality of housing units, and connecting an electrical line disposed in the docking structure to at least one of the plurality of housing units. The water supply line, gas line, drain, and electrical line are all preferably coupled to each housing unit through a common connection point.
In a separate embodiment, the method step of matching the aesthetic appearance of the docking structure and the plurality of housing units to a surrounding environment involves adhering a vinyl wrap to either the docking structure or the plurality of housing units which matches the aesthetic look of the surrounding environment.
In yet another embodiment, the method step of constructing a docking structure includes constructing a staircase between a plurality of levels disposed within the docking structure.
In a further embodiment, the method step of constructing a docking structure includes constructing at least one storage area beneath the lowest one of a plurality of levels disposed within the docking structure.
While the apparatus and method has or will be described for the sake of grammatical fluidity with functional explanations, it is to be expressly understood that the claims, unless expressly formulated under 35 USC 112, are not to be construed as necessarily limited in any way by the construction of “means” or “steps” limitations, but are to be accorded the full scope of the meaning and equivalents of the definition provided by the claims under the judicial doctrine of equivalents, and in the case where the claims are expressly formulated under 35 USC 112 are to be accorded full statutory equivalents under 35 USC 112. The disclosure can be better visualized by turning now to the following drawings wherein like elements are referenced by like numerals.
The disclosure and its various embodiments can now be better understood by turning to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments which are presented as illustrated examples of the embodiments defined in the claims. It is expressly understood that the embodiments as defined by the claims may be broader than the illustrated embodiments described below.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTSThe current invention is modular housing system comprising a docking or support structure and a plurality of removable, transferable, and customizable modular housing units. The current invention provides its users with a relatively inexpensive housing option in a compact package that is easy to maintain and even transfer to another location if desired. The docking/support structure provides all the basic utilities as well as a permanent, stationary location for accommodating each of a number of modular housing units in a dense urban environment without disrupting or altering the character of the surrounding neighborhood.
The most basic embodiment of the modular housing system may be seen in
As best seen in
While
Greater detail of the docking structure 12 may be had by turning to
In the specific embodiment shown in
Each housing unit 14 is substantially rectangular in shape and comprises at least a frontal wall 34, a rear wall 36, two lateral walls 38, a roof 40, and a floor 42. As seen in
Each housing unit 14 is preferably comprised of lightweight, durable construction material that is also environmentally friendly. The outside surfaces of the housing unit 14, particularly the frontal wall 34, the rear wall 36, and the two lateral walls 38, are specifically comprised of material suitable or amenable to being vinyl wrapped as is known in the art. Vinyl wrapping allows each user to personally customize their housing unit 14 and provides an infinite number of colors, patterns, or graphics which may be applied to each individual housing unit 14 or to an entire module housing system 10. For example, in one particular embodiment as seen in
The interior configuration of the housing units 14 may be seen in
The main tenant of the modular housing system 10 is the easy and intuitive removal and/or insertion of each housing unit 14 from or into the docking structure 12. Each housing unit 14 may be inserted or installed into the docking structure 12 by disposing the housing unit 14 onto a corresponding unit floor 18. Specifically, a forklift, scissor lift, a crane, or other equivalent means lifts the housing unit 18 to the appropriate story or level and slides the housing unit 14 over the unit floor 18 and between the vertical supports 30 of the gates 16 with the rear wall 36 of the housing unit 14 facing the corresponding floor 22A-22C. The forklift then lowers the housing unit 14 onto the unit floor 18 and makes any adjustments necessary to ensure a proper alignment between the housing unit 14 and unit floor 18. The housing unit 14 is then locked into position by further mechanical coupling between the housing unit 14 and the unit floor 18 and/or between the housing unit 14 and the vertical supports 30.
A preferred embodiment for installing or inserting the housing units 14 into a docking structure 12, 12′, 12″ to form the modular housing system 10, 10′, 10″ may be seen in
Turning to
After a housing unit 14 has been placed into a carrier 106 as seen in
The same process described above may also be used to load or unload a plurality of housing units 14 into or out of the alternative configurations of the modular housing systems, namely the alternative housing system 10′ seen in
In addition to providing an anchor point for each housing unit 14, the docking structure 12, 12′, 12″ also provides a means by which to supply each housing unit 14 with a plurality of utility services through a common or universal access point. Specifically, after the housing unit 14 is placed on a corresponding unit floor 18 as discussed above, the housing unit 14 is coupled to at least one connection point containing at least one utility service that is disposed or delivered through at least one of the vertical supports 30 of one of the gates 16.
An electrical line 80 may be disposed in the same vertical support 30 as the gas line 72 and the water main 74, or as seen in
To remove a housing unit 14, a user disconnects the utilities from the housing unit 14 by decoupling the electrical line 80, the water supply line 72, and the drain 74 either separately or through the universal access point. Next, the user structurally disconnects or decouples the housing unit 14 from the unit floor 18, the vertical supports 30 of the gates 16, or any other structural portion of the docking structure 12. The housing unit 14 is then lifted up off of the unit floor 18 on which it was disposed by means of a forklift, crane, or other equivalent means now known or later devised. The housing unit 14 then is removed from the docking structure 12 by moving the housing unit 14 away relative to the docking structure 12. Because the housing unit 14 is comprised of relatively light weight construction material, it may then be easily transported by truck, train, or any other equivalent means to a new location which comprises a different docking structure 12. Once at its final destination, the user may then reinsert the housing unit 14 into any available or vacant position within the new docking structure 12 and then reattaching or recoupling the structural elements and the universal utility access point as discussed above. The user may repeatedly remove and transport their housing unit 14 between different docking structures 12 located in different neighborhoods, cities, or even states whenever desired.
Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiment has been set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the embodiments as defined by the following embodiments and its various embodiments.
Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiment has been set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the embodiments as defined by the following claims. For example, notwithstanding the fact that the elements of a claim are set forth below in a certain combination, it must be expressly understood that the embodiments includes other combinations of fewer, more or different elements, which are disclosed in above even when not initially claimed in such combinations. A teaching that two elements are combined in a claimed combination is further to be understood as also allowing for a claimed combination in which the two elements are not combined with each other, but may be used alone or combined in other combinations. The excision of any disclosed element of the embodiments is explicitly contemplated as within the scope of the embodiments.
The words used in this specification to describe the various embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use in a claim must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word itself.
The definitions of the words or elements of the following claims are, therefore, defined in this specification to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements in the claims below or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.
Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements.
The claims are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptionally equivalent, what can be obviously substituted and also what essentially incorporates the essential idea of the embodiments.
Claims
1. A modular housing system comprising:
- a docking structure; and
- a plurality of housing units removably coupled to the docking structure,
- wherein the docking structure comprises: a plurality of gates; a plurality of levels coupled to the plurality of gates; and at least one staircase disposed in at least one of the plurality of levels, and
- wherein each of the plurality of housing units receives a plurality of utility lines from at least one connection point disposed within the docking structure.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of gates comprises a pair of vertical supports and a horizontal member disposed between the pair of vertical supports, each of the plurality of gates further accommodating at least one unit floor portion of at least one level between the pair of vertical supports.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of levels comprises at least one floor and a plurality of decks,
- wherein the at least one access platform is adjacently disposed to the at least one staircase, and
- wherein the plurality of decks are adjacently disposed to the at least one access platform and to the plurality of housing units.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of gates is configured to accommodate at least two of the plurality of housing units at each of the plurality of levels.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one staircase is disposed in a center portion of the docking structure.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of housing units comprises a customizable vinyl wrap removably adhered to its outside surface.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of housing units comprises:
- a bathroom;
- a kitchen area; and
- a convertible living-bed room area.
8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a foyer disposed between at least two of the plurality of housing units, the foyer coupling the two housing units together to form a single enclosed unit.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the docking structure further comprises at least one storage space disposed beneath the plurality of levels within the docking structure.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of utilities received from at least connection point disposed within the docking structure comprises:
- a water supply line;
- a gas line;
- a drain; and
- an electrical line.
11. The system of claim 1 wherein the docking structure further comprises an electrical closet, the electrical closet being electrically connected to an outside power line and to the plurality of housing units.
12. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of housing units comprise a balcony disposed on a rear wall of the plurality of housing units.
13. A method for providing a modular housing system comprising:
- constructing a docking structure;
- removably disposing a plurality of housing units into the docking structure;
- connecting a plurality of utility lines disposed within the docking structure to each of the plurality of housing units; and
- matching the aesthetic appearance of the docking structure and the plurality of housing units to a surrounding environment.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein removably disposing a plurality of housing units into the docking structure comprises disposing each of the plurality of housing units into one of a plurality of corresponding housing unit spaces defined within the docking structure.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein disposing each of the plurality of housing units into one of a plurality of corresponding housing unit spaces defined within the docking structure comprises:
- disposing one of the plurality of housing units into a carrier;
- elevating the carrier to a selected housing unit space defined within the docking structure;
- aligning a pair of loading rails of the carrier with a corresponding pair of unit rails of the docking structure;
- sliding the housing unit across the loading rails of the carrier and onto the unit rails of the docking structure; and
- locking the housing unit to the docking structure.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein aligning a pair of loading rails of the carrier with a corresponding pair of unit rails of the docking structure comprises inserting a pair of inner rails disposed within the loading rails into the unit rails of the docking structure.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein connecting a plurality of utilities from the docking structure to each of the plurality of housing units comprises:
- connecting a water supply line disposed in the docking structure to at least one of the plurality of housing units;
- connecting a gas line disposed in the docking structure to at least one of the plurality of housing units;
- connecting a drain disposed in the docking structure to at least one of the plurality of housing units; and
- connecting an electrical line disposed in the docking structure to at least one of the plurality of housing units,
- wherein the water supply line, gas line, drain, and electrical line are all coupled to each housing unit through a common connection point.
18. The method of claim 13 wherein matching the aesthetic appearance of the docking structure and the plurality of housing units to a surrounding environment comprises adhering a vinyl wrap to either the docking structure or the plurality of housing units which matches the aesthetic look of the surrounding environment.
19. The method of claim 13 wherein constructing a docking structure comprises constructing a staircase between a plurality of levels disposed within the docking structure.
20. The method of claim 13 wherein constructing a docking structure comprises constructing at least one storage area beneath the lowest one of a plurality of levels disposed within the docking structure.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 25, 2017
Publication Date: Apr 25, 2019
Inventor: Steve Rebeil (Newport Beach, CA)
Application Number: 15/793,603