Abstract: Methods of lifting a construction unit such as a wall panel are described. The methods can include drilling a first hole through at least one horizontal top plate of a construction unit such as a wall panel, and a second hole through at least one vertical member such as a stud of the construction unit, threading a fabric strap through the first hole and the second hole, and attaching a portion of the fabric strap to a face of the vertical member through a set of nails. The methods can further include hoisting the construction unit by way of the fabric strap. Construction units and modular homes or buildings manufactured by way of methods of the disclosure are also described.

Abstract: Described herein are a system for wall-panel installation, including a first plate designed to be attached directly to concrete slab, and a second plate integrated within a prefabricated wall panel and designed to directly attach to the first plate. Also described are a method for wall-panel installation, including installing the first plate of the system of the disclosure to concrete slab, and installing the prefabricated wall panel of the system of the disclosure by attaching the second plate of the disclosure to the first plate of the disclosure and a modular home or building including the system of the disclosure or constructed using the method of the disclosure.

Abstract: Described herein is a construction module or cassette, including a structural frame, a modular configuration or subassembly of plumbing and/or venting that is attached to the structural frame and is designed to connect a home utility subsystem, fixture, and/or appliance, where the structural frame is indexed to fit the construction module or cassette into wall framing. The construction module or cassette can further include one or more components chosen from a bridge, a blocking, a fixing tab, a setting block, an overrun, an extension, a fixing plate and a wall feature. The construction module or cassette can include a rectangular structural frame, at least one bridge transecting a width of the rectangular structural frame, and at least one conduit such as a pipe, vent, or hose running along a length of the structural frame and passing through at least a portion of the structural frame and the bridge.

Abstract: Described herein are a wall framing system including a set of connected framing elements, the elements having a series of exterior notches dimensioned to accommodate modular electrical components such as wiring. The framing elements are chosen from studs, top plates, bottom plates, or any framing element requiring horizontal or vertical electrical routing. Also described are a method for installing an electrical system or components thereof, including inserting prefabricated electrical system or circuit components such as wires into the exterior notches of the framing elements of the wall framing system of the disclosure and a modular home or building comprising the wall framing system of the disclosure.

Abstract: The disclosure provides prefabricated 3D truss construction modules for home construction. One implementation provides an apparatus which includes a pair of sloped top chord panels having first ends meeting at a ridge line, one or more horizontal bottom chord panels supporting opposing second ends of the sloped top chord panels, and a web panel including a horizontal member and a pair of vertical members joined and meeting on either end of the horizontal member at right angles, the web panel supporting each top chord panel on an underside portion of the top chord panels where the horizontal and vertical members of the web panels meet, the web panel supported by the one or more bottom chord panels. The disclosure also provides a modular architectural roof feature system as well as modular homes or buildings manufactured using the truss or roof feature modules.

Abstract: The disclosure provides methods of assembly of prefabricated 3D truss construction modules. One implementation provides a method of building a structure which includes erecting walls of the structure, installing temporary shoring in an area enclosed by the walls, installing one or more horizontal bottom chord panels on top of the walls and temporary shoring, installing a web panel on top of the one or more bottom chord panels, installing a pair of sloped top chord panels such that the top chord panels are supported by the one or more bottom chord panels and web panel, and removing the temporary shoring. The disclosure also provides modular homes or buildings manufactured by the method.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method that includes providing or assembling a rectangular horizontal member, joining a vertical member to the rectangular horizontal member such that the vertical member bisects a length of the horizontal member and forms a T-junction at the horizontal member, joining first and second sloped members to the rectangular horizontal member and vertical member such that the first and second sloped members span from a top of the vertical member to opposing ends of the horizontal member, and joining first and second support members such that the first and second support members span from the T-junction between the vertical member and horizontal member to work points on an underside of each of the first and second sloped members. The structure thus formed can be assembled from prefabricated units shipped together in parallel planar orientation in a shipping container to provide a roof truss unit.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an article of manufacture that includes a rectangular horizontal member, a vertical member bisecting a length of the horizontal member and forming a T-junction at the horizontal member, first and second sloped members spanning from a top of the vertical member to opposing ends of the horizontal member, and first and second support members spanning from the T-junction between the vertical member and horizontal member to work points on an underside of each of the first and second sloped members. The article of manufacture can be assembled on the ground at a construction site from prefabricated units shipped together in parallel planar orientation in a shipping container to provide a truss unit for forming the roof of a structure.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an article of manufacture that includes a rectangular horizontal member, a vertical member bisecting a length of the horizontal member and forming a T-junction at the horizontal member, first and second sloped members spanning from a top of the vertical member to opposing ends of the horizontal member, and first and second support members spanning from the T-junction between the vertical member and horizontal member to work points on an underside of each of the first and second sloped members. The article of manufacture can be assembled on the ground at a construction site from prefabricated units shipped together in parallel planar orientation in a shipping container to provide a truss unit for forming the roof of a structure.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method that includes providing or assembling a rectangular horizontal member, joining a vertical member to the rectangular horizontal member such that the vertical member bisects a length of the horizontal member and forms a T-junction at the horizontal member, joining first and second sloped members to the rectangular horizontal member and vertical member such that the first and second sloped members span from a top of the vertical member to opposing ends of the horizontal member, and joining first and second support members such that the first and second support members span from the T-junction between the vertical member and horizontal member to work points on an underside of each of the first and second sloped members. The structure thus formed can be assembled from prefabricated units shipped together in parallel planar orientation in a shipping container to provide a roof truss unit.

Abstract: This invention provides an acoustic imaging device which utilizes scattered acoustic wave information to produce an image. The system consists of an array of acoustic transducers which at least partially encircle a medium to be imaged. The medium is sequentially insonified by each transducer with an acoustic signal comprised of at least one discrete frequency. The acoustic signal scatters from the medium and is detected by the remaining transducers. A data set representing the phase and amplitude of each discrete frequency at each transducer is acquired and used by a computer to calculate an image of the medium. Images acquired and calculated at each identifiable discrete frequency are combined in various ways in order to improve the quality of the final image of the medium.