Capsul Sleeping Units

Abstract

The present invention is a sleeping complex having small sleeping units stacked together. Each unit has a front door and a back door. The space between the two doors is divided into sleeping zone and reception and storage zones. Such sleeping units provide larger space feeling, even though the units are small. This large space feeling is achieved by making the units multi-zone and also having windows on the walls.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains generally to sleeping accommodations such as hotels and motels, having small sleeping compartments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With increasing number of business travelers, as well as, increasing number of flight delays and cancellations, the number of stranded travelers has increases substantially. Such travelers have no choice but sleeping on the benches in the airports or paying for expensive hotel accommodation. The present invention is aimed to provide alternative inexpensive yet comfortable sleeping facilities at airports and such, for short stays. Compact sleeping units are also useful in places where access is limited and conventional sleeping accommodations are difficult to construct, such as on off shore oil rigs and for sleeping accommodations in bus or train stations or along highways, e.g. truck stops and the like.

The prior art can be categorized into compact sleeping units for mobile systems, such as trains, buses and airplanes, and for stationary structures, such as a hotels and motels.

The majority of the prior art on the compact sleeping units relate to the first category, namely, mobile systems. This category can be divided into three subcategories, namely, (i) road vehicles, such as buses and trailers, (ii) airplanes, and (iii) trains.

(i) Road vehicles: U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,023 issued to Burgess discloses a motor home or recreational vehicle having a plurality of cribs or small beds installed along opposite walls of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,131 issued to Shea discloses an elongated trailer arranged to be pulled by a truck-tractor. The trailer has a number of doors along one side opening into individual sleeping compartments. U.S. Pat. No. 2,577,836 issued to Willson discloses a self powered mobile vehicle, of the recreational vehicle type, having small compact sleeping accommodations in a second story.

(ii) Airplanes: U.S. Pat. No. 2,960,292 issued to Pitta discloses individual capsules for an airplane. The capsules are described as providing protection for passengers in an accident or crash. U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,210 issued to Mutke discloses an arrangement of multiple berths for sleeping in an aircraft. The berths provide separate cells for sleeping and are mounted on tracks for movement therein. U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,836 issued to Ehrick discloses a removable sleeping compartment assembly in a standard cargo container configuration. U.S. Pat. No. 6,073,883 issued to Ohlmann discloses a rest area in the crown of an aircraft, above the ceiling of the main passenger cabin. U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,926 issued to Moore, discloses a rest station for the crew contoured to occupy the space between the curved top portion of the hull of the aircraft and the lowered ceiling of the aircraft.

(iii) Trains: U.S. Pat. No. 2,599,606 issued to Burgess discloses sleeping units for railway cars. U.S. Pat. No. 2,884,873 issued to Candlin and Hammond discloses a railway passenger car having individual passenger rooms convertible into sleeping rooms.

The present invention relates to the second category, namely, compact sleeping structures and buildings. The relevant prior art in this category are as follow. U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,240 issued to Miller discloses a series of compact sleeping units mated together. These units are composed of a horizontal sleeping area and a vertically oriented area for dressing and changing which is accessible to each unit through a passage. U.S. Pat. No. 6,981,347 issued to Walburger discloses a modular emergency shelter. U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,134 issued to Rezazadeh discloses a rest accommodation compartment and complex. U.S. Pat. 3,553,911 issued to Morrow discloses a compartment system for the use by travelers in airports or train stations. U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,626 issued to Fortune, discloses self contained modular units which are portable and can be installed in airports and train stations for short term rest area.

The presently disclosed modular compact sleeping units are improvements on the prior art in regards to the structure of the whole system and the manner they are arranged. The prior art is found to have two main problems. One that the compact sleeping units are too confined or too small, making them unattractive to the user. This is the main reason that they have not become popular. Second that there is difficulty in putting several units on top of each other. The users have difficulty in climbing and accessing the higher level sleeping units. Other disadvantages are lack of reception area, which can be used for storing luggage, changing cloths, etc. Another disadvantage is lack of emergency exits. The prior art mainly discloses a single door units, which do not comply with most building specification.

Therefore, the prior art taken either singly or in combination, is seen not to describe the instant invention as claimed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of human accommodation systems, the herein taught art provides improvement by a simple, integral, and more advantageous division of modular sleeping unit, for facilitating space divided for privacy and bigger units into a set of compartments.

To accomplish this, the herein taught art provides a system that can be arranged for compact sleeping accommodations. The herein taught art includes, modular sleeping units being more spacious, being more accessible, having more than one entrance, and having modularity characteristics which allows construction of a multi-sleeping unit in small areas.

The basic structure of the herein thought art could be used in combination with a plurality of similarly configured structures to provide accommodations for vast number of people in a minimum area of space. The herein thought art can be used as a hotel or a motel. It can be built inside existing buildings such as large dormitories, warehouses or gymnasiums, suburban and rural locations or otherwise uninhabitable settings. The present technique can also be used in a variety of different situations including environmental field workers, migrant laborers, temporary housing for the homeless, students, participants in national or international gaming events, and refugees or rehabilitation seekers from natural and man caused disasters.

The present technique resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed and claimed and it is distinguished from the previously thought art in the particular combination of all of its structures for the functions specified.

There have thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present technique. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present technique.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a new and improved compact and individual sleeping unit which has spaces between the sleeping bed and the doors, which makes the unit feel bigger and which space can be used to store bags etc.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved compact sleeping unit which is constructed on location using standard construction material, such as wood frame and drywalls.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved compact sleeping unit having two doors. The second door is not only useful for emergency exit, but the spaces between the two doors and the bed, accommodate the tenant or user more leisurely, and feel the unit bigger to store bags or like in the space or use it as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved compact sleeping unit having a variety of amenities for sleeping and personal comfort.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved compact sleeping unit having air ventilation and air conditioning facilities.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an assembly of sleeping units together with bath room facilities and storage locker facilities.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved capsule human accommodation system wherein the sleeping units may be inexpensively manufactured as part of, and included as part and parcel to, the associated accommodation systems.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved human accommodation system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale or rent to the consuming public, thereby making such accommodation systems economically available to the buying or renting public.

These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the figures, which illustrate, by way of example only, embodiments of the present invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a capsule sleeping unit constructed in accordance with the present technique;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a two-capsule sleeping unit stacked on top of each other.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a four-capsule sleeping complex.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a four-capsule sleeping complex having a stair located in the space between the two vertical units.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a four-capsule sleeping complex having a stair located next to each vertical unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The compact sleeping units are exemplified by the illustration provided in FIGS. 1-5. FIG. 1 illustrates the general structure of one of the sleeping units 10, which is composed of a elongated rectangular room. The room is described by a front wall 11, a back wall 12, side walls 13a, 13b, a ceiling 14 and a floor 15. The width of the room 16 is typically large enough to fit a bed 17 for a single person. Typical width of the room is about 38 to 40 inches.

The room is long enough 18 to fit the length of a single bed plus room to fit some luggage on both sides of the bed. Typical length of the room is about 123 inches, which can fit a twin size bed of 75 inches with at least 2 feet of free space between the bed and the front and the back walls.

The height of the room 19 is high enough so that a typical person can sit on the bed without hitting the ceiling of the room. Typical height of the room is about 39-40 inches. This elongated room provides a feeling of a more spacious room.

Each room has two doors, 20, 21, one door on each side of the room. The second door is mainly for the purposes of emergency exit. The location of the doors can be on any of the walls. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, one door 20 is located on the front wall 11 and the second door 21 is located on the side wall 13a. All doors having lockable door knobs 22a, 22b, and vents 23a, 23b.

Each room may have a window on either on a side wall, 25, or on any of the front or back walls (not illustrated).

Each room can be equipped with a spot light 30, smoke detector 31, and air conditioning system 32. The room may also include a safe deposit box and other amenities (not shown).

The bed is slidable, therefore, it can be moved to one end of the room, leaving a large space on the other side. Typically, there is about 4 feet of empty space in the room, that the guest can use for storage, change of clothes or reception.

The main feature of the present invention is the ability of constructing a compact sleeping unit, or a nanohotel, by putting together multiplicity of previously described sleeping units. FIG. 2 illustrates construction of two sleeping units 40 and 50 on top of each other. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the sleeping units may have windows on a side wall, 41, 51. The two units have a standard distance 55 of about 8 inches from each other.

FIG. 3 illustrated a combination of four sleeping units, 60, 70, 80, 90. The vertical units are separated from each other by a distance 66 of at least 6 inches. This distance is there to provide sound insulation between the units (as is required by many municipalities). For a two story quadruple system a simple latter or a stair can be used to allow the guests to go to the upper floor. The stairs can be set in between the two vertical units. For the embodiment of FIG. 3, in which the doors are located on the front walls, a small extension on each floor, 61 and 81, allows for the guest to easily enter and leave the room using a side latter or a stair (not shown).

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the second floor doors are on the side walls. Therefore, there is no need for an extension. The guests from the second floor can open the side doors 62 and 82 while standing on the step 101 or 102 of a small stair 100 located between the two vertical units. The rooms also have their windows 85 and 95 on the side walls.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the top and bottom doors are alternately located on the front wall and the side wall. For instance, in FIG. 5 the door for the unit 110 is on the front wall, whereas, the door for unit 120 is on the side wall. And the door for unit 130 is on the side wall, whereas the door for unit 140 is on the front wall. Similar combinations is used on the back wall of the system. This combination allows a guest in unit 110 to easily climb the stairs to the upper floor, and the guest in unit 140 simply use the front door. On the other hand the guest in unit 130 can use a stair on the back side (not shown) to enter the room, whereas the guest in unit 120 can directly use the front door.

Claims

1. A two-door multi-zone compact sleeping unit comprising: whereby the front zone and the back zone are used for reception and storage, and whereby said multi-zone unit provides a feeling of having a spacious room.

a. a substantially rectangular room having a front wall, a back wall, and side walls, said walls forming a space;

b. said space having a length, a width, and a height;

c. said space having at least a front zone, a middle zone and a back zone;

d. said middle zone having a mattress for sleeping;

e. said unit having a first door and a second door; and

f. said unit having vents and air conditioning system,

2. A compact sleeping complex of claim 1, wherein said first door is on the front wall and said second door in on the back wall.

3. A compact sleeping complex of claim 1, wherein said unit having windows.

4. A compact sleeping unit of claim 1, having windows on the side wall in the front zone.

5. A compact sleeping unit of claim 1, wherein said first door is on the front wall and said second door in on the side wall in the back zone.

6. A compact sleeping unit of claim 1, wherein said first door is on the side wall in the front zone and said second door is on the back wall.

7. A compact sleeping unit of claim 5, further comprising a window on the side wall in the back zone.

8. A compact sleeping unit of claim 1, wherein the width of the unit is about 40 inches.

9. A compact sleeping unit of claim 1, wherein the height of the unit is about 40 inches.

10. A compact sleeping unit of claim 1, wherein the length of the unit is about 123 inches.

11. A compact sleeping unit of claim 1, further comprising a spot light.

12. A compact sleeping unit of claim 1, further comprising a smoke detector.

13. A compact sleeping unit of claim 1, wherein said walls of the unit are drywalls.

14. A compact sleeping unit of claim 1, wherein said walls of the unit are constructed by injection modeling.

15. A compact sleeping unit of claim 1, wherein said unit is constructed by any material suitable for constructing modular units.

16. A compact sleeping unit of claim 1, wherein the unit includes one or more appliances.

17. A compact sleeping complex having multiplicity of modular sleeping units, each unit comprising:

a. a substantially rectangular room having a front wall, a back wall, and side walls, said walls forming a space;

b. said space having a length, a width, and a height;

c. said space having at least a front zone, a middle zone and a back zone;

d. said middle zone having a mattress for sleeping;

e. each unit having a first door and a second door;

f. either or both said front zone and said back zone having windows;

g. each said unit having vents and air conditioning system;

h. plurality of units stacked on top of each other forming a vertical unit complex;

i. plurality of said vertical unit complexes stacked next to each other having a space between them, said space is used for insulation means; and

j. said complex having climbing means to enter and exit each unit.

18. A two-door multi-zone compact sleeping complex of claim 14, wherein said climbing means are multiplicity of stairs located in the space between the two vertical units.

19. A two-door multi-zone compact sleeping complex of claim 14, wherein said climbing means are multiplicity of stairs located alternately in front of the front wall or the back wall.

20. A two-door multi-zone compact sleeping unit of claim 1, wherein multiplicity of said units are combined to form a compact sleeping complex comprising of either two or four or the like of said units.