PORTABLE MULTI-ROOM STRUCTURE
A multi-room structure includes a plurality of separate cabins or rooms, each of which can be accessed by an external door. The size of the multi-room structure is such that a standard tractor trailer suitable for hauling a standard shipping container can readily move the multi-room structure to a needed location, such as a disaster, to alleviate homelessness, or to house immigrants or migrants. The standard size of the multi-room structure is such that parts for standard shipping containers can provide the structural elements needed for the multi-room structure, reducing production costs.
This application claims the benefit of priority to Chilean Patent Application No. 202001153 filed on Apr. 30, 2020, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis disclosure relates to portable structures having a plurality of separated rooms.
BACKGROUNDHousing can be scarce and/or unaffordable in many locations, particularly in situations where people, i.e., human beings, have been displaced from their homes. Such situations can include natural disasters, homelessness, migrations from one location to another, and other reasons. A variety of remedies are applied in such situations, including repurposing warehouses, construction of dormitories, use of mobile homes or trailers, and tents.
SUMMARYThis disclosure provides a multi-room structure comprising a container, a plurality of rooms, and a plurality of external doors. The container includes a plurality of external walls, the container sized and dimensioned to be carried by a semi-tractor and trailer without requiring an over-size permit. The plurality of internal rooms is formed by a longitudinally extending internal wall, a plurality of transversely extending internal walls, a plurality of floors, and a ceiling. The plurality of internal rooms includes a plurality of upper rooms and a plurality of lower rooms, the longitudinally and transversely extending internal walls formed of a material having a high structural mechanical resistance configured to support the plurality of internal rooms and their occupants. The plurality of external doors is positioned on at least one of the plurality of external walls. Each of the plurality of external doors provides access only to a respective one of the plurality of internal rooms. The plurality of internal rooms is sealed by the plurality of internal walls, ceiling, floors, and respective external doors of the plurality of external doors to provide resistance to the environment external to the container.
This disclosure also provides a container, a plurality of internal rooms, and a plurality of external doors. The container includes a plurality of external walls. The container is sized and dimensioned to be carried by a semi-tractor and trailer without requiring an over-size permit. The plurality of internal rooms includes a plurality of upper rooms and a plurality of lower rooms formed by a plurality of walls, the plurality of walls formed of a material having a high structural mechanical resistance configured to support the plurality of internal rooms and their occupants. Each of the plurality of external doors is positioned on one of the plurality of external walls. Each of the plurality of internal rooms corresponds to a maximum of two of the plurality of external doors.
Advantages and features of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Multi-room structure 100 includes a plurality of exterior walls that can be formed, for example, of metal, composite material, plastics, and other materials have the strength or a high structural mechanical resistance to support rooms 102 and the occupants of rooms 102. Exterior walls include a first side wall 106 extending along a longitudinal extent of multi-room structure 100, a second side wall 108 positioned on a transversely opposite side of multi-room structure 100 from first side wall 106 that also extends along the longitudinal extent of the multi-room structure 100, a first end wall 110 that is positioned directly between and extends transversely from first side wall 106 to second side wall 108, and a second end wall 112 that is positioned directly between and extends transversely from first side wall 106 to second side wall 108. Second side wall 108 and first side wall 106 are positioned at longitudinally opposite ends of multi-room structure 100.
As noted hereinabove, multi-room structure 100 includes rooms 102 distributed along the longitudinal length, transverse width, and height of the container, maintaining similar dimensions that may be identical to the extent such rooms may be formed identically by standard manufacturing techniques. Rooms 102 can be immediately contiguous to a next room 102. While not shown in detail, the internal walls that separate directly adjacent rooms 102 can include a hollow space that includes space for wiring, thermal insulation, and the like.
Rooms 102 can also be located alternately or aligned above a lower room 102, so that multi-room container 100 can have a minimum of four rooms up to a maximum of twenty-four rooms 102, distributed in two groups of rooms 102, a group of lower rooms 102a and another group of upper rooms 102b, that is, a minimum of two lower rooms 102a and two upper rooms 102b, and a maximum of twelve lower rooms 102a and twelve rooms 102b, such multi-room structure 200 shown in
Multi-room structure 100 can be selected from a plurality of container configurations, including a hermetic metal container, loading, or unloading, folding or rigid, with a roof or without a roof, among others. However, note that in circumstances where the container does not include a fixed steel roof, the container can be configured with flexible roof formed of, for example, canvas, flexible plastic, or another suitable material to provide protection from environmental elements for the occupants of upper rooms 102b.
Each room 102 of the multi-room structure 100 may supported and separated from the next, directly adjacent room 102 by means of a metal structure system of high structural mechanical resistance that is arranged along the longitudinal length, transverse width, and height of multi-room structure 100, dividing the interior of the same, and giving rise to the areas that define the dimensions of each room 102.
Said metal structure system comprises a plurality of profiles or columns 114, as shown in, for example,
Each profile or column 114 with high structural mechanical resistance of the system of metals structure with high structural mechanical resistance comprises, at each of its ends, fasteners for attaching to the walls of multi-room structure 100, a rectangular metal piece of high strength or resistance with a plurality of through holes on its sides and that are centrally and orthogonally arranged to profile or column 114 of high structural mechanical strength, and fasteners or other attachment apparatus such as welding, adhesive or glue, tongue-in-groove are located inside the through holes of the rectangular metal part of high mechanical strength structural, including a plurality of bolts and nuts of high structural mechanical strength or the like.
The rectangular metal piece with high structural mechanical resistance is located centrally and orthogonally to profile or column 114 and is joined to it by means of an adherent joint, including welding with high structural mechanical resistance. Optionally, said metal part with high structural mechanical resistance comprises a central perforation that receives one end of profile or column 114 with high structural mechanical resistance and the through joint is fixed by means of adherent joining, including welding with high structural mechanical resistance, or optionally with attachment by fixation, including bolts and nuts or the like, or both.
Each profile or column 114 of the structural high strength metal frame system are distributed in a spaced orthogonal arrangement that can have an equidistant arrangement so that a plurality of structural high strength profiles or columns 114 rests orthogonally on a plurality of directly adjacent profiles or columns 114 with of high structural mechanical strength forming a frame or network comprising a plurality of contact or joint areas 116 between each profile or column 114 with directly adjacent profiles or columns 114 of high structural mechanical resistance. In each contact or joint area 116, profiles or columns 114 of high structural mechanical strength are fixed or joined together, by means of an adherent joining means, including welding with high structural mechanical strength. Optionally, profiles or columns 114 of high structural mechanical strength are joined in each contact or joint area 116 by means of attachment by fixing, including bolts and nuts or the like, and additionally an adherent joint, including high-strength welding. structural mechanics, where said fasteners or attachments by fixing are inserted into respective perforations located in each contact or joint area 116 of high structural mechanical strength in each contact or joint area 116.
The system of metal structure of high structural mechanical strength also supports interior floors 118 and ceilings 120 and said internal side walls of each room 102 while the external walls of multi-room structure 100, first side wall 106 and second side wall 108, first end wall 110, and second end wall 112, give rise to or form each front wall and each rear wall of each room 102 and the external side walls of the end rooms 102 of multi-room structure 100.
Internal side walls, which can be profiles or columns 114, and internal floors 118 and ceilings 120 of each room 102 are made of material with high structural mechanical strength.
Turning again to
The thermal insulating material can be selected from polyethylene including transparent polyethylene and black polyethylene, or polystyrene including expanded polystyrene and beaded polystyrene, polyester wool, glass wool, mineral wool, among others, or a combination of two or more of the same.
The acoustic insulating material can be selected from foam, glass wool, among others, or a combination of two or more of the same.
The moisture barrier material can be selected from asphalt felts, geotextiles, among others, or a combination of two or more of them.
Each front wall 126 comprises an access to a respective room 102. Such access can preferably be at least one laterally pivoting door 130 with releasable fastener 132 that enables closing or opening. For example, releasable fastener 132 can be a handle with a latch, located in a lower part or a top of a respective said pivot door. Handle 132 can include a lock to secure a respective room 102. Door 130 is joined to a receiving frame 134 by means of at least two fasteners of high structural mechanical strength that can be, for example, a fixed or removable pin hinge. Door 130 can be made of wood prepared to be environmentally resistant, metal, including aluminum, plastic, including polycarbonate or glass or door 130 can comprise at least two of the listed materials.
Furthermore, pivoting door 130 can comprise an interior, exterior, or both multilayer system or structure, comprising at least a first structural layer that properly corresponds to the door, at least one second insulating layer, at least one third decorative layer or both second insulating layer and third decorative layer.
The second door insulating layer comprises thermal insulating material, acoustic insulating material, moisture barrier material or a combination of two or more thereof. The thermal insulating material can be selected from polyethylene including transparent polyethylene and black polyethylene, or polystyrene including expanded polystyrene and beaded polystyrene, polyester wool, glass wool, mineral wool, among others, or a combination of two or more of the same. The acoustic insulating material can be selected from foam, glass wool, among others, or a combination of two or more of the same. The moisture barrier material can be selected from asphalt felts, geotextiles, among others, or a combination of two or more of them.
The third decorative door layer is selected from a non-stick synthetic material coating which in turn can be selected from a textile with or without printing, a plastic coating with or without printing, a paper coating with and without printing, an interior coating lightweight wood or a combination of two or more thereof.
Optionally, door 130 can be a sliding door that is opened and closed by means of a frame system with a receiving slot that receives a thin longitudinal centered protrusion located on said door either in the upper part, lower part or both parts of door 130, and that slidably fits in a groove of the frame, or is selected from a hinged door, among others.
When door 130 is a sliding door on front wall 126 of multi-room structure 100, a metal structure of high external resistance is located that gives shape or origin to said frame system with a receiving slot.
Doors 130 are distributed along front wall 126 of multi-room structure 100 in one of a plurality of distributions. For example, end doors 130 can be located in an unpaired way, i.e., a single door for one room 102, while the remaining doors 130 are located in a distribution in pairs equidistant from each other, where each door 130 of the double distribution is arranged contiguously to the adjacent next door 130 and facing its pivoting sides 138 and separated from each other by a vertically elongated separation area 136. Alternatively, doors 130 can be distributed equidistantly and aligned on each floor 118 of multi-room structure 100, or equidistant and alternately between floors 118, or distributed at one end, both ends, centrally, or any combination of two or more distributions. Alternatively, doors 130 can be distributed in different distribution arrangements on each floor of multi-room structure 100.
Optionally, rooms 102 can be distributed equidistantly across the transverse width of multi-room structure 100 instead of along the longitudinal length of the container, or comprise a mixed distribution. That is, a distribution with end rooms 102 being distributed across the width of multi-room structure 100 while rooms 102, which can also be described as cubicles of centrals, are distributed longitudinally in multi-room structure 100.
Between each pair of doors 130, an external ascent device or apparatus is optionally located, preferably in the form of a vertical ladder 140 made of wood, metal, plastic, composites, or textiles, or a combination of two or more of the listed materials, which allows access to upper rooms 102. Ascent device or apparatus 140 can be fixed or removable, foldable, height adjustable or fixed height, and is mounted on first side wall 106, which forms an exterior of front wall 126 of multi-room structure 100 by way of fasteners, including bolts with nuts, upper and lower grips, hooks, and the like.
Optionally, when access device or apparatus 140 is removable, it can be selected from a folding, telescopic, or fixed-height ladder that can be located on one side of the container and is positioned at the place of use as required.
Access device or apparatus 140 can be located from the lower part to the upper part of first side wall 106, which is an exterior of front wall 126 of multi-room structure 100 when access doors 130 to each room 102 are located in parallel. Alternatively, access device or apparatus 140 can be located from a lower part to a middle part of first side wall 106 of multi-room structure 100 when access doors 130 to each room 102 on each floor or level, upper and lower, are located alternately.
On the sides of each pair of doors 130, and in the upper part, a through rectangular parallelepipedic sector is located that comprises a ventilation system, including a ventilation duct.
Optionally, each room 102 comprises wiring for supplying electrical energy, which can include one or more electrical outlets, and lights, including LED lighting.
Referring to
Optionally, at least two rooms 102 can be partially or totally communicated with each other. In the partial communication mode, internal side wall 128 shared by directly adjacent rooms or habitats 102 can comprise a vertical opening located at any location alongside wall 128, which can correspond to a permanent vertical opening or can comprise another access device between both rooms or living quarters 102, including a pivoting, folding, or sliding door optionally comprising an opening and closing device or apparatus, including a handle and latch. In the total communication mode, internal side wall 128 shared by rooms or habitats 102 is totally removed; that is, it is not present. Optionally, also in this mode, the distribution of external double access doors 102 can be replaced from the contiguous distribution, facing their pivoting sides and separated from each other by separation area 136 vertically elongated by a single door 102 with a pivoting double-leaf door 102 or sliding device comprising closing and opening device or apparatus, including a handle and latch.
Optionally, a system of solar cells, solar collectors, or both can be located on the roof of the multi-room structure to provide electrical energy to each room 102, or hot water when at least one room 102 includes a shower, or both electrical energy and hot water. Electrical power can be provided to incorporate room or enclosure lighting or power supplies, or both, that is, lighting and power supply such as an electrical outlet or wireless transmission of power.
Optionally, the multi-room structure or multi-room container 100 of can be placed in arrangements comprising a plurality of multi-room structures or multi-room cargo containers 100 either in a series, parallel, or mixed distribution; that is, in parallel or in series, and already either maintaining, in the absence, or mixed, that is, maintaining in some and in the absence in others, a separation between them, thus forming a park of multi-room structures or multi-room cargo containers 100.
Optionally, multi-room structure or multi-room container 100 of the present disclosure can be added laterally or separately, an additional container enabled as one or more rooms with various functionalities, including one or more as a reception room, living room, game room, exercise room, dance room, dining room, cafeteria, bathrooms, showers, or the like or one or more of them.
Optionally, multi-room structure or multi-room container 300 of this disclosure can include, as shown in
Multi-room structure 400 includes, similar to multi-room structure 100, bottom floor 118, middle floor 118, and ceiling 120. An interior, longitudinally extending center wall 410 extends along a longitudinally extending centerline of multi-room structure 400 from bottom floor 118 to ceiling 120, and from first end wall 406 to second end wall 408. Center wall 410 can be attached directly to each of bottom floor 118, middle floor 118, ceiling 120, first end wall 406, and second end wall 408. Such attachment can be by way of fasteners, welding, adhesive, and the like. Center wall 410 may be partially hollow or formed of layers to permit routing of power and communication cables, to enable the installation of insulation, and to enable ventilation through center wall 410.
Multi-room structure 400 also includes a plurality of transversely extending interior walls 412 that also extend from bottom floor 118 to ceiling 120, and from first end wall 406 to second end wall 408. Each transversely extending interior wall 412 can be attached directly to each of bottom floor 118, middle floor 118, ceiling 120, center wall 410, and one of first side wall 402 and second side wall 404. In another embodiment, each interior wall 412 can be attached directly to and extend from first side wall 402 to second side wall 404, where each interior wall 412 is directly attached to second side wall 404. In this alternative embodiment, center wall 410 would be formed in sections to be attached directly to at least one interior wall 412, with end sections of center wall 410 directly attaching to one of first end wall 406 and second end wall 408. Such attachment of interior walls can be by way of fasteners, welding, adhesive, and the like. Transversely extending interior walls 412 may be partially hollow or formed of layers to permit routing of power and communication cables, to enable the installation of insulation, and to enable ventilation through each interior wall 412.
Center wall(s) 410, transverse interior walls 412, and middle floor 118 divide the interior of multi-room structure 400 into a plurality of interior rooms 414. In the embodiment of
Each room 414 can be accessed by at least one door 416. In the exemplary embodiment of
Each door 416 includes a latch (not shown) that is actuated by a handle 418. In an exemplary embodiment, each handle 418 is located in a region near a vertical midpoint of multi-room structure 400.
Each door 416 can include a window for entry of light. In another exemplary embodiment, each door 416 can be solid or opaque, or a barrier, such as a curtain, may be movably positioned alongside an internal side of each door 416 for privacy.
Multi-room structure 400 may include a plurality of ladders 420, each of the plurality of ladders 420 positioned to extend from an area near a lower or bottom part of multi-room structure 400 to an area or location near to door 416 of an upper room 414 to permit an occupant of upper room 414 to conveniently climb to a proximity of upper room 414 and to enter upper room 414 by way of at least one door 416 to enter upper room 414. Upper doors 416 can be offset from lower doors 416 so that an upper or top portion of a respective ladder 420 is positioned proximate or near to an opening 422 that provides entry into upper room 414 when door 416 is opened. In other words, offset in this context is where one upper door 416 is positioned at least partially over a ladder rather than being horizontally aligned with a corresponding lower door.
In an exemplary embodiment, each room can include a ventilation device, such as an air conditioner or fan 424. Air conditioner or fan 424 can be connected to an external surface of multi-room structure 400 by way of a one or more vents 426 that can be used to introduce fresh air and provide a location for heat rejection.
While various embodiments of the disclosure have been shown and described, it is understood that these embodiments are not limited thereto. The embodiments may be changed, modified, and further applied by those skilled in the art. Therefore, these embodiments are not limited to the detail shown and described previously, but also include all such changes and modifications.
Claims
1. A multi-room structure, comprising:
- a container including a plurality of external walls, the container sized and dimensioned to be carried by a semi-tractor and trailer without requiring an over-size permit;
- a plurality of internal rooms formed by a longitudinally extending internal wall, a plurality of transversely extending internal walls, a plurality of floors, and a ceiling, the plurality of internal rooms including a plurality of upper rooms and a plurality of lower rooms, the longitudinally and transversely extending internal walls formed of a material having a high structural mechanical resistance configured to support the plurality of internal rooms and their occupants; and
- a plurality of external doors positioned on at least one of the plurality of external walls, each of the plurality of external doors provides access only to a respective one of the plurality of internal rooms, the plurality of internal rooms being sealed by the plurality of internal walls, ceiling, floors, and the plurality of external doors to provide resistance to the environment external to the container.
2. The multi-room structure of claim 1, wherein the plurality of external doors is a plurality of upper external doors and a plurality of lower external doors, and the plurality of upper doors and lower doors are offset from each other in a longitudinal direction.
3. The multi-room structure of claim 1, including a ladder positioned to extend to only one upper external door of the plurality of upper external doors for each respective upper room of the plurality of upper rooms.
4. The multi-room structure of claim 1, wherein the number of upper rooms is at least two upper rooms.
5. The multi-room structure of claim 1, wherein the number of lower rooms is at least two lower rooms.
6. The multi-room structure of claim 1, wherein the number of upper rooms is at least two and a maximum of twelve rooms.
7. The multi-room structure of claim 1, wherein the number of lower rooms is at least two and a maximum of twelve rooms.
8. The multi-room structure of claim 1, wherein a long dimension of at least one room of the plurality of rooms extends in a longitudinal direction of the container, and a long dimension of at least one room of the plurality of rooms extends in a transverse direction of the container.
9. The multi-room structure of claim 1, including a bathroom positioned in place of at least one upper room of the plurality of upper rooms and at least one lower room of the plurality of lower rooms.
10. The multi-room structure of claim 1, including a roof protection attached to and extending from the container.
11. The multi-room structure of claim 1, including a terrace attached to and extending from the container.
12. The multi-room structure of claim 1, wherein each room of the plurality of rooms includes an air conditioner or fan connected to a vent positioned on an external surface of the container.
13. A multi-room structure, comprising:
- a container including a plurality of external walls, the container sized and dimensioned to be carried by a semi-tractor and trailer without requiring an over-size permit;
- a plurality of internal rooms including a plurality of upper rooms and a plurality of lower rooms formed by a plurality of walls, the plurality of walls formed of a material having a high structural mechanical resistance configured to support the plurality of internal rooms and their occupants; and
- a plurality of external doors, each of the plurality of external doors positioned on one of the plurality of external walls, each of the plurality of internal rooms corresponding to a maximum of two of the plurality of external doors.
14. The multi-room structure of claim 13, wherein the plurality of external walls is four, and the plurality of doors are positioned on a maximum of three walls of the plurality of external walls.
15. The multi-room structure of claim 13, wherein the plurality of internal rooms includes a plurality of rooms having a long dimension extending in a longitudinal direction of the container and a plurality of rooms having a long dimension extending in a transverse direction of the container.
16. The multi-room structure of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of rooms is connected to an exterior of the container by a vent positioned on one of the plurality of external walls.
17. The multi-room structure of claim 16, wherein each room of the plurality of rooms includes an air conditioner or fan connected to the vent.
18. The multi-room structure of claim 13, including a plurality of ladders positioned on the external walls, each of the plurality of ladders extending to a respective one of the plurality of upper rooms.
19. The multi-room structure of claim 13, including a bathroom in place of at least one lower room and one upper room that extends directly above the at least one lower room.
20. The multi-room structure of claim 13, wherein the number of upper rooms is at least two and a maximum of twelve, and the number of lower rooms is at least two and a maximum of twelve.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 30, 2021
Publication Date: Nov 18, 2021
Applicant: HOBE Servicios Publicitarios SpA (Lo Barnechea)
Inventors: Julian MARIN (Las Condes, Region Metropolitana), Francisco ROJAS (Peñalolen, Region Metropolitana)
Application Number: 17/246,492