WO2010129995A1

WO2010129995A1 - Demountable temporary buildings

Info

Publication number: WO2010129995A1
Application number: PCT/AU2010/000549
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert John Watson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-05-13
Filing date: 2010-05-12
Publication date: 2010-11-18
Anticipated expiration: 2011-11-13

Abstract

The specification discloses a demountable building (10) reconfigurable between a collapsed transport configuration (38) and an erect use configuration (39), the demountable building (10) including a first preformed panel (11) having opposed side edge regions (13) and opposed end edge regions (12), a preformed side panel (20, 21) hingedly connected to each of the side edge regions (13) of the first preformed panel (11), and a second preformed panel (24) such that, in the collapsed transport configuration (38), the first, second and side panels (11, 24, 20, 21) all generally overly one another and in said erect configuration (39), said side panels (20, 21) are erected to an upright position with side edge regions (28, 27) of said second parsed (24) being releasably connected to free edge zones of said side panels (20, 21).

Description

DEMOUNTABLE TEMPORARY BUILDINGS

The present invention relates to improvements in demouπtabie temporary buildings. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is generally well known that demountable temporary buildings are often required to provide temporary shelter in many circumstances such as natural disasters ϊnciudiπg earthquakes, floods, fires and the like. They are also commonly required during man maάe disasters including conflicts, wars and the iike when temporary dwellings are required for displaced persons. There are many other situations where temporary buildings may be required including the provision of temporary medical and surgicai facilities. Currently, the most common temporary shelter employed is tents, however, tents, in many applications are less than satisfactory. The adequacy of shelter provided in particularly cold and wet climates is poor, and even medium term accommodation in tents can at ieast be uncomfortable if not more problematic. Further tents are a particularly poor option for providing medical or surgical functions given their inability to be cleaned or sterilized. A still further issue with tents is that they have to be continuously replaced in that they are seldom returned from a use site for subsequent use in Mure situations. Temporary buildings of a more sturdy nature than tents tend to be difficult to transport and time consuming to erect when erection time is often a critical factor. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the present invention is to provide an improved demountable building structure that will overcome or minimize the difficulties associated with tents or other known structures. A preferred objective is to provide an easily transportable demountable building structure that can be quickly erected at a desired site and where use of the erected building can occur very quickly once it is transported to the desired site. According to the present invention, a demountable building is provided reconfigurable between a coiiapsed transport configuration and an erect use configuration, said demountable building including a first preformed panel having opposed side edge regions and opposed end edge regions, a preformed side panel hingedly connected to each of said side edge regions of the first preformed pane!, and a second preformed pane! whereby, in the collapsed transport configuration said first, second and side panels a!! generally overly one another and in said erect use configuration, said side panels are erected to an upright position with side edge regions of said second panel being reloasably connected to free edge zones of said side panels, in one exemplary arrangement, a first hinge means with a first hinge axis connects a first one of said side panels to said first preformed pane! and a second hinge means with a second hinge axis connects a second one of said side panels to said first preformed panel, said first and said second hinge axes being parallel to one another and said first hinge axis being elevated above said second hinge axis with said first preformed pane! being disposed in a horlzonta! plane. Conveniently at least one of said side panels is restricted from hingediy moving substantially beyond said upright position from said collapsed transport position. Conveniently at least a portion of said one side panei engages a portion of said first preformed panei in said upright position to prevent said one side panel moving substantially beyond said upright position from said colSapsed transport position. Preferably at least one (and potentially ail) of said first, said second or said side panels are formed from moulded plastics material. In a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment, the pane! or the panels are made by rotation moulding plastics material to define at least one hollow zone within the panel or said panels. In such an embodiment inlet means and drainage means to enable a liquid to be introduced into or drained from each said hollow zone may be provided. Conveniently at least one of the side panels includes at least one window zone. Preferably the first preformed panei is a floor panel and said second preformed panel is a roof panei. Alternatively, the second preformed pane! may be a floor panei and the first preformed pane! may be a roof panel. Preferably the demountable building further includes first and second BΠO wali means reieasably connectible to opposed ends of the building in said erect use configuration. The demountable building may further include reSeasable fastening means cooperabie between said side edge regions of said second panel and the free edge regions of said side panels, said releasabie fastening means also enabling connection of said second pane! to said first panel in said collapsed transport configuration. Conveniently formations on said second pane! cooperate with formations on a sub assembly of said first pane! and said side panels to locate said second pane! against transverse movement relative to said sub assembly when in said collapsed transport configuration.

In one preferred arrangement, in said coϋapsed transport configuration, the demountable building defines a collapsed package size having a width approximating but less than an interna! width of a shipping container, in this manner, the coliapsed package size can substantially flli the width of such a shipping container to use economically substantially aii the space within the shipping container. Conveniently, multiple numbers of the demountable building in the collapsed transport configuration stacked on each other substantially fill the height of such a shipping container. in another preferred arrangement, in said coliapsed transport configuration, the demountable buϋding defines a collapsed package size having a width approximating but less than an internal height of a shipping container. In this manner, the coliapsed package size can substantially fill the height of such a shipping container to use economically substantially all the space within the shipping container. Conveniently, multiple numbers of the demountable building in the collapsed transport configuration positioned adjacent one another can substantially fill the width of such a shipping container.

In both the above possible arrangements, the length of coliapsed package size might be such as to substantially fill the interna! length of the shipping container. Alternatively the length of the coliapsed package size might be less than the interna! length of the shipping container, for example approximately a third or a half of the interna! length of the shipping container, in yet another alternative arrangement the length of the collapsed package size might approximate but be iess than the interna! width of the shipping container. In each of these possible arrangements the panels might be configured to ailow same to be reieasably joined to another such panel in the erect configuration to increase the length of the erected demountable building. The present invention also anticipates providing a shipping container substantially filled with collapsed said demountable buildings as described in the foregoing.

The invention will be better understood from the following description of preferred embodiments given in relation to the accompanying drawings forming part of the disclosure of this specification. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig 1 is a perspective, partly exploded view of a demountable building according to a preferred embodiment of this invention; Fig 2 is a sectioned perspective view of the demountable building shown in

Fig 1 in an erect use configuration;

Fig 3 shows a perspective view of a plurality of demountable buildings as shown in Fig 1 in a collapsed transport configuration disposed within a standard shipping container, Figs 3b, 3c and 3d are perspective views showing a demountable building as shown in Fig 1 in various stages of erection; and

Fig 4 is a perspective view showing various demountable buildings in a possible erected use position which aiso utilizes the shipping containers) in which the demountable buildings are transported. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to Fig 1 , a demountable building 10 is illustrated with a first preformed panel 11 that in this embodiment is a floor panel. The floor panel 11 opposed end edge regions 12 and opposed side edge regions 13 with each of the side edge regions having strut upright wall sections 14, 15 formed integrally with the floor panel 11. The upright wall sections 14, 15 are of uneven height and each define a generally horizontally disposed first and second hinge means 16, 17 which have paraϋel horizontal hinge axes of differing heights. The first hinge axis of the first hinge means 16 is elevated above the hinge axis of the second hinge means 17 for reasons discussed in the following. The floor panel 11 aiso defines downwardly depending flanges 18, 19 as a ground contact support when the building is in an erected use configuration (Figs 1 , 3d).

The demountable building 10 further includes a first side wall panel 20 connected by the first hinge means 16 to the short upright wall section 14 of the floor pane! 11. The building 10 aiso includes a second side wall pane! 21 connected by the second hinge means 17 to the other short upright wail section 15 of the floor pane! 11. As can readily be seen in Fig 1, the side wall pane! 21 includes a lower edge region 22 extending downwardly beyond ihϋ hinge axis defined by the hinge means 17 which engages the face 23 of the short upright wail section 15 and acts as a stop to prevent the side wall pane! 21 from hingedly moving about the hinge axis of the hinge means 17 substantially beyond the upright as illustrated in Fig 1. If desired, the first side wall panel 21 couid be simiiarly constructed. Alternative arrangements could also be employed to limit movement of one or both the side wall panels 20, 21 between the collapsed state and the upright use state illustrated in Fig 1.

The demountable building 10 further includes a second preformed panel 24 which in this preferred embodiment is a roof panel. The roof panel 24 is a separate panel member but is cooperable with the sub assembly 25 of the side panels 20, 21 and the floor panel 11 , in two different positions, the first being the collapsed transport configuration shown best in Fig 3a anό the second being ihQ erected use configuration shown In Figs 1 and 3d. in the second erected use configuration, the second preformed panel 24 has opposed side edge regions 26, 27, each with integrally formed formations 28 that ccoperably engage with complementary formations 29 on the free edge zones 30 of the side wall panels 20, 21. Reteasable fastener means 31 may be provided to ensure connection is maintained in the erect use configuration, or released therefrom when it is desired to coiiapse the structure to the transport configuration. While six such fastener means 31 are illustrated, a lesser or greater number could be employed. The location formations 28 on the roof panel 24 also cooperate with the flange formations 18, 19 in the collapsed transport configuration {Fig 3a) and the reieasabie fastener means 31 can be used to releasably connect the second

(roof) panel 24 to the sub assembly 25 in the collapsed transport configuration.

Conveniently each of the panels 11 , 20, 21 or 24 may be formed by rotationally moulding a suitabie plastics materia! to provide one or more internal hollow spaces 53, 54, 55 (FIg 2). Other plastics moulding techniques or other manufacturing techniques couid also be employed. The hollow spaces can be filled with insulating material, air or a liquid such as water with drainage outlets 32 being provided to drain such liquid from the InternaL spaces when the assembly is to be collapsed to the transport configuration. If desired, a lightweight foam or other forms of insulating materia! could be located within the panels. Stiffening indentations 33 may be provided connecting the opposed inner and outer walls of the panels so as to stiffen and strengthen the structure of the panels, Coloured discs 50 may be inserted into these indentations 33 to provide specific Identification symbols or camouflage patterns. The side paneis 20 or 21 may be provided with window openings 34 that can have window paneis 35 positioned therein. The end zones of the erected building may further include end walls 36 releasabfy secured therein with at least one of these end walls 36 defining an access door.

As can be seen in Fig 2, the side paneis 20, 21 may be connected to the floor pane! 11 via hinge pins 51, 52 to form the hinges 16. 17. The projecting formations 28 on the underside of the roof panel 24 extend longrtudinaiiy adjacent the edges of the roof panel 24 and are configured to fit within the groove formations 56, 57 extending longitudinally on the underneath side of the floor pane! 11 such that in the collapsed transport position (FIg 3a) the formations 28 cooperate with the groove formations 56, 57 to locate the floor panel in this storage / transport position. As represented as an example only in Fig 3. the demountable buildings 10 can be used with the shipping container 37 in which they are transported {Fig 3a) to create a larger building structure 40 when required. Alternatively, the enύ edgos of the side wall panels 20, 21 may be configured to allow two or more such demountable buildings to be interconnected in line to create a larger building structure. As can be seen in Fig 3a, the side panels 20, 21 overlay the floor pane! 11 and the hinge axes defined by hinges 16, 17 being at different heights allows the paneis 20, 21 to lay in this collapsed state closely adjacent one another. In this collapsed transport configuration, each demountable building 10 defines a transport package 38 conveniently having a width substantially equal to but siightfy less than the width of the internal storage zone within the shipping container 37. The iength of the cojlapsed transport package 38 may be substantially equal to but slightly less than the iength of the interna! storage zone within the shipping container 37. In this manner, multiple numbers (four In the illustration) of demountable buildings can substantially fill the compiete space within the shipping container 37. As an alternative, the width of transport package 38 might be made equal but slightly less than the height of the interna! storage zone within the shipping container 37 anό then the demountable buildings 10 in the transport package 38 configuration can be stored vertically disposed in the container 37,

It is of course aiso possible to have the length of the collapsed transport package 38 substantially less than the length of the interna! storage zone within the container 37 whereby multiple collapsed transport packages 38 can be positioned within the storage zone end to end. in yet another possible configuration the length of the collapsed transport package 38 might approximate but be iess than the width of the storage zone whereby multiple collapsed transport packages 38 can be packed crosswise in the container 37.

Figs 3b to 3d illustrate a demountable building 10 in stages of being erected from the collapsed transport position 38 to the erect use configuration 39 (FIg 3d).

Whlie the drawings illustrate a typically modular sized demountable building 10, it is possible to produce such a building in smaller sections, eg a third or half the length illustrated such that their end zones are inter connectable to make a longer building structure. Such arrangements can be employed with either a longer roof panel 24 such as the one illustrated in the drawings or with shorter roof panels that also connect with each other. The described demountable building 10 can be readily erected from the collapsed transport configuration by operators without the need for assistance from machinery. The building can be erected quickly and become effectively operational quickly. Moreover, because it has substantially solid surfaces, it can be cleaned and sterilized, where needed, for example when it might be used to dispense medical or surgical services, ft will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art that other modifications and variations to the disclosed structures can be made within the scope of the annexed claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A demountable building reconfigurabie between a collapsed transport configuration and an enect use configuration, said demountable building including a first preformed panel having opposed side edge regions and opposed enύ edge regions, a preformed side panel hingediy connected to each of said side edge regions of the first preformed panel, and a second preformed panel whereby, in the collapsed transport configuration said first, second and side panels all generally overly one another and in said erect use configuration, sak. side panels are erected to an upright position with side edge regions of said second panel being releasably connected to free edge zones of said side panels.

2. A demountabie building according to claim 1 wherein a first hinge means with a first hinge axis connects a first one of said side panels to said first preformed panel and a second hinge means with a second hinge axis connects a second one of said side panels to said first preformed panel, said first and said second hinge axes being parallel to one another and said first hinge axis being elevated above said second hinge axis with said first preformed panel being disposed in a horizontal piane.

3. A demountable building according to daim 2 wherein at least one said side panels is restricted from hlngediy moving substantially beyond said upright position from said collapsed transport position,

4. A demountable building according to claim 3 wherein at least a portion of said one side pane! engages a portion of said first preformed panel in said upright position to prevent said one side pane! moving substantially beyond said upright position from sasd collapsed transport position.

5. A demountable building according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein at least one of said first, said second or said side panels are formed from moulded plastics material.

6. A demountable building according to claim 5 wherein all said panels are formed from moulded plastics material.

7. A demountable building according to ciaim 6 wherein the pane! or the panels are made by rotation moulding plasties materia! to define at least one hollow zone within the panel or said panels.

8. A demountable building according to claim 7 further including inlet means and drainage means to enable a liquid to be introduced into or drained from each said hollow zone.

9. A demountable buiiding according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein at least one of said side panels includes at least one window zone.

10. A demountable building according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein said first preformed panel is a floor panei and said second preformed pane! is a roof panel.

11. A demountable building according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein said second preformed panel is a floor panel and said first preformed pane! is a roof panel.

12. A demountable building according to any one of claims 1 to 11 further including first and second end wall means releasably correctable to opposed ends of the building in said erect use configuration.

13. A demountable building according to any one of claims 1 to 12 further including reieasable fastening means cooperable between said side edge regions of said second panel and the free edge regions of said side panels, said reieasable fastening means also enabling connection of said second panei to said first panel in said collapsed transport configuration.

14. A demountable building according to any one of ciaims 1 to 12 wherein formations on said second panel cooperate with formations on a sub assembly of said first panel and said side panels to locate said second panel against transverse movement relative to said sub assembly when in said collapsed transport configuration.

15. A demountabie building according to any one of ciaims 1 to 14 wherein in said collapsed transport configuration, the demountable building defines a collapsed package size having a width approximating but iess than an internal width of a shipping container whereby a plurality of horizontally disposed said coiiapsed demountable buildings substantially fill said shipping container.

16. A demountabie building according to any one of claims 1 to 14 wherein in said coiiapsed transport configuration, the demountable building defines a collapsed package size having a width approximating but less than an internal height of a shipping container whereby a plurality of horizontally disposed said collapsed demountable buildings substantially fill said shipping container,

17. A demountable building according to claim 15 or claim 16 wherein the coiiapsed package size has a length approximating to but less than an interna! length of the shipping container.

18. A demountable building according to claim 15 or claim 16 wherein the collapsed package size has a iength substantially iess than an internal length of said shipping container.

19. A demountable building according to claim 15 or claim 16 wherein the coiiapsed package size has a length approximating to but less than an internal width of the shipping container.

20. A shipping container substantially filled with coiiapsed said demountable buildings according to anyone of claims 15 to 19.

21. A demountabie buliding substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.