AU2014101068A4 - A modular building system whereby pre-built panels are assembled into transportable container for delivery, upon which hinge and other attachment mechanisms enable the container to quickly become a ready-made load-bearing floor, configurable in a range of patterns, that can be positioned directly on piers without requiring bearers. When assembled for transport, the module can be packed with other building panels, materials, fixtures and fittings that are required on site. - Google Patents

Abstract

Modular building panels as shipping envelope A modular system whereby pre-built panels are assembled into transportable container for delivery, upon which hinge and other attachment mechanisms enable the container to quickly become a ready-made load-bearing floor, configurable in a range of patterns, that can be positioned and secured directly on piers without requiring bearers. When assembled for transport, the module can be packed with other building panels, materials, fixtures and fittings that are required on site. I. of 6 Figure 1 CRANE CABLE DECK LE2ELS.

Description

1 TITLE: Modular flooring or wall panels as shipping envelope FIELD: Construction BACKGROUND (0001)The prior art is replete with modular building methods and construction techniques, each of which offer some conveniences. (0002)Modular wall and roofing panels of standard sizes are known with a range of approaches to connection and the running of services. (0003)These need to be transported to the desired site, which is often though not necessarily in a remote location. Standard shipping containers or other transport packaging needs to be collected or disposed of on-site after delivery, adding cost and additional management. (0004)Another approach uses pre-built units with floor, walls and roof, either completely closed in or open-ended on one or more sides, that are of standard transportable size and can be connected together on-site. These promise faster assembly than purely panel-based systems, but are limited in the floor space they can deliver in a single shipment, often entail the shipping of a lot of empty space, and require piers and bearers to be installed for assemblages comprising more than one unit horizontally. (0005)lt is with this background that the present invention has been developed. SUMMARY OF INVENTION (0006)According to the present invention there is provided an assemblage of modular flooring or wall panels for shipping and construction of a building, said assemblage comprising: (0007)Structurally framed panels of bearers and joists with flooring or wall substrate attached that are assembled into a box for shipping via a range of mechanisms that 2 allow for rapid on-site installation and flexible floor plans, with the inner volume of the assemblage being used for transporting other required modular wall and roof panels or other materials, fixtures and fittings; (0008)wherein the assembled modular unit is suitable for handling as a shipping container for transport. (0009)The advantageous effects of the invention are: the re-use of the shipping envelope as a building component to create an instant large floor area that can be located on piers and locked into place in a short timeframe; the flexibility of the resulting floor plan, and the ability to densely pack the inside of the transportable module with further building materials. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS (0010)ln order to provide a better understanding of the present invention, preferred embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings describing a 6mx2.4mx2.4m unit, specified to support 500kg per square meter internal load in shipping mode, and provide a self supporting floor that can support standard domestic residential building load when deployed and decomplexed on piers. It should be understood, however, that such description is given by way of example only and that the invention the subject of the present Application is under no circumstances to be considered to be restricted to such a preferred embodiment or context of usage. (0011)Figure 1 is an elevation showing the transportable unit as it would first be delivered on site positioned on piers. Positioning of the crane support points would vary depending on load, but by way of example should be 1200mm in from each end if the additional load inside the container were evenly distributed for the maximum total loaded container weight of 9.8t. (0012)Figures 2 and 3 are floor plans showing the complexed and decomplexed state of the unit. Panels 3 and 4, and Panels 9 and 10, here comprise each long side of the assembled unit. They and the end panels 6 and 7 are unfolded using the 3 hinging mechanism and process detailed in Figure 5. Panels 8 and 11, which make up the top of the transportable unit are unbolted and lifted separately into the corner positions, while Panels 2 and 5 could be secured inside the container, or bolted on top of Panels 8 and 11 in the assembled configuration for transport, and then unbolted and lifted separately into position to complete the floor at each end. (0013) Figure 4 details the floor structure and panel make-up for this embodiment. It shows the bearers (B1), which are 125mm x 65mm x 4mm hot-dipped galvanized steel channel, mitred and welded at the corners. Internal floor joists (J1) are 120mm x 169mm x .9mm light steel sections fixed at 450mm centres on all panels except for the joists (J2) in Panel 1, which would use 120mm x 169mm x 1 mm light steel sections fixed at 300mm centres. The ends of the joists are cut to fit inside the channel. The bottom of the joist sits on the lower flange, and the top of the joist is cut to enable it to sit flush with the top flange, and welded top and bottom. (0014) Also highlighted in Figure 4 are the positions of the four types of securing plate configurations for positioning of the floor on piers, for which greater detail is provided in Figure 6. (0015) Figure 5 shows an example of how a hinge mechanism that helps secure the panels in shipping configuration can also assist with the unfolding of the container by the securing of a lifting support point in a predrilled hole on the inside of the unpacked container. The panel is lowered, the opposite edge from the hinge supported on an outside pre-positioned pier as the hinge is removed and final lifting into position assisted by crane or winched strapping. Depending on desired configuration and on-site resources, the side and end panels could also be securely bolted and lifted away from the placed container floor entirely by crane without the hinge mechanism. (0016) Figure 6 shows the configuration of plates required to secure the floor panels to each other and the pre-positioned piers while stiffening each junction. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 4 (0017)ln an embodiment, the panels are manufactured from steel channel galvanised to meet site requirements - with flooring such as marine grade timber sheeting or compressed fibre cement sheeting attached via mechanical and or chemical means - to engineering specifications that allow the installed floor frames to be attached directly to pre-positioned piers without requiring bearers. (0018)ln an embodiment a required number of panels are assembled to take the form of a shipping container. (0019)ln an embodiment the transportable unit is of a total width between 2.4m and 4.2m. In a preferred embodiment each unit is 2,4m, the width of a standard shipping container. (0020)ln an embodiment the transportable unit is of a length between 2.4m and 18m. In a preferred embodiment it is either of the two standard shipping container lengths, 6m or 12m. (0021)ln an embodiment the panels are attached via hinging mechanisms described further in the specifications and drawings to allow for rapid location and unfolding onto pre-positioned piers. (0022)ln an embodiment the central six piers have locators for receiving the corners and mid-longitudinal points of the transportable unit's bottom panel. (0023)ln an embodiment the joins of the panels, and the outside edge of panels that make up the perimeter of a deployed floor configuration, are secured by plates that fix to the pre-positioned piers with the plate's shape being either rectangular or L shaped and with single holes at each end to support the outside edge of a single panel in the floor plan, or a wider plate with double holes at each end for securing adjoining plates to each other and the receiving pier, and the plate in either case also incorporating a vertical stiffening element. (0024)ln an embodiment the bottom frame has fork pockets for receiving tines of a forklift, in the same manner as a normal shipping container.

5 (0025)ln an embodiment, one or more of the panels can be only bolted instead of hinged and bolted to allow for separation and re-use of the panel within or separate to the building for which this modular flooring has been used. Pre-drilled holes will allow for re-bolting in the desired configuration. (0026)ln an embodiment, individual sides, ends and top of the assembled container comprise any number of separate panels that are bolted together for shipping, but can be deployed on hinges or removed separately to allow for different shaped floor plans. (0027)ln an embodiment one or more of the attached panels comprises steel or wood frame clad with both an internal and external sheeting, to be used as one of the finished structure's walls, with the remaining walls and roof shipped within this transportable unit or separately. (0028)ln an embodiment each individual panel has attachments, or holes for securing attachments, for lowering via one of the hinge mechanisms or separate lifting via crane, or lowering via winched strapping. (0029)ln the preferred embodiment dimensions, a 6mx2.4mx2.4m unit would provide 31.2 cubic metres of internal volume for shipping and unfold or reassemble to provide 77 square metres of instant flooring. A 12mx2.4mx2.4m unit would provide 62.4 cubic metres of volume during transport and 121 square metres of floor area upon installation. (0030)ln the preferred embodiment dimensions of 6mx2.4mx2.4m bearers comprising the outside of each panel frame would be bolted together along all edges of the assembled unit and mid-length vertical joints with M1 2 8.8s bolts at 800mm centres. (0031)ln an embodiment, units engineered to emulate sea-going containers may vary slightly in overall dimensions and include additional fittings required for lifting and locking provisions.

6 (0032)ln this specification the terms "comprising" or "comprises" are used inclusively and not exclusively or exhaustively. (0033)Those skilled in the art will recognise that many adaptations may be made to the embodiments which have been described and shown in the drawings. It is to be appreciated that all such adaptations are to be considered as being within the scope of the invention. (0034)Throughout the specification and claims, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Claims (5)

1. An assemblage of modular flooring or wall panels for shipping and construction of a building wherein the assembled unit can be handled as a shipping container and used to transport required construction materials or other goods and once delivered to the destination be deployed on pre-positioned piers, unpacked, and the shipping envelope used as load-supporting flooring or walls for the desired building.

2. An assemblage of modular flooring or wall panels in accordance with claim 1 wherein the panels are framed of bearers and a plurality of intermediate joists with sheeting such as marine grade timber or compressed fibre cement attached via mechanical and or chemical means to building-specific and site-specific engineering specifications that allow the installed floor frames to be attached directly to pre-positioned piers without requiring additional bearers.

3. An assemblage of modular flooring or wall panels in accordance with claim 1 wherein the assembled unit incorporates fork pockets for receiving tines of a forklift, in the same manner as a normal shipping container, and also incorporates appropriately placed holes to which crane or winch lifting points can be attached for both lifting the assembled unit, and material transported within it, into place on pre positioned piers.

4. An assemblage of modular flooring or wall panels in accordance with claim 1 with individual panels incorporating appropriately placed holes to which crane or winch lifting points can be attached for lifting and deploying the individual panels into their final configuration with the assistance of a hinge mechanism for alignment, or complete removal and placement into position.

5. A series of securing and stiffening plates that attach to the pre positioned piers referenced in claims 1, 2 and 3 to receive the panels, with the plate's shape being either rectangular or L-shaped and with single holes at each end to support the outside edge of a single panel in the floor plan, or a wider plate with double holes at each end for securing adjoining plates to each other and the receiving pier, and the plate in either case also incorporating a vertical stiffening element.