EP1716298B1

EP1716298B1 - A self-contained cabin

Info

Publication number: EP1716298B1
Application number: EP05708261A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lorne Entwistle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-02-11
Filing date: 2005-02-09
Publication date: 2008-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 2025-02-09
Also published as: DE602005006241T2; GB0402924D0; WO2005078212A1; DE602005006241D1; EP1716298A1; ATE393276T1; ES2309716T3

Abstract

A self-contained cabin (1; 21) comprises an electricity producing means (10; 22,23) using a natural energy source such as solar or wind power. At least one battery (11) is connected to the electricity producing means (10; 22,23) for storing electrical power generated thereby in order to supplying electrical power on demand to devices ( 7,13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) within the cabin (1; 21). A burner (14) is also provided for heating air for use within the cabin (1) via a heat exchanger arrangement (16). A control means (13) is powered by the battery or batteries (11) and adapted to control operation of the burner (14) and the heat exchanger arrangement (16) and, at any given time, to control recharging of any of the batteries (11) by the electricity producing means (10; 22,23).

Description

The present invention relates to a self-contained cabin.
During major construction works, it is usual for cabins to be located on site to house temporary offices, lavatories and rest rooms for the construction workers. Typically, such cabins are readily portable and powered using diesel generators which are housed within the cabin itself. Such generators, however, tend to be noisy, pollute the environment with environmentally polluting exhaust fumes and require a fuel tank that requires a considerable quantity of fuel for the diesel engine that must be frequently topped up.
US 5,107,637 describes a cabin having solar-powered illumination and storage batteries for accumulating and storing electrical power during daylight hours to provide illumination inside the cabin. However, no means for self-heating the cabin is provided.
The object of the present invention is to provide a cabin which overcomes or substantially mitigates the aforementioned disadvantages.
According to the present invention there is provided a self-contained cabin comprising an electricity producing means using a natural energy source; at least one battery connected to the electricity producing means for storing electrical power generated by the electricity producing means in order to supply electrical power on demand to devices within the cabin; and a control means powered by the battery or batteries and adapted, at any given time, to control recharging of any of the batteries by the electricity producing means; characterised in that a burner is provided for heating air via a heat exchanger arrangement for use within the cabin; and the control means also control operation of the burner and the heat exchanger arrangement.
Preferably, a solar electricity producing means is provided comprising at least one solar panel made up of a plurality of photovoltaic cells. Alternatively, a wind electricity producing means is provided comprising at least one wind turbine connected to a dynamo.
Hence, in the present invention, the cabin is supplied with electrical energy via a natural energy source and with heat energy via the burner. This is a highly efficient way of powering the cabin which contrasts favourably with conventional cabins of this type which use a diesel or petrol generator as a source of electricity which is used to power to electric elements to supply any heating required.
Preferably also, the solar panel or the wind turbine is located on the roof or sides of the cabin.
Preferably also, at least two batteries are provided and the control means determines which of the batteries will operate to power the control means and the devices and which, if any, is to be recharged.
Preferably also, the batteries are housed within an insulated compartment. This is in order to maintain their operating temperature close to the temperature at which they operate most efficiently.
Preferably also, the insulated compartment housing the batteries is supplied with heated air.
Preferably also, the control unit controls operation of the heat exchanger arrangement and the firing up of the burner when required as determined by one or more thermostats.
Preferably also, the interior of the cabin is provided with a thermostat linked to the control unit to control a supply of heated air into the cabin from the heat exchanger arrangement to heat the interior of the cabin.
Preferably also, the burner comprises a gas burner.
Preferably also, a sensor is provided for detecting entry of a user into the cabin. Advantageously, the sensor is linked to the control unit that, after detection of the entry of the use into the cabin, activates the devices into a stand-by mode ready for use.
Preferably also, the sensor automatically activates an electric light within the cabin when a user thereof enters and deactivates the light when the cabin is vacated.
The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of the interior of a solar-powered portable cabin equipped for use as a lavatory when viewed from the front;
Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of the interior of the cabin shown in Fig. 1 when viewed from the rear;
Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of the interior of the cabin shown in Figs. 1 and 2 when viewed from the side in the direction of arrow III shown in Fig. 1; and
Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of the interior of a wind-powered portable cabin when viewed from the rear.

The embodiments of self-contained cabin described below are intended to be used as portable cabins for use on building sites and the like where lavatory facilities are not otherwise available. The cabin may be free standing, as shown in the drawings, for transport via a flat-bed vehicle or adapted as a trailer and provided with its own wheels. It will be appreciated, however, that a cabin in accordance with the invention could be equipped as required, for example with additional bathing facilities such as a shower, or as an office, kitchen, living accommodation or otherwise, and may be made readily portable by being of a suitable size to be transported, via a truck or other vehicle, or designed to be permanently located, for example in the case of a lavatory cabin it could be readily adapted to be plumbed to a mains water supply and drains or sewer. Such arrangements will leave its electricity supply unaffected and self-contained in accordance with the invention.
In a first embodiment, a self-contained cabin in accordance with the invention is solar-powered. The solar-powered cabin 1 shown in Figs. 1 to 3 comprises a main user compartment 2, which may split into several rooms, and a control compartment 3, in which is located apparatus for use in the operation of the cabin for the purpose for which it has been designed and which is accessible from the interior or exterior of one side of the cabin. In the present case, the cabin 1 is equipped as a lavatory and the main compartment is heated by warmed air and provided with a flushing lavatory 4, a urinal 5 that may be flushing, a wash basin 6 with hot and cold water taps, and a hot-air dryer 7. The cabin 1 is intended to be a portable cabin so that it is also provided with a fresh water tank 8 and a waste water and sewer tank 9, both of which are located beneath the floor of the main compartment 2. Electrical power for use in the operation of the cabin 1 is generated by a solar panel or panels 10, which each comprise a plurality of photovoltaic cells in a conventional manner. The panels 10 may be located on the sides or the roof of the cabin 1 but are preferably located on a flat roof of the cabin 1 This location is not only the most efficient for capturing all available sunlight, as the roof of the cabin 1 is unlikely to be obscured by plant, vehicles or other constructions on a building site, but also means that the panels 10 are kept where they cannot be easily interfered with or damaged. Also, assuming that the cabin 1 is a typical rectangular, parallelepipedal box shape, the whole of the roof-area of the cabin 1 is available to accommodate the panels 10.
Within the control compartment 3 are located at least one battery 11. In most cabins it is expected that there will be two batteries which are housed within an insulated compartment 12 and which are linked to and can store the electrical energy generated by the panels 10. Assuming that the two batteries are conventional 'leisure' batteries, each producing 12V, it has been found that four conventional solar panels 10 located on the roof of the cabin are sufficient to charge one of the batteries by approximately one day's sunlight. Each fully charged battery 11 will supply power for approximately five days of normal usage of a cabin 1 equipped as described above.
The batteries 11 power a control unit 13 which is located within the control compartment 3 and which controls the operation of all of electrical devices contained within the cabin 1 by controlling operation of the batteries 11. The unit 13 is adapted to determine and to control, at any given time, which of the batteries 11 will operate to power the control unit and the electrical devices and which, if any, is to be recharged by the solar panels 10. In this regard, appropriate switching means (not shown) is provided to accomplish a smooth transition between the batteries 11.
Also contained within the control compartment 3 is a flame burner 14 powered by a fuel such as bottled gas or oil which is stored in a tank 15 located at the bottom of the control compartment 3. The burner 14 can be selected so that its efficiency is such that the tank 15 rarely needs topping up and so that no environmentally damaging fumes are emitted. It will be appreciated, however, that any suitable fuel could be used.
The burner 14 forms part of a heat exchanger arrangement 16 whereby the burner 14 is used to heat air via the heat exchanger 16 for use within the cabin 1. The heat exchanger arrangement 16 therefore includes pump/fan means for providing warmed air to various applications within the cabin 1 as determined by one or more thermostats. In particular, there are four main uses for the heated air. First, it is used to heat the interior of the main compartment 2 when required. To this end, the compartment 2 is provided with a thermostat 17 linked to the control unit 13, which is also used to control operation of the heat exchanger arrangement 16 and the firing up of the burner 14. Second, the heated air is supplied, when required to the hot-air dryer 7, which contains its own fan (not shown) for delivery of the air to the user. Third, the heated air is used to heat a supply of hot water, which is stored in a hot water tank 18 that is kept topped up from the fresh water tank 8. The heated air is ducted through a jacket (not shown) that surrounds the tank 18. The heated water is used to supply the hot water tap of the wash basin 6 and it and fresh water are supplied to the flushing systems for the lavatory 4 and the urinal 5 and to the water taps of the basin 6 by water pumps 18 powered by the batteries 11 under control of the control unit 13. Finally, the heated air is supplied to the interior of the insulated compartment 12 containing the batteries 11 in order to keep them at a temperature wherein they operate with maximum efficiency. This is particularly important during cold weather.
In order to ensure activation of the various electrical devices within the cabin 1, such as the water pumps 18, dryer 7 and the like, an infra-red sensor 19 is located within the compartment 2 to detect when anyone enters. The sensor 19 is linked to the control unit 13, which then activates the electrical devices such as the water pumps 18, dryer 7 into a stand-by mode ready for use. The sensor 19 can also be used to activate automatically an electric light 20 within the compartment 2 and to deactivate it when the compartment 2 becomes vacant.
It will be appreciated, that the cabin 1 could be provided with other electrically-powered devices that can be powered by the batteries 11, as appropriate for the cabin's use.
In a second embodiment of cabin 21, as shown in Fig. 4, the electricity producing means comprises at least one wind turbine 22 connected to a dynamo 23. As with the solar panels 10, the turbines can be located on the roof or sides of the cabin but the best location is on the roof of the cabin 21. The dynamo is electrically connected to the batteries 11 and to the control means 13. In all other respects the cabin 21 is the same as the cabin 1 described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3.
Hence, the present invention provides a self-contained cabin that overcomes the problems associated with conventional cabins of this type by being virtual silent, producing little or no fumes, and requiring little attention other than the topping up and emptying of the tanks 8 and 9, the fuel tank 15 requiring much less frequent attention. In particular, in this regard, the cabin 1 or 21 requires no diesel or petrol fuel. Although it is expected that in most cases the natural energy sources will either be solar power or wind power, it would be possible to adapt the cabin to make use of water power if it were to be located close to a source of running water.

Claims

A self-contained cabin (1; 21) comprising
an electricity producing means (10; 22, 23) using a natural energy source;
at least one battery (11) connected to the electricity producing means (10; 22, 23) for storing electrical power generated by the electricity producing means (10; 22, 23) in order to supply electrical power on demand to devices (7, 14, 16 - 20) within the cabin (1; 21); and
a control means (13) powered by the battery or batteries (11) and adapted, at any given time, to control recharging of any of the batteries (11) by the electricity producing means (10; 22, 23);
characterised in that
a burner (14) is provided for heating air via a heat exchanger arrangement (16) for use within the cabin (10; 22, 23); and
the control means (13) also controls operation of the burner (14) and the heat exchanger arrangement (16).
A cabin as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the electricity producing means comprises at least one solar panel (10) made up of a plurality of photovoltaic cells.
A cabin as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the solar panel or panels (10) are located on the roof or sides of the cabin (1).
A cabin as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the electricity producing means comprises at least one wind turbine (22) connected to a dynamo (23).
A cabin as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the wind turbine or turbines (22) are located on the roof or sides of the cabin (21).
A cabin as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein at least two batteries (11) are provided and the control means (13) determines which of the batteries will operate to power the control means and the devices and which, if any, is to be recharged.
A cabin as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the battery or batteries (11) are housed within an insulated compartment (2).
A cabin as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the insulated compartment (2) housing the batteries (11) is supplied with heated air.
A cabin as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the control means (13) controls operation of the heat exchanger arrangement (16) and the firing up of the burner (14) when required as determined by one or more thermostats (17).
A cabin as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the interior of the cabin is provided with a thermostat (17) linked to the control means (13) to control a supply of heated air into the cabin from the heat exchanger arrangement (16) to heat the interior of the cabin.
A cabin as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 10, wherein the burner (14) comprises a gas burner.
A cabin as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 11, wherein a sensor (19) is provided for detecting entry of a user into the cabin.
A cabin as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the sensor (19) is linked to the control means (13) that, after detection of the entry of the user into the cabin, activates the devices (7, 18, 20) into a stand-by mode ready for use.
A cabin as claimed in Claim 12 or Claim 13, wherein the sensor (19) automatically activates an electric light (20) within the cabin when a user enters the cabin and deactivates the light (20) when the cabin is vacated.