WO1994012739A1

WO1994012739A1 - Dismountable and collapsible light construction housing

Info

Publication number: WO1994012739A1
Application number: PCT/FI1993/000491
Authority: WO
Inventors: Matti Mäkilä
Original assignee: Maekilae Matti
Priority date: 1992-11-20
Filing date: 1993-11-19
Publication date: 1994-06-09
Also published as: FI925277A0; FI925277A

Abstract

The invention relates to a mountable and dismountable light-structured dwelling which is assembled from elements detachably coupled to each other, said dwelling including a regularly polygonal base and a conical roof thereabove, comprising a number of essentially isosceles triangles equalling the number of angles in the regular polygon, the base (5) of said triangles coinciding with the outer edge of the polygon and the apexes (6) of said triangles being joined together. The roof is constructed of such elements that, in a mounted position, each element provides one outer fold (7) for the roof and two halves (8, 9) adjacent thereto for said isosceles triangles, said halves being hingedly coupled to each other at the outer fold (7), and that such resulting elements are detachably coupled to each other and/or to the base element with conventional binding means.

Description

DISMOUNTABLE AND COLLAPSIBLE LIGHT CONSTRUCTION HOUSING

The present invention relates to a mountable and dismountable light-structured dwelling which is assembled from elements detachably coupled to each other, said dwelling including a regularly polygonal base, possibly comprising a dirt floor or a flat-shaped base element, and a conical roof thereabove, comprising a number of essentially isosceles triangles equalling the number of angles in the regular polygon, the base of said triangles coinciding with the outer edge of the polygon and the apexes - or imaginary apexes - of said triangles being joined together.

An object of the invention is to provide a light-structured dwelling which is readily and rapidly mountable and dismountable without any tools. Another object of the invention is to provide a dwelling which can be readily expanded according to the growing need of space.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in such a manner that and a dwelling of the invention is characterized in that the roof is constructed of such elements that, in a mounted position, each element provides one outer fold for the roof and two halves adjacent thereto for said isosceles triangles, said halves being hingedly coupled to each other at the outer fold, and that such resulting elements are detachably coupled to each other and/or to the base element with conventional binding means .

By this basic solution it is possible to provide a simple elementary dwelling which is constructed in practice and according to the invention in such a manner that the components of the element are conventionally hinged to each other, that when the hinged components are folded against each other (storage position) the front surfaces adjacent to the hinge line are provided with a strip-like fillet flexible at least at the hinge line, and that on top of said fillet is laid another strip-like member which is fixed by its edges in a manner that, when the element is in its operative position, a duct is formed between the strip-like fillet and the strip-like member. The binding means are preferably constructed of links fastened to the elements and of adjustable strap loops connecting the links of adjoining elements.

The living space can be increased at the first stage according to the invention in such a fashion that said polygonal-shaped base element provides a floor, creating therebelow a space defined by vertical wall elements.

In the following, the living space is increased according to the invention in such a manner that the space defined in horizontal direction by vertical wall elements is extended by providing outside one or more of said vertical wall elements a space defined by said wall element and preferably three other wall elements as well as a roof element.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment for a dwelling of the invention in a plan view.

Fig. 2 shows the dwelling of fig. 1 in a side view.

Fig. 3a is a section along a line 3-3 in fig. 1.

Fig. 3b shows the element of fig. 3a in a folded condition.

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged detail in fig. 2. Fig. 5 shows a dwelling according to a second embodiment of the invention in a side view.

Fig. 6 is a section along a line 6-6 in fig. 5.

Fig. 7 shows a dwelling according to a third embodiment of the invention in a side view.

Fig. 8 is a section along a line 8-8 in fig. 7.

A mountable and dismountable light-structured dwelling of the invention is illustrated in a schematic plan view in fig. 1 and in a side view in fig. 2. This basically pyramidal dwelling is assembled from elements 1 coupled detachably to each other. The dwelling includes a base in the shape of a regular polygon, which is square-shaped in the illustrated embodiments and which can be provided by a dirt floor or a flat base element 2, and a conical roof set thereabove.

The roof comprises a number of essentially isosceles triangles equalling the number of angles in a regular polygon, the base 5 of said triangles coinciding with the outer edge of the polygon and the apexes ό-or imaginary apexes - of said triangles being joined together.

The roof comprises a number of elements 1 equalling the number of angles in a regular polygon. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1 the number of these elements is four. The elements 1 are designed in such a manner that each element in the installed condition provides one outer fold 7 for the roof and two halves 8, 9 adjacent to the outer fold for said isosceles triangles, said halves being hingedly coupled to each other at the outer fold 7. Elements 1 , the number of which is four in the embodiment of fig. 1, are detachably coupled to each other with per se known binding means 10, as best shown in figs. 2 and 4. The binding means 10 are preferably constructed of links 14 fastened to the elements 1 and adjustable strap loops 15 connecting the links of adjoining elements. The links 14 are preferably pivotably mounted on elements 1 for a better protection during transportation.

The embodiment shown in figs. 1 and 2 requires five such strap loops 15. Four such strap loops 15 are required for coupling together the bottom edges of adjoining elements 1 , as best shown in fig. 4, and one strap loop is required for joining the top ends of roof elements 1 to each other (not shown).

As best shown in figs. 3 and 1, the components 8, 9 of an element 1 are conventionally hinged to each other by using one or a plurality of conventional hinges 21. When the hinged components 8, 9 are folded against each other (in a storage position), fig. 3b, a strip-like fillet 11 flexible at the hinge line is laid on front surfaces 8¹, 9' adjacent to the hinge line. On top of the fillet 11 is laid another strip-like member 12, which is fixed by both of its edges 12' to the outer surfaces of components 8, 9 'in a manner that, when the element 1 is in its operative position, a duct 13 is formed between the strip-like fillet 11 and the strip-like member 12. The duct 13 creates a thermally insulating air tunnel that can be used later, if necessary. The strip-like fillet 11 defining said duct 13 and the strip-like member 12 can be made of PVC-fabric, for example. Said pyramidal structure may as such provide a self-sufficient dwelling but, with the growing need for space, it can be expanded in such a manner that the base element 2 serves as a floor with a space defined therebelow by vertical wall elements 16, figs. 5 and 6. In figs. 5 and 6, the wall elements 16 are provided by four actual wall elements and three window elements 19 located in the corners between the wall elements and one door element 20. The elements can be bound to each other by means of the above-described links 14 and adjustable strap loops 15 or by some other suitable prior known means.

As the need for space grows further in horizontal direction, the space defined by vertical wall elements 16 can be extended by providing outside one or more of said vertical wall elements a space defined by said wall element and preferably three other wall elements 17 as well as a roof element 18. Thus, the wall element 16 is cut out for a doorway which is fitted with a door, if necessary. Also these components are coupled to each other by means of said links 14 and strap loops 15. Hence, the entire dwelling is quickly dismountable and transportable to another location where it can be re-assembled without any tools.

Claims

1. A mountable and dismountable light-structured dwelling which is assembled from elements detachably coupled to each other, said dwelling including a regularly polygonal base, possibly comprising a dirt floor or a flat-shaped base element (2), and a conical roof thereabove, comprising a number of essentially isosceles triangles equalling the number of angles in the regular polygon, the base (5) of said triangles coinciding with the outer edge of the polygon and the apexes (6) - or imaginary apexes - of said triangles being joined together, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the roof is constructed of such elements (1) that, in a mounted position, each element provides one outer fold (7) for the roof and two halves (8, 9) adjacent thereto for said isosceles triangles, said halves being hingedly coupled to each other at the outer fold (7), and that such resulting elements (1) are detachably coupled to each other and/or to the base element (2) with conventional binding means (10).

2. A dwelling as set forth in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i ¬ z e d in that that the components (8, 9) of the element (1) are conventionally hinged to each other, that when the hinged components (8, 9) are folded against each other (storage position) the front surfaces (8', 9') adjacent to the hinge line are provided with a strip-like fillet (11) flexible at least at the hinge line, and that on top of said fillet (11) is laid another strip-like member (12) which is fixed by its edges in a manner that, when the element (1) is in its operative position, a duct (13) is formed between the strip-like fillet (11) and the strip-like member (12).

3. A dwelling as set forth in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the binding means (10) are preferably constructed of links (14) fastened to the elements (1) and of adjustable strap loops (15) connecting the links of adjoining elements.

4. A dwelling as set forth in any of claims 1-3, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that that said polygonal-shaped base element (2) provides a floor, creating therebelow a space defined by vertical wall elements (16).

5. A dwelling as set forth in any of claims 1-4, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the space defined in horizontal direction by the vertical wall elements (16) is extended by providing outside one or more of said vertical wall elements a space defined by said wall element (17) and preferably three other wall elements (17) as well as a roof element (18).

6. A dwelling as set forth in any of claims 1-5, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that said polygon is preferably a square.