WO2014098599A1

WO2014098599A1 - A self supporting box-like building unit

Info

Publication number: WO2014098599A1
Application number: PCT/NL2013/050933
Authority: WO
Inventors: Theodorus Cornelis BOUWMAN; Jurrian KNIJTIJZER
Original assignee: Bureau Knijtijzer; Igreen
Priority date: 2012-12-21
Filing date: 2013-12-20
Publication date: 2014-06-26
Also published as: NL2010035C2

Abstract

The invention is directed to a self supporting box-like building unit (1) comprising a substantially solid wooden rectangular floor (2) and a substantially solid wooden rectangular roof (3), wherein floor and roof have two shorter sides (4) and two longer sides (5). The rectangular roof is supported by two substantially solid wooden rectangular walls (6) which walls are at one end (7) fixed to the longer side (5) of the floor (2) and at its other end (8) fixed to the longer side (5) of the roof (3).

Description

A SELF SUPPORTING BOX-LIKE BUILDING UNIT

The invention is directed to a building unit.

US2004/0040223 describes a building unit made of segments. The segments are open-ended box structures made of a composite material. End walls will then be added to the open ends of the building unit. The segments are combined to larger box like structures to form a building module. The building modules may be combined to form buildings.

GB2429217 describes a modular shell housing system provides with a multitude of wooden frames which connect a floor with a roof. The wooden frames may be clad internally and externally by sheet materials. This results in a hollow wall.

WO2010/086533, US201 1 /0239548 and GB1316788 are also examples of wooden modular housing systems provided with hollow walls and/or floors.

A disadvantage of these building modules is that special measures need to be taken to achieve a sufficient thermal isolation at the location where the end walls are placed in the building unit. If for example the end walls of some building units require a different position, for example to obtain a loggia, the required thermal isolation will then require to be present in the building modules at such a different position.

US3992829 describes a building module wherein isolation is provided between two sheets of wood for the walls, floor and roof of the module. Although the problem of isolation is addressed by this module a structure is obtained which, because of the relatively thin wooden walls, is vulnerable for fire especially when internal electric plugs or cabling and the like are placed at the same position in both walls. Also problems with sound leaking are present. And still the position of the end walls is not free to choose because construction measurements are necessary.

The object of the present invention is to provide a building unit which does not have the above disadvantages.

This is achieved with the following building unit.

A self supporting box-like building unit comprising a substantially solid wooden rectangular floor and a substantially solid wooden rectangular roof, wherein floor and roof have two shorter sides and two longer sides, wherein the rectangular roof is supported by two substantially solid wooden rectangular walls which walls are at one end fixed to the longer side of the floor and at its other end fixed to the longer side of the roof and wherein by a substantially wooden wall, roof and floor a structure is meant having more than 80% of its volume composed of wood.

Applicants found that no special thermal isolation measurements to prevent thermal bridges in walls, floor and roof are required when end walls are placed anywhere along the length of the building unit according to the invention. This enables one to use the same building units while having the design freedom to place the end wall anywhere within the building unit. Thus one may create a loggia in one unit while having a terminal placed end wall in another unit and still start from the same building unit. The use of such building units also enables one to easily move the end wall to another position without having to adapt the thermal barriers in floor, walls and roof. Furthermore it is possible to easily make additional openings once the building is built for extra cables and/or plumbing or in order to connect neighbouring units without affecting the structural integrity of the building. The wooden material of the units enables easy recycling of the units after use. This because the walls, roof and/or floor elements do not need to contain exotic materials such as for example glass fibre isolation material. Applicants further found that the units have a long life and may be easily used in a new building after initial use. The building units may be easily transported with lower risk of damage as compared to some prior art units. Another advantage is that the building units have a high fire resistance and a high noise isolation. Applicants found that because of the use of solid wooden walls, floor and roof the fire penetration of these parts is substantially less than when the relatively thin wooden panels of the prior art wooden modules are used. Finally the wooden walls provide a firm interior wall.

The building unit is self supporting. The supporting structure of the unit is provided by the wooden walls, floor and roof itself. Thus the unit does not comprise support frames as for example described in EP513949. The wooden walls, floor and roof are defined in that they are substantially closed. By substantially closed is meant that the area of any openings, for example for receiving cables, plumbing, windows or doors, is less than 30%, preferably less than 20% of the total area of one wall, a floor or a roof of the building unit. This closed wooden structure is found to provide the required strength to obtain the self supporting structure according to the invention. The strength should preferably be such that at least 2 other and more preferably at least 6 of such units can be safely stacked onto the unit. The wooden walls, wooden floor and wooden roof are preferably composed of a substantially solid wood structure. By substantially solid wood structure is meant than more than 80%, preferably more than 90% of its volume is composed of wood. The volume of the walls, floor and roof in the afore definition is excluding any openings in said walls, floor and roof. The wood may be natural wood as obtained from trees or bound wood composite material. Preferably the wood is the direct product of trees, wherein the layers of wood are obtained by sawing and the like of the tree source. Preferably the solid wood structure comprises at least two layers of wood, more preferably at least three layers of wood and up to 40 layers of wood and suitably up to 10 layers of wood. The orientation of the wood nerves of one layer of wood is suitably different from the orientation of the nerves of a next layer of wood. The layers of wood are fixed to each other. The layers of wood may be fixed to each other by means of adhesives, such as for example multiplex, or by means of a mechanical connection, such as for example by means of dowels, pins, bolts, preferably wooden pins or wooden bolts. The use of a mechanical connection over a connection using an adhesive is that no volatile compounds of the adhesive will evaporate from the wall, roof and/or floor into the interior space of the building unit. This results in that less protective measures have to be taken to isolate these walls from the interior, making it for example possible to use the interior wooden surface of the building unit as part of the interior of the living environment. The thickness of the wooden walls, wooden floor and wooden roof is suitably at least 8 cm and more suitably at least 10 cm. The maximum thickness is suitably 50 cm.

The walls may be connected to the roof and floor by any means, for example by pins, screws, bolts, wooden pins or wooden bolts.

The walls, roof and floor of the building unit suitably is provided with openings for receiving cables and/or plumbing. Suitably the openings are positioned such that, when the building units are stacked, the openings for cables and/or plumbing in the floor of a first building unit are aligned with the respective openings in the roof of a second building unit placed below the first building unit.

The walls of the building unit may be provided with windows and/or doors.

Preferably one open end of the wooden structure is closed with a wall comprising a window and wherein the opposite open end is closed by means of a wall comprising a door. The end walls comprising doors and/or windows may be flush with the open ends of the building unit or may be positioned within the building structure, for example to provide a loggia or a special entrance.

The roof of the building unit is suitably provided with one or more attachment means for coupling the unit with a lifting means and wherein the attachment means are provided in a recess in the exterior surface of the roof. In this manner the building units can be easily placed and stacked.

The invention is also directed to a building comprising one or more stacks of two or more building units according to the invention. A preferred building has, suitably matching, roof elements provided on top of the stacks. Suitably the roof and floor of a building unit are provided with openings for receiving cables and/or plumbing such that the openings in the roof of one unit align with openings in the floor of the unit stacked on top of said unit. Furthermore wall and/or facade elements are provided to the walls of the units which do not face a wall of another unit. The roof elements and/or wall elements provide isolation and protection against rain and weather. The roof element may be provided with a rain discharge conduit which is fluidly connected to a vertical conduit present in the unit just below the roof element. These roof and facade elements are easy to remove and adapt and may be modular as the building unit according to the invention..

The building will be positioned on a suitable base. Such a base will ensure that the building will firmly be positioned on the ground surface. Such a base may be concrete, flatted rock surface or a steel or wooden structure. When building a temporarily building it may be preferred to also build a temporarily base. Such a base may comprise of pre-fabricated concrete, steel or wooden structures, preferably comprising passageways for electrical or data cabling and/or plumbing. Suitably the openings in the floor of the unit at the bottom of the stack as positioned upon such a base correspond with openings in the concrete and/or wooden base. Such a base may comprises of detachable elements, the elements comprising channels for cables and plumbing.

The walls of units of two adjacent stacks may be spaced away from each other.

The invention is also directed to a building, wherein the building comprises at least three stacks of units placed adjacent such that the walls of the units run parallel, wherein at one side of the building the units are provided with a door and wherein at the other side of the building the units are provided with a window and wherein at the side of the doors the building is provided with one or more horizontal walkways connecting the doors present at one level to stairs or other means to vertically move. The walkways are, as the building units, preferably pre-fabricated. Preferably the walkways are integrated or attached with the building unit as such.

The building unit may be provided with, modular and plug and play type, sanitary units and cooking facilities and electrical and data cabling. Preferably cooking and heating is performed using electrical power. Electrical heating of the interior space is preferably provided by infrared heating. By having only electrical heating, cooking and lighting in a single building unit one can empower such a unit by means of a single plug and play once the units are in their final position in the building. This avoids having to build transport lines for natural gas and the like and use fossil fuels.

The building units are preferably used to build a temporarily or permanent modular building. In case the building is broken down the separate units can be easily disconnected from each other and reused, for example as part of another building or as a trailer or as another type of free standing unit. The wooden material enables furthermore to re-use the units as fuel or building material.

The invention will be illustrated with reference to figures 1 -9.

Figure 1 shows a self supporting box-like building unit 1 according to the invention. Building unit 1 has a wooden rectangular floor 2 and a wooden

rectangular roof 3. The floor 2 and roof 3 have two shorter sides 4 and two longer sides 5. The rectangular roof 3 is supported by two wooden rectangular walls 6. Walls 6 are at one end 7 fixed to the longer side 5 of the floor 3 and at its other end 8 fixed to the longer side 5 of the roof 3. A gutter 21 is provided for electrical and/or data cabling. Figure 1 also shows openings 9 and 10 in roof 3 and floor 2

respectively for passage of electrical cabling and plumbing.

Figure 2 shows a building unit as in Figure 1 provided with end walls 11 and 12. End wall 11 is retracted somewhat into the building unit to form a loggia 13. End wall is provided with sliding doors 14. Loggia 13 is provided with a safety railing 15. Roof 3 is provided with recesses 16, each recess 16 provided with a hook 17. Hook 17 is used to lift the unit when for example stacking the units 1. At the lower side of floor 2 extensions 18 are present which can interlock with a recess 17 of a building unit positioned below. By connecting two units in this manner a Lego like stacking of units is made possible. Figure 3 shows a detail of Figure 2. Figure 3 shows the cross-sectional view AA' of Figure 2. The figure shows how floor 2 is connected to wall 6 by means of pins 19 and how roof 3 is connected to the same wall 6 by pins 20. Figure 2a further shows recess 16 with hook 17 and extension 18. Applicants found that if the weight of the units is high enough no special connections are required to keep the units in position.

Figure 4 shows a building 22 consisting of two stacks 23 of two building units 1 each. Roof elements 24 are provided on top of the upper most building unit 25 of stack 23 and wall elements 26 are provided to the walls 27 of the unit which do not face a wall of another unit. The two stacks 23 are positioned on a base 28.

Figure 5 shows the building of Figure 4 provided with openings 9 and 10 in roof 3 and floor 2 respectively in the four building units 1 shown. The openings allow for downward passage rain water drainage as collected by roof elements 24 via pipe 29 and upward passage of kitchen exhaust gasses via vent pipe 30.

Figure 6 shows detail B of Figure 5. The meaning of the reference numbers is the same as in the previous figures. Figure 6 also shows a space 31 between the two wooden rectangular walls 6 of two building units wherein the walls 6 face each other. A sound absorbing floor element 32 is shows, which may be a carpet, linoleum and the like.

Figures 7a and 7b show a top and side view of a building unit as in use as one person living quarters. In these Figures a building unit 33 is shows provided with side walls 34 and end walls 35 and 36. End wall 35 is provided with a sliding doors opening to a loggia 37 and end wall 36 is provided with a door 41 providing entrance to building unit 33 from a common walkway 39. End walls 36 and 35 define an interior living space 38 separated from exterior spaces as loggia 37 and walkway 39. In Figure 7b it is clearly shown that floor 42 of the building unit 33 is longer than the wooden rectangular side walls 34 and roof 53. The additional length provides for the walkway 39. Walkway 39 is provided with a railing 40. Transparent wend wall 35 may be provided with thermal glazing. End wall 36 is preferably closed and sufficiently isolated. For illustration purposes a sleep couch 43, chair 44, plant 45, table 46, table 47, kitchen unit 48 and shower-toilet facility 49 is shown.

Figure 8 shows two building unit as in Figures 7a and 7b, except that they are coupled to create more interior living space. The two side walls 50 have an opening 51 which enable passage from one building unit to the neighbouring unit. In this Figure it is also illustrated that walkway 39 enables passage exterior from the building units.

Figure 9 is a plan of a floor of a building comprising numerous building blocks 33. In this plan the common walkways 39 are connected to stairs 52.

Claims

Building unit according to claim 1 , wherein the wooden walls, wooden floor and wooden roof comprise at least two layers of wood.

Building unit according to claim 2, wherein the thickness of the wooden walls, wooden floor and wooden roof is at least 8 cm.

Building unit according to any one of claims 2-3, wherein the orientation of the wood nerves of one layer of wood is different from the orientation of the nerves of a next layer of wood.

Building unit according to claim 4, wherein the layers are fixed to each other by wooden pins or wooden bolts.

Building unit according to any one of claims 1 -5, wherein the walls are connected to the floor and to the roof by means of wooden pins or bolts.

Building unit according to any one of claims 1 -6, wherein the roof and floor are provided with openings for receiving cables and/or plumbing.

Building unit according to any one of claims 1 -7, wherein one open end of the wooden structure is closed with a wall comprising a window and wherein the opposite open end is closed by means of a wall comprising a door.

Building unit according to any one of claims 1 -8, wherein the roof is provided with one or more attachment means for coupling the unit with a lifting means and wherein the attachment means are provided in a recess in the exterior surface of the roof.

Building comprising of two or more building units according to any one of claims 1 -9, wherein roof elements are provided on top of the upper most building unit and wall elements are provided to the walls of the unit which do not face a wall of another unit.

Building according to claim 10, wherein the roof element is provided with a rain discharge conduit which is fluidly connected to a vertical conduit present in the unit just below the roof element.

Building according to any one of claims 10-1 1 , wherein the roof and floor of a unit are provided with openings for receiving cables and/or plumbing such that the openings in the roof of one unit align with openings in the floor of the unit stacked on top of said unit.

Building according to claim 12, wherein the openings in the floor of the unit at the bottom of the stack correspond with openings in a concrete and/or wooden base.

Building according to claim 13, wherein the concrete and/or wooden base comprises of detachable elements, the elements comprising channels for cables and plumbing.

15. Building according to any one of claims 10-14, wherein the walls of units of two adjacent stacks are spaced away from each other.