US 10,731,329 B1Granted

Reusable modular housing system

AssigneeAirbnb, Inc.

InventorsPetr Novikov, Joseph Gebbia, Christopher Perry Barton, Fedor Novikov, Lisa Feine Dudley, Jaeyoung Huh, Nicole Voyen, Liang Yao, James Nicholas Pazzi, David Sharps, Andrei Goverdovskii, Daniel Joseph Chavez, Miguel Christophy, Stefano Pantrerotto, Alexis Fabrice Tourron, Cormac Eubanks

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Abstract

A reusable modular housing system has a gridded structure comprising reusable components with dimensions corresponding to a two-unit system. The structure has floor and ceiling grids with dimensions that correspond to multiples of a first unit of measurement. The vertical beams that connect the floor and ceiling grids are spaced apart at dimensions that also correspond to multiples of the first unit of measurement. The structure has a variety of other components that can be coupled to the floor and ceiling grids and the vertical beams, and those other components have dimensions that correspond to a multiple of a second unit of measurement. Dimensions of the structure can vary, but each of the component parts can be detachably coupled into the gridded structure, so as to fit within the grid's dimensions based on respective multiples of the first unit of measurement and the second unit of measurement. The structure can be assembled into a first configuration, and when use of the structure is completed, the structure can be disassembled into its component parts which can be later assembled into the first configuration or a different second configuration. Use of a two-unit system of dimensions for the system allows for component parts to be reused on the same or other structures designed within the same dimensional system.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A structure comprising:

a plurality of vertical beams, wherein (a) a first vertical beam and a second vertical beam, of the plurality of vertical beams, are positioned so as to be spaced apart from each other by a distance equal to a value U, (b) each vertical beam of the plurality of vertical beams is positioned so as to be spaced apart from the other vertical beams, of the plurality of vertical beams, by a distance equal to a respective multiple of U, and (c) each vertical beam of the plurality of vertical beams is configured to have a plurality of coupling points, the coupling points being spaced vertically apart from each other by a distance equal to a value T, the value of T being less than the value of U;
a plurality of horizontal beams, each horizontal beam of the plurality of horizontal beams being configured to couple to and detach from at least two vertical beams, of the plurality of vertical beams, at the coupling points of the at least two vertical beams, wherein each horizontal beam is positioned so as to be spaced apart from the other horizontal beams, of the plurality of horizontal beams, by a distance equal to a respective multiple of T;
at least one interior panel configured to couple to and detach from at least one of:
(a) one or more of the plurality of vertical beams and (b) one or more of the plurality of horizontal beams, wherein the at least one interior panel has a horizontal width equal to a multiple of U minus an offset value;
at least one insulating panel configured to couple to and detach from one or more of the plurality of vertical beams, wherein the at least one insulating panel has a horizontal width equal to a multiple of T minus the offset value;
and
at least one exterior panel configured to couple to and detach from the at least one insulating panel, wherein the at least one exterior panel has a horizontal width equal to a multiple of T minus the offset value.

4 more elements

A modular structure comprising:

(a) a foundation having at least one adjustable-height pier;
(b) a floor support grid having a first side and a second side that is opposite to the first side, wherein the at least one adjustable-height pier is configured to couple to and detach from the first side of the floor support grid, the floor support grid comprising a plurality of interior floor beams and a plurality of perimeter floor beams,
wherein the plurality of interior floor beams includes at least a first interior floor beam and a second interior floor beam that is positioned at a first distance from the first interior floor beam,
wherein each of the first interior floor beam and the second interior floor beam is configured to couple to and detach from at least one perimeter floor beam of the plurality of perimeter floor beams;
(c) a floor positioned adjacent to the second side of the floor support grid, the floor having a plurality of floor panels configured to fit together detachably;
(d) a wall having a first side and a second side that is opposite to the first side, the wall being positioned on the second side of the floor support grid, and the wall including:
(i) a plurality of vertical wall beams and a plurality of horizontal wall beams, the plurality of vertical wall beams including a first vertical wall beam and a second vertical wall beam that is positioned at the first distance from the first vertical wall beam, at least one of the plurality of horizontal wall beams being configured to couple to and detach from the first vertical wall beam and the second vertical wall beam;
(ii) at least one interior cladding panel having a first side and a second side that is opposite to the first side of the at least one interior cladding panel, wherein the first side of the at least one interior cladding panel forms a portion of the first side of the wall, the at least one interior cladding panel including a first interior rail and a second interior rail, the first interior rail and the second interior rail being positioned on the second side of the at least one interior cladding panel and being configured to couple to and detach from the at least one interior cladding panel to the first vertical wall beam and the second vertical wall beam, wherein the second interior rail is positioned at a second distance from the first interior rail;
(iii) at least one insulating panel having a first side and a second side that is opposite to the first side, the second side of the at least one insulating panel being positioned adjacent to the second side of the wall, wherein the first side of the at least one insulating panel is configured to couple to and detach from the first vertical wall beam and the second vertical wall beam, and wherein the second side of the at least one insulating panel has a first exterior rail and second exterior rail;
and
(iv) at least one exterior cladding panel having a first side and a second side that is opposite to the first side of the at least one exterior cladding panel, the first side of the at least one exterior cladding panel being configured to couple to and detach from the first exterior rail and second exterior rail, wherein the second side of the at least one exterior cladding panel forms a portion of the second side of the wall;
and
(e) a roof having a variable pitch, the roof being positioned adjacent to the wall, and being configured to couple to and detach from to at least one of the plurality of horizontal wall beams.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/203,435Filed 28 Nov 2018
Granted: 4 Aug 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

E04B 1/34315
Structures characterised by movable, separable, or collapsible parts, e.g. for transport: characterised by separable parts
E04B 1/34384
Structures characterised by movable, separable, or collapsible parts, e.g. for transport: assembling details for foldable, separable, collapsible…
E04B 1/2403
The supporting parts consisting of metal: connection details of the elongated load-supporting parts
E04B 1/34321
Characterised by separable parts: mainly constituted by panels