Chassis guidance system and method for modular buildings

A method for positioning a prefabricated building module on a substrate of a modular building, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a first module, a first pilot, and a second pilot;
• the first module comprising:
• a framework defining a top and a bottom of the first module, first front supports and second front supports defining a front side of the first module, first rear supports and second rear supports defining a rear side of the first module, wherein the first front supports and the first rear supports define a first side of the first module and the second front support and the second rear support define a second side of the first module;
• a first male block on a lower front corner of the first side of the first module adjacent the first front supports and having a respective length, width, top, and bottom, the top of the first male block being a first extension distance above the base of the first module;
• and
• a second male block on a lower corner of the rear side of the first module adjacent the second side and having a respective length, width, top, and bottom, the top of the second male block being a second male block distance above the base of the first module;
• the first pilot comprising:
• a respective base and a respective side with a first female channel therein extending away from the respective base along a respective channel axis starting at a first channel start and ending at a first channel end;
• the first female channel having a respective channel bottom and opposed channel sides that define a respective channel opening;
• the base of the first pilot configured to be removably mounted to substrate the with the first channel axis extending vertically from the substrate when so mounted;
• and
• the second pilot comprising:
• a respective base and a respective side with a second female channel therein extending away from the respective base along a respective channel axis starting at a second channel start and ending at a second channel end;
• the second female channel having a respective channel bottom and opposed channel sides that define a respective channel opening, a respective outward axis of the second female channel being perpendicular to the channel axis of the second female channel and passing between the respective opposed channel sides and through the channel opening;
• the base of the second pilot configured to be removably mountable to the substrate with the second channel axis extending vertically from the substrate when so mounted;
• the first and second female channels each having a respective normal axis perpendicular to the respective channel axis of the respective channel and passing between the respective opposed channel sides and through the respective channel opening, and a respective lateral axis that is perpendicular to the respective channel axis and the respective normal axis;
• the first male block and first female channel configured so that when the first male block is engaged within the first female channel, a position of the first male block in the first female channel is constrained to a first normal range along the normal axis of the first female channel and to a first lateral range along the lateral axis of the first female channel, and wherein disengagement of the first male block from the first female channel requires relative motion of the first male block along the respective channel axis;
• the second male block and second female channel are configured so that when the second male block is engaged within the second female channel, the second male block can freely move outward from the second female channel along the normal axis of the second female channel and a position of the second male block in the second female channel is constrained to a second lateral range along the lateral axis of the second female channel;
• (b) removably mounting the first pilot on the substrate adjacent a desired placement point of the lower front corner of the first side of the first module;
• (c) removably mounting the second pilot on the substrate adjacent a desired placement point of the lower corner of the rear side of the first module;
• (d) positioning the first module in an initial position above the substrate where the bottom of the first male block is above the top of the first female channel and the bottom of the second male block is above the top of the second female channel;
• and
• (e) lowering the first module from the initial position to a first position above the substrate in which the first male block engages the first female and the second male block engages the second channel, wherein interaction between the first male block and first male channel guides and aligns the first forward support of the first module and interaction between the second male block and second male channel guides and aligns the second rear support of the first module.

A system for use in placing a first module on a substrate of a modular building and in alignment with a placed module already positioned on the substrate, each respective module having a top and a bottom, first front supports and second front supports defining a front side of the respective module, first rear supports and second rear supports defining a rear side of the respective module, wherein the first front support and the first rear support define a first side of the respective module and the second front support and the second rear support define a second side of the respective module, and each respective module having substantially the same height, the first module to be placed with the first module back adjacent the placed module back and where the first side of the placed module is in alignment with the second side of the first module, the system comprising:

• the first module, a first pilot, a second pilot, and a third pilot;
• the first module comprising;
• a first male guide on the back side adjacent the first side of the first module;
• a second male guide on the back side adjacent the second side of the first module;
• and
• a male guide block on a lower front corner of the first side adjacent the front side of the of the first module;
• each respective pilot comprising a respective base and front side, a respective female guide the respective female guide comprising a female channel having opposed channel sides and a channel base, and extending upward on the front side along a channel axis from a channel start to a channel end, the channel end being further from the base than the channel start,
• each respective female guide having a respective normal axis perpendicular to the respective channel axis and passing between the respective opposed channel sides and through the respective channel opening, and a respective lateral axis that is perpendicular to the respective channel axis and the respective normal axis;
• the first male guide and the male guide block being of a first male guide type,
• the second male guide having a lower portion from a bottom of the guide to a transition point a first height above the base of the first module, and an upper portion from the transition point to the top of the second male guide, the lower portion being of a second male guide type and the upper portion being of a third male guide type;
• the first pilot female channel and third pilot female channel being of a first female guide type;
• the second pilot female channel being of a second female guide type;
• the first male guide type and first female guide type being compatible and configured to constrain motion of a respective first male guide of the first male guide type engaged with a respective first female guide of the first female guide type along a lateral axis of the respective first female guide to first lateral range and along a normal axis of the respective first female guide to a first normal range;
• the second male guide type and second female guide type being compatible and configured to constrain motion of a respective second male guide of the second male guide type engaged with a respective second female guide of the second female guide type along a lateral axis of the respective second female guide to second lateral range and along a normal axis of the respective second female guide to a second normal range;
• the third male guide type being configured such that when a respective third male guide of the third male guide type is engaged with a respective second female guide of the second female guide type, motion of the respective third male guide relative to respective second female guide is constrained along the lateral axis of the respective second female guide to a third lateral range, and the respective third male guide can freely move outward from the respective second female channel long along the normal axis of the respective second female channel;
• the first lateral range being is greater than the second lateral range;
• wherein, when the first pilot is mounted on the top of the placed module at the back corner adjacent the second side of the placed module, the second pilot is mounted on the top of the placed module at the back corner adjacent the second side of the placed module, and the third pilot is mounted on the substrate adjacent a desired placement point of the lower front corner of the second side of the first module, the first module is positionable:
• (a) in first position relative to the placed module where the bottom of the first module is above the top of the placed module, and in which the first male guide is engaged in the first pilot female channel, and the lower portion of the second male guide is engaged in the second pilot female channel, interaction between the first male guide and first pilot aligning a position of the first rear vertical support of the first module relative to the placed module, and the interaction between the lower part of the second male guide and second pilot aligning a position of the second rear vertical support of the first module relative to the placed module;
• and
• (b) from the first position to a second position relative to the placed module where the transition point of the second male guide is below the bottom of the first module, and in which a top of the first male guide is lower than the first pilot, the upper portion of the second male guide is engaged in the second pilot female channel, and the male guide block is engaged in the third pilot female channel, interaction between the upper portion of the second male guide and second pilot aligning the position of the second rear vertical support of the first module relative to the placed module, and interaction between the male guide block and the third pilot aligning the position of the lower front corner of the first side relative to a predefined horizontal position relative to the substrate.

A method for placing a first module on a substrate of a modular building and in alignment with a placed module already positioned on the substrate, each respective module having a top and a bottom, first front supports and second front supports defining a front side of the respective module, first rear supports and second rear supports defining a rear side of the respective module, wherein the first front support and the first rear support define a first side of the respective module and the second front support and the second rear support define a second side of the respective module, and each respective module having substantially the same height, the first module to be placed with the first module back adjacent the placed module back and where the first side of the placed module is in alignment with the second side of the first module, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing the first module, a first pilot, a second pilot, and a third pilot;
• wherein the first module comprises;
• a first male guide on the back side adjacent the first side of the first module;
• a second male guide on the back side adjacent the second side of the first module;
• and
• a male guide block on a lower front corner of the first side adjacent the front side of the of the first module;
• wherein each respective pilot comprises a respective base and front side, a respective female guide the respective female guide comprising a female channel having opposed channel sides and a channel base, and extending upward on the front side along a channel axis from a channel start to a channel end, the channel end being further from the base than the channel start, each respective female guide having a respective normal axis perpendicular to the respective channel axis and passing between the respective opposed channel sides and through the respective channel opening, and a respective lateral axis that is perpendicular to the respective channel axis and the respective normal axis;
• wherein the first male guide and the male guide block are of a first male guide type,
• the second male guide has a lower portion from a bottom of the guide to a transition point a first height above the base of the first module, and an upper portion from the transition point to the top of the second male guide, the lower portion being of a second male guide type and the upper portion being of a third male guide type,
• the first pilot female channel and third pilot female channel are of a first female guide type, and
• the second pilot female channel being of a second female guide type;
• (b) mounting the first pilot is mounted on the top of the placed module at the back corner adjacent the second side of the placed module and mounting the second pilot is mounted on the top of the placed module at the back corner adjacent the second side of the placed module, and mounting the third pilot on the substrate adjacent a desired placement point of the lower front corner of the second side of the first module;
• (c) positioning the first module in first position relative to the placed module where the bottom of the first module is above the top of the placed module, and in which the first male guide is engaged in the first pilot female channel, and the lower portion of the second male guide is engaged in the second pilot female channel, wherein interaction between the first male guide and first pilot aligns a position of the first rear vertical support of the first module relative to the placed module, and interaction between the lower part of the second male guide and second pilot aligns a position of the second rear vertical support of the first module relative to the placed module;
• and
• (d) lowering the first module from the first position to a second position relative to the placed module where the transition point of the second male guide is below the bottom of the first module, and in which a top of the first male guide is lower than the first pilot, the upper portion of the second male guide is engaged in the second pilot female channel, and the male guide block is engaged in the third pilot female channel, wherein interaction between the upper portion of the second male guide and second pilot aligns the position of the second rear vertical support of the first module relative to the placed module, and interaction between the male guide block and the third pilot aligns the position of the lower front corner of the first side relative to a predefined horizontal position relative to the substrate.