US 8,739,475 B2Granted

Foldable building units

AssigneeBlu Homes, Inc.

InventorsDennis Michaud, Elizabeth Rothwell, Everett Morton, Steven Eason, Paul Kassabian

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Abstract

Foldable building units are provided based on structural frame and connection assembly designs that enable greater construction efficiency and flexibility. The structural frame and connection assembly designs allow for easier connection of frame elements in the prefabrication process of the foldable building units and for easier connection of frame elements at the building site, for example, of foldably connected frame elements after unfolding. They also allow for more finish in the prefabrication process, and/or less and faster work at the building site, for example, by enabling conventional structural lumber grids that can be continuous through the edges and corners of the building envelope for conventional exterior finishing, while providing a tight building envelope with reduced heat transfer, particularly, through the edges of the foldable building unit.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A foldable building unit, comprising

(a) a first frame element having a first structural load carrying member selected from the group comprising a hollow structural metal section, a metal C-channel, a metal I-beam, a metal T-beam, a metal angle beam, and a metal wide-flange beam;
(b) a second frame element having a second structural load carrying member selected from the group comprising a hollow structural metal section, a metal C-channel, a metal I-beam, a metal T-beam, and a metal wide-flange beam;
provided that the first structural load carrying member and the second structural load carrying member are not both hollow structural metal sections;
and (i) the first structural load carrying member and the second structural load carrying member are lengthwise connected to form a fixed connection between the first frame element and the second frame element, or (ii) the first structural load carrying member and the second structural load carrying member are lengthwise foldably connected to allow folding of the first frame element and the second frame element relative to each other;
wherein the first structural load carrying member is positioned relative to the second structural load carrying member to allow direct fastening between the first structural load carrying member and the second structural load carrying member from outside the foldable building unit.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/814,326Filed 23 Mar 2011 · us provisional application
Priority: 6 Aug 2010
Published: US 2013/0133273 A130 May 2013
Granted: 3 Jun 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification2 codes

E04B 1/344
Structures characterised by movable, separable, or collapsible parts, e.g. for transport: with hinged parts
E04B
General building constructions

Family

Application61/371,509Us provisional application · filed 6 Aug 2010
Application61/371,545Us provisional application · filed 6 Aug 2010
Application61/401,050Us provisional application · filed 6 Aug 2010
Application61/371,497Us provisional application · filed 6 Aug 2010
Application61/371,548Us provisional application · filed 6 Aug 2010
Application61/371,506Us provisional application · filed 6 Aug 2010
Application61/371,493Us provisional application · filed 6 Aug 2010
Application61/371,536Us provisional application · filed 6 Aug 2010
Application61/401,049Us provisional application · filed 6 Aug 2010
US 2013/0133273 A1Pre-grant publication · published 30 May 2013
US 8,739,475 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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