Patent ID: 9062448
Filing Date: 2015-06-23
Classification: E04B

Abstract:
1. A building frame module comprising: first and second parallelogram-collapsible frame sections, each frame section comprising: a plurality of elongate, rigid first frame members; and a plurality of elongate, rigid second frame members, each second frame member single-axis pivotally coupled at spaced apart locations to at least two of the plurality of first frame members and each first frame member correspondingly coupled to at least two second frame members; and a plurality of elongate, rigid cross-link members, each cross-link member linking a second frame member of the first frame section to a second frame member of the second frame section and single-axis pivotally coupled to each second frame member that it links for relative pivotal movement between the cross-link member and each second frame member that it links, each single-axis pivotal coupling between a cross-link member and a second frame member pivotal about an axis parallel to a plane in which the corresponding frame section is parallelogram-collapsible; wherein the first and second parallelogram-collapsible frame sections and the plurality of cross-link members are configurable, by manipulation of a plurality of single-axis pivotal couplings between each plurality of second frame members and each plurality of first frame members and by manipulation of a plurality of single-axis pivotal couplings between the plurality of cross-link members and the first and second parallelogram-collapsible frame sections to define a parallelepiped-shaped building frame module whose interior is substantially free of frame components; each second frame member of the first frame section comprising: a first internal second frame component located on a side of the first frame members of the first frame section that is proximate to the second frame section and a first external second frame component located on a side of the first frame members of the first frame section that is distal from the second frame section; each second frame member of the second frame section comprising: a second internal second frame component located on a side of the first frame members of the second frame section that is proximate to the first frame section and a second external second frame component located on a side of the first frame members of the second frame section that is distal from the first frame section; wherein the single-axis pivotal couplings between the first frame members and the second frame members of the first frame section each comprise a first pivotal coupling between a corresponding first frame member of the first frame section, a corresponding first internal second frame component and a corresponding first external second frame component for pivotal movement of the corresponding first internal second frame component and the corresponding first external second frame component together relative to the corresponding first frame member of the first frame section; and wherein the single-axis pivotal couplings between the first frame members and the second frame members of the second frame section each comprise a second pivotal coupling between a corresponding first frame member of the second frame section, a corresponding second internal second frame component and a corresponding second external second frame component for pivotal movement of the corresponding second internal second frame component and the corresponding second external second frame component together relative to the corresponding first frame member of the second frame section.