Abstract:
A green or sustainable building infrastructure comprising conjoining modular building segments. The purpose of the invention is to increase the precision, quality, and timing of building projects by allowing modular building segments to be constructed in an off-site controlled environment, transported, and quickly assembled on site. The conjoining modular building segments are prismatic box-like structures conjoined in a variety of configurations, each having at least three walls. The prismatic box-like structures are arranged and attached horizontally to create ceilings and floors, and they are arranged and attached vertically to create walls for the infrastructure. Some of the walls may be removed and the space inside each prismatic box-like structure is available for storage. The prismatic box-like structures may have certain dimensions, comprise specific materials, or be constructed or conjoined in specific ways.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES 
     Technical Field 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to the field of construction of buildings and other structures, and more specifically to the construction of green or sustainable buildings using modular segments. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Constructing a green or sustainable building or another structure is a complex process that requires significant amounts of time, resources, and collaboration from many fields of endeavor. Through the years, different techniques have been developed to try to maximize the efficiency and economy of the process. The most common current building techniques involve the use of standardized building components that are shipped to the construction site in small pieces and assembled on site. 
         [0003]    However, when such methods are used, a green or sustainable building or other structure can take months or even years to build. The building project is consequently subjected to unpredictable weather conditions, and great exertions must be made to store and protect tools and resources. Resources may be wasted. Furthermore, even though efficient modern assembly techniques have driven down prices for many industrial and consumer products—such as cars, machinery, clothing, and electronics—such techniques are not fully taken advantage of in constructing green or sustainable buildings. Overall, the current methods lose the potential benefits of quality, precision, efficiency, and optimal timing that are possible through the manufacture of modular building segments in a controlled environment as described herein. 
         [0004]    In view of the foregoing, what is needed is a green or sustainable and efficient building design that will allow the main infrastructure of a building or another structure to be manufactured in a controlled off-site environment and then be transported to a building site and quickly assembled on site to form the finished building or other structure. Such a technique would need to preserve or improve the structural integrity of the building, use efficient building techniques, provide for efficient temperature control and access to utilities within the building, and optimize the use of resources by integrating the infrastructure into the overall functionality of the building. Furthermore, unlike current modular green or sustainable building systems, such a building design should allow for an infinite variety of configurations to appeal to myriad preferences and needs. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The disclosed invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art and, in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available components and methods. Accordingly, efficient structural components and methods have been developed to allow the infrastructure of green or sustainable buildings and other structures to be built using a new style of conjoining modular building segments that may be constructed in an off-site, controlled environment. 
         [0006]    Consistent with the foregoing, a green or sustainable building constructed with conjoining modular building segments is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a building comprises a plurality of prismatic box-like structures having at least three walls. A space inside the walls measures at least one square foot. In one embodiment, a first selection of the prismatic box-like structures are placed side by side horizontally and mechanically attached to form at least a length and width of one ceiling. A second selection of the prismatic box-like structures are placed side by side horizontally and mechanically attached to form a length and width of at least one floor. A third selection of the plurality of prismatic box-like structures are placed side by side vertically and mechanically attached to form a plurality of walls of the building infrastructure. The prismatic box-like structures comprise an apparatus suitable for disposition of a stored item. The prismatic box-like structures provide for the efficient use of space and, in certain embodiments, have certain dimensions, comprise specific materials, or are constructed or conjoined in specific ways. A corresponding method is also disclosed and claimed herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    A more particular description of the invention briefly described above is made below by reference to specific embodiments depicted in drawings included with this application, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of a finished building built in accordance with the invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  depicts a perspective view of a building infrastructure comprising a plurality of conjoining modular building segments; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  depicts a perspective view of the plurality of conjoining modular building segments arranged to create the building infrastructure; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  depicts perspective views of different embodiments of the conjoining modular building segments, which are prismatic box-like structures; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  depicts a perspective view of the first and second selections of the plurality of prismatic box-like structures that are placed side by side horizontally and mechanically attached to form at least a length and width of one ceiling and at least a length and width of one floor in the building infrastructure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  depicts a perspective view of the third selection of the plurality of prismatic box-like structures that are placed side by side vertically and mechanically attached to form a plurality of walls for the building infrastructure; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  depicts an exploded view of one prismatic box-like structure; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  depicts an exploded view of mass loaded vinyl (MLV) attached to at least one side of the walls of the prismatic box-like structures; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  depicts a front and a back exploded view of the square-shaped steel bars that are secured in each perpendicular corner of each prismatic box-like structure; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  depicts an exploded view of two configurations of the square-shaped steel bars and a method for attaching two prismatic box-like structures vertically; 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  depicts an exploded view of a method for attaching two prismatic box-like structures horizontally; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  depicts a perspective view of a finished building built in accordance with the invention and how a space within each prismatic box-like structure can be used for storage. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    A detailed description of the claimed invention is provided below by example, with reference to embodiments in the appended figures. Those of skill in the art will recognize that the components of the invention as described by example in the figures below could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the detailed description of the embodiments in the figures is merely representative of embodiments of the invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as claimed. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of one embodiment of a building  100  built in accordance with the invention. As shown, the outer finish of building  100  may be a façade with any variety of architectural embellishments. Inside the outermost walls, though unseen, is the building infrastructure comprising a plurality of conjoining modular building segments. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  depicts building infrastructure  200 , which comprises a plurality of conjoining modular building segments, the plurality of conjoining modular building segments being prismatic box-like structures. 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  depicts building infrastructure  300 , but each individual prismatic box-like structure  310  is visible. Building infrastructure  300  further depicts a first selection  320  of the plurality of prismatic box-like structures, placed side by side horizontally and mechanically attached to form a length and width of at least one ceiling. A second selection  330  of the plurality of conjoining modular building segments are placed side by side horizontally and mechanically attached to form a length and width of at least one floor. A third selection  340  of the plurality of conjoining modular building segments are placed side by side vertically and mechanically attached to each other and to at least one ceiling and at least one floor to form a plurality of walls for the building infrastructure. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  depicts perspective views of different embodiments of the prismatic box-like structures. The prismatic box-like structures may comprise different shapes, including shapes like cubic  4 A, rectangular  4 B, triangular  4 C, and hexagonal  4 D. Each prismatic box-like structure comprises at least three walls  400 . Each prismatic box-like structure comprises an apparatus suitable for disposition of a stored item. A space  410  inside the walls measures at least one cubic foot. It is crucial that the space within the walls be at least one cubic foot in order that items can be stored within the prismatic box-like structures, thus maximizing space and overall efficiency and sustainability of the building infrastructure. 
         [0025]      FIG. 5  depicts a single prismatic box-like structure  500  from the first and second selections of prismatic box-like structures that are placed side by side horizontally and mechanically attached to form at least a length and width of at least one ceiling and a length and width of at least one floor. Height, length, and width measurements of the first and the second selection of prismatic box-like structures are about four feet and one and one-half inch (1.295400 meters). A top wall or a bottom wall may be removed for storage purposes. A volume of the space  510  within the walls of the first selection of prismatic box-like structures measures about 64 cubic feet (1.81228 cubic meters). The volume of the space  510  within the walls is crucial in order that items can be stored within the prismatic box-like structures, thus maximizing space and overall efficiency and sustainability of the building infrastructure. The items that may be stored in the space within the walls include furniture, appliances, utilities, food, clothing, personal items, and so forth. 
         [0026]    A single prismatic box-like structure  600  depicted in  FIG. 6  is one of a plurality of prismatic box-like structures that comprise the third selection of prismatic box-like structures that are placed side by side vertically and mechanically attached to each other and to at least one ceiling and at least one floor to form a plurality of walls of the building infrastructure. In one embodiment, at least one wall of the third selection of prismatic box-like structures comprises an optically transparent or semi-optically transparent material, such as glass. The third selection of prismatic box-like structures  600  measure about fourteen feet (4.2672 meters) in height. Length and width measurements are about four feet and one and one-half inch (1.295400 meters). In one embodiment, prismatic box-like structure  600  is constructed from three prismatic box-like structures  610 ,  620 , and  630  joined together, each having only five full walls  640 , with the front wall  650  open for a purpose of storing items such as kitchen appliances, elevators, or bathroom hardware. A volume of the space  660  within the walls of the third selection of prismatic structures measures about 224 cubic feet (6.34297 cubic meters). The volume of the space  660  within the walls is crucial in order that items can be stored within the prismatic box-like structures, thus maximizing space and overall efficiency and sustainability of the building infrastructure. A variety of items may be stored in the prismatic box-like structures, including furniture, appliances, utilities, elevators, carousels, food, clothing, toilets, tubs, showers, beds, movable walls, and so forth. 
         [0027]      FIG. 7  depicts one embodiment of a single prismatic box-like structure  700 . In one embodiment, walls  710  of prismatic box-like structure  700  comprise OSB, reinforced OSB, or lightweight OSB. In other embodiments, the walls  710  comprise other engineered materials, such as engineered wood, composite board, particle board, press board, plywood, wood laminate, chip board, gypsum board, cement board, carbon fiber materials, or combinations thereof. In still other embodiments, the walls  710  of prismatic box-like structure  700  comprise an optically transparent or semi-optically transparent material, such as glass, or at least one wall comprises a translucent material. Walls  710  of prismatic box-like structure  700  are joined together by means of metal plates  720  and brackets  740  mechanically secured along the perimeter of the walls. The metal plates  720  are wrapped around two adjoining wall edges and secured with connectors  730 . The connectors  730  may include screws, bolts, rivet nuts, T-nuts, or other durable connectors, some of which are removable, and some of which are not. The walls  710  of the prismatic box-like structures are joined together at top and bottom edges with metal brackets  740  that are secured by connectors  750 . 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , a mass loaded vinyl (MLV) material  810  is limply attached to at least one side of the walls  800  of the prismatic box-like structures. The MLV material comprises a thickness of about one-thirty-second (0.079375 cm) to about one-fourth inch (0.635 cm). The MLV is limply attached with connectors  820  and an adhesive. One purpose of the MLV is for blocking sound. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , the walls of the prismatic box-like structures are joined in each perpendicular corner by means of square-shaped steel bars  900  mechanically attached to the walls. The square-shaped steel bars  900  are secured in each perpendicular corner of each prismatic box-like structure, spanning a length of each corner, by bringing edges of two adjoining walls  910  and  920  together at approximately a ninety-degree angle, touching two adjacent sides of the square-shaped steel bars  900 . This configuration is secured by wrapping a metal plate  930  around the square-shaped steel bars  900  and edges of two adjoining walls  910  and  920 . The metal plate  930  is secured with connectors  950 . At top and bottom edges of the walls, this configuration is secured using metal brackets  940  and connectors  950 . 
         [0030]    As depicted in  FIG. 10 , the square-shaped steel bar may comprise one of two configurations, a first configuration  1010  having a protrusion that extends beyond the prismatic box-like structure in length, and a second configuration  1020  having a hollow indentation. The two configurations comprise male and female ends of the square-shaped steel bar. The prismatic box-like structures that are vertical and used to form the plurality of walls of the building infrastructure, such as prismatic box-like structures  1030  and  1040 , are mechanically attached by being stacked and pinned by inserting the first configuration  1010  into the second configuration  1020 . The second configuration  1020  also allows for telescoping, so that, in one embodiment, top walls of the prismatic box-like structures can be raised or lowered, allowing access to the space within the walls of the prismatic box-like structures. The space within the walls can be used for storing a variety of items. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 11 , prismatic box-like structures  1110  and  1120  are mechanically attached horizontally by being fastened together with connector  1130  spanning between two areas  1140  designated for connecting any two horizontally adjoining prismatic box-like structures. The connectors  1130  may be screwed or fastened by robots, so that this process is automated and can be accomplished very quickly. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 12 , the space within the walls of each prismatic box-like structure  1210  is available for storage. A variety of items may be stored in the prismatic box-like structures, including furniture, appliances, utilities, elevators, carousels, food, clothing, toilets, tubs, showers, beds, movable walls, and so forth.