Patent Publication Number: US-8991134-B2

Title: Reconfigured modular building unit and method

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to and claims priority to Provisional Application No. 61/763,949, filed Feb. 13, 2013. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates generally to a modular building unit and more particularly to a building unit reconfigured from a shipping container. 
     Metal shipping containers are shipped by road, rail and sea. They are capable of being stacked and are easily loaded and unloaded. Once unloaded, and unless a return load is located, it is often not economically feasible to be returned empty to their origin. Thus, empty containers are readily available and economical to purchase. It would be of benefit to utilize such containers including a recycle operation whereby the containers are reconfigured for a new use. 
     SUMMARY 
     One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a modular building unit comprising a top member, a bottom member, a plurality of wall members and at least one door member. The at least one door member and the wall members include a plurality of uniform-sized panel members. First attachment members are provided to reinforce openings in the unit. Second attachment members are provided on the uniform-sized panel members. The uniform-sized panel members are mounted in the openings in response to the first and second attachment members being interconnected. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a shipping container. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating the shipping container of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a shipping container having wall and door panels removed. 
         FIGS. 4-6  are perspective views illustrating embodiments of shipping containers reconfigured into building units. 
         FIGS. 7-12  are perspective views illustrating embodiments of attached panel members. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of an insert member. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a universal connection member including a plurality of insert members attached to a channel member. 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a panel member including a plurality of universal connection members. 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a basic building unit including a plurality of panel members. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A shipping container  10 ,  FIG. 1 , includes a top surface member  12 , a bottom surface member  14 , a plurality of wall surface members  16  and at least one door member  18 . Typically, door member  18  includes a double door including two door panels  18   a ,  18   b , movable between open and closed positions. The door member  18 , when in a closed position C,  FIG. 2 , provides a wall member similar to wall surface members  16 . The door members  18   a  and/or  18   b , when in an open position  0 , permit loading and unloading of the container  10 . 
     The container  10 ,  FIG. 3 , illustrates one of the door members  18   b  removed and formed into a panel member. The remaining wall members  16  can also be removed and formed into uniform sized panel members. By uniform sized, the panel members can be of any size, but in the example illustrated, are in a first size S as door member  18   b , or a second size SS which can be double the size of panel S. The panels S and SS can be stored for future use as will be discussed below. 
     With all the panels S and SS removed,  FIG. 4 , the container  10  exposes four openings  22  and forms a basic building unit B for use alone or in combination with a plurality of such units,  FIG. 5 . Each basic building unit B includes top surface member  12 , bottom surface member  14  and a plurality of corner members  20  which support the top member  12  in a spaced apart relationship with the bottom member  14 , see  FIGS. 4 and 5 . In  FIG. 5 , a combination of four basic building units B are illustrated in a stacked, i.e. double story and side-by-side relationship, as an example. However, any combination of side-by-side, stacked, i.e. u-shaped, and end-to-end, in both a single or double story combination is possible, to describe a few possible examples. 
     A plurality of attachment members in the form of peripheral flanges, are provided around openings  22 ,  FIG. 6 , formed by removal of the wall surface members  16  as discussed above. Such flanges are provided on each building unit B along the exposed edges  24  of each corner member  20 , along the exposed edges  26  of top surface member  12  and along exposed edges  28  of exposed bottom surface member  14 . In  FIG. 7 , one such flange  30  is illustrated adjacent one of the corner members  20 , and another such flange  32  is illustrated adjacent the top surface member  12 . A further such flange  34 ,  FIG. 8 , is illustrated adjacent the bottom surface member  14 . 
     Furthermore, flanges  36 ,  FIGS. 7-12  are provided along all four peripheral edges of each panel S and each panel SS. The flanges  36  provide attachment members on each of the above-mentioned panel members S and SS. All flanges described above, i.e. panel flanges and building unit flanges, include a plurality of apertures  38  for receiving a fastener  40  which is provided in a single size to accommodate attaching panels to adjacent panels,  FIG. 11 , and also attaching panels to the basic building unit B,  FIG. 12 . thus, spacing between all paired or mating apertures is uniform. 
     A fascia attachment insert member  42 ,  FIG. 13 , includes a planar base member  44  and a plurality of spaced apart flange members  46 . The base member  44  and each flange member  46  include a plurality of slot members  48  and apertures  50  formed therein. A channel member  52 ,  FIG. 14 , includes one or more fascia attachment insert members  42  (hereinafter insert members  42 ) mounted therein. Each of the panels S and SS, see  FIGS. 15 and 16 , include at least one universal connection member  54  which comprises a channel member  52 ,  FIG. 14 , and at least one of the insert members  42 ,  FIG. 13 , mounted in the respective channel member  52 . Due to the presence of the insert members  42 , the slot members  48  and apertures  50  therein, a plurality of external fascia selected materials (not shown) can be attached to a respective panel S or SS by a suitable fastener or connector member (not shown). Also, hand or tool access into the insert member  42  is provided via the larger of the slot members  48 . In addition, it can be seen in  FIG. 16  that a plurality of inserts  42  are set into channels  52  along the top surface member  12  and bottom surface member  14  of the reconfigured building unit B. 
     Referring again to the basic building unit B,  FIG. 16 , and uniform panels S and SS, a modular building system may be used to form building structures by any combination of side-by-side, stacked, u-shaped and end-to-end assemblies as mentioned above. In addition, the uniform panels S and SS may be selectively installed and positioned in the openings  22  to form window openings, door openings and passageways in such building structures, see  FIGS. 15 and 16 . 
     Although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a wide range of modification, change and substitution is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances; some features of the embodiments may be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.