Patent Publication Number: US-2021164227-A1

Title: Modular pre-wired dwelling panel design

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/943,171, filed on Dec/ 3, 2019, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/005,708, filed on Apr. 6, 2020. The contents of each of these provisional applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This description generally relates to modular dwelling units, and specifically to the modular pre-wired dwelling panel design of modular dwelling units. 
     On-site installation of electrical and plumbing components of construction projects can often delay project completion, which can burden customers with increased costs and negatively impact contractors&#39; reputations. Further, variations in installation practices among construction professionals can reduce quality uniformity across construction projects. 
     SUMMARY 
     A modular dwelling unit is a panelized system that is composed of prefabricated panels designed for modular building of construction projects, including residential and commercial construction projects. A modular pre-wired dwelling panel design facilitates the standardization of wiring and plumbing practices across construction projects. Panels are prefabricated with a combination of electrical, network, and plumbing components and are coupled during project assembly. Prefabricated panels may be customized based on the size and configuration of the modular dwelling unit, customer preferences, construction laws, circuit requirements of individual rooms, and the like. 
     In some embodiments, a modular dwelling unit may include a combination of prefabricated wall panels, ceiling panels, floor panels, utility wall panels, and breaker panels. Prefabricated wall panels may include one or more electrical junctions configured to couple with adjacent prefabricated panels, such as additional prefabricated wall panels and prefabricated ceiling panels. Prefabricated wall panels may further include electrical conduits that are electrically coupled to one or more power outlets and to the electrical junctions. Prefabricated wall panels may also include additional electrical junctions coupled to network outlets (e.g., patch panels, VPN sticks, etc.) via network lines configured to enable the flow of data from the additional electrical junctions to the network outlets. The network lines may be further configured to enable the flow of electricity (e.g., low voltage electricity) to the network outlets. In some embodiments, the network outlets are communicatively coupled to a smart home hub of the modular dwelling unit through the network lines and additional electrical junctions. Prefabricated wall panels may also include plumbing pipes configured to couple to water systems of the modular dwelling unit during assembly. Examples of plumbing pipes include cold water pipes, hot water pipes, and sewage pipes. The configuration of power outlets, network outlets, and plumbing pipes within each prefabricated wall panel may vary. Further, additional prefabricated panels, such as ceiling and floor panels, may also include power outlets, network outlets, plumbing pipes, and the like. 
     In some embodiments, electricity flows to the power outlets of the modular dwelling unit through the electrical junctions of the ceiling panels and wall panels. The ceiling panels may include exterior electrical junctions, configured to couple to the electrical junctions of the prefabricated wall panels. The ceiling panels may further include central electrical junctions that are coupled to the exterior electrical junctions during prefabrication, and configured to couple to a breaker panel or one or more other central electrical junctions of adjacent panels during assembly of the modular dwelling unit. In some embodiments, the central electrical junctions are coupled to the breaker panel via a feeder line during ceiling installation such that electricity is configured to flow from the breaker panel to the power outlets of the modular dwelling unit. In alternative embodiments, prefabricated floor panels are configured to include exterior and central electrical junctions such that electricity flows from a feeder line of the breaker panel to the power outlets through the prefabricated floor panels. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a modular dwelling unit, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a prefabricated utility wall panel, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 3A  illustrates a prefabricated wall panel, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 3B  illustrates an additional prefabricated wall panel, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a prefabricated ceiling panel, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a coupling of prefabricated ceiling panels of a modular dwelling unit, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates plumbing pipes embedded within a prefabricated wall panel, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a modular dwelling unit with network outlets, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates the coupling of a prefabricated wall panel with electrical conduits and network lines, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an example of a prefabricated wall panel, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an additional example of a prefabricated wall panel, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an additional example a prefabricated wall panel, according to one embodiment. 
     
    
    
     The figures depict various example embodiments of the present technology for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that other alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the technology described herein. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a modular dwelling unit  100 . A modular dwelling unit is a panelized system that is composed of prefabricated panels designed to facilitate modular building of construction projects, including residential and commercial construction projects. Prefabricated panels include utility panels (labeled with an “A”), exterior wall panels (labeled with a “B”), interior wall panels (labeled with a “C”), floor panels, ceiling panels, and the like. Prefabricated panels are assembled or manufactured prior to use in assembling a structure, and may be assembled or manufactured at a different location than the location they are used to assemble a structure. The modular dwelling unit  100  shown includes (among other panels) a utility wall panel  105 , an exterior wall panel  110 , and an interior wall panel  115 . Each panel of the modular dwelling unit  100  is prefabricated to include a combination of electrical and plumbing components so that modular dwelling units of varying sizes and configurations can be efficiently assembled based on customer preferences, construction laws in various jurisdictions, and the room-specific circuit requirements (e.g., current, voltage, wiring location requirements, etc.). 
     Prefabricated panel components may include a combination of power outlets (e.g., GFCI and AFCI outlets), network outlets (e.g., network ports, controls), and plumbing pipes (e.g., cold water, hot water, sewage pipes). Power outlets may be used for various appliances and electronics of the modular dwelling unit, such as cooktops, dishwashers, garbage disposals, refrigerators, microwaves, range hoods, kitchen and bathroom receptacles, washing machines, dryers, bedroom receptacles, living room receptacles, air conditioners, water heaters, and the like. The modular dwelling unit  100  shown includes several power outlets embedded within a utility wall panel  105 , including power outlet  120 , a prefabricated exterior wall panel  110  with one power outlet  125 , and an interior wall panel  115  without power outlets. However, the location and configuration of components within alternative modular dwelling units may vary. 
     Prefabricated panels may also include electrical junctions that are connected to the power outlets and/or network outlets via electrical conduits or network lines. The location and number of electrical junctions within each prefabricated panel may vary. For example, electrical junctions may be located at the top or the bottom of the prefabricated wall panels, an electrical junction may be coupled to one or more outlets, prefabricated panels may include multiple electrical junctions, and the like. An electrical junction includes a coupling interface that enables electrical and/or communicative coupling of the corresponding prefabricated panel to a reciprocal electrical junction of an adjacent prefabricated panel of the modular dwelling unit  100 . In some embodiments, the electrical junctions are embedded within the prefabricated panels with coupling interfaces at locations on the surface of the prefabricated panels (for instance, along a surface of the prefabricated panels that abuts a surface of another prefabricated panel) such that when a coupling interface of a first prefabricated panel couples to a coupling interface of a second prefabricated panel, neither the coupling interfaces nor the electrical junctions are visible from within the structure. Plumbing pipes may also include coupling interfaces such that the plumping pipes are configured to couple to plumbing pipes in adjacent prefabricated wall panels, water systems, mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP) rooms, and the like, during assembly of the modular dwelling unit. 
     The modular dwelling unit  100  further includes one or more breaker panels. Breaker panels (when coupled to an exterior power source) may provide power outlets electricity through feeder lines of the breaker panel. In some embodiments, electricity flows through the feeder lines directly to the power outlets embedded within a prefabricated wall panel. For example, electricity may flow to the power outlets along utility wall panel  105  directly from a feeder line. In alternative embodiments, electricity flows from the feeder lines through one or more electrical junctions coupled to the power outlets. 
     The breaker panel may be located on an exterior wall of the modular dwelling unit  100 , such as the first breaker panel  130 . Alternatively, the breaker panel may be located on an interior wall of the modular dwelling unit  100 , such as the second breaker panel  135 . In some embodiments, the modular dwelling unit  100  includes more than one breaker panel. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment of a prefabricated utility wall panel  105 . The utility wall, when installed within the dwelling unit, extends from a floor of the dwelling unit towards a ceiling of the dwelling unit, and may extend all the way to the ceiling of the dwelling unit. The power outlets, such as power outlet  7   205 , and the feeder line  210  are embedded within the utility wall panel  105  during prefabrication. Similarly, the breaker panel  130  is embedded within the exterior wall panel  215  during prefabrication. As shown, the power outlets are electrically coupled to the feeder line  210 , which is configured to be electrically coupled to the breaker panel  130  upon assembly of the modular dwelling unit  100 . The breaker panel  130  may include an underground feeder line  220 . Alternatively, the breaker panel  130  may include an overhead feeder line, extending upwards from the utility wall towards a feeder line embedded within a ceiling panel of the dwelling unit. 
       FIG. 3A  illustrates one embodiment of a prefabricated wall panel  300 . The illustration shows the pre-wiring of a prefabricated wall panel. The prefabricated wall panel  300  includes an electrical junction  305  electrically coupled to a power outlet  310  through an electrical conduit  315 . In some embodiments, holes may be cut into the frame of the prefabricated wall panel  300  for the interconnection of the electrical junction  305  and the power outlet  310 . In some embodiments, the electrical junction includes a junction box (e.g., a J-box) and a connector (e.g., a z-wave relay). The power outlet  310  may include GFCI outlets, AFCI outlets, and the like. The electrical conduit may be wiring cable suitable for the amperage rating of the corresponding circuit, such as AWG 14 wiring. The electrical junction  305  may be mounted to the prefabricated wall panel  300  to meet construction requirements. For example, the electrical junction  305  may be mounted to a stud of the prefabricated wall panel  300 , and the electrical conduit  315  may be secured to and run along the stud. 
     While the prefabricated wall panel  300  shown includes one electrical junction  305  coupled to a single power outlet  310 , electrical junctions may be coupled to more than one power outlet. Further, prefabricated wall panels may include additional electrical junctions. Additional electrical junctions may be included based on the circuit requirements of the rooms enclosed by and on each side of the wall panel. For example, a first side of a prefabricated wall panel may be a wall of a bathroom with different and distinct circuit requirements than a kitchen on an opposite side of the wall. Prefabricated wall panels may also include additional electrical junctions coupled to network outlets through network lines, discussed in detail with reference to  FIGS. 7-8 . 
       FIG. 3B  illustrates an embodiment of an additional prefabricated wall panel  320 . The prefabricated wall panel  320  includes a power outlet  325  coupled to a wiring cable  330 . The wiring cable  330  may be measured and cut to an appropriate length during assembly of the modular dwelling unit. The wiring cable  330  may be fed through precut holes of the prefabricated panels during assembly to electrically couple the prefabricated wall panel  320  to an adjacent prefabricated wall panel. In some embodiments, coupling the prefabricated wall panel  320  of  FIG. 3B  requires on-site effort not otherwise required by the prefabricated wall panel  300  of  FIG. 3A . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates one embodiment of a prefabricated ceiling panel  405 . The prefabricated ceiling panel  405  includes exterior electrical junctions, such as exterior electrical junction  410 . The exterior electrical junction  410  includes a coupling interface (not shown) such that the exterior electrical junction  410  can be electrically coupled to an electrical junction of an adjacent wall panel, such as an exterior wall panel or an interior wall panel, during assembly of the modular dwelling unit. 
     During prefabrication, the exterior electrical junctions are electrically coupled to the central electrical junction  415  of the prefabricated ceiling panel  405 . The central electrical junction  415  enables the flow of electricity from a breaker panel to the power outlets embedded within the prefabricated wall panels of the modular dwelling unit through the central electrical junction  415  and the exterior electrical junctions. In one embodiment, electricity flows from the breaker panel to the central electrical junction  415  via a loose connector wire  420  configured to be coupled to the breaker panel during assembly. The central electrical junction  415  may then distribute electricity to the exterior junctions of the ceiling panel  405 . The exterior junctions of the ceiling panel facilitate the flow of electricity to the power outlets of a prefabricated wall panel through the electrical junctions of the prefabricated wall panel and the electrical conduits connecting them. The central electrical junction  415  can electrically couple to a central electrical junction of an adjacent ceiling panel, enabling a daisy-chain of consecutive adjacent ceiling panels from the breaker panel and through each ceiling panel. In alternative embodiments, exterior and central electrical junctions may be located within prefabricated floor panels of a modular dwelling unit. In these embodiments, electricity flows from the breaker panel, through the prefabricated floor panels to the power outlets of the prefabricated wall panels. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates one embodiment of the coupling of prefabricated ceiling panels of a modular dwelling unit  500  post-ceiling installation. As discussed above with reference to  FIG. 4 , the central electrical junction of a ceiling panel is electrically coupled to one or more exterior junctions of the ceiling panel. During installation of the ceiling, the central electrical junctions of the prefabricated ceiling panels are electrically coupled to each other and to the breaker panel of the modular dwelling unit  500 . Through these couplings, electricity can flow from the breaker panel  130  to the power outlets of the modular dwelling unit  500 . 
     The modular dwelling unit  500  shown includes a first ceiling panel with a first central electrical junction  505 . The first central electrical junction  505  is electrically coupled to the breaker panel  130 . In some embodiments, a second electrical junction  510  of a second ceiling panel and a third electrical junction  515  of a third ceiling panel are serially coupled to the first central electrical junction  505 . In other embodiments, the central electrical junctions may be connected in parallel, or connected in any other suitable configuration. 
     In some embodiments, the central electrical junction of the ceiling panel adjacent to the utility wall of the modular dwelling unit is electrically coupled to an electrical junction of the utility wall. In other embodiments, as discussed with reference to  FIG. 2 , the power outlets of a utility wall are directly wired to a feeder line of the breaker panel  130 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates one embodiment of plumbing pipes embedded within a prefabricated wall panel. Plumbing pipes are added to prefabricated wall panels during prefabrication. Plumbing pipes may have a coupling interface configured to couple to one or more water systems of the modular dwelling unit. For example, the illustration  600  shows plumbing pipes extending from within a prefabricated wall panel  605 , through an exterior wall panel  610  into a mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP) room  615  of the modular dwelling unit. Plumbing pipes may also have additional coupling interfaces such that they are configured to couple with plumbing pipes in adjacent prefabricated panels, including prefabricated wall panels and prefabricated floor panels. Examples of plumbing pipes may include a cold water plumbing pipe  620 , a hot water plumbing pipe  625 , and a sewage plumbing pipe  630 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates one embodiment of a modular dwelling unit  700  with network outlets. Network outlets may be embedded within the panels of the modular dwelling unit  700  and coupled to network lines during prefabrication. Examples of network outlets include UPSs, POE switches, NUCs, VPN sticks, Z-wave sticks, modem outlets, router outlets, P/S 24V DCs, ethernet-2-DMX, DMX decoder, patch panels, USB outlets, cat or ethernet outlets, and the like. Network outlets may be used for light fixtures, fans (e.g., exhaust fans), sensors, blinds (e.g., roller blinds), televisions, door bells, energy monitors, flow meters, etc. Network lines are configured to enable the flow of data to the network outlets from a central network hub, such as a smart home hub, and are configured to enable the flow of electricity through the network lines, for instance at a voltage lower than the voltage of the electricity that flows through the electrical conduit described above. As with the electrical outlets discussed above, network lines are coupled to additional electrical junctions of the prefabricated panels. The additional electrical junctions include connectors chosen based on the protocols of the corresponding network outlets. Examples of protocols include POE, DMX, Z-wave, RF, WIFI, and the like. The additional electrical junctions may also include coupling interfaces that enable adjacent prefabricated panels to communicatively couple during assembly of the modular dwelling unit  700 . 
     In some embodiments, the network outlets are communicatively coupled to a smart home hub that allows users to control settings of the network connectors via one or more control panels and/or through a user device, such as a smart phone, tablet, or computer. For example, control panels may allow users to adjust the temperature of the modular dwelling unit, raise blinds, shut off lights, and the like. The number of control panels may vary based on the size and configuration of the modular dwelling unit. For example, a modular dwelling unit with three rooms may include three control panels. 
     The modular dwelling unit  700  shown includes a smart home hub  705  that is communicatively coupled to the network outlets. The arrangement of network outlets may vary based on the configuration of the modular dwelling unit, user preferences and habits, and the like. Network outlets may be located on prefabricated exterior wall panels, interior wall panels, ceiling panels, floor panels, etc. Similarly, network outlets may be located on either side of a prefabricated panel. For example, the lighting fixture  710  of the prefabricated exterior wall panel  715  is located on the interior side of the prefabricated panel  715 . The prefabricated exterior wall panel  720  includes network connectors on both the interior and exterior sides of the prefabricated panel  720 . As shown, the prefabricated exterior wall panel  720  includes a doorbell  725  and light fixture  730  on the exterior side and a control panel  735  and ethernet port  740  on the interior side. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates one embodiment of the coupling of a prefabricated wall panel  720  with electrical conduits and network lines. As discussed above, prefabricated panels may include both power outlets and network outlets. Power outlets and network outlets are prefabricated into wall panels such that they can couple to adjacent panels during assembly of the modular dwelling unit. In some embodiments, prefabricated panels have electrical junctions wired to the power outlets and additional electrical junctions wired to the network outlets. The electrical junction coupled to the network outlets enable the flow of data from a network hub, such as a smart home hub, to the network outlets. Electrical junctions may include a junction box with one or more connectors and a coupling interface such that the corresponding prefabricated panel of a coupling interface can couple with a reciprocal coupling interface of an electrical junction of an adjacent prefabricated panel. 
     The illustration  800  shows two electrical junctions. The first electrical junction  805  is electrically coupled to the doorbell  725  and to two power outlets, power outlet  810  and power outlet  815  through electrical conduits, e.g., electrical conduit  820 . The first electrical junction  805  may provide a standard power voltage (e.g., 110V AC) to the power outlets it is coupled with. The second electrical junction  825  includes a group of connectors that are each connected to a network outlet through a network line. As shown, the second electrical junction  825  includes connectors coupled to a light fixture  730 , control panel  735 , and an ethernet port  740 . The second electrical junction  825  enables data to flow from the network lines to each of the network outlets. The second electrical junction  825  may also enable the flow of electricity (e.g., low voltage electricity) to each of the network outlets. As shown, the second electrical junction  825  includes a dedicated connector for each network outlet. However, in alternative embodiments, a connector of the electrical junction may be coupled to more than one network outlet. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an example embodiment of a prefabricated wall panel  900 . Prefabricated panels may include both power outlets and network outlets. Power outlets and network outlets are prefabricated into wall panels such that they can couple to adjacent panels during assembly of a modular dwelling unit. In some embodiments, prefabricated panels have electrical junctions wired to the power outlets and additional electrical junctions wired to the network outlets, as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     The wall panel  900  illustrated in  FIG. 9  includes two electrical junctions. The first electrical junction  905  is electrically coupled to two power outlets, power outlet  910  and power outlet  915  through electrical conduits, e.g., electrical conduit  920 . The first electrical junction  905  may provide a standard power voltage (e.g., 110V AC) to the power outlets it is coupled with. The second electrical junction  925  includes a group of connectors that are each connected to a network outlet through a network line. As shown, the second electrical junction  925  includes connectors coupled to a doorbell  930 , a light fixture  935 , a control panel  940 , and an ethernet port  945 . The second electrical junction  925  enables data to flow from the network lines to each of the network outlets. The second electrical junction  925  may also enable the flow of electricity (e.g., low voltage electricity) to each of the network outlets. As shown, the second electrical junction  925  includes a dedicated connector for each network outlet. However, in alternative embodiments, a connector of the electrical junction may be coupled to more than one network outlet, as discussed with reference to  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an additional example embodiment of a prefabricated wall panel. The prefabricated wall panel  1000  shown includes two electrical junctions, and each junction includes one electrical connector, e.g., the first electrical connector  1005  and the second electrical connector  1010 . The electrical connector  1005  may provide a standard power voltage to the power outlets it is coupled with. As shown, the electrical connector  1005  is electrically coupled to two power outlets, power outlet  1015  and power outlet  1020  through electrical conduits, e.g., electrical conduit  1025 . The second electrical connector  1010  enables the flow of data within the prefabricated wall panel  1000 . Both the first electrical connector  1005  and the second electrical connector  1010  are connected to a home automation box  1025 . The home automation box  1030  receives power from the first electrical junction  1005  and data from the second electrical junction  1010 . The home automation box  1030  utilizes the data to control the utilities within the prefabricated wall panel  1020 , e.g., a doorbell  1035 , light fixture  1040 , control panel  1045 , and ethernet port  1050 . 
       FIG. 11  illustrates an additional example embodiment a prefabricated wall panel  1100 . In the embodiment shown, the single connector  1105  of the prefabricated wall panel  1100  provides both power and data to the prefabricated wall panel over a single conduit (or a plurality of conduits combined into a single connector) using a power line communication (PLC) protocol. Using the PLC protocol, data signals can be encoded within the power signals, beneficially enabling a controller, such as the home automation box  1110  to decode the data signals received from the connector  1105  from the power signals. 
     The home automation box  1110 , after decoding the data signals, can use the data signals to control the utilities within the prefabricated wall panel  1100 . The utilities in the prefabricated wall panel  1100  shown include two power outlets, namely power outlet  1115  and power outlet  1120 , a doorbell  1125 , a light fixture  1130 , a control panel  1135 , and an ethernet port  1140 . In some embodiments, information received from the utilities (such as doorbell signals, light levels, ethernet data, and the like) can be provided back to the home automation box  1110 , which can encode the information into data signals for transmission back through the single connector  1105  within the power signals. 
     By combining data and power signals within a single conduit, the prefabricated wall panel  1100  can include just the single connector  1105 . This simplifies manufacturing of the prefabricated wall panel  1100 , it simplifies assembly of a structure using the prefabricated wall panel (since connecting the wall panel to other wall panels requires coupling only the single connector  1105  and not multiple connectors), and it centralizes all data and power transmission within the structure. Accordingly, the use of a single connector  1105  can reduce the cost and difficulty of both manufacturing and assembling prefabricated wall panels or structures made of the prefabricated wall panels. 
     CONCLUSION 
     The above description is included to illustrate the operation of the embodiments and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims. From the above discussion, many variations will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art that would yet be encompassed by the spirit and scope of the invention. As used herein any reference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular element, feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.