Patent Publication Number: US-2011072735-A1

Title: prefabricated structure with internal modules for obtaining psychophysical wellbeing

Description:
FIELD OF THE ART 
     The present patent application in general refers to the field of installable prefabricated structures, dedicated for specific purposes, more in particular the invention regards an innovative structure prefabricated with internal modules suitable for obtaining a state of psychophysical wellbeing in the users. 
     The invention is applicable in any field where one such structure type can be advantageously used, but preferably it regards the large “wellness” and leisure sector. 
     PRIOR ART 
     The term “wellness” is quickly gaining an important place in everyday language. In the fast-paced world of health, the consumer&#39;s attention is continuously on the move, rapidly transforming, so that it is now the time for “wellness”, intended as the holistic development of the pre-existing “fitness” sector. 
     The resulting concept, therefore, after the consolidation of the “fitness” sector, which regards the search for a dynamic psychophysical state through a suitable motor activity, is that which incorporates easier physical activity into “wellness”, activity that is more conceptualized, more meditative. Even if it is difficult to assign an exact definition to the term “wellness”, it can be stated that this represents a manner for reaching one&#39;s inner sense of wellbeing, through a series of practices that range from easy exercise to thermal treatments, from massages to alternative therapies. 
     On one hand, therefore, the request for structures oriented around “living well” has increased, as seen from the growth of interest in health, intended as “wellness”, physical shape, and body practices (massages, sauna, hydromassage, Turkish bath, caldarium, frigidarium), on the other hand there is no widespread network of centers which can ensure treatment continuity for users in movement during vacations, work trips, leisure time and big events. 
     Currently, in fact, not all the accommodation and recreational structures can offer a service of such type, and this is due both to the lack of suitable spaces and because these are often seasonal structures, so that investing in a stable structure equipped for “wellness” activities could be unsustainable or non-economical. Examples of such structures can include tourist ports, golf courses, hotels, campgrounds, bathing establishments, places where tournaments and sports events are held, etc., in other words, all those accommodation structures in which the inflow is definitely concentrated during a seasonal period, and therefore the request for additional services is only high for fairly limited time periods. 
     Seasonal structures and thus the organizers of medium-term events do not find an investment oriented towards a stable structure to be profitable. Often, such a structure is not obtainable due to the lack of building spaces, municipal authorizations and suitable infrastructures. 
     Also, even if there currently exist various prefabricated structures to be used as different structures such as offices, homes, ticket counters, store-rooms, meeting places etc., such structures used as settings for obtaining the aforesaid “wellness” state are poorly adapted for the specific purpose since they would be arrangements of pre-existing structures and thus lack the rigid specificity requirements requested in the field. It must be added that the structures of the prior art total lack the concept of extreme versatility, self-sufficiency and easy mobility which should distinguish them, especially in a specific context such as that where there is a massive but not continuous frequenting of users. Thus, the primary object of the present invention is that, in general, of meeting the aforesaid needs, by means of making a prefabricated structure specifically oriented towards the wellness of the person, or towards the specific “wellness” state. 
     A still more specific object is that of providing a structure conceived for being modular, ergonomic, optimized in space, easily transportable, completely self-sufficient, placeable even in narrow spaces and installable in limited time periods. A structure that, upon completed use, can be quickly removed and subsequently placed in the same location or elsewhere. 
     Other advantages of the invention are clear from the detailed description of an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment thereof, illustrated below. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The innovative concept underlying the present invention consists of providing a prefabricated structure with internal modules, specifically designed for creating a state of wellness in the person who uses it and that at the same time is modular, completely self-sufficient, ergonomic, optimized in space, easily transportable and with minimum size. The innovative prefabricated structure comprises an external containing structure, which includes different internal scalar modules that can be mutually assembled with various combinations. The manner of arrangement of the modules creates a wellness path which permits fully appreciating the benefits of the treatment. As will be better specified below, the aforesaid internal scalar modules represent settings in which the specific activities for which they were designed are carried out, i.e. achieving the aforesaid state of “wellness” sought by users of the same structure. 
     As an exemplifying and non-limiting example of the invention, we can relate that there exist internal scalar modules comprising the sauna room, the bathroom, the entrance/access room, the room used for the massages, for the hydromassages, for exercise and so on. 
     With regard to the optimization of the spaces, connected with the ergonomics concept discussed above, it must be said that this results from the careful design of every single internal scalar module, so as to ensure the maximum availability of the equipment in minimum space. The design occurs as a function of the study related to the activity undertaken by the user of the structure and to the use of every single component present in the module itself, in particular taking under consideration the use sequence of the equipment and services present. 
     Regarding the aforesaid concept of self-sufficiency, this is a variable based on the type and level of self-sufficiency that one wishes to obtain from the prefabricated inventive structure. 
     In particular, regarding the hydraulic load plant, this can be conceived so that it can to be connected to a pre-existing onsite water main and/or it can be conceived for using at least one water tank, preferably situated in the space comprised between the top of the module assigned the function of showers-bathrooms/entrance-access and the roof of the external containing structure, having a total volume comprised between 2,000 liters and 500 liters and more preferably is 800 liters. In a further embodiment, the water related to the hydraulic load plant can be in part heated by means of a boiler device and/or solar panels. Regarding the hydraulic discharge plant, this can be achieved by means of a plant that directly discharges into the suitable ducts present onsite; if not available, the blackwater (waste) can be stored in suitable containers preferably placed at the base of the module, assigned the function of showers-bathrooms/entrance-access, that can be drawn and emptied each time. In a further alternative embodiment of the present invention, where current laws permit, the inventive prefabricated structure can simply comprise a plant that discharges the blackwater directly to the ground and/or can comprise a chemical WC. 
     Regarding the electrical system, the prefabricated structure is prearranged for being directly connected with the power supply network, if available, and/or generate the electric current by means of automatic generators and/or photovoltaic panels. Said prefabricated structure, object of the present patent application, can also comprise a suitable air recirculation and air-conditioning plant, capable of optimizing the microclimate and thus facilitate the achievement of the desired “wellness”. 
     As already amply discussed, the internal scalar modules (i.e. of progressive size) are of modular type. This considerably simplifies and speeds up the assembly of various components and the obtainment of the structure itself. Moreover, the modularity and scalability of said modules allow adapting the applications to the multiple user needs. Another objective is that of having external containing structures that are variably sized, so that the inventive prefabricated structure can be used in accordance with multiple types and different complexity levels, being adapted to the different use needs, to the landscape morphology and to the climactic conditions of the place of installation. For such purpose, the external coatings of the prefabricated structure can be selected in different finishes and colors, i.e. they can be obtained onsite by means of the installation of panels on the outside walls of the external containing structures, so that they are coordinated with the aesthetics of the place of installation. Also, it is provided that said inventive prefabricated structures, in particular those intended for an installation in settings with extreme climates, have an airspace in the non-window zone of about 5 cm-8 cm thickness, situated between the internal scalar module and the external containing structure and occupied by a common insulating material. 
     Said inventive prefabricated structures provide for windows of variable shape and size and of openable or fixed type. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the prefabricated structures are also openable via sliding, especially in case of placement in suitable natural settings, with suitable climactic conditions. 
     A further characteristic of the present inventive structure is that the morphological, compositional, structural and size characteristics of the external containing structure itself allow said manufactured item to be easily loaded and transported via truck. Such particular feature renders said prefabricated structure practically one of a kind, since once loaded, even if already configured and operational, it can be easily transported to the installation site and then directly unloaded in position via crane truck. Thus, the timeliness of installation is ensured, which will allow continuous collection/replacement of the inventive structures themselves based on the seasonal needs of the customers. Alternatively, the aforesaid structure can be positioned directly on floating pontoons or barges. 
     In addition, it must be pointed out the size of the external containing structure of the inventive prefabricated structure, nearly analogous to those of common commercial containers, allows the structure to be easily transported on trains, airplanes, ships and thus easily shipped even towards distant destinations. 
     A further objective of the present patent application is that of proposing a prefabricated structure which can be achieved on an industrial scale, whose components are of standard type and perfectly obtainable on the market, and whose production is fully sustainable from an economical and environmental standpoint. 
     With regard to the materials composing said inventive prefabricated structure, they can be chosen by the man skilled in the art so as to satisfy the technical characteristics in this particular sector, including solidity, strength, anti-corrosiveness and low environmental impact; nevertheless, said materials can comprise those of wood type, glass type, metal type, polymers of natural type and/or synthetic type. In addition, said material can comprise those having any type of external finish, i.e. a painted finish and/or a variously coated and/or plasticized and/or colored and/or opaque and/or translucent and/or clear finish. 
     Other characteristics of the present invention are described in the following detailed description of one or more specific embodiments, protected by the various dependent claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The preceding advantages, as well as other properties and characteristics of the present invention, will be illustrated by making reference to the attached drawings, which should be considered merely illustrative and non-limiting or binding with regard to the present patent application, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows an axonometric projection of the inventive prefabricated structure; 
         FIG. 2  shows an axonometric projection of the inventive prefabricated structure made by stacking two external containing structures of equivalent size; 
         FIG. 3  shows an axonometric projection of the inventive prefabricated structure made by stacking two external containing structures of different size; 
         FIG. 4  shows the plan view of the external containing structure characterized by a 600 cm length; 
         FIG. 5  shows the plan view of the external containing structure characterized by a 800 cm length; 
         FIG. 6  shows the plan view of the external containing structure characterized by a 1,000 cm length; 
         FIG. 7  shows the plan view of the external containing structure characterized by a 1,200 cm length; 
         FIG. 8  shows the plan view of an agglomerate of different and suitably installed external containing structures; 
         FIG. 9  shows the plan view of two installed external structures that are coupled along the larger side; 
         FIG. 10  shows the plan view characterized by the 700 cm length suitable for housing a Turkish bath for an “emotional shower” (a multi-sensory shower) and a relaxation area; 
         FIG. 11  shows the plan view characterized by the 800 cm length of a service structure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the figures and to several preferred embodiments shown therein, in which identical reference numbers were used for the same components in all the figures. 
     With reference to the different figures, these show the different external containing structures  100 . As can be specifically observed in  FIGS. 1-3 , said external containing structures  100  preferably have a structure with a rectangular parallelepiped geometric form overall, with the walls characterized by the presence of the windows  101  and by at least one access door  102 , which on the basis of the stylistic and structural needs have variable characteristics, size, positioning and shape. Preferably, each external containing structure has at least one further exit door  106 , which can also be used for making the single, flanked, mutually-communicating prefabricated structures, as can be observed in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , so to be able to obtain additional intercommunicating prefabricated structures. 
     Regarding the external bulk of said external containing structures  100 , this is variable and with regard to the height comprised between 350 cm and 200 cm, with regard to the width between 400 cm and 200 cm and finally with regard to the length between 200 cm and 1,600 cm. 
     Preferably, nevertheless, said external containing structures  100  comprise four different structures preferably distinguished from each other only by the length measurement: i.e. 
     the external containing structure  100   a  having external dimensions characterized by the 300 cm height, 255 cm weight and 700 cm length, while the internal dimensions are characterized by the 270 cm height, 231 cm width and 676 cm length;
         the external containing structure  100   b  having the external dimensions characterized by the 300 cm height, 255 cm width and 800 cm length, while the internal dimensions are characterized by the 270 cm height, 231 cm width and 776 cm length;   the external containing structure  100   c  having external dimensions characterized by the 300 cm height, 255 cm width and 1,000 cm length, while the internal dimensions are characterized by the 270 cm height, 231 cm width and 976 cm length;       

     the external containing structure  100   d  having external dimensions characterized by the 300 cm height, 255 cm width and 1,200 cm length, while the internal dimensions are characterized by the 270 cm height, 231 cm width and 1,180 cm length. 
     As can be observed in  FIGS. 4-8 , the aforesaid external containing structures  100  include at their interior from one to fifteen internal scalar modules  200 , more preferably from two to six internal scalar modules (i.e. of progressive size)  200 , varying by type, shape, structure and equipment, based on the purpose for which said internal scalar modules  200  were designed. With regard to the external bulk of said inventive internal scalar modules  200 , it also varies based on the type of module itself and based on the presence (or lack of presence) of the aforesaid further insulation layer; naturally, the width and height sizes cannot be greater than the aforesaid internal dimensions of the external containing structures  100 . With regard to the size of the length of the internal scalar modules  200 , this can be comprised overall between 50 cm and 550 cm, more preferably said internal scalar modules  200  can be grouped into two different main types on the basis of the two principal determinant lengths, that is: 
     the type x internal scalar module  200  having 400 cm length, 
     the type z internal scalar module  200  having 300 cm length and 
     the type y internal scalar module  200  having 200 cm length. 
     As can be observed in  FIGS. 4-8 , the type x internal scalar module  200  specifically regards several module types, ergonomically structured for containing the equipment related to the activity carried out in the module itself. As only a descriptive and non-limiting example, the different types regarding the type x internal scalar module  200  can be: 
     the module  212 , assigned the hydromassage function, with 400 cm length; 
     the module  214 , assigned the exercise function, with 400 cm length and dedicated to muscle strengthening, aerobic activity, cardiovascular activity using spinning, treadmill and the like. 
     Also, as can be observed in  FIGS. 4-8 , the type y internal scalar module  200  specifically regards several module types, ergonomically structured for containing the equipment related to the activity carried out in the module itself. As only a descriptive and non-limiting example, the different types regarding the type y internal scalar module  200  can be: 
     the module  210  assigned the sauna function, with 200 cm length; 
     the module  211  assigned the Turkish bath or caldarium function, with 200 cm length; 
     the module  220  assigned the entrance/access function, with 200 cm length; 
     the module assigned the shower-bathroom function  223 , with 200 cm length; 
     the module  251  assigned the “emotional shower” (multi-sensory shower) function, of aromatic and/or chromatic and/or frigidarium type; 
     the module assigned the changing room/entrance-access function  221 , with 300 cm length; 
     the module assigned the pedicure/manicure function  222 , with 300 cm length; 
     the module  213  assigned the massage function, with 300 cm length; 
     the module  250  assigned the relaxation sauna function, with 300 cm length. 
     Also as shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  7  and  9 , several of the aforesaid internal scalar modules  200  can include at least one technical room  224 , in which specific machinery for the functioning of the modules themselves is installed, with area comprised between 0.25 m 2  and 3 m 2 , more preferably 1.5 m 2 . Said technical area  224  is a separate room, isolated from the rest of the internal scalar module  200 ; said area, present in the sauna/Turkish bath/hydro modules, also provides services to the modules at the massage zone including boilers, softeners, main circuit boards, lighting current, music, hot water etc. The access to said technical area occurs by means of doors openable from the outside and/or doors openable from the inside. 
     It must be added that the characteristics of the present invention are not limited to those which, although innovative, have been described up to now, since they also comprise the innumerable installation possibilities of the single prefabricated structures, so as to easily obtain agglomerates, even multilevel agglomerates. In reality, multiple combinations can be obtained from the coupling of several external containing structures  100 , also by virtue of the different characterizing lengths, and therefore those described in the present patent must be considered exclusively as an example and absolutely non-limiting of the range of the present invention. 
     As can be observed in  FIG. 8 , the inventive prefabricated structure is formed by a series of single external containing structures  100 , in the specific case of different size, situated adjacent each other on one side. Specifically, said external containing structures  100  can preferably be placed side-by-side and some prefabricated structures even intercommunicating by means of the exit doors  106 . Such structures can be placed flanking in five different manners: two or more structures, even of different size, can be flanked on the short side, two more structures, as seen in  FIG. 9 , can be flanked on the long side, two structures, even of different size, can be mounted at a corner so as to form an “L”, three structures, even of different size, can be mounted at a corner so as to form a “U” and finally, as can be seen in  FIG. 8 , four structures, at least one of which with a lesser length than that of the opposite structure, can be installed at a corner so as to create a square which faces on an exclusive, dedicated courtyard. 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the inventive prefabricated structure is formed by two single external containing structures  100 , situated mutually stacked. Said further stackability characteristic exists, setting aside all of the flanking modes referred to above, and mainly consists of at least two superimposed external containing structures  100 . Said stackability characteristic preferably occurs in two separate modes, i.e. the superimposition of at least two external containing structures  100  of equal length and the superimposition of at least two external containing structures  100  of different length. As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , the external containing structure  100  of lesser length is situated on the upper part and forms a landing obtained by means of a roof portion of the lower external containing structure  100 , reachable by means of the exit door  106 . As can be easily inferred, the aforesaid stackability characteristic reduces the bulk of the inventive prefabricated structure to a minimum, since it allows obtaining twice the usable volume with the same overall dimension area. 
     As can be observed in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , said inventive prefabricated structures comprise numerous further accessories, which can be installed as desired and on the basis of the stylistic and environmental requirements. Such accessories comprise verandas  103 , the handrail  104 , the externally-situated access staircase  105  for accessing the upper external containing structure  100  and so on. 
     Of course, the data provided here is merely exemplifying and absolutely non-limiting of the range of the present invention. It only serves for assisting a man skilled in the art in comprehending several possible applications and embodiments of the finding—and thus to extend, and not limit, the contents of the present invention. Different, obvious modifications could be clearly made to the preceding exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments described with reference to the figures, without extending beyond the inventive concept underlying the present invention, as defined by the following dependent claims.