Patent Publication Number: US-2012037197-A1

Title: Portable reconfigurable shelter

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application hereby claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/342,404, filed on Apr. 13, 2010 under 35 U.S.C. §§119, 120, 363, 365, and 37 C.F.R. §1.55 and §1.78, incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a portable reconfigurable shelter. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There have been attempts to provide inexpensive shelters which are easily transported and erected. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,434,359, 6,658,800, and 7,021,009, incorporated herein by this reference. To date, however, such structures have not been widely used because they may be complicated and cumbersome to setup and some are limited to one type of structure. 
     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,434,359 discloses a complicated and cumbersome system and method for constructing a geodesic dome. As disclosed therein, temporary spacer members are coupled together by connectors to form a shell. Panel members are then individually fastened to the spacer members. U.S. Pat. No. 6,658,800 teaches system and method for building geodesic domes that relies on a kite shaped body designed to reduce the number of panel needed for a geodesic dome of a particular shape. U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,009 discloses an emergency housing device that relies on complicated system of panels, planks, edge pieces and corners for building a square or rectangular shaped shelter. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention features a portable reconfigurable shelter including panels of a first configuration secured to each other, the panels of the first configuration including: a square main panel section. A fold-line extends from one corner to an opposite corner of the square main panel section allowing the square main panel section to fold along the fold-line, and a hinged flap extending from each edge of the square main panel section, each hinged flap secured to a hinged flap of an adjacent panel. 
     In one embodiment, the shelter may include panels of a second configuration secured to select panels of the first configuration, the panels of the second configuration including: a triangular main panel section, and a hinged flap on each edge of the triangular main panel section secured to a hinged flap of an adjacent panel. The adjacent panel may include one of more of: panels of a first configuration and panels of a second configuration. The shelter may include a securing device configured to secure adjacent panels together. The shelter may be configured to be distorted to form a predetermined shape. The panels of a first configuration may be configured to form an opening in the shelter. The system may include panels of a third configuration configured to form one or more of: a floor, a door, and a window. The shelter may include a plurality of rooms configured to be portable. The panels of a first configuration and the panels of a second configuration may be combined to construct the shelter. The shelter may be configured to be distorted to form a predetermined shape. The shelter may include a plurality of rooms. 
     This invention also features a portable reconfigurable shelter which includes panels of a first configuration secured to each other, the panels of the first configuration including: a square main panel section, a fold-line extending from one corner to an opposite corner of the square main panel section allowing the square main panel section to fold along the fold- line, and a hinged flap extending from each edge of the square main panel section, each hinged flap secured to a hinged flap of an adjacent panel. Panels of a second configuration are secured to select panels of the first configuration, the panels of the second configuration including: a triangular main panel section, and a hinged flap on each edge of the triangular main panel section secured to a hinged flap of an adjacent panel. 
     In one embodiment, the adjacent panel may include one of more of: panels of a first configuration and panels of a second configuration. The shelter may include a securing device configured to secure one or more adjacent panels together. The shelter may be configured to be distorted to form a predetermined shape. The panels of a first configuration may be configured to form an opening in the shelter. The system may include panels of a third configuration configured to form one or more of a floor, a door, and a window. The shelter may include a plurality of rooms. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of a preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a schematic plan view showing a first type of panel in accordance with one example this invention; 
         FIG. 1B  is a schematic plan view showing a second type of panel in accordance with one example of the subject invention; 
         FIG. 2A  is a plan view showing in more detail the construction of the panel shown in  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2B  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  2 B- 2 B of the panel shown in  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 3  is a three-dimensional view of one embodiment of a shelter constructed using the panels of the first configuration shown in  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 4  is a three-dimensional view of yet another shelter constructed using the panels of the first configuration shown in  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 5  is a three-dimensional view showing one example of a shelter constructed using panels of the first configuration shown in  FIG. 1A  and panels of the second configuration shown in  FIG. 1B ; 
         FIG. 6  is a three-dimensional view of another embodiment of a shelter constructed using panels of the first configuration shown in  FIG. 1A  and panels of the second configuration shown in  FIG. 1B ; 
         FIG. 7  is another embodiment of a shelter constructed using panels of the first configuration shown in  FIG. 1A  and panels of the second configuration showing in  FIG. 1B ; 
         FIG. 8  is yet another embodiment of a shelter constructed using panels of the first configuration shown in  FIG. 1A  and panels of the second configuration showing in  FIG. 1B ; and 
         FIG. 9  yet another embodiment of a shelter constructed using panels of the first configuration shown in  FIG. 1A  and panels of the second configuration showing in  FIG. 1B . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Aside from the preferred embodiment or embodiments disclosed below, this invention is capable of other embodiments and&#39;of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Thus, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. If only one embodiment is described herein, the claims hereof are not to be limited to that embodiment. Moreover, the claims hereof are not to be read restrictively unless there is clear and convincing evidence manifesting a certain exclusion, restriction, or disclaimer. 
       FIG. 1A  shows one embodiment of panel  10   a  of a first configuration of this invention including square main panel  12  and hinge or fold-line  14  allowing square main panel section  12  to fold about fold-line  14 . Fold-line  14  may be made from any of the corners of panel  14  as long as fold-line is diagonal to an opposite corner. Panel  10   a  also includes hinged flaps  16   a - 16   d,  one each extending from each edge of square main panel section  12 . Panel  10   a  also includes fold-lines  19   a - 19   d  on each edge of square main panel  14 . The sides of each hinged flap are preferably tapered inwardly as shown at  13   a  and  13   b  for flap  16   a.  Panel  10   a  may be made of plastic or similar type materials. In one example, panel  10   a  may be about two inches thick. In one design, main panel section  12  may be about 36 inches by 36 inches and hinged flaps  16   a - 16   d  may each be about two inches wide. Main panel section  12  may be smaller or larger than 36 inches and hinged flaps  16   a - 16   d  may larger or smaller than about two inches depending on the type of shelter constructed. Fold-line  14  and fold-lines  19   a - 19   d  may be formed via reduced thickness areas in a blow-molded panel.  FIG. 2A  shows a more detailed view of one example of panel  10   a  with fold-line  14  and fold-lines  19   a - 19   d.    FIG. 2B  shows a cross-sectional view of panel  10   a  taken along lines  2 B- 2 B and shows one example of reduced thickness areas  30  in panel  12  for the fold-lines. Air or an insulation material may fill the space between opposite sides of the panel. 
       FIG. 1B  shows one embodiment of panel  20   a  of a second configuration of this invention including triangular main panel section  22  and hinge flaps  24   a - 24   c  extending from each edge of triangular main panel section  22 . Main panel section  22  typically does not include a fold-line across it. The sides of each hinged flap are preferably tapered inwardly as shown at  23   a  and  23   b  for flap  24   a.  Panel  20   a  also preferably includes fold-lines  26   a - 26   d,  one extending from each edge of triangular main panel section  20 . Fold-lines  26   a - 26   c  may be formed via reduced thickness areas in a blow-molded panel. The reduced thickness area of panel  20   a  to form hinge lines  26   a - 26   c  are preferably similar to reduced areas  30 ,  FIG. 2B  of panel  10   a.  Air or insulation may fill the spaces between opposite sides of the panel. 
     In one example, portable reconfigurable shelter  30 ,  FIG. 3  of one embodiment of this invention, may be constructed using a number of panels  10   a  of the first configuration secured to each other via the hinged flaps of each panel  10   a  folded outward and secured to the hinged flaps of adjacent panels. Fasteners, adhesives, and the like (not shown) may be used to secure panels  10   a  to each other via hinged flaps  16   a - 16   d,    FIG. 1A  to form a cube shaped shelter  30 ,  FIG. 3 . In one design, the number of panels  10   a  of the first configuration may be distorted as shown to form the predetermined shape of shelter  30   a . Selected fold-lines  14  of panels  10   a  may be preferably positioned in the same direction as shown or they may be in different directions. 
     In yet another example, shelter  30   b,    FIG. 4 , includes a larger number of panels  10   a  of the first configuration secured to each other as discussed above with reference to  FIG. 3  which may be distorted a shown to form shelter  30   b,    FIG. 4 . In one example, selected fold-lines  14  of panels  10   a  may be positioned in the same direction as shown or they may be in different directions. 
     In another example, a combination of panels  10   a,    FIG. 1A , of the first configuration and panels  20   a,    FIG. 1B , of the second configuration are used to construct shelter  40 ,  FIG. 5 . In this example, adjacent panels  10   a - 10   a,    10   a - 20   a,  and  20   a - 20   a,  are secured to each other using hinged flaps  16   a - 16   d,    FIG. 1A , and/or hinged flaps  24   a - 24   c ,  FIG. 1B . Exemplary hinged flaps on panels  10   a  and  20   a  are labeled as shown. The hinged flaps are folded outward and secured to the hinged flaps of adjacent panels to form shelter  40 . Fasteners, adhesives, and the like (not shown) may be used to secure adjacent panels  10   a - 10   a,    10   a - 20   a,  and  20   a - 20   a  to each other. Similar as discussed above with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , shelter  40 ,  FIG. 5 , may be distorted to form the predetermined shape as shown. Panels  10   a  of the first configuration and panels  20   a  of the second configuration may also form opening  38 , e.g., for a door or window. In one embodiment, shelter  40  may include panels  42  of a third configuration which may be used to form a door, window, floor, and the like. 
     In another example, shelter  40   a,    FIG. 6 , is a larger shelter constructed in a similar manner as discussed above with reference to  FIG. 5 . Shelter  40   a  includes a larger number of panels  10   a  of the first configuration and a larger number of panels  20   a  of the second configuration which are secured together in a similar manner as discussed above 
     In yet another example, shelter  40   b,    FIG. 7 , may be constructed in a similar manner using an even larger number of panels  10   a  of the first configuration and panels  20   a  of the second configuration to form shelter  40   c  with a plurality of rooms  52 . Similarly, panels  10   a  of the first configuration and panels  20   a  of the second configuration may be used to construct shelter  40   c,    FIG. 8 , and shelter  40   d,    FIG. 9 . In one example, shelter  40   c,    FIG. 8 , includes door opening  60 . Similarly, shelter  40   e,    FIG. 9 , may include door opening  60 . 
     The result is panels of the first configuration and/or the panels of the second configuration are simple and easy to use to construct a portable reconfigurable shelter. The reconfigurable shelter may have many different shapes as shown in  FIGS. 3-9 . The shelter may include a plurality of rooms. The panels of the first configuration and/or the panels of the second configuration are portable and easily transported to different locations, e.g., third world countries and the like. The shelter of one or more embodiments of this invention can then be quickly and easily be constructed and used as a temporary or an emergency shelter. 
     The remaining figures depict additional structures which may be constructed using the individual inventive panels discussed above, as well as additional features of the panels in one or more preferred embodiments. 
     Although specific features of the invention are shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only as each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the invention. The words “including”, “comprising”, “having”, and “with” as used herein are to be interpreted broadly and comprehensively and are not limited to any physical interconnection. Moreover, any embodiments disclosed in the subject application are not to be taken as the only possible embodiments. Other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art and are within the following claims.