Portable, collapsible structures capable of being shipped in compact configurations and which can maintain structural integrity when erected and which may be rigid over an enclosed volume are desirable. Frequently, multiple such collapsible structures may be used together. It may be beneficial to connect two adjacent collapsible structures to create a system, so that personnel can move between structures without exiting the interior of the collapsible structure system. It also may be beneficial to create additional access points to allow users to more easily enter or exit a collapsible structure. Further, it may be beneficial to divide such structures internally for compartmentalization.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.
An abstract is included herewith and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
A collapsible structure system 1 can have a plurality of collapsible shelters connected via one or more cross tunnels 5.
In
Each of the cross tunnels 5 may comprise a plurality of panels and hinges, and may be configured to fold into a stack (as described further below in reference to
In some embodiments, a cross tunnel 5 may have additional systems implemented, such as an air shower system (not specifically shown). The cross tunnel 5 also may have a pass through. In some embodiments, an air shower or pass-through system incorporated in cross tunnel 5 may be a commercially available air shower or commercially available pass-through. Example systems include products manufactured and marketed by Air Showers and Pass Thrus Unlimited, Inc. (ASPT), such as a Tunnel Air Shower (referred to in marketing material published by ASPT as “TN model” series models), a Standard Air Shower (referred to in marketing material published by ASPT as “SD model” series models), a Low Profile Air Shower (referred to in marketing material published by ASPT as “LP model” series models), or other commercially available air showers. Example pass-throughs include a Standard Pass Thru (referred to in marketing material published by ASPT as “SP model” series models), Airlock (referred to in marketing material published by ASPT as “AL model” series models), or similar. In some embodiments, one or both of an air shower or pass-through system may be installed in the cross tunnel 5 and may be configured to allow a user to move through the tunnel 5 while preventing contamination between a first zone on a first side of the air shower or pass through (e.g., interior of first collapsible structure 2) and a second zone on a second side of the pass through (e.g., interior of second collapsible structure 3). An example use may be when the first collapsible structure 2 is configured for spraying paint with properties hazardous to users and requiring them to use protective equipment, while the second structure 3 is configured for use as an office or meeting space in which users may not use protective equipment. In this regard, the cross tunnel 5 may have specific features configured to allow the additional systems to perform desired functions, such as ducting and nozzles for an air shower or pass through system implemented in the cross tunnel 5 in some embodiments. Other systems may be implemented in the cross tunnel 5 or within interiors of a collapsible structure 2, 3, including as a paint booth or other system.
A cross tunnel 5 may have various components; in some embodiments, a cross tunnel 5 may have at least one side entry element 12 as shown in
To further illustrate,
Note that, for convenience of the reader and enhanced perception of some embodiments of the present disclosure, the connector panel portion 113 and structure panel portion 140 are shown without additional context of their connection to other panels of side entry element 12 or panels of structure 2, 3. It will be understood that the panel portions 113, 140 may have various dimensions and configurations, including those of one or more panels of cross tunnel 5, side entry element 12, and structures 2, 3.
Coupling may be performed by such as by positioning one or more apertures of the hinge plate over one or more threaded inserts 41, embedded in panel 140. As shown in
Note that the structure system 1, including structures 2, 3 and respective features of cross tunnel 5, side entry element 12, may be configured to prevent ingress of particulates or other matter. In this regard, gaskets 33 may be fitted at interfaces between cross tunnel 5 and structures 2, 3 to form a complete or partial seal at the interfaces, including the constituent components of cross tunnel 5, including side entry element 12 (side-entry element 12, side connector panel 13, and panel top 15) and cross tunnel arch 21. In some embodiments, the system 1 and its components may be configured to have an ingress protection (IP) rating of IP 55 or IP 56 as defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission in Standard IEC 60529, published 1976, as amended and modified from time-to-time.
Once the hinge 39 has been coupled to the panel portion 140, as shown in
Note that the above coupling techniques may be implemented to couple virtually any panel of the system 1 to one or more other panels of the system 1. The above techniques are not limited to coupling of side connector panels 13 to panels of a collapsible structure 13 but can be implemented to couple together panels of the components of the cross tunnel 5 (side entry element 12, cross tunnel arch 21), and panels of each of the components of the cross tunnel 5 to one another (e.g., connector panels 13 to panel top 15 and door panel 19).
With reference now to
Side connector panels 13, top panel 15 and door panel 19 may decouple from one another and fold into a side entry element stack 23, 27 (
Thereafter, stacks 23, 25 and 27 may be loaded into a pallet 11 for transportation (
Pallet 11 shown in
With reference to
Tunnel arch 21 may have arch top panel 26 and arch side panels 28, coupled together as described above and configured to form a “hallway” of cross-tunnel 5 between side entry elements 12. Essentially any number of tunnel arches 21 may be coupled to one another and to respective side entry elements 12 in order to achieve a hallway of desired length.
One or more gaskets 33 may be positioned in breakout boundary 32 between panels in order to provide ingress protection and seal between removable and non-removable portions of the panel. The breakout boundary 32 may be gasketed and reinforced for added strength so that it does not weaken its respective panels. Further,
When use of a cross-tunnel 5, side entry element 12 or other complexing function is desired, panel portions may be removed from the complexing arch at the gasketed breakout boundary 32. When desired, the user may replace the panel portions to return the panels and structure to its previous state. The panels can be secured using various techniques described herein and in U.S. Pat. No. 10,934,736, filed Aug. 2, 2019 and entitled “Collapsible Structure.” As shown in
In addition, in some embodiments, a divider wall system 50 can be positioned at one or both ends of a structure 2, 3 to serve as a rigid end wall, thereby facilitating structure ingress and egress via an end of the structure 2, 3. The wall system 50 can be used with or without side entry 12 or cross-tunnel 5.
The divider wall system 50 can have top divider wall panels 62, left divider wall panels 56 and right divider wall panels 64. These panels can be the same or similar to panels used elsewhere on structure 2, 3 as well as cross tunnel 5 and its components. The panels of the divider wall system 50 can be coupled to hinges and can fold into a stack via techniques similar to those ascribed to other elements of the structures 2, 3 and connector tunnel 5.
The divider wall system 50 may be coupled (e.g., using one or more techniques as shown in
As noted previously, panels 60, 62, 64 of the divider wall 50 may couple to panels of the arch via threaded inserts 41 and threaded couplers 43. The divider wall 50, when coupled in place, may divide an interior volume of the structure 2,3 such that a plurality of rooms are created. Panels 74, 76 may be on a first side of the divider wall system 50, which may define a first room and panels 78, 80 of a second arch of panels may be on a second side of the divider wall system 50, defining a second room of the structure.
The system 50 can have a plurality of doors, including left door 52 and right door 54 which can be used to access volumes divided by the system 50. A door frame 68 may provide support for the doors 52, 54. The top divider wall panels 62, left divider wall panels 56 and right divider wall panels 64 each can have gasketed edges where a gasket 33 is positioned, to form a complete or partial seal between a surface of the divider wall system and interior panel surfaces of panels of the structure 2, 3 (as with the seal formed by gaskets 33 between exterior surfaces of panels of the structure 2, 3 and panels of the side entry element 12, described above).
The top divider wall panels 62, left divider wall panels 56 and right divider wall panels 64 can each be folded onto one another via attached hinges and stacked to form a divider wall stack 70. The divider wall stack 70 can be placed into a pallet 11 for transportation. This may be performed for as many divider walls 50 as desired.
The foregoing description illustrates and describes the processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, and other teachings of the present disclosure. Additionally, the disclosure shows and describes only certain embodiments of the processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, and other teachings disclosed, but it is to be understood that the teachings of the present disclosure are capable of use in various other combinations, modifications, and environments and is capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the teachings as expressed herein, commensurate with the skill and/or knowledge of a person having ordinary skill in the relevant art. The embodiments described hereinabove are further intended to explain certain best modes known of practicing the processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, and other teachings of the present disclosure and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the teachings of the present disclosure in such, or other, embodiments and with the various modifications required by the particular applications or uses. Accordingly, the processes, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, and other teachings of the present disclosure are not intended to limit the exact embodiments and examples disclosed herein. Any section headings herein are provided only for consistency with the suggestions or otherwise to provide organizational queues. These headings shall not limit or characterize the invention(s) set forth herein.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/344,178, filed May 20, 2022 and entitled “Collapsible Structure Complexing Systems and Methods,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63344178 | May 2022 | US |