Patent Application
20230029279
This disclosure relates to a portable, at least partially prefabricated modular dwelling system including a front sub-assembly with a sliding bowed panoramic translucent pane. At the rear of the front sub-assembly is a mating rear sub-assembly with a rectangular footprint.
Spurred by emergence from the pandemic era, many are answering a call of the wild: back to nature. To answer that call, it would be desirable to provide a safe, weather-resistant system that offers comfortable accommodations that can readily be positioned in an attractive setting.
Cylindrical mobile housing structures are known. See, e.g., Lumipod by Lumiscene—www.lumi-pod.com. But climate change has wrought severe weather changes that can emerge without warning. Such weather changes can expose a remotely located infirm dwelling unit to strong winds which the structure must be built and supported to withstand. A relatively small circular footprint for a given volume of interior space may be insufficient to provide a reliable shelter.
Further, a circular footprint offers challenges to the interior designer. Most furniture is configured to cooperate with flat walls. The choices of furniture that fit when juxtaposed with circular walls are few and tend to be expensive.
Disclosed herein is a safe, weather-resistant modular dwelling system that offers comfortable accommodations and can readily be positioned and re-positioned in an attractive setting. The system offers a firm structure within volumetric constraints. A front semicircular sub-assembly is backed up by a rear, preferably quadrilateral sub-assembly. In combination, these sub-assemblies offer predictably safe resistance to and a firm platform in the face of prevailing wind and rain, regardless of the direction from which severe weather may come. Further, the quadrilateral footprint offers the interior designer a wider latitude of furniture choices than does a circular footprint.
The sub-assemblies preferably are conveniently situated in a potentially remote site of choice. Assembly implies ready conveyance of an assembled or un-assembled or partially assembled dwelling unit that can conveniently be transported to a chosen site and readily be re-located to subsequently chosen sites, as desired.
Ideally, the system houses an array of convenient utilities.
It is, therefore, an object of the present disclosure to provide to a portable, at least partially prefabricated dwelling system including a front sub-assembly with a sliding bowed panoramic pane made of transparent or translucent material that affords a wide range of view. At the rear of the front sub-assembly is a mating rear sub-assembly with a polygonal, preferably quadrilateral footprint that accommodates a variety of convenience and utility features.
After moving assembled or unassembled components to a desired site, a user then has access to a retreat with comfortable facilities. Thus, an enhanced camping-like experience is created.
In some embodiments, an assembled system includes a floor that is secured to an underlying foundation, for example a concrete pad. In other embodiments, the system is supported by in-ground or above-ground posts. The floor has a footprint with a semicircular section that is appended to the polygonal, preferably rectangular, section. Rising from the footprint is a wall structure that supports a roof. The system is preferably mounted on posts that are seated on or in the ground. Such posts can be variously sized above the ground to support a generally horizontal floor, regardless of the topography of underlying terrain. Especially when seated above ground, the posts present minimal adverse environmental impact.
Within the interior space that lies in the front and rear sub-assemblies, various utilities are housed. They include a bathroom, closet, a bedroom, and a kitchenette. Access to the system is provided by a side door. This allows any debris brought in underfoot from the outdoors to be contained away from a bedroom and other areas in the system.
The panoramic, repositionable, bowed transparent pane arrangement preferably extends from the floor to or short of the ceiling. This arrangement affords a wide-angle view of the environs. If desired, the pane arrangement can be positioned in an opened or partly opened position. This feature allows a sleeping area to serve as a covered outdoor space that emulates an outdoor camping environment.
Such a dwelling system is relatively uncomplicated in its transportability, ease of assembly and use, while offering an outdoor experience to those who wish comfortably to get away from it all.
In summary, several embodiments of the disclosed system include some or all of these features:
Preferably, the bowed sliding panes are in the front sub-assembly. In one embodiment, the panes are supported by window frames that extend vertically between a floor-mounted track and a ceiling-mounted track and slide horizontally. This enables the interior front spaces to serve as an outdoor space if desired. When closed, the panes afford protection from an adverse outdoor environment while still allowing the occupant(s) to commune with nature.
Various embodiments of the disclosed dwelling system are differently sized. Thus, a bare-bones hotel accommodation or a larger family-oriented experience are offered.
Preferred embodiments of the disclosure are outlined by way of example in the following description with reference to the attached drawings. In these attached drawings, identical or identically functioning components and elements are labeled with identical reference numbers and characters.
An object of the present disclosure to provide to a mobile, portable, at least partially prefabricated dwelling system 10 in which there are one or more sliding bowed panoramic panes 16 made of transparent or translucent material that affords a wide range of view. At the rear of the front sub-assembly 14, the mating rear sub-assembly 12 has a polygonal, preferably rectangular footprint that accommodates a variety of convenience and utility features.
After moving assembled or unassembled sub-assemblies or partially assembled sub-assemblies to a desired site, a user then has access to a retreat with comfortable utilities. Thus, an enhanced camping-like experience is created.
In some embodiments, an assembled system 10 has a footprint with a semicircular or oval or elliptical front sub-assembly 14 that is appended to a polygonal, preferably rectangular, rear sub-assembly 12 (see
The system 10 has a floor 26 that in some embodiments is placed upon for example a concrete foundation. Optionally, the floor is mounted on posts 24 that are seated on or in the ground. Such posts 24 can be variously sized above the ground to support a generally horizontal floor 26, regardless of the topography of underlying terrain. Especially when positioned above ground, the posts 24 present minimal adverse environmental impact.
Within the interior space that lies in the rear and front sub-assemblies 12, 14, various utilities are housed. They include a bathroom 28, a closet 30, and a bedroom 32. A panoramic, repositionable, bowed transparent pane arrangement 16 preferably extends upwardly from the floor 26 to or towards the ceiling 44. This arrangement 16 affords a wide-angle view of the environs. If desired, the pane arrangement 16 can be positioned in an opened or partly opened position. This feature allows a sleeping area 32 to serve as a covered outdoor space that emulates an outdoor camping environment.
Such a dwelling system 10 is relatively uncomplicated in its transportability, ease of assembly and use, while offering an outdoor experience to those who wish comfortably to get away from it all. If desired, the system 10 can be transported to a site of interest in one piece, or in sub-assemblies that are united in situ.
In summary, several embodiments of the disclosed system 10 include some or all of these features under one roof 22:
As an initial step, utilities such as water, electricity, telephone and/or gas lines are provided to an installation site.
In preparation for connection to such utilities, the front and rear sub-assemblies 12, 14 of the mobile dwelling system 10 are transported from a manufacturing facility to the site of interest in an assembled or unassembled or partially assembled state. If unassembled, assembly occurs in situ. Assembly is enabled by various connection means, including adhesives, nuts, and bolts, and/or tongue and groove features.
For ease of reference, the mobile dwelling system 10 can be considered in its pre-enhancement stages to be a shell 46 (
Preferably, the shell 46 includes rigid materials such as timber or steel for stability and support strength. Adequate shell strength and resistance to deflection by strong winds or rain is required to support the roof 22, the polygonal rear sub-assembly 12 and the pane arrangement 16 in the front sub-assembly 14.
The polygonal rear sub-assembly 12 preferably has a quadrilateral footprint. Alternative embodiments include a rectangular footprint. But other alternative geometries include hexagonal and octagonal footprints, for example.
Other features of the rear sub-assembly 12 include facilities such as a closet 30 and a kitchenette (
The bowed pane arrangement 16 includes cooperating window frames that are slidably engaged by rails or tracks which are mounted in the floor 26 or ceiling 44 of a preferably semicircular section of the front sub-assembly 14. It will be appreciated that the bowed pane arrangement 16 may include one or multiple individual cooperating panes. Those panes may cover a 180-degree range, or more or less. At their arcuate ends, there is a curved front wall 34. On one curved front wall 34, there is a door or entry way.
Preferably the panes 16 are made of a transparent or semi translucent material that may or may not have photoelectrical properties that enable the panes to change color or tone in response to ambient light. Alternatively, such panes may include heating filaments that are connected to an electrical source. In another alternate embodiment, the panes 16 may be made of a material that has an opacity that changes in response to an electrical signal. Optionally, such features may be included in one or more skylights and may be operable independently or in sync with corresponding features in the panes 16.
In some embodiments, a protective sheeting or layer may be provided on at least one outside face of the pane arrangement 16. Optionally, a moisture protection layer may be provided on the interior surface of the pane arrangement 16.
Desirably, the roof 22 and the floor 26 are insulated with for example polyurethane insulation panels and/or an insulating wool.
A waterproofing material such as a suitable membrane is provided on an outside surface of the roof 22. Water pipes 50 can extend through the center of poles (not shown) that support the roof 22.
Covering the outside of the curved front wall 34 and the planar rear walls 36 is a conventional exterior surface treatment that is primarily selected for its visual appeal and protection from the outside elements.
In one embodiment, the pane arrangement 16 is a bowed transparent or semi translucent material. That material may have absorption characteristics that are influenced by ambient light. Such material may also be embodied in one or more of skylights.
The panes 16 are preferably shaped in a frusto-cylindrical manner: looking downwardly, such panes 16 may have a uniform radius of curvature. That radius may span about 0 to 180 degrees of arc. From a horizontal vantage point, the panes 16 are flat. The bowed panes 16 are supported by a frames that have upper and lower edges which are engaged by floor-mounted and ceiling-mounted tracks.
Edges of the panes 16 may overlap and be provided with sealing material for insulation. If desired, the pane arrangement may be provided with a security system, such as locks and/or an alarm.
Space utilization challenges are met by a combination of front curved and rear polygonal, preferably quadrilateral sub-assemblies 14,12. A closet 30 extends upwardly from the floor 26. Coverings 40 may be provided over the pane arrangement 16.
The bathroom 28 accommodates a commode and a shower (
If desired, an air conditioning system may serve to meet heating and cooling needs. Optionally, a wood-burning stove may be provided. A water heater is preferably situated between in or behind the closet 30.
Preferably, the mobile dwelling system 10 is connected to utilities such as electricity, water and wastewater networks that are provided at an installation site such a mobile home park in which clusters of such dwelling units are situated.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. design application Ser. No. 29/799,801 filed Jul. 16, 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 29799801 | Jul 2021 | US |
| Child | 17403359 | US |
