Hinged panels for construction of a habitable building

Abstract

Light weight panels are combined with a hinge structure to form a foldable panel assembly that is suitable for constructing habitable buildings. Such buildings are easily collapsible into a compact package for transport or storage and are readily extendable to an expanded size for use. These buildings may be fitted to a trailer for transport and can remain on the trailer while extended and placed in use, or the building can be off-loaded to a suitable site for extension and use. The hinge structure utilizes flexible membrane elements that are bonded to the edges of adjacent panels.

1 . A foldable structure for constructing a building suitable for sheltering, comprising: 
 (1) first and second sandwich-panels, each having:    (i) a core of relatively low density material having two opposite major surfaces and an edge surface; and    (ii) two high density tensile-skins, one said skin attached to one of said major surfaces of said core and the other said skin attached to the other of said major surfaces of said core so that the outer surfaces of the two tensile-skins form opposite first and second outer surfaces terminating at said edge surface;    (2) an inside thin flexible member secured along said edge surface of each of said first and second sandwich-panels;    (3) an outside thin flexible member secured along a portion of said first outer surface of each of said first and second sandwich-panels,    wherein said inside and outside flexible members are arranged to pivotally couple said first and second sandwich panels together to pivot about an axis.    
   
   
       2 . The foldable structure according to  claim 1  wherein said inside flexible member and said outside flexible member are on substantially opposite sides of a plane extending through said axis.  
   
   
       3 . The foldable structure according to  claim 1  wherein said securing of said inside and outside flexible members to said first and second sandwich panels includes continuous bonding thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The foldable structure according to  claim 3  wherein said continuous bonding extends for substantially the entire length of said first and second sandwich panels.  
   
   
       5 . The foldable structure according to  claim 4  wherein said inside and said outside flexible members are joined by a line of stitches sewn through both said flexible members and through said axis.  
   
   
       6 . The foldable structure according to  claim 1  wherein said inside flexible member is continuously bonded to a portion of said second outer surface adjacent said edge surface of each of said first and second sandwich panels.  
   
   
       7 . The foldable structure according to  claim 1  wherein said core comprises molded foam.  
   
   
       8 . The foldable structure according to  claim 1  wherein said core includes a honeycomb structure.  
   
   
       9 . The foldable structure according to  claim 1  wherein said tensile-skin comprises metal.  
   
   
       10 . The foldable structure according to  claim 1  wherein said tensile-skin comprises resin.  
   
   
       11 . The foldable structure according to  claim 1  wherein said core has a density and said tensile-skin has a density that is substantially greater than said core density.  
   
   
       12 . The foldable structure according to  claim 1  wherein said edge surface has a width of from about one inch to about six inches.  
   
   
       13 . A foldable structure for constructing a wall in a habitable building, comprising: 
 a) a first panel having an interior, and a first major surface and an adjacent edge surface mutually angled and intersecting along a common edge thereof,    b) a second panel having an interior, and a first major surface and an adjacent edge surface mutually angled and intersecting along an edge thereof,    c) a first membrane continuously bonded to a portion of said first surface of each of said first and second panels,    d) a second membrane continuously bonded to said adjacent surface of each of said first and second panels,    wherein said portion of said first surface is of substantially higher density than is the interior of said first and second panels,    wherein said first and second panels are pivotally coupled by means of said first and second membranes and arranged to pivot about an axis.    
   
   
       14 . The foldable structure according to  claim 13  wherein said first membrane is on substantially one side of a plane extending through said axis and said second membrane is on substantially an opposite side of said plane.  
   
   
       15 . The foldable structure according to  claim 13  wherein at least one of said first and second panels includes first and second opposing high density tensile-skins separated by a low density material.  
   
   
       16 . The foldable structure according to  claim 13  wherein said continuous bonding extends for substantially the entire length of said first and second panels.  
   
   
       17 . The foldable structure according to  claim 16  wherein said first and second membranes are joined by a line of stitches sewn through both said membranes and through said axis.  
   
   
       18 . The foldable structure according to  claim 13  wherein each of said first and second panels includes a second major surface opposite said first major surface and wherein said second membrane is continuously bonded to a portion of said second major surface adjacent said edge surface of each of said first and second panels.  
   
   
       19 . The foldable structure according to  claim 13  wherein said interior of said panel comprises molded foam.  
   
   
       20 . The foldable structure according to  claim 13  wherein said interior of said panel includes a honeycomb structure.  
   
   
       21 . The foldable structure according to  claim 13  wherein said portion of said first surface comprises metal.  
   
   
       22 . The foldable structure according to  claim 13  wherein said portion of said first surface comprises resin.  
   
   
       23 . The foldable structure according to  claim 13  wherein said adjacent surface of each of said first and second panels has a width of from about one inch to about six inches.  
   
   
       24 . A foldable building including: 
 a base unit having an interior space for storing furniture, equipment, and various supplies;    an expandable unit coupled to said base unit and movable between an extended position for accommodating human occupation and a retracted position in close proximity to said base unit for substantially reducing the overall size of said building during transporting and for storage when not in use,    said expandable unit comprising:    (a) at least two roof panels connected along adjacent edges thereof and mutually angled to form a roof;    (b) a front wall and a rear wall, each comprising a pair of panels having a pivotal connection along vertically disposed adjacent edges thereof; each front and rear wall having a pivotal connection to said base unit; and    (c) an end wall having a pivotal connection to both said front wall and said rear wall;    wherein, one of said roof panels is attached by means of a pivotal connection to one of either said base unit or said end wall.    
   
   
       25 . The foldable building according to  claim 24  wherein only one of said roof panels is pivotally connected to said base unit.  
   
   
       26 . The foldable building according to  claim 24  wherein said at least two roof panels are rigidly connected along said adjacent edges.  
   
   
       27 . The foldable building according to  claim 24  wherein when said expandable unit is in said extended position said end wall is spaced from said two roof panels, including a third roof panel having a pivotal connection to one of said end wall or one of said two roof panels and arranged to form a roof between said end wall and said two roof panels.  
   
   
       28 . The foldable building according to  claim 24  wherein, when moving from said extended position to said retracted position, portions of said front and rear walls are arranged to fold inwardly toward each other while, concurrently, said end wall moves toward said core unit, and said roof pivots about said pivotal connection to one of either said core unit or said end wall so that one of said roof panels is arranged vertically in close proximity and parallel to said end wall when in said retracted position.  
   
   
       29 . The foldable building according to  claim 24  wherein said front wall and said rear wall are cantilevered from said core unit.  
   
   
       30 . The foldable building according to  claim 24  in combination with a recreational vehicle of the type to be moved along a highway, either under its own power or towed by another vehicle, while being transported to a site for use.  
   
   
       31 . A shelter movable between a compacted state to facilitate transporting said shelter and an extended state having functional space for a human and support materials, and being freely movable therebetween, comprising: 
 (a) a base unit having an interior;    (b) a plurality of panels, each of which has a pair of opposite major surfaces and an edge surface extending therebetween,    and a pivoted connection along a said edge thereof with a said edge of at least one other of said panels, some of said plurality of panels arranged to form a continuous outer wall circumscribing said functional space, comprising:    (i) a front wall and a rear wall, each comprising a pair of said panels having a pivotal connection along vertically disposed adjacent edges thereof; each front and rear wall having a pivotal connection to said core unit; and    (ii) an end wall having a pivotal connection to both said front wall and said rear wall;    (iii) a roof comprising at least two said panels connected along adjacent edges thereof and arranged to form a roof,    wherein, one of said roof panels is attached by means of a pivotal connection to one of either said base unit or said end wall, and    wherein said front wall and said rear wall are cantilevered from said base unit when in said extended state.    
   
   
       32 . The shelter according to  claim 31  wherein said pivotal connection of said plurality panels comprises: 
 (2) an inside thin flexible member secured along said edge surface of each of said panels;    (3) an outside thin flexible member secured along a portion of one of said major surfaces of each of said panels,    wherein said inside and outside flexible members are arranged to pivotally couple two of said plurality of panels together to pivot about an axis.    
   
   
       33 . The shelter according to  claim 32  wherein said inside flexible member and said outside flexible member are on opposite sides of a plane extending through said axis.  
   
   
       34 . The shelter according to  claim 33  wherein each said plurality of said panels includes an interior and wherein said portion of one of said major surfaces is of higher density than is said interior.  
   
   
       35 . The shelter structure according to  claim 32  wherein said inside thin flexible member and said outside thin flexible member are joined by a line of stitches sewn through both said thin flexible members and through said axis.