Expandable iso shelters

Abstract

An expandable shelter having an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration in which the shelter has the approximate dimensions of a standard International Organization for Standardization (ISO) freight container. The expandable shelter includes first and second substantially parallel corner posts disposed at a first end of the shelter. The expandable shelter also includes a ramp coupled with hinges at the first end of the shelter and is configured to fit securely on the interior of the first and second corner posts when in a closed configuration in which the ramp is disposed between the first and second corner posts. The expandable shelter has sufficient strength to withstand the forces of at least eight similar shelters stacked on top of the shelter.

1 . An expandable shelter having an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration in which the shelter has the approximate dimensions of a standard International Organization for Standardization (ISO) freight container, the shelter comprising:
 first and second substantially parallel corner posts disposed at a first end of the shelter, the first and second corner posts having first and second ends;   an upper frame support extending between the first ends of the first and second corner posts;   a lower frame support extending between the second ends of the first and second corner posts;   a wall support attached to the first and second corner posts and the upper frame support; and   a displaceable panel hinged at the first end of the shelter and configured to fit securely on the interior of the first and second corner posts when in a closed configuration in which the displaced panel is disposed between the first and second corner posts,   wherein the shelter has sufficient strength to withstand the forces of at least eight similar shelters stacked on top of the shelter.   
     
     
         2 . The expandable shelter of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more locking bars operable on a surface of the upper frame support, each comprising a cam configured to be inserted into a respective one of one or more receivers when the displaceable panel is in the closed configuration, wherein the displaceable panel and the one or more locking bars are configured to transfer forces from the upper frame support to the lower frame support when the one or more cams are disposed in the one or more receivers.   
     
     
         3 . The expandable shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the shelter, in the collapsed configuration, is configured to satisfy the stacking test requirements when at least eight similarly dimensioned shelter are stacked on top of the shelter. 
     
     
         4 . The expandable shelter of  claim 1 , wherein each of the corner posts comprises first and second connection blocks disposed adjacent the first and second ends of the corner post. 
     
     
         5 . The expandable shelter of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the corner posts comprises an interior cavity configured to receive a jack configured to assist with leveling the shelter. 
     
     
         6 . The expandable shelter of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a jack configured to assist with leveling the shelter; and   a hinge connecting the jack and one of the corner posts, wherein the hinge is configured to allow the jack to pivot from a first position in which the jack is disposed substantially within an interior cavity of the one of the corner posts to a second position in which the jack is disposed outside of the one of the corner posts.   
     
     
         7 . The expandable shelter of  claim 6 , wherein a longitudinal axis of the jack is substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the one of the corner posts in both the first and second positions. 
     
     
         8 . The expandable shelter of  claim 1 , wherein each of the corner posts comprises an interior cavity configured to receive a jack configured to assist with leveling the shelter. 
     
     
         9 . An expandable shelter having an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration in which the shelter has the approximate dimensions of a standard International Organization for Standardization (ISO) freight container, the shelter comprising:
 first and second substantially parallel corner posts disposed at a first end of the shelter; and   a ramp coupled with hinges at the first end of the shelter and configured to fit securely on the interior of the first and second corner posts when in a closed configuration in which the ramp is disposed between the first and second corner posts,   wherein the shelter has sufficient strength to withstand the forces of at least eight similar shelters stacked on top of the shelter.   
     
     
         10 . The expandable shelter of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second substantially parallel corner posts have first and second ends. 
     
     
         11 . The expandable shelter of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an upper frame support extending between the first ends of the first and second corner posts;   a lower frame support extending between the second ends of the first and second corner posts; and   a wall support attached to the first and second corner posts and the upper frame support.   
     
     
         12 . The expandable shelter of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 one or more locking bars operable on a surface of the upper frame support, each comprising a cam configured to be inserted into a respective one of one or more receivers when the ramp is in the closed configuration, wherein the ramp and the one or more locking bars are configured to transfer forces from the upper frame support to the lower frame support when the one or more cams are disposed in the one or more receivers.   
     
     
         13 . The expandable shelter of  claim 11 , wherein each of the corner posts comprises first and second connection blocks disposed adjacent the first and second ends of the corner post. 
     
     
         14 . An expandable shelter having an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration in which the shelter has the approximate dimensions of a standard International Organization for Standardization (ISO) freight container, the shelter comprising:
 first and second substantially parallel corner posts disposed at a first end of the shelter, the first and second corner posts having first and second ends;   an upper frame support extending between the first ends of the first and second corner posts;   a lower frame support extending between the second ends of the first and second corner posts;   a wall support attached to the first and second corner posts and the upper frame support;   a fabric connector connected to the wall support; and   a displaceable panel hinged at the first end of the shelter and configured to fit securely on the interior of the first and second corner posts when in a closed configuration in which the displaced panel is disposed between the first and second corner posts,   wherein the shelter has sufficient strength to withstand the forces of at least eight similar shelters stacked on top of the shelter.   
     
     
         15 . The expandable shelter of  claim 14 , wherein the fabric connector comprises a fabric clamp that extends around the perimeter of the wall support. 
     
     
         16 . The expandable shelter of  claim 15 , wherein the fabric connector comprises at least a first layer of fabric, the at least first layer of fabric being mounted in the fabric clamp. 
     
     
         17 . The expandable shelter of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 one or more locking bars operable on a surface of the upper frame support, each comprising a cam configured to be inserted into a respective one of one or more receivers when the displaceable panel is in the closed configuration, wherein the displaceable panel and the one or more locking bars are configured to transfer forces from the upper frame support to the lower frame support when the one or more cams are disposed in the one or more receivers.   
     
     
         18 . The expandable shelter of  claim 14 , wherein each of the corner posts comprises first and second connection blocks disposed adjacent the first and second ends of the corner post.