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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An expandable shelter having an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration, 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, and third and fourth substantially parallel corner posts disposed at a second end of the shelter, the third and fourth corner posts having first and second ends;   a first upper frame support extending between the first ends of the first and second corner posts and a second upper frame support extending between the first ends of the first and third corner posts;   a first lower frame support extending between the second ends of the first and second corner posts and a second lower frame support extending between the second ends of the first and third corner posts;   a first 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 and the first lower and upper frame supports when in a closed configuration in which the first displaceable panel comprises substantially all of a first end wall of the shelter, wherein the first displaceable panel is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis extending through the shelter, and   a second displaceable panel configured to fit securely on the interior of the first and third corner posts and the second lower and upper frame supports when in a closed configuration in which the second displaceable panel comprises substantially all of a wall of the shelter that is adjacent to the first end wall of the shelter, and   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 first upper frame support, each comprising a cam configured to be inserted into a respective one of one or more receivers when the first displaceable panel is in the closed configuration, wherein the first displaceable panel and the one or more locking bars are configured to transfer forces from the first upper frame support to the first 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 each of the corner posts comprises first and second connection blocks disposed adjacent the first and second ends of the corner post. 
     
     
         4 . 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. 
     
     
         5 . 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.   
     
     
         6 . The expandable shelter of  claim 5 , 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. 
     
     
         7 . 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. 
     
     
         8 . An expandable shelter having an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration, the shelter comprising:
 first, second, third and fourth substantially parallel corner posts disposed at a first end and second end of the shelter;   four upper frame supports and four lower frame supports; and   a ramp coupled with hinges at one of the lower frame supports 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 and wherein the ramp comprises substantially all of an end wall of the shelter, and   a displaceable panel disposed between the first and third corner posts when in a closed configuration wherein the displaceable panel comprises substantially all of a wall of the shelter that is adjacent to the end wall of the shelter,   wherein the shelter has sufficient strength to withstand the forces of at least eight similar shelters stacked on top of the shelter and wherein substantially all of the weight of any such stacked shelters is supported by the corner posts and the upper frame supports.   
     
     
         9 . The expandable shelter of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second substantially parallel corner posts have first and second ends, the expandable shelter 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.   
     
     
         10 . The expandable shelter of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 one or more locking bars operable on a surface of one of the upper frame supports, 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 its corresponding lower frame support when the one or more cams are disposed in the one or more receivers.   
     
     
         11 . The expandable shelter of  claim 10 , wherein each of the corner posts comprises first and second connection blocks disposed adjacent the first and second ends of the corner post. 
     
     
         12 . An expandable shelter having an expanded configuration and a closed configuration, the shelter comprising:
 first, second, third and fourth substantially parallel corner posts disposed at a first end and second 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 first 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 the closed configuration and configured to open away from the rest of the shelter in the expanded configuration,   a second displaceable panel that comprises substantially all of a wall of the shelter that is adjacent to the first end of the the shelter,   wherein the shelter has sufficient strength to withstand the forces of at least eight similar shelters stacked on top of the shelter in either the expanded or collapsed configuration such that substantially all of the weight of any such stacked shelters is supported by the corner posts and the upper frame supports.   
     
     
         13 . The expandable shelter of  claim 12 , further comprising a wall support attached to the first and second corner posts and the upper frame support. 
     
     
         14 . The expandable shelter of  claim 12 , further comprising a fabric connector connected to the wall support wherein the fabric connector comprises a fabric clamp that extends around the perimeter of the wall support. 
     
     
         15 . The expandable shelter of  claim 14 , 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. 
     
     
         16 . The expandable shelter of  claim 12 , 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 first displaceable panel is in the closed configuration, wherein the first 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.   
     
     
         17 . The expandable shelter of  claim 12 , wherein each of the corner posts comprises first and second connection blocks disposed adjacent the first and second ends of the corner post. 
     
     
         18 . The expandable shelter of  claim 12 , further comprising a wall support attached to the first and second corner posts and the upper frame support. 
     
     
         19 . The expandable shelter of  claim 1 , further comprising a third displaceable panel configured to fit securely on the interior of the third and fourth corner posts when in a closed configuration in which the third displaceable panel comprises substantially all of the second end of the shelter. 
     
     
         20 . The expandable shelter of  claim 19 , wherein the second end wall of the shelter is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis extending through the shelter. 
     
     
         21 . The expandable shelter of  claim 1 , wherein substantially all of the weight of any such stacked shelters is supported by the corner posts and the upper frame supports.