Foldable home with scissor-folding sidewalls

Abstract

An enclosed habitable house has a main body, a roof system, a wall system and a bottom drive mechanism. The main body mechanism is connected with other elements and provides the framework and structural support. The main body includes the main body frame and the articulation mechanisms. The roof system is symmetrical on both sides of the main body and installed on the upper part of thereof. The roof system includes two foldable sloped roofs and four foldable roof supports. The wall mechanism is symmetrically distributed on both sides of the main body and includes the outer wall system, the side wall system and the rotation mechanism. A bottom driving mechanism is used for the unfolding of the wall system and includes four sets of retractable pushing mechanisms. The front and rear walls can unfold from the sides of the main body during expansion of the structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An expandable home comprising:
 a main structure having a front side, a rear side opposite the front side, and first and second sides spanning between the front side and the rear side; and   a first expansion structure expanding from the first side, the first expansion structure providing, in an expanded state, a first expansion front wall, extending the front side of the main structure, a first expansion rear wall, extending the rear side of the main structure, and a first expansion outer wall, disposed between the first expansion front wall and the first expansion rear wall, the first expansion outer wall being substantially coplanar with the first side of the main structure, wherein   the first expansion front wall and the first expansion rear wall are each folded at least in first and second portions; and   each of the first and second portions are stacked against each other and disposed adjacent the first side of the main structure when the expandable home is in a collapsed state.   
     
     
         2 . The expandable home of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second expansion structure expanding from the second side, the second expansion structure providing, in the expanded state, a second expansion front wall, extending the front side of the main structure, a second expansion rear wall, extending the rear side of the main structure, and a second expansion outer wall, disposed between the second expansion front wall and the second expansion rear wall, the second expansion outer wall being substantially coplanar with the second side of the main structure, wherein   the second expansion front wall and the second expansion rear wall are each folded at least in first and second portions; and   each of the first and second portions of the second expansion front and rear walls are stacked against each other and disposed adjacent the second side of the main structure when the expandable home is in the collapsed state.   
     
     
         3 . The expandable home of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a retractable roof, the retractable roof having a plurality of roof modules stacked and nested into a main body roof portion in the collapsed state, wherein   an outermost one of the plurality of roof modules are attached to the first outer wall; and   expansion of the expandable home to the expanded state causes the outermost one of the plurality of roof modules to extend out of the main body roof portion, where continued expansion causes each of the plurality of roof modules to extend out of the main body roof portion to form a roof over the first expansion structure.   
     
     
         4 . The expandable home of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of roof modules form a roof structure that is sloped continuously downward from the main body. 
     
     
         5 . The expandable home of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of roof modules form a sloped, planar roof surface when the expandable home is fully expanded. 
     
     
         6 . The expandable home of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first and second portions of the first expansion front wall are pivotably attached to each other at a first end of each of thereof, wherein a second end of the first portion of the first expansion front wall is pivotably attached to the main structure and a second end of the second portion of the first expansion front wall is pivotably attached to the first outer wall; and   the first and second portions of the first expansion rear wall are pivotably attached to each other at a first end of each of thereof, wherein a second end of the first portion of the first expansion rear wall is pivotably attached to the main structure and a second end of the second portion of the first expansion rear wall is pivotably attached to the first outer wall.   
     
     
         7 . The expandable home of  claim 1 , further comprising a bottom drive mechanism attached to the main body, the bottom drive mechanism including a plurality of retractable drive rods, wherein an end of an outermost one of the plurality of retractable drive rods is secured to the first outer wall. 
     
     
         8 . The expandable home of  claim 7 , wherein the bottom drive mechanism includes:
 a first bottom drive mechanism, having a first outermost one of a first plurality of retractable drive rods secured to a front corner of the first outer wall; and   a second bottom drive mechanism, having a second outermost one of a second plurality of retractable drive rods secured to a rear corner of the first outer wall, wherein   the first bottom drive mechanism and the second bottom drive mechanism act in unison to expand the retract the first outer wall with respect to the side of the main body.   
     
     
         9 . The expandable home of  claim 1 , further comprising a first floor module, wherein
 a first end of the first floor module is pivotably attached to the first side of the main body; and   the first floor module is movable between the collapsed state, where the first floor module is disposed adjacent the first side of the main body, and the expanded state, where the first floor module provides a floor surface for the first expansion structure.   
     
     
         10 . The expandable home of  claim 9 , further comprising one or more hydraulic rods operable to move the first floor module between the expanded state and the collapsed state. 
     
     
         11 . The expandable home of  claim 2 , further comprising a second floor module, wherein
 a first end of the second floor module is pivotably attached to the second side of the main body; and   the second floor module is movable between the collapsed state, where the second floor module is disposed adjacent the second side of the main body, and the expanded state, where the second floor module provides a floor surface for the second expansion structure.   
     
     
         12 . An expandable home comprising:
 a main structure having a front side, a rear side opposite the front side, and first and second sides spanning between the front side and the rear side;   a first expansion structure expanding from the first side, the first expansion structure providing, in an expanded state, a first expansion front wall, extending the front side of the main structure, a first expansion rear wall, extending the rear side of the main structure, and a first expansion outer wall, disposed between the first expansion front wall and the first expansion rear wall, the first expansion outer wall being substantially coplanar with the first side of the main structure;   a second expansion structure expanding from the second side, the second expansion structure providing, in the expanded state, a second expansion front wall, extending the front side of the main structure, a second expansion rear wall, extending the rear side of the main structure, and a second expansion outer wall, disposed between the second expansion front wall and the second expansion rear wall, the second expansion outer wall being substantially coplanar with the second side of the main structure; and   a retractable roof, the retractable roof having first and second sets of a plurality of roof modules stacked and nested into a main body roof portion in the collapsed state, wherein   the first set of the plurality of roof modules are expandable from the main body to cover the first expansion structure and the second set of the plurality of roof modules are expandable from the main body to cover the second expansion structure;   an outermost one of the first and second sets of the plurality of roof modules are attached to, respective ones of the first and second outer walls;   expansion of the expandable home to the expanded state causes the outermost one of each set of the plurality of roof modules to extend out of the main body roof portion, where continued expansion causes each of the plurality of roof modules of each of the first and second sets to extend out of the main body roof portion to form a roof over the respective first and second expansion structures;   the first expansion front wall and the first expansion rear wall are each folded at least in first and second portions;   each of the first and second portions of respective first expansion front and rear walls are stacked against each other and disposed adjacent the first side of the main structure when the expandable home is in a collapsed state;   the second expansion front wall and the second expansion rear wall are each folded at least in first and second portions; and   each of the first and second portions of respective second expansion front and rear walls are stacked against each other and disposed adjacent the second side of the main structure when the expandable home is in the collapsed state.   
     
     
         13 . The expandable home of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first and second portions of the first expansion front wall are pivotably attached to each other at a first end of each of thereof, wherein a second end of the first portion of the first expansion front wall is pivotably attached to the main structure and a second end of the second portion of the first expansion front wall is pivotably attached to the first outer wall;   the first and second portions of the first expansion rear wall are pivotably attached to each other at a first end of each of thereof, wherein a second end of the first portion of the first expansion rear wall is pivotably attached to the main structure and a second end of the second portion of the first expansion rear wall is pivotably attached to the first outer wall;   the first and second portions of the second expansion front wall are pivotably attached to each other at a first end of each of thereof, wherein a second end of the first portion of the second expansion front wall is pivotably attached to the main structure and a second end of the second portion of the second expansion front wall is pivotably attached to the second outer wall; and   the first and second portions of the second expansion rear wall are pivotably attached to each other at a first end of each of thereof, wherein a second end of the first portion of the second expansion rear wall is pivotably attached to the main structure and a second end of the second portion of the second expansion rear wall is pivotably attached to the second outer wall.   
     
     
         14 . The expandable home of  claim 12 , further comprising first and second bottom drive mechanisms attached to extend out from the first and second sides of the main body, the first and second bottom drive mechanisms each including a respective first and second plurality of retractable drive rods, wherein a first end of a first outermost one of the first plurality of retractable drive rods of the first bottom drive mechanism is secured to the first outer wall and a second end of a second outermost one of the second plurality of drive rods of the second bottom drive mechanism is secured to the second outer wall. 
     
     
         15 . The expandable home of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a first floor module and a second floor module, wherein   a first end of the first floor module is pivotably attached to the first side of the main body;   the first floor module is movable between the collapsed state, where the first floor module is disposed adjacent the first side of the main body, and the expanded state, where the first floor module provides a floor surface for the first expansion structure;   a first end of the second floor module is pivotably attached to the second side of the main body; and   the second floor module is movable between the collapsed state, where the second floor module is disposed adjacent the second side of the main body, and the expanded state, where the second floor module provides a floor surface for the second expansion structure.   
     
     
         16 . The expandable home of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 one or more first hydraulic rods operable to move the first floor module between the expanded state and the collapsed state; and   one or more second hydraulic rods operable to move the second floor module between the expanded state and the collapsed state.   
     
     
         17 . An expandable home comprising:
 a main structure having a front side, a rear side opposite the front side, and first and second sides spanning between the front side and the rear side;   a first expansion structure expanding from the first side, the first expansion structure providing, in an expanded state, a first expansion front wall, extending the front side of the main structure, a first expansion rear wall, extending the rear side of the main structure, and a first expansion outer wall, disposed between the first expansion front wall and the first expansion rear wall, the first expansion outer wall being substantially coplanar with the first side of the main structure;   a retractable roof, the retractable roof having a plurality of roof modules stacked and nested into a main body roof portion in the collapsed state; and   a first floor module, wherein   a first end of the first floor module is pivotably attached to the first side of the main body;   the first floor module is movable between the collapsed state, where the first floor module is disposed adjacent the first side of the main body, and the expanded state, where the first floor module provides a floor surface for the first expansion structure;   an outermost one of the plurality of roof modules are attached to the first outer wall;   expansion of the expandable home to the expanded state causes the outermost one of the plurality of roof modules to extend out of the main body roof portion, where continued expansion causes each of the plurality of roof modules to extend out of the main body roof portion to form a roof over the first expansion structure;   the first expansion front wall and the first expansion rear wall are each folded at least in first and second portions; and   each of the first and second portions are stacked against each other and disposed adjacent the first side of the main structure when the expandable home is in a collapsed state.   
     
     
         18 . The expandable home of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a second expansion structure expanding from the second side, the second expansion structure providing, in the expanded state, a second expansion front wall, extending the front side of the main structure, a second expansion rear wall, extending the rear side of the main structure, and a second expansion outer wall, disposed between the second expansion front wall and the second expansion rear wall, the second expansion outer wall being substantially coplanar with the second side of the main structure, wherein   the second expansion front wall and the second expansion rear wall are each folded at least in first and second portions; and   each of the first and second portions of the second expansion front and rear walls are stacked against each other and disposed adjacent the second side of the main structure when the expandable home is in the collapsed state.   
     
     
         19 . The expandable home of  claim 18 , further comprising a second floor module, wherein
 a first end of the second floor module is pivotably attached to the second side of the main body; and   the second floor module is movable between the collapsed state, where the second floor module is disposed adjacent the second side of the main body, and the expanded state, where the second floor module provides a floor surface for the second expansion structure.   
     
     
         20 . The expandable home of  claim 17 , further comprising a bottom drive mechanism attached to the main body, the bottom drive mechanism including a plurality of retractable drive rods, wherein an end of an outermost one of the plurality of retractable drive rods is secured to the first outer wall.