Self-storage facility, fabrication, and methodology

Abstract

A storage facility. The facility comprises a plurality of load-bearing containers located at a single facility. The facility further comprises a climate controlled enclosure comprising a skin and providing a volume around the plurality of load-bearing containers. The climate controlled enclosure further comprises a ceiling above and positioned to shield an uppermost level of the plurality of load-bearing containers from outdoor environmental exposure.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A storage facility, comprising:
 a plurality of standard commercial shipping containers located at a single facility, wherein each standard commercial shipping container in the plurality of standard commercial shipping containers includes a first corrugated sidewall, a second corrugated sidewall, at least one dividing wall within an interior of one or more of the plurality of standard commercial shipping containers defining the interior of each of the one or more of the plurality of standard commercial shipping containers into a plurality of storage volumes, wherein a subset of the plurality of standard commercial shipping containers provide load bearing support to one or more levels of stacked standard commercial shipping containers; and   a plurality of hallways permitting access to the storage volumes of the one or more of the plurality of standard commercial shipping containers.   
     
     
         22 . The storage facility of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more levels comprises a first level of standard commercial shipping containers and a second level of standard commercial shipping containers supported above and by the first level of standard commercial shipping containers. 
     
     
         23 . The storage facility of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of standard commercial shipping containers comprises a plurality of spacers between a selected standard commercial shipping container in the second level and a selected standard commercial shipping container in the first level. 
     
     
         24 . The storage facility of  claim 22 , wherein the subset of standard commercial shipping load-bearing containers comprises a plurality of spacers between respective corner blocks in a lower set of corner blocks in a selected standard commercial shipping container in the second level and respective corner blocks in an upper set of corner blocks in a selected standard commercial shipping container in the first level. 
     
     
         25 . The storage facility of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of standard commercial shipping load-bearing containers comprises a third level of standard commercial shipping containers supported above and by the second level. 
     
     
         26 . The storage facility of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a ground level area devoid of obstruction and of sufficient dimension to facilitate a drive-thru lane between selected ones of the standard commercial shipping containers and extending from a first end of the facility to a second end of the facility.   
     
     
         27 . The storage facility of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 at least one standard commercial shipping container supported directly above the drive-thru lane.   
     
     
         28 . The storage facility of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one standard commercial shipping container supported above the drive-thru lane is supported by containers laterally separated to sides of the drive-thru lane. 
     
     
         29 . The storage facility of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a ceiling above and positioned to shield an uppermost level of the plurality of standard commercial shipping containers.   
     
     
         30 . The storage facility of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 purlins supporting the ceiling, wherein the purlins are positioned after the plurality of standard commercial shipping containers are positioned in the facility.   
     
     
         31 . The storage facility of  claim 21 , wherein selected standard commercial shipping containers of the plurality of standard commercial shipping containers include access to an interior of each of the selected standard commercial shipping containers through a sidewall of the selected respective standard commercial shipping container. 
     
     
         32 . The storage facility of  claim 21 , wherein selected hallways in the plurality of hallways are positioned between respective standard commercial shipping containers in the plurality of standard commercial shipping containers. 
     
     
         33 . The storage facility of  claim 32 , wherein the selected hallways each comprise a flooring material suspended between a first standard commercial shipping container and a second standard commercial shipping container. 
     
     
         34 . The storage facility of  claim 21 , wherein selected hallways in the plurality of hallways are positioned within interiors of standard commercial shipping containers in the plurality of standard commercial shipping containers. 
     
     
         35 . The storage facility of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of standard commercial shipping containers comprises a first standard commercial shipping container and a second standard commercial shipping container, wherein a major axis of the first standard commercial shipping container is aligned parallel to a major axis of the second standard commercial shipping container; and
 wherein the first standard commercial shipping container comprises a first and second corner casting block welded to and abutting a first and second corner casting block of the second standard commercial shipping container.   
     
     
         36 . The storage facility of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of standard commercial shipping containers located at a single facility comprises at least 300 containers. 
     
     
         37 . The storage facility of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a climate controlled enclosure comprising a skin and providing a volume around the plurality of standard commercial shipping containers.