Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02610309 2007-11-09 _-........... -1-
A KIT OF PARTS FOR AN ERECTABLE SHELTER AND A SHELTER MADE
THEREFROM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to at least semi-rigid shelters that are
erectable for temporary use.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In the wake of a natural disaster, it is typical that many victims will
require emergency shelter. Such shelter may be provided by non-rigid means,
such as tents. While tents are relatively easy to erect, they are sometimes
less
desirable than shelter that is at least semi-rigid for a variety of reasons.
1t is
therefore desirable for a shelter to be provided that is at least semi-rigid
and
which is also easily constructed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a shelter that is
semi-rigid and that is erectable by hand without the use of tools.
[0004] In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a shelter that
is semi-rigid and that is erectable by hand without the use of tools and that
is
easily disassemblable for reuse.
[0005] tn another aspect, the present invention is directed to a shelter that
is configured to resist damage from certain types of natural disaster, such as
an
earthquake.
[0006] In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a kit of parts
for making a shelter in accordance with either of the aspects described above.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The present invention will now be described by way of example
only with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
[0008] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shelter, shown in an erected
configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0009] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a kit of parts that can be used to
erect the shelter shown in Figure 1;
[0010] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the kit of parts shown in Figure
2, in an opened position showing some of the components contained therein;
[0011] Figure 4a is a perspective view of the storage crate for the kit of
parts shown in Figure 2 with one element removed for clarity;
[0012] Figure 4b is a perspective view of a partially erected shelter from
the kit of parts shown in Figure 2;
[0013] Figure 5 is another perspective view of the shelter shown in
Figure 1;
[0014] Figure 6 is a side view of two of the kit of parts shown in Figure 2,
one stacked on the other;
[0015] Figure 7a is a sectional view of a wall frame member that is part
of the kit of parts shown in Figure 2;
[0016] Figure 7b is a side view of the wall frame member shown in
Figure 7a;
[0017] Figure 8a is a sectional view of another wall frame member that is
part of the kit of parts shown in Figure 2;
[0018] Figure 8b is a side view of the wall frame member shown in
Figure 8a;
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[0019] Figure 9a is an end view of the wall frame member shown in
Figure 7a, with a wall panel from the kit of parts shown in Figure 2, inserted
therein;
[0020] Figure 9b is a magnified sectional view of the wall panel shown in
Figure 9a;
[0021] Figure 10 is a perspective view illustrating the mounting of a wall
frame member and a wall panel from the kit of parts shown in Figure 2, to a
floor from the kit of parts shown in Figure 2;
[0022] Figure 11 is a sectional side view showing the wall panel shown
in Figure 10, mounted to the floor shown in Figure 10 using a hand-operable
fastener;
[0023] Figure 12a is another perspective view of the shelter shown in
Figure 1 with a roof structure cover removed for clarity;
[0024] Figure 12b is a side view of a portion of the shelter shown in
Figure 1, illustrating the assembly of selected frame members and panels;
[0025] Figure 13 is an end view of a roof frame member and a roof panel
from the kit of parts shown in Figure 2;
[0026] Figure 14 is an end view of another roof frame member and a roof
panel from the kit of parts shown in Figure 2;
[0027] Figure 15 is a side view of a portion of the shelter shown in Figure
1, illustrating the connection between selected frame members;
[0028] Figure 16 is a magnified sectional side view of a roof panel from
the kit of parts shown in Figure 2;
[0029] Figure 17 is an edge view of an alternative roof panel that may be
used as part of the shelter shown in Figure 1;
[0030] Figure 18 is an edge view of another alternative roof panel that
may be used as part of the shelter shown in Figure 1;
I
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[0031] Figure 19 is an elevation view of the connection between roof
frame in-line members with each other and with wall frame in-line members;
[0032] Figure 20a is an elevation view of the connection between roof
frame corner members with each other and with wall frame corner members, as
seen from the interior of the shelter shown in Figure 1;
[0033] Figure 20b is an elevation view of the connection between roof
frame corner members with each other and with wall frame corner members, as
seen from the exterior of the shelter shown in Figure 1;
[0034] Figure 21 is a magnified perspective view of the end of one of the
frame members shown in Figure 20a;
[0035] Figure 22 is a magnified elevation view of the end of one of the
frame members shown in Figure 20a;
[0036] Figure 23 is an elevation view of an alternative construction for
the door and related components for the shelter shown in Figure 1;
[0037] Figure 24 is an elevation view of an alternative construction for a
window for the shelter shown in Figure 1;
[0038] Figure 25 is a perspective view of an alternative roof system for
use with the shelter shown in Figure 1;
[0039] Figure 26 is a sectional view of a panel in the roof system shown
in Figure 25;
[0040] Figure 27a is a side view of support beams used in the roof
system shown in Figure 25;
[0041] Figure 27b is a side view of a joint between two roof panels and a
support beam shown in Figure 25;
[0042] Figure 28 is a side view of an alternative wall portion for use in
the shelter shown in Figure 1;
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[0043] Figure 29 is a side view of a support frame for use with the shelter
shown in Figure 1;
[0044] Figure 30 is a plan view of the support frame shown in Figure 29;
and
[0045] Figure 31 is a plan view showing the joint between support beams
that make up the support frame shown in Figures 29 and 30.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0046] Reference is made to Figure 1, which shows an erectable shelter
10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The erectable
shelter 10 may be used to shelter people, who for whatever reason do have
shelter immediately available. For example, the erectable shelter 10 may be
used to shelter people who have had to evacuate their homes, or who have lost
their homes as a result of a natural disaster, such as a hurricane or a flood.
As
another example, the shelter 10 may be used to shelter people who have been
displaced as a result of war or from some other man-made cause.
[0047] The components of the erectable shelter 10 may be configured to
be removably connectable to one another, so that the shelter 10 may be easily
disassembled after it is no longer needed. Preferably, after disassembly, the
shelter 10 can be stored in a space-efficient state and can be re-erected when
it is needed again.
[0048] Preferably, assembly and disassembly of the shelter 10 can be
effected by a person without the use of tools.
[0049] In the erected configuration shown in Figure 1, there is shown a
floor 12, a wall portion 14, which may be at least semi-rigid, and a roof
portion
16, which may be at least semi-rigid.
[0050] Referring to Figure 2, the erectable shelter 10 may be stored or
transported in a space efficient configuration, which may be referred to as a
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storage configuration. In the storage configuration, the erectable shelter 10
may be referred to as a kit of parts 10. In the storage configuration, the
floor 12
makes up a first portion, shown at 18, of a storage crate 20, which houses the
components of the wall portion 14 and roof portion 16 (see Figure 1). Aside
from the first portion 18, the storage crate 20 further includes two end
panels
22 (see Figure 3).
[0051] Referring to Figure 1, the components that make up the wall
portion 14 include a plurality of wall frame members 24 and a plurality of
wall
panels 26, one of which may include a door assembly 28. Referring to Figure
5, the components that make up the roof portion 16 include a plurality of roof
frame members 30, a plurality of roof panels 32, which together make up a roof
structure 33. The roof portion 16 further includes a roof structure cover 34
(see
Figure 1).
[0052] To erect the shelter 10, the storage crate 20 is opened (see
Figure 3). As best seen in Figures 4a and 4b, the first portion 18 is made
from
four panels 36, 38, 40 and 42, which are hingedly joined together, by hinge
connectors 44, and which open into a laid-out position (Figure 4b) to form the
floor 12 of the shelter 10.
[0053] Referring to Figure 2, structural ribs 46 extend along the exterior
faces of the floor panels 36, 38 (not shown in Figure 2), 40 and 42 to provide
added strength and to increase bending resistance to the panels 36, 38, 40 and
42. It will be noted that the structural ribs 46 on the floor panel 36 (which
forms
the top panel of the storage crate 20) are offset from the structural ribs 46
on
the floor panel 40, (which forms the bottom panel of the storage crate 20). By
sufficiently offsetting the ribs 46 on the top and bottom panels 36 and 40,
ribs
46 on the bottom panel 40 of one crate 20 do not rest directly upon the ribs
46
of the top panel 36 of the crate 20 immediately underneath, when crates 20 are
stacked on top of another during storage or shipping (see Figure 6). This
reduces the effective height of each crate 20, so that for certain stack
heights,
the stack may be able to accommodate an extra crate 20, relative to a stack
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(not shown) wherein the ribs 46 are not offset. Furthermore, in some
embodiments, such as that shown in Figures 2 and 6, the offset of the ribs 46
is
such that the ribs 46 of the bottom panel 40 of one crate 20 nest within the
ribs
46 on the top panel 36 of the crate 20 immediately below, which serves to help
stabilize the crates 20 during storage and shipping, reducing the likelihood
that
the upper crate 20 will slip off the crate 20 beneath it.
[0054] Referring to Figure 5, the hinge connectors 44 that join the floor
panels 36, 38, 40 and 42 together may be mounted to be flush with the interior
surfaces of the floor panels 36, 38, 40 and 42. The interior surfaces of the
floor
panels 36, 38, 40 and 42 make up the floor surface 48 upon which the user of
the shelter 10 will walk, and so making the hinge connectors 44 flush with the
floor surface 48 reduces the presence of unwanted bumps and irregularities in
the floor surface 48.
[0055] On the floor surface 48 of the floor 12 are mounting and
alignment guides 50 for the wall frame members 24 and wall panels 26.
[0056] Reference is made to Figures 7a, 7b, 8a and 8b, which show two
views of each of two wall frame members 24 respectively. Figures 7a and 7b
show a wall frame corner member 52, and Figures 7a and 7b show a wall
frame in-line member 54. The wall frame members 24 hold the wall panels 26
(Figure 4b) in place and serve as panel-to-panel connectors. To hold the wall
panels 26, the wall frame members 24 include channel structures 56 (Figures
7a and 8a) which define channels 58. The channel structures 56 include
channel side walls 60 and a channel base 62. The channel side walls 60 each
include an optional gripping structure 64 thereon. The gripping structure 64
may be for example, a plurality of ribs 66 which extend out from the side wall
surface into the interior of the channel 58. The ribs 66 may have any suitable
profile, such as, for example, a saw tooth pattern. The saw tooth pattern may
be directional in the sense that the apexes of the saw teeth may be skewed in
a
selected direction, such as towards the channel base 62. The ribs 66 grip and
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hold the edge portion of the wall panel 26 when it is inserted into the
channel
58.
[0057] A lead-in portion 67 may be provided on the channel side walls 60
to facilitate entry of the edge portion of the wall panel 26 into the channel
58.
[0058] Each of the wall frame corner members 52 and wall frame in-line
members 54 includes a roof supporting portion 68, which is configured to
support a portion of the roof portion 16.
[0059] The wall frame members 24 may be made in any suitable way.
For example, the wall frame members 24 may be made as extruded lengths of
polymeric material, having a selected extruded profile. The polymeric material
may be, for example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Some or all of the frame
members 24 may alternatively be made from other materiais, such as, for
example, Aluminum.
[0060] As shown in Figures 7a and 8a, the roof-supporting portion 68 of
each of the extruded profiles may be reinforced with one or more internal
strengthening cross-members 69.
[0061] Referring to Figure 4b, the wall frame members 24 are received in
gaps 70 that are present at selected positions between the mounting and
alignment guides 50, and thus the mounting and alignment guides 50
cooperate with the wall frame members 24 to set the wall frame members 24 in
selected positions about the periphery of the floor 12.
[0062] Referring to Figure 9, the wall panels 26 are received in the
channels 58 in the wall frame members 24. Additionally, referring to Figure
10,
the wall panels 26 abut the mounting and alignment guides 50, and are
mounted to the mounting and alignment guides 50 by means of a plurality of
hand-operable fasteners 72 (see Figures 10 and 11). The hand-operable
fasteners 72 may be any suitable type of fastener. For example, the hand-
operable fasteners 72 may include a hex-head bolt 74, one or more washers 75
and a butterfly nut 76. The head of the bolt 74 may be held in place by any
...
CA 02610309 2007-11-09
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suitable means, such as by friction with the washer 75 while the butterfly nut
76
is hand tightened to connect the wall panel 26 to the mounting and alignment
guide 50. To assist in the grip between the bolt 74 and the washers 75, at
least
one washer 75 may be made from a resilient material, such as rubber.
[0063] Referring to Figure 1, the wall panel 26 with the optional door
assembly 28 is shown. The door assembly 28 includes a door 80 and a door
frame 82. The door 80 is hingedly attached to the door frame 82. The hinged
attachment may be by any suitable means, such as, for example, a door hinge
or some other kind of hinge, such as a living hinge. The door 80 and frame 82
may be connected together as a pre-assembled component in one of the wall
panels 26 in the kit of parts 10. In this way, the wall panel 26 with the door
assembly 78 can be mounted in place for reception in the channels 58 in two
wall frame members 24, in similar fashion to any of the other wall panels 26.
In
the area where the door 80 will be present, the floor 12 may optionally omit a
mounting and alignment guide 50, because it can represent a tripping hazard.
[0064] It is alternatively possible for a functional door to be provided in
any other suitable way. The door need not be provided as part of a door
assembly, if it can be installed by a person erecting the shelter 10 without
tools.
As another alternative, while the door assembly 28 is preferably included in
one
of the wall panels 26, it could optionally be omitted. For example, one of the
wall panels 26 could be provided with a simple opening for users to pass
through into and out of the shelter 10. Alternatively, some other type of
weather or privacy barrier could be provided instead of a door. For example, a
simple curtain could be hung to block the entrance to the shelter 10.
[0065] An alternative means for providing a door is shown in Figure 23.
The door is shown at 200. The door 200 is pre-mounted by hinges 202 to a
wall frame corner member that may be referred to as a door-mounted wall
frame corner member 204. The wall frame corner member 204 has the same
profile as any of the other corner members 52 and can therefore fit in any
corner position of the shelter 10.
,.,,.._ . .,.,...,.. ,_ I. . ,. ,. .: ..... _ .__ . ..,. ..._ ... .. _
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[0066] The door may be provided with a door latch assembly with a bolt
206 that engages a bolt-receiving aperture 208 and an optional strike plate.
The bolt-receiving aperture 208 may be provided in one of the in-line members
54, which can be referred to as a bolt-receiving wall frame in-line member
210,
which can then be positioned in the appropriate position for receiving the
bolt
206 from the door 200.
[0067] In embodiments wherein the door 200 does not occupy the entire
height of the wall portion 14, an above-door wall panel 212 can be provided
which can be friction fit into position between the corner member 204 and the
in-line member 210.
[0068] One or more of the wall panels 26 may be provided with an
optional window 83. The window may be fixed in position, or may be openable,
to provide air flow into and out of the shelter 10, as shown at 214 in Figure
24.
[0069] The wall panels 26 may have any suitable construction. For
example, referring to Figure 9b, they may be made from a three-layer
corrugated panel-board which may be treated in a number of ways. For
example, the board may be treated to be weather resistant, insect resistant,
fire
resistant or any combination thereof.
[0070] Some or all of the wall panels 26 may be made from materials
other than panel-board.
[0071] Each wall panel 26 has an edge portion 84 which may be covered
by a protective sleeve 86. The sleeve 86 may be generally channel shaped
and may be affixed to the edge portion 84 in any suitable way, such as with a
suitable adhesive. The sleeve 86 may include a gripping structure 88 thereon,
which assists in the gripping of the wall panel 26 by the wall frame members
24
(see Figure 9a). In embodiments wherein the gripping structure 88 is present
and the gripping structure 64 is present, the gripping structures 88 and 64
may
cooperate with each other to further assist in the gripping of the wall panel
26 in
the wall frame member 26.
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[0072] The gripping structure 88 may be made up of a plurality of ribs 90
which extend in a direction parallel to the segment of the edge portion 84 on
which the sleeve 86 is mounted. The ribs 90 may have any suitable profile,
such as, for example, a saw tooth pattern. The saw tooth pattern may be
directional in the sense that the apexes of the saw teeth may be skewed in a
selected direction, such as towards the centre, shown at C in Figure 1, of the
wall panel 26. The ribs 90 may thus have an opposite configuration to the ribs
66 on the channel side walls 60, so that the saw teeth engage each other to
help hold the wall panel 26 in place in the channel 58.
[0073] Referring to Figure 9b, the sleeves 86 include optional lead-in
portions 91 on each side wall which facilitates inserting the edge portion 84
of
the wall panel 26 into the channel defined by the shape of the sleeve 86.
[0074] Referring to Figure 9a, when the wall panel 26 is inserted into the
channel 58, it is not necessary for the edge portions 84 of the wall panel 26
to
contact the channel base 62.
[0075] The bolt pass-through holes 78 in Figure 11, which extend
through the wall panels 26, extend through the sleeve 86 at the bottom
segment of the edge portion of the wall panels 26. In this way, the sleeve 86
provides material strength to resist tearing of the bolt 74 through the wall
panel
material surrounding the pass-through hole 78.
[0076] A wall frame cross-member 102 (Figures 12a and 12b) may
extend across the tops of the wall panels 26 and the vertically standing wall
frame members 24 along the first and second ends of the shelter 10, shown at
104 (Figure 1) and 106 (Figure 5). A wall panel 108 is provided above the wall
frame cross-member 102. The wall panel 108 fills in the space present
between the top of the wall panels 26 and the sloped roof frame members 30,
in embodiments wherein the roof is sloped. It is alternatively possible that
the
wall panels 26 at the ends 104 and 106 (Figures 1 and 5 respectively) may be
made relatively taller, so as to fill in the space at the ends under the
sloped roof
CA 02610309 2007-11-09
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frame members 30. Making them taller, however, could impact the necessary
length of the storage crate 20 (Figure 3). The wall panel 108 may have any
suitable shape, which depends on the shape of the sloped roof.
[0077] The wall frame cross-members 102 may be similar to the wall
frame in-line members 54 (Figure 8a). It will be noted, however that a wall
frame in-line member 54 abuts the wall frame cross-member 102 in the middle
of the cross-member 102. To clear the wall frame in-line member 32, the wall
frame cross-member 102 may be provided with a notch 112 on the inner
channel side wall, shown at 113 in Figure 12b. Aside from providing clearance
around the wall frame in-line member 32, the notch 112 facilitates positioning
the cross-member 102 on top of the wall panels 26 at the shelter ends 104 and
106 (Figures 12 and 5 respectively). A similar notch 115 (see Figure 15) will
be
provided on the interior channel side wall 113 and optionally on the exterior
channel side wall at each of the ends of the cross-member 102 where it rests
on the wall frame corner members 52.
[0078] Referring to Figures 13 and 14, the roof frame members 30
include roof frame corner members 114 and roof frame in-line members 116,
which may be similar to the wall frame corner members 52 (Figure 7a) and the
wall frame in-Iine members 54 (Figure 8a) respectively in terms of shape, (eg.
extrusion profile).
[0079] Reference is made to Figure 19. The roof frame in-line members
116 abut each other and connect to each other at their respective first ends
150. Their abutment may be in such a way as to form a peak or apex, shown
at Al. The connection to each other may be by any suitable means, such as
by a bracket 151 on each side. In Figure 19 only one bracket 151 is shown at
each end 150; the second bracket 151 is positioned on the side of the
members 116 not shown in the figure.
[0080] At its respective second end, shown at 152, each in-line members
116 is supported by one of the wall frame in-line members 54. A bracket 92 on
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each side of the roof frame in-line member 116 at its second end 152 connects
the member 116 to the wall frame in-line member 54. In Figure 19 only one
bracket 92 is shown at each end 152; the second bracket 92 is positioned on
the side of the member 116 and 54 not shown in the figure.
[0081] The second end 152 may include a support face 154 which
extends generally horizontally so that it can be supported by the top end,
shown at 156, of the associated in-line member 54. The end 152 may further
include a shoulder 158 which extends generally vertically to abut the inner
face,
shown at 160, of the in-line member 54. The engagement of the shoulder and
the in-line member 54 prevents the slippage of the roof portion in-line member
116 outwardly. As a result of the shape of the second ends 152, when a pair of
roof frame in-line members 116 is positioned on the wall frame in-line members
54, the pair of roof frame in-line members have a tendency to be self
supporting prior to the installation of the brackets 92. Preferably, each pair
of
roof frame in-line members 116 are connected together by brackets 151 prior to
positioning on the top ends 156 of the wall frame in-line members 54.
[0082] The brackets 151 and 92 may be mounted using hand-operable
fasteners 94, which may be similar to the hand-operable fasteners 72 (Figure
11) and which may therefore include bolts, resilient washers and butterfly
nuts.
[0083] Referring to Figure 15, an optional layout is shown for the
connection of the roof frame corner members 114, the wall frame cross
member 102 and the wall frame corner member 52. The roof members 114 are
supported at least indirectly by the wall frame corner member 52 and are
joined
to the wall frame corner member 52 by a bracket 92 on each side and hand-
operable fasteners 94, which may be similar to the hand-operable fasteners 72
and which may therefore include bolts and butterfly nuts. In Figure 15, one of
the brackets 92 is hidden from view as it is on the side of the members 114
and
52 not shown in the figure.
I
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[0084] Referring to Figure 20a, a view is provided from the interior of the
shelter, showing an alternative layout for the connection of the roof frame
corner member 114, the wall frame cross member 102 and the wall frame
corner member 52. The end of the wall frame cross-member 102, shown at
162, is shown more clearly in Figures 21 and 22. The end 162 is provided with
clearance 164 for mating with an end 166 (Figure 20a) of the roof frame corner
member 114. An exterior view of the mating of roof frame corner member 114,
the wall frame cross member 102 and the wall frame corner member 52 is
shown in Figure 20b.
[0085] Referring to Figures 13 and 14, the roof frame members 30
include channel structures 96 which define channels 98 with gripping structure
99 for receiving the roof panels 32. The channel structures 96, channels 98
and gripping structures 99 may be similar to the channel structures 56,
channels 58 and gripping structures 64 (Figures 7a and 8a).
[0086] Referring to Figure 12a, in embodiments where the roof is
peaked, as shown in the Figures, the roof frame members 30 abut each other
in such a way as to form an apex A2. Brackets 120 and hand-operable
fasteners 122 may be provided to connect pairs of abutting roof frame
members 30 at the apex A2, to strengthen the roof structure 33.
[0087] The hand-operable fasteners 122 may be similar to the hand-
operable fasteners 72 and may therefore include bolts and butterfly nuts.
[0088] Referring to Figure 16 the roof panels 32 may be similar to the
wall panels 26 (see Figure 9b), and may thus be made from corrugated panel-
board with sleeves 125 along their edge portions, shown at 127. The roof
panels 32 may include some optional features not shown in the wall panels 26.
The roof panels 32 may each include an overhang portion 124 which hangs
down to cover the joint between the roof panel 32 and the subjacent wall panel
26. Covering the joint in this way assists in preventing rain, wind and the
like
from entering the shelter 10. The roof panels 32 may be provided with a hinge
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126, which may be provided by means of a pinch line 126 so that the overhang
portion 124 is hingedly attached to the rest of the roof panel 32 and hangs
down against the exterior face of the wall panels 26 (see Figure 12a).
[0089] Reference is made to Figure 17, which shows an alternative roof
panel 140 that can be used as part of the shelter 10 (Figure 1). The roof
panel
140 may be made from corrugated panel-board, similar to the roof panel 32
(Figure 16). The roof panel 140 may be made to cover both sides of the roof
portion (ie. both sloped portions on either side of the roof peak). To this
end,
the roof panel 140 may be provided with a hinge 142 which is positioned at the
apex of the roof portion when the roof panel 140 is in place in the roof
structure
33 (Figure 12a). The hinge 142 may be provided any suitable way. For
example, the hinge 142 may be formed by a pinch line in the corrugated
structure of the roof panel 140. The ends of the roof panel 140 may include
overhang portions, which may be similar to the overhang portions 124 on the
roof panels 32.
[0090] Referring to Figure 18, in an alternative embodiment, two
separate roof panels 144 could be provided, which are joined by a hinge 146,
which may be, for example, a piano hinge. The roof panels 144 may be made
from any suitable material, such as, for example, plywood.
[0091] Referring to Figure 1, the roof structure cover 34 covers all of the
joints between the roof panels 32 (not shown in Figure 1) and between the roof
panels 32 and the roof frame members 30 (not shown in Figure 1). The roof
structure cover 34 may be shaped to roughly match the shape of the roof, and
may thus be provided with a sloped shape to promote drainage of rainwater
and the like off the roof and to assist in inhibiting the pooling of rainwater
and
the like thereon.
[0092] The roof structure cover 34 may extend downward by a selected
amount onto the wall portion 14 to completely envelop the overhang portions
124 of the roof panels 32 (not shown in Figure 1).
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[0093] The roof structure cover 34 may further include an elastic
member 130 proximate its bottom edge which assists the bottom edge of the
roof structure cover 34 to snugly fit about the exterior of the shelter 10. In
this
way, the cover 34 can better protect the interior of the shelter 10 from the
weather. Additionally, the snug fit makes the cover 34 more resistant to being
inadvertently blown off of the roof during use.
[0094] The roof structure cover 34 may be water-resistant, resistant to
weather generally, fire resistant, insect resistant, or any combination of the
above. The cover 34 may be made from any suitable material such as, for
example, a polymeric material.
[0095] Reference is made to Figure 25, which shows an alternative
system 500 for the roof portion 16, which eliminates the need for the roof
structure cover 34 (Figure 1). The system 500 incorporates roof panels 502,
support beams 504, and a roof apex cover 506. The roof panels 502 may be
similar to the roof panels 32 (Figure 5). Alternatively, the roof panels 502
may
be as shown in Figure 26, and may a sandwich of metallic (eg. steei) exterior
sheet 508, with an insulative material 510 (eg. a panel of Styrofoam) inside.
[0096] Each support beam 504 extends from the top of a wall frame in-
line member 54 to the roof apex, shown at Al, where it adjoins another support
beam 504 that extends downwards from the roof apex Al to the top of a wall
frame in-line member 54. At the roof apex Al, suitable brackets 512 (Figure
27a) and fasteners 513 (eg. hand-operable fasteners such as winged externally
threaded fasteners in combination with wing-nuts) may be provided to join the
support beams 504 together.
[0097] Referring to Figure 27b, each support beam 504 may have a
trough portion 514 and two flange portions 516. Fasteners 518 (eg. hand-
operable fasteners such as winged externally threaded fasteners in
combination with wing-nuts) pass through the flange portions 516 and through
the roof panels 502 to connect to them. Referring to Figure 25, rain that
lands
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or drips off into the space between adjacent roof panels 502 is collected in
the
trough portion 514 and runs down off the roof. The support beam 504 is
preferably made from a metal such as a suitably protected (eg. galvanized)
steel, however it can be made from any suitable material, such as a polymeric
material.
[0098] Along the roof apex Al, the roof apex cover 506 covers the joint
between adjacent roof panels 502 and support beams 504. The roof apex
cover 506 may comprise one or more strips of polymeric material which can be
held in place along the roof apex Al in any suitable way, such as by a
suitable
adhesive or an adhesive tape.
[0099] Reference is made to Figure 28. In an alternative embodiment
the wall panels 26 (Figure 1) may be replaced by wall panels 522 that have a
sandwich construction of metallic exterior sheet (eg. suitably protected (eg.
galvanized) steel), and suitable internal material, such as a panel of
Styrofoam.
[00100] In an alternative embodiment the wall frame members 24 (Figure
1) may be replaced by metallic (eg. suitably protected (eg. galvanized) steel)
wall frame members 524, which may have similar configurations to the wall
frame members 24, examples of which are shown in Figures 7a, 8a and 9a. As
a result of using a metal to make up the members 524, however, certain
elements of the cross-sectional shape that are shown in the members 24
shown in Figures 7a, 8a and 9a may not be necessary.
[00101] Reference is made to Figures 29 and 30. The shelter 10 may
include a support frame 600 that lifts the floor 12 off the ground, thereby
permitting some water to accumulate around the shelter 10 (as can happen in
the wake of a natural disaster) without flooding the shelter 10. The support
frame 600 includes a support platform portion 602 and a plurality of legs 604.
The legs 604 may be adjustable in height, thereby facilitating the supporting
of
the shelter 10 on uneven terrain.
I
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[00102] The support platform portion 602 may be made up of a plurality of
suitable support beams 606, such as box beams. The support beams 606 are
arranged to form a platform on which the floor 12 of the shelter 10 sits. The
beams 606 may be connected together by any suitable means. For example,
the beams 606 may be connected together using threaded hand-operable
fasteners 605 which may be similar to hand-operable fasteners 513 and 518
(Figures 27a and 27b), which pass through beams 606 and beam stubs 607
that are permanently mounted (eg. by welding) on some of the beams 606 at
selected positions.
[00103] An advantage of the shelter 10 relative to some other forms of
shelter is that it can be more resistant to damage from certain types of
natural
disaster. For example, a shelter that is fixedly mounted in some way to the
ground would be directly affected by an earthquake since the movement of the
ground would be transmitted into the shelter and could damage the shelter or
cause the collapse of the shelter, particularly if one portion of the ground
to
which the shelter is connected moves differently than an adjacent portion of
the
ground to which the shelter is also connected. By contrast, the shelter 10 in
accordance with some embodiments of the invention is supported on a floor 12,
or on a floor 12 and a frame 600, and is in both cases not necessarily
anchored
to the ground. As a result, if the ground underneath or near the shelter 10
moves or if different portions of the ground move relative to each other, the
shelter 10 is at less risk of being damaged. Put another way, the shelter 10
in
some embodiments is sufficiently sturdy to be self-supporting or self-standing
(unlike, for example, a tent) so that it is resistant to being damaged by
certain
common after-effects of a natural disaster (eg. aftershocks after an
earthquake)
while also being advantageously portable and easily erectable by persons in an
environment in the wake of a natural disaster. Thus it is well suited to being
used in the wake of a natural disaster.
[00104] The adjustability of the legs 604 may be provided by any suitable
means. For example, referring to Figure 29, each leg 604 may include a leg
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body 608 that mounts to the frame platform portion 602, by means for example,
of a hand-operable fastener 609 that may be similar to the hand-operable
fasteners 513 and 518 (Figures 27a and 27b), and a foot portion 610 that
height-adjustably threads into the leg body portion 608. As a result, each leg
604 is individually height adjustable, facilitating the support of the shelter
10 on
uneven terrain.
[00105] Once the shelter 10 is no longer needed, in some embodiments
the shelter 10 may be disassembled and returned to its storage configuration
as a kit of parts 10. Disassembling the shelter 10 is facilitated by the fact
that
the shelter 10 does not require tools for assembly. Freedom from requiring
tools is advantageous because any tools used in the assembly of a shelter (eg.
a prior art shelter) may be lost by the user during use of the shelter, which
makes subsequent disassembly more difficult. Loss of tools can occur quite
easily particularly when the user is in a stressful situation such as having
just
survived a natural disaster. Therefore, a shelter, such as the shelter 10 that
does not require tools for disassembly is advantageous.
[00106] Disassembly of the shelter 10 includes removing the roof
structure cover 34, and the hand-operable fasteners 72, 94 and 122. A roof
panel 32 and roof frame members 30 may be separated by sliding the roof
frame members 30 in an axial direction along the corresponding edge of the
roof panel 32. Similarly, a wall panel 26 and a wall frame members 24 may be
separated by sliding the wall frame members 24 in an axial direction along the
corresponding edge of the wall panel 26.
[00107] While the above description constitutes a plurality of
embodiments of the present invention, it will be appreciated that the present
invention is susceptible to further modification and change without departing
from the fair meaning of the accompanying claims.
