Modular habitat structure

Abstract

A free standing modular habitat structure is provided. The modular habitat includes a floor, ceiling and walls that comprise a plurality of prefabricated segments that join together to form the floor, ceiling and / or wall. The segments are made of durable and weatherproof outer skin and an insulated core. The insulated core may include raceways for routing wiring and / or plumbing. The insulated core may also include raceways for vertical support structures. Each segment can be solid or include a prefabricated opening such as a door, a window, or a chimney hole. The modular habitat may be a single room or it may be a multi-room habitat with interior walls and equipped with a kitchen, toilet, and / or shower and other amenities. One advantage of clustering multiple habitats together into a single structure is that clustering increases the overall stability of the structure and its ability to withstand harsh weather and high winds.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention is generally related to disaster relief and is more particularly related to a free standing modular habitat that can be efficiently transported to remote locations and quickly erected to provide temporary or permanent shelter.[0003]2. Related Art[0004]Recent examples of shelter used during disaster relief include the FEMA trailers deployed in response to hurricane Katrina and the tent cities that have been erected in Haiti in response to the earthquake. The FEMA trailers were saturated with formaldehyde in amounts that exceeded federal limits resulting from the use or substandard materials and poor design (lack of ventilation). Similarly, the tent cities in Haiti do not provide adequate protection from the elements and are also unsanitary, as the outbreaks of cholera there have demonstrated. Therefore, what is needed is a habitat structure that overcomes these significant problems found in the conventional shelters...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]Described herein is a modular habitat the solves the problems of the conventional shelters and provides an easy to manufacture, efficient to deploy, and cost effective free standing structure that can be used for temporary or permanent shelter. The modular habitat includes a floor, four walls and a roof. The walls and roof are made of a series of segments that join together to form the wall or roof. Each segment can be solid or include a prefabricated opening such as a door, a window, or a chimney hole. Each segment also includes an insulated core surrounded by a durable skin for weather protection. The durable skin can be made of a variety of materials such as metal or even plastic. The modular habitat may be a simple room or it may be a multi-room habitat with interior walls and equipped with a kitchen, a toilet, a shower, etc. The wall and ceiling segments advantageously include interior spaces (“raceways”) that can be used to carry electrical cables and / or plumbing throughout the structure.

[0006]In on embodiment, the modular habitat is a free standing structure comprising a single habitat. In an alternative embodiment, the modular habitat is a free standing structure comprising multiple habitats. One advantage of clustering multiple habitats together into a single structure is that clustering increases the overall stability of the structure and its ability to withstand harsh weather and high winds.

[0007]In one embodiment, the toilet can be a composting toilet to minimize the need for plumbing and / or running water.

[0008]In one embodiment, the kitchen can be a self-contained kitchen to minimize the need for specific electrical and / or water hook ups.

[0009]Advantageously, the various components of the modular habitat can be manufactured and placed on palettes and stored for shipment to any remote location where dependable, easily erected shelter may be needed. In a time of need the palettes may be shipped to their destination and quickly erected to provide temporary or even permanent shelter. Particular benefits of the modular habitat is that it can be used as a temporary or permanent living structure; it is easily and quickly erected; it can be clustered to provided increased stability, it can be interconnected with doorway and / or window segments to provide multi-room structures.

Problems solved by technology

The FEMA trailers were saturated with formaldehyde in amounts that exceeded federal limits resulting from the use or substandard materials and poor design (lack of ventilation).

Similarly, the tent cities in Haiti do not provide adequate protection from the elements and are also unsanitary, as the outbreaks of cholera there have demonstrated.

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