Building system

Abstract

A building system comprising a plurality of modules (12), each comprising a 5 lower frame (14) and an upper frame (16) each comprising a plurality of elongate members. A plurality of corner connectors (20) are provided each comprising a prism having a plurality of side walls (32) and upper and lower walls (30, 31) such that adjacent ends of the elongate members are each fixed to one of the side walls (32). The upper, lower and side walls (30, 31, 32) are 10 provided with holes (34) to received bolts (36) to allow connection to corner connectors (20) of a further module (12) and the side walls (32) to which no elongate member is connected include access apertures (38) such that a hand can be received through the access aperture (38) to provide access for fixing of the bolts (36).

Description

[0001] “Building System”

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003]

[0001] The present invention relates to a building system.

[0004] Background to the Invention

[0005]

[0002] The cost of constructing buildings in remote areas can be significantly higher than construction costs in urban areas. Factors influencing these costs include the cost of transportation of materials and costs associated with having tradespeople travel to and stay at the remote location.

[0006]

[0003] Given the high cost of building in such areas, it is necessary to employ techniques to reduce on-site building time in order to ensure that the cost of building is affordable. Constructing buildings of pre-made modules is therefore common. Such modules are generally transported on trucks and connected together on site. The module’s length and width are also sized to reduce transport costs. For example, modules beyond a specified width require escort vehicles and permits, which substantially increases the transport costs, thereby affecting the overall project cost.

[0007]

[0004] The present invention relates to a building system for constructing such building modules. The system is aimed at providing adaptable construction and simple installation in a form which can be easily transported to remote site.

[0008] Summary of the Invention

[0009]

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a building system comprising: a plurality of modules, each comprising a lower frame and an upper frame, each of the lower and upper frames including a plurality of elongate members connected together to define an outer periphery of the lower or upper frame; and a plurality of corner connectors each comprising a prism having a plurality of side walls and upper and lower walls such that adjacent ends of each pair of the elongate members are each fixed to one of the side walls of the corner connector; wherein the upper, lower and side walls are provided with holes to received bolts to allow connection to corner connectors of a further module stacked above or to the side of the module and wherein the side walls of each of the corner connectors to which no elongate member is connected include access apertures provided such that a hand can be received through the access aperture to provide access for fixing of the bolts.

[0010]

[0006] Preferably each of the first and second rings is rectangular and each of the corner connectors comprises a rectangular prism thereby having four side walls.

[0011]

[0007] Preferably each of the lower, upper and side walls is square such that the corner connector is a cube.

[0012]

[0008] Preferably the access apertures are provided centrally on the side walls.

[0013]

[0009] Preferably the building module includes a floor structure comprising cross members extending across the lower frame.

[0014]

[0010] Preferably the building module includes a ceiling structure comprising cross members extending across the upper frame.

[0015]

[0011] Preferably the building module includes a wall structure comprising cross members extending between the lower and upper frames.

[0016]

[0012] Preferably a plurality of uprights are provided extending between the lower and upper frames.

[0013] Preferably the uprights extend between the corner connectors of the lower and upper frames.

[0017]

[0014] Preferably the uprights are welded to the corner connectors.

[0018]

[0015] Preferably the lower and upper walls of the corner connectors are provided with chamfered edge portions around a corner thereof to assist with alignment of the uprights and with welding the ends of the uprights to the lower and upper walls.

[0019] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020]

[0016] The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0021]

[0017] Figure 1 a is an upper perspective view of a building module of a building system in accordance with the present invention;

[0022]

[0018] Figure 1 b is a top view of the building module of Figure 1 a;

[0023]

[0019] Figure 1 c is a side view of the building module of Figure 1 a;

[0024]

[0020] Figure 1d is an end view of the building module of Figure 1a;

[0025]

[0021] Figure 2 is an upper perspective view of a pair of building modules of the present invention stacked vertically;

[0026]

[0022] Figure 3 is an upper perspective view of five building modules of the present invention stacked vertically and horizontally;

[0027]

[0023] Figure 4 is an upper perspective view of a corner connector of the building system;

[0028]

[0024] Figure 5a is a top view of the corner connector of Figure 4;

[0029]

[0025] Figure 5b is a first side view of the corner connector of Figure 4;

[0030]

[0026] Figure 5c is a second side view the corner connector of Figure 4;

[0031]

[0027] Figure 5d is a cross-sectional view of the corner connector of Figure 5c through the line A-A;

[0032]

[0028] Figure 5e is a bottom view of the comer connector of Figure 4;

[0033]

[0029] Figure 6a is an upper perspective view of one of the uprights of the building module connected to a pair of corner connectors;

[0030] Figure 6b is a front view of the upright and connected corner connectors of Figure 6a;

[0034]

[0031] Figure 6c is a cross-sectional view of the upright of Figure 6b through the line A-A;

[0035]

[0032] Figure 6d is a cross-sectional view of the upright of Figure 6b through the line B-B;

[0036]

[0033] Figure 7 is an upper perspective view of corner connectors of three adjacent building modules;

[0037]

[0034] Figure 8 is a front view of the corner connectors of Figure 7 prior to connection;

[0038]

[0035] Figure 9a is a front view of the corner connectors of Figure 7;

[0039]

[0036] Figure 9b is a cross-sectional view of the corner connectors of Figure 9a through the line B-B;

[0040]

[0037] Figure 9c is a cross-sectional view of the corner connectors of Figure 9a through the line A-A;

[0041]

[0038] Figure 10a is a front view of an upright prior to being bolted to the corner connectors; and

[0042]

[0039] Figure 10b is a perspective view of the upright prior to being bolted to the corner connectors.

[0043] Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

[0044]

[0040] Referring to the Figures, there is shown a building system 10 for constructing a building structure comprising one or more building modules 12. Each of the building modules 12 includes lower frame 14 and an upper frame 16. The upper frame 16 is supported above the lower frame 14 by a plurality of uprights 22. Each of the lower and upper frames 14 and 16 includes a plurality of elongate members 18 connected together to define the periphery of the frame 14 or 16.

[0045]

[0041] The uprights 22 extend upwardly from the junction between each adjacent pair of elongate members 18 of the lower frame 14 to connect adjacent a junction between adjacent pairs of elongate members 18 of the upper frame 16. In the embodiment shown, lower and upper frames 14 and 16 are each rectangular and the uprights 22 extend between corresponding corners of the lower and upper frames 14 and 16.

[0046]

[0042] The building module 12 includes a floor structure 24 extending across the area defined by the lower frame 14. The floor structure 24 in the embodiment shown comprises a plurality of cross members extending across between the long sides of the lower frame 14. The wall structure 24 is provided to support a floor (not shown) of the building module 12 fixed to an upper surface of the cross members.

[0047]

[0043] The building module 12 includes also a ceiling structure 26 extending across the area defined by the upper frame 16. The ceiling structure 26 in the embodiment shown comprises also a plurality of cross members extending across between the long sides of the upper frame 16. The ceiling structure 26 is provided to support a ceiling (not shown) of the building module 12 fixed to a lower surface of the cross members.

[0048]

[0044] The building module 12 includes also a wall structure 28 extending between the lower and upper frames 14 and 16. The wall structure 28 comprises a plurality of cross members connected between the lower and upper frames 14 and 16 and the uprights 22 to which a plurality of wall panels (not shown) may be connected. The building module 12 thereby defines an enclosed space which may be used as part of an overall building formed from one or more of the building modules 12 stacked vertically and / or horizontally.

[0049]

[0045] Each of the lower and upper frames 14 and 16 includes also a plurality of corner connectors 20. Each of the corner connectors 20 is provided adjacent the junction of an adjacent pair of elongate members 18. Ends of the adjacent elongate members 18 may be connected to the corner connectors 20 by suitable means, such as welding. The elongate members 18 may alternatively be bolted to the corner connectors 20. The corner connectors 20 of the building module 12 are provided to allow connection to corner connectors 20 of an adjacent building module 12 stacked either vertically above or horizontally to the side of the building module 12.

[0050]

[0046] Each of the corner connectors 20 comprises a prism formed from a lower wall 30 and an upper wall 31 connected together by a plurality of side walls 32. Each of the lower, upper and side walls 30, 31 and 32 comprises a planar wall connected together by suitable means, such as by welding.

[0051]

[0047] In the embodiment shown, each of the corner connectors 20 comprises a rectangular prism such that each of the lower and upper walls 30, 31 and 32 are rectangular in shape and there are provided four rectangular side walls 32. The lower, upper and side walls 30, 31 and 32 may all be of the same size such that the corner connector 20 comprises a cube.

[0052]

[0048] Each of the lower, upper and side walls 30, 31 and 32 includes a plurality of holes 34 therein. The holes 34 are provided to receive bolts 36 which may be passed through an aligned pair of holes 34 in the wall 30, 31 or 32 and the holes 34 of one of the walls 30, 31 or 32 of an adjacent building module 12. The corner connector 20 may be connected to a corner connector 20 of an adjacent building module 12 by fixing one of the side walls 32 to one of the side walls 32 of the adjacent building module 12, or by connecting the upper wall 31 to the lower wall 30 of the corner connector 20 of the adjacent building module 12.

[0053]

[0049] Each of the corner connectors 20 includes also access apertures 38 in the side walls 32. The access apertures 38 are provided in the side walls 32 to which the adjacent elongate members 18 are not connected. The access apertures 38 comprise openings of sufficient size to allow a hand to be inserted into the interior of the corner connector 20 for manipulating the bolts 36 such that the bolts 36 may be inserted through aligned holes 34. The access apertures 38 also allow a hand to be inserted to engage nuts 37 to the end of the bolts 36 once passed through aligned holes 34. The access apertures 38 in embodiment shown are provided centrally in the side walls 32.

[0054]

[0050] The uprights 22 in the embodiment shown extend between the upper wall 31 of the corner connectors 20 of the lower frame 14 and the lower wall 30 of one of the corner connectors 20 of the upper frame 16. The uprights 22 may be welded in place to the corner connectors 20. Alternatively, the uprights may be bolted to the corner connectors 20. Figure 10 shows an example in which ends of the uprights 22 are provided with threaded shafts 50 which pass through the holes 34 in the corner connectors 20 and are secured with nuts 52. The lower and upper walls 30 and 31 may be provided with chamfered edge portions 40 around a corner thereof (as can be seen in Figure 4). The chamfered edge portions 40 are provided to assist with alignment of the uprights 22 and with welding the ends of the uprights 22 to the lower and upper walls 30 and 31 .

[0055]

[0051] In use, a building may be formed from a plurality of connected building modules 12 of the present invention. Figures 2 and 3 show two different examples with building modules 12 connected both horizontally and vertically. The building modules 12 may be conveniently connected on site by bolting together the corner connectors 20 in the desired configuration.

[0056]

[0052] It will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts that various modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing embodiments, in addition to those already described, without departing from the basic inventive concepts of the present invention.

Claims

Claims1 . A building system comprising: a plurality of modules, each comprising a lower frame and an upper frame, each of the lower and upper frames including a plurality of elongate members connected together to define an outer periphery of the lower or upper frame; and a plurality of corner connectors each comprising a prism having a plurality of side walls and upper and lower walls such that adjacent ends of each pair of the elongate members are each fixed to one of the side walls of the corner connector; wherein the upper, lower and side walls are provided with holes to received 15 bolts to allow connection to corner connectors of a further module stacked above or to the side of the module and wherein the side walls of each of the corner connectors to which no elongate member is connected include access apertures provided such that a hand can be received through the access aperture to provide access for fixing of the bolts.

202. A building system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second rings is rectangular and each of the corner connectors comprises a rectangular prism thereby having four side walls.

3. A building system in accordance with claim 2, wherein each of the lower, upper and side walls is square such that the corner connector is a cube.

4. A building system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the access apertures are provided centrally on the side walls.

5. A building system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the building module includes a floor structure comprising cross members extending across the lower frame.

6. A building system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the building module includes a ceiling structure comprising cross members extending across the upper frame.

7. A building system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the building module includes a wall structure comprising cross members extending between the lower and upper frames.

8. A building system in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of uprights are provided extending between the lower and upper frames.

9. A building system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the uprights 10 extend between the corner connectors of the lower and upper frames.

10. A building system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the uprights are welded to the corner connectors.

11. A building system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the lower and upper walls of the corner connectors are provided with chamfered edge portions around a comer thereof to assist with alignment of the uprights and with welding the ends of the uprights to the lower and upper walls.

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