Expandable Mobile Facility Level Floor Expansion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing mobile facilities face limitations in expanding interior width and floor area without requiring special permits, often resulting in uneven flooring, accessibility issues, and lengthy setup/teardown times due to the use of slide-outs or manual panels.

Innovation Solution

An expandable mobile facility with a compact configuration that transforms into an expanded state through a pivotable roof, a vertically moving side section, and a downward-expanding floor, allowing for symmetrical expansion without cargo interference and maintaining a level floor, utilizing hingeably coupled sections and actuators for efficient expansion and contraction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of stationary object

If a slide-out is used to expand the width of a mobile facility, then the interior width is increased, but the flooring becomes uneven and accessibility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterior widthVSAvoidflooring evenness and accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The facility is divided into a fixed portion and an expandable portion that can be independently controlled. The expandable portion includes a floor section that can be raised or lowered separately from the wall sections, allowing the floor to remain level with the fixed portion while the walls expand outward. This segmentation enables width expansion without creating uneven flooring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The expandable portion is designed with dynamic movement capabilities through hinge connections and actuators. The floor section can dynamically adjust its position vertically through actuators while the wall sections expand horizontally, maintaining floor levelness throughout the expansion and contraction process. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between width expansion and floor evenness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Area of stationary object

If a double sided slide-out is used for maximum interior space, then the floor area is increased, but cargo accessibility in compact configuration is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefloor areaVSAvoidcargo accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The expandable portion is segmented into wall sections and a floor section that can move independently. The floor section remains connected to the fixed portion through hinge connections, creating a continuous, accessible cargo hold space in compact configuration. This allows cargo to be accessed from either end of the facility without being blocked by elevated slide-out floors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Hinge connections act as intermediaries between the fixed portion and the expandable floor section. These hinges allow the floor section to pivot and adjust its position while maintaining a continuous, accessible cargo space. The intermediary hinge mechanism enables both maximum floor area in expanded configuration and full cargo accessibility in compact configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Volume of moving object

If manual panels are used for expansion, then the facility can be expanded, but setup and teardown time is significantly increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterior volumeVSAvoidsetup and teardown time

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Manual mechanical assembly operations are replaced with automated actuator systems. Electric or hydraulic actuators automatically extend and retract the expandable portion, eliminating the need for manual panel assembly and disassembly. This mechanical substitution dramatically reduces setup and teardown time while maintaining the ability to achieve significant interior volume expansion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The expandable portion is designed to be self-extending and self-retracting through the actuator system. The actuators automatically perform the expansion and contraction operations without requiring external manual intervention for each movement step. This self-service capability enables rapid transformation between compact and expanded configurations, minimizing time loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Area of stationary object

If slide-outs are used to expand width beyond initial width, then greater interior space is achieved, but the slide-out structure becomes more complex and heavier

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterior spaceVSAvoidslide-out structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The expandable portion is segmented into modular wall sections and floor section that can be manufactured as separate, standardized components. This segmentation allows each module to be optimized independently and assembled through simple hinge connections, reducing overall structural complexity while achieving greater interior space through multiple expandable modules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS7828367B2Expandable mobile facility

Publication Date: 2010.11.09 PATHFINDER SYSTEMS INC

AI summary

A mobile facility has a fixed frame, an expandable roof section, an expandable floor section, and an expandable side section. Interior space within the mobile facility is expanded by expanding the expandable roof section, the expandable floor section and the expandable side section.