Micro Modular House with Integrated Steel Lattice Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current modular houses, especially micro-modular houses, suffer from inadequate thermal insulation due to cold bridges in spatial elements, leading to poor living comfort and high heating and cooling costs.
Innovation Solution
A road-transportable micro-modular house featuring a continuous heat-insulating shell made of composite panels, with a steel lattice frame integrated into the shell for stability, and double or triple laminated glass windows for optimal thermal insulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal struts are used in modular construction to achieve strength and load-bearing capacity, then structural integrity is improved, but thermal insulation deteriorates due to high thermal conductivity creating cold bridges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary insulating layer between the metal struts and the interior space. This mediator prevents direct thermal contact between the conductive metal struts and the living space, thereby maintaining structural strength while eliminating the cold bridge effect that causes energy loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction by combining metal struts for structural support with thermal insulation materials in a multi-layered wall assembly. This composite approach allows the structure to simultaneously achieve both mechanical strength and thermal insulation properties by integrating materials with complementary characteristics.
2Loss of energy
If wooden struts are used instead of metal to improve thermal insulation, then energy loss is reduced, but structural strength and load-bearing capacity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of structural support and thermal insulation by combining metal struts with insulating materials in a unified wall assembly. The metal struts provide the necessary load-bearing capacity while the integrated insulating layers provide thermal protection, achieving both requirements simultaneously rather than choosing one material over the other.
3Loss of energy
If continuous thermal insulation is implemented to improve energy efficiency, then heating and cooling costs are reduced, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wall assembly into discrete, modular segments that can be manufactured separately and assembled on-site. Each segment contains pre-installed insulation layers and structural elements, allowing for standardized production that reduces manufacturing complexity while achieving continuous thermal insulation across the entire structure when segments are joined.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides excellent thermal and sound insulation, reducing heating and cooling expenses while maintaining structural integrity and load-bearing capacity, thus offering a comfortable and energy-efficient living space.
Implementation Method 1
a shell extending all around and made of a layered structure made of heat-insulating composite panels or laminated panels
Implementation Method 2
windows are made with frames made of plastic, wood, aluminum, thermo-mechanical mineral fibers and textiles or combinations of these materials and include double or triple laminated glass
Data Source
AI summary
The micro-modular house measures a maximum of 3 meters wide on the outside and between 6 and 12 meters long, and its internal room height is at least 2.30 m. As a special feature, it can be transported by road, which means that it can be transported at anytime and anywhere without special permission for exceptional transport, where an open road leads. It has a casing that extends all around and consists of a layered structure made of heat-insulating composite panels or laminated panels that extends all the way up to the windows and doors, for the floor, walls and ceiling, while the windows have plastic frames. Wood, aluminum or combinations thereof and include double or triple laminated glass. The front side forms a full-surface window front, so that the shell is nowhere penetrated by a heat-conducting part from the inside to the outside and offers a thermal insulation value U of at least 0.18 W/m2K everywhere. Within this shell and parallel to all of its outer edges, an inherently stable steel grid frame runs completely integrated into it. The micro-modular house can be lifted at the four upper corners of this steel grid frame.