Prefabricated Element Grid Structure for Modular Housing Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing prefabricated housing units lack stability, aesthetic, and functional features such as fire resistance and flexibility in design, limiting their use in unique constructions and requiring extensive and costly extensions.
Innovation Solution
A prefabricated element made of composite construction material with crushed aggregates agglomerated by high-performance concrete, featuring a grid structure for insulation, reinforced mechanical properties, and modular design allowing for easy assembly and customization, including integrated sealing and load distribution systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If standardization is applied to reduce manufacturing costs, then productivity improves, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The housing unit is divided into multiple modular prefabricated elements that can be standardized in production yet assembled in various configurations. Each element contains standardized components (flanges, ribs, partition walls) that maintain manufacturing efficiency while allowing flexible arrangement to create unique designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The prefabricated elements are designed with universal features including standardized flanges for assembly, integrated insulation systems, and multi-purpose structural components that can serve different functions depending on the configuration, enabling both standardization and adaptability.
2Ease of manufacture
If modular units with reduced surface area are used, then ease of manufacture improves, but area of housing unit deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional modular panels to three-dimensional prefabricated elements with integrated partition walls, flanges, and insulation. This vertical integration allows greater housing volume and area within each manufactured unit, expanding living space while maintaining ease of prefabrication.
3Ease of manufacture
If known concrete construction panels are used, then ease of manufacture improves, but reliability deteriorates due to lack of tightness and mechanical reinforcement
Solution Approach 1:
The panel integrates multiple materials and functions: concrete construction material for structure, insulating materials for thermal insulation, sealing elements for tightness, and reinforcement features for mechanical strength. This composite approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while significantly improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines previously separate components (structural panel, insulation, sealing elements, reinforcement) into a single integrated prefabricated element. This merging ensures proper integration of tightness and mechanical reinforcement features that would be difficult to achieve with separate components, while maintaining ease of manufacture through monolithic production.
4Adaptability or versatility
If extensive extensions are made to existing modular units, then adaptability improves, but loss of time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The prefabricated elements are designed with pre-integrated features including insulation, sealing elements, and assembly connections during manufacturing. This preliminary action eliminates the need for time-consuming on-site extensions and modifications, allowing rapid assembly of customized housing configurations directly from standardized components.
Data Source
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AI summary
This invention relates to a prefabricated element (1) for a dwelling unit that is notable in that it comprises: a vertical wall (2) of approximately constant thickness comprising a front face (3), a rear face (4) and a peripheral face (5); a first lip (6) along each horizontal edge of said front face (3); a second lip (7) down each vertical edge of said front face (3); first and second ribs (8, 9) forming with the first and second lips (6, 7) a grid of cells (10) suitable for filling with insulating materials (11) and accepting an interior trim (14) to mask the entire grid; a peripheral edging (23) creating at least one bearing face and a barrier buffer; and at least first and second fixing members (20, 21) for connecting the prefabricated elements (1) to each other.