Collapsible pop-up structure for the rapid erection of shelters

Abstract

A collapsible pop-up structure for the rapid erection of buildings includes at least two portals forming two first parallel aspect facades of the shelter, the two other facades each comprising means for vertical articulation, on one hand with respect to the uprights of the portals that they connect, and on the other hand with respect to an axis positioned centrally between the portals. The portals are independent and the uprights of one portal each comprise an internal profile that can be made to slide so as to increase the height thereof in order to impart pitch to the roof, wherein said internal profiles are connected by an upper beam and form a secondary upper portal that can be made to slide into the portal. Means for controlling the sliding are provided in at least one of the uprights.

Claims

1. A foldable and unfoldable structure for the rapid erection of buildings or shelters, the structure comprising: at least two first portal frames defining two substantially parallel first sidewalls, each one of two second sidewalls having means for vertical hinging relative to uprights of the first portal frames that they connect and about an axis located between the first portal frames, the structure being covered with rigid and/or flexible covering materials secured to the structure, wherein the first portal frames are independent relative to a second portal frame and uprights of the second portal frame each have an inner telescopically sliding profiled member for extending a height thereof for the purpose of giving an inclination to a roof, the inner telescopically sliding profiled members being connected by an upper spar member thereby forming an upper third portal frame which is telescopically slidable within the second portal frame, and means for controlling sliding of the third portal frame being provided in at least one of the uprights of the second portal frame.

2. The foldable and unfoldable structure of claim 1, wherein the second portal frame provided with the third portal frame is central to the first portal frames in a deployed position.

3. The foldable and unfoldable structure of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second portal frames includes a lower longitudinal member connecting lower ends of the uprights thereof.

4. The foldable and unfoldable structure of claim 3, further comprising at least one floor which is hinged relative to the lower longitudinal member of at least one of the first and second portal frames which are connected by the floor and relative to a horizontal axis located centrally between the connected portal frames when the floor is deployed.

5. The foldable and unfoldable structure of claim 1, wherein the control means includes a rack adapted to cooperate with a pinion.

6. The foldable and unfoldable structure of claim 5, wherein a shaft of the pinion is accessible from outside of the upright directly or via a bevel gear device.

7. The foldable and unfoldable structure of claim 6, wherein one end of the shaft or a driven end of the bevel gear device is hollow, the shape of the hollow being adapted for accommodating one end of a rotatable manual or automated tool.

8. The foldable and unfoldable structure of claim 5, wherein at least one of the profiled members is provided with aligned apertures forming steps of the rack.

9. The foldable and unfoldable structure of claim 1, wherein the covering materials include solid panels fitted with the sidewalls and a floor, and a canvas cover for the roof.

10. The foldable and unfoldable structure of claim 9, wherein the solid panels fitted with the sidewalls are rigid and comprise at least one skin.

11. The foldable and unfoldable structure of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third portal frames are formed of aluminum.

12. The foldable and unfoldable structure of claim 1, further comprising at least one longitudinal slot for securing the covering materials.

13. A foldable and unfoldable structure for the rapid erection of buildings or shelters, the structure comprising: a central portal frame; a first outer portal frame and a second outer portal frame positioned on opposing sides of the central portal frame; a first pair of folding semi-sidewalls coupled between the central portal frame and the first outer portal frame; a second pair of folding semi-sidewalls coupled between the central portal frame and the second outer portal frame; a sliding portal frame coupled to the central portal frame; and a flexible roof covering coupled between the first and second outer portal frames, wherein the structure is movable between a collapsed position where the first and second outer portal frames are adjacent to the central portal frame and the sliding portal frame is in a lowered position substantially aligned with the central portal frame and an erected position where the first and second outer portal frames are spaced apart from the central portal frame and the sliding portal frame is in a raised position extending upward from the central portal frame, the first and second pairs of semi-sidewalls are configured to expand and collapse with movement of the first and second outer portal frames.

14. The foldable and unfoldable structure of claim 13, further comprising a foldable floor extending between the first and second outer portal frames, wherein the floor is configured to expand and collapse with movement of the first and second outer portal frames.

15. The foldable and unfoldable structure of claim 13, further comprising a rigid covering coupled to at least one of the first and second outer portal frames.

16. The foldable and unfoldable structure of claim 13, further comprising a rack and pinion arrangement coupled between the central portal frame and the sliding portal frame and configured for moving the sliding portal frame between the lowered and raised positions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows, in perspective view a structure according to the present disclosure in the unfolded position with a secondary roof ridge-forming portal frame deployed;

(2) FIG. 2 shows, in perspective, an intermediate step in the folding or unfolding operation with the secondary roof ridge-forming portal frame retracted;

(3) FIG. 3 shows the completely folded structure;

(4) FIG. 4 shows a shelter partially covered with panels/roofing material;

(5) FIG. 5 shows in perspective a portion of an upright fitted with a rack for deploying the secondary portal frame for forming a roof ridge;

(6) FIG. 6 shows a portion of the rack extracted from its upright; and

(7) FIGS. 7 and 8 schematically show the operation of the floor which can be unfolded or folded up at the same time as the rest of the structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(8) Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the structure of the building according to the present disclosure includes two portal frames or frames 2, 2 located at one and the other side of a central portal frame or frame 3. Said portal frames 2, 2 each include uprights 4, 4 and an upper spar member 5 and a lower longitudinal member 6, making up a frame of rectangular shape. The central portal frame similarly includes uprights 7, 7 and an upper spar member 8, and a lower longitudinal member 9 creating a rigid frame of substantially the same shape and area as the portal frames 2, 2.

(9) Semi-sidewalls 10, 10, 11, 11 arranged symmetrically relative to central portal frame 3, are foldable relative to said portal frame 3, to one of the portal frames 2, 2 and finally to a hinging axis A which is central with respect to them. These semi-sidewalls 10, 10 are in practice each constituted by two frame structures 12, 13 (only one side carries reference numerals but they are present on both sides completely symmetrically) that can be hinged relative to one another about a vertical axis A, hinged with respect to portal frame 2 about a vertical axis B and with respect to portal frame 2 about an axis C.

(10) A secondary portal frame 15, visible as deployed in FIG. 1, is telescopically slidable relative to the central portal frame 3. In FIG. 2 it is retracted and barely visible. It includes lateral uprights 16, 16 at least one of which is in reality a profiled member (see FIGS. 5 and 6) configured to telescopically slide and be driven through a conventional rack and pinion system, and an upper spar member 25.

(11) FIG. 3 shows the structure 1 of the two previous figures fully collapsed, substantially flattened. It is in this configuration that it is transported typically using standard containers. Unfolding and folding thereof, including an intermediate stage visible in FIG. 2, are easy since the structure is light, due to the use of aluminum or alternatively a composite material, and can easily be handled by a single person.

(12) FIG. 4 shows a structure like the one in FIGS. 1 to 3 partially covered with rigid panels, or more generally of a rigid material and/or flexible material. In this particular case, front sidewall 2 is covered with rigid panels with provision for openings for two windows and a door. The roof is covered using a flexible material which can adapt to the particular shape resulting from raising the secondary portal frame 15, upper spar member 25 forming the ridge of the building's roof. Alternatively, the material can conform to a flat roof configuration, when secondary portal frame 15 is not deployed. Sidewall 2 corresponding to the portal frame is also covered with panels. Lateral sidewalls 10, 10 are shown not covered with any panel, particularly to aid description and better illustrate how those covering the other walls are arranged.

(13) FIGS. 5 and 6 show a non-limiting implementation of a rack, in which profiled member 16 sliding in the upright 7 of central portal frame 3 includes steps in the form of apertures of rack 17, regularly formed in a wall thereof. It will be noted that the transverse dimensions of profiled member 16 enable it to move inside upright 7, the remaining space being made use of for its motion control system (see FIG. 6). Longitudinal slotted cylindrical channels 18 at corners of upright 7 are used to secure the panels e.g. of canvas material. A bevel gear system 19 is provided to cooperate with profiled member 16 for controlling its displacement.

(14) Thus, as is apparent in FIG. 6, the square apertures constituting a rack 17 of profiled member 16 cooperate with a pinion 20 the peripheral teeth of which are shaped to engage with the apertures of rack 17. A spigot 21 is also provided to assist in translational guiding of profiled member 16 relative to bevel gear system 19 fixed to inside of upright 7. When the pinion 20 is driven in rotation, meshing of the periphery of the pinion with the apertures of rack 17 causes displacement of profiled member 16 in a direction parallel to an axis of upright 7.

(15) The recess 22 of prismatic shape of bevel gear system 19 is in addition accessible from outside of upright 7, and is used to control the rotation of pinion 20, in turn driving the profiled member 16 and the secondary portal frame 15 as described above.

(16) FIGS. 7 and 8 show a floor 30 in a partially unfolded/folded position (FIG. 7) and in its fully folded-up position (FIG. 8). These drawings are intended to better illustrate the operation of floor 30, and that is why they are not visible in the rest of the structure 1, but rather in a structure 1 showing this schematically without unnecessary detail which could hide certain parts and interfere with the understanding of the unfolding/folding-up operation of the floor. The floor 30 includes a central hinge joint 31 cooperating actually with lower longitudinal member 9 of the central portal frame 3, and hinge joints 34, 35 centrally placed at semi-portions 32, 33 of the floor in a structure having three portal frames such as that illustrated in the drawings. The semi-portions 32, 33 of the floor are folded up against a portal frame prior to folding up the remainder of the structure 1, 1, and are unfolded following erection thereof, coming to bear against the lower longitudinal members 6 of portal frame 2, 2. The axes of all the latter hinge joints are horizontal.

(17) The rapid erection and folding of the structure, including its floor and its roof, result in particular from the overall design discussed above. This original design adapts in every case to all applications requiring the erection of a temporary structure, not only where it is a matter of emergency as discussed above, but also for example in the world of entertainment (marquees and the like).

(18) The present disclosure is not limited to the examples described and explained with reference to the drawings, but encompasses variants and versions notably of shape and materials which fall within the scope of the claims, such as regarding the steps in the rack or the driving pinion.