CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM

Abstract

A modular construction system comprising: a first prefabricated building component including: a first plurality of support members extending parallel to each other in a first direction; and a first lateral force collector configured to transfer lateral forces; a second prefabricated building component including: a second plurality of support members extending parallel to each other in a second direction; and a second lateral force collector configured to transfer the lateral forces; and a connector extending between the first lateral force collector and the second lateral force collector configured to transfer the lateral forces therebetween.

Claims

1. A modular construction system comprising: a first prefabricated building component including: a first plurality of support members extending parallel to each other in a first direction; and a first lateral force collector configured to transfer lateral forces; a second prefabricated building component including: a second plurality of support members extending parallel to each other in a second direction; and a second lateral force collector configured to transfer the lateral forces; and a connector extending between the first lateral force collector and the second lateral force collector configured to transfer the lateral forces therebetween.

2. The modular construction system according to claim 1, wherein the first lateral force collector and the second lateral force collector are colinear.

3. The modular construction system according to claim 1, wherein the first lateral force collector and the second lateral force collector extend along parallel axes.

4. The modular construction system according to claim 1, wherein the first plurality of support members comprises a first plurality of trusses, each of the plurality of trusses including a first top chord, a first bottom chord, and first web members extending therebetween; and wherein the first lateral force collector extends perpendicular to the first plurality of trusses, and is mounted on top of the first bottom chords of the first plurality of trusses.

5. The modular construction system according to claim 4, wherein the first lateral force collector includes a first extender extending down to a level even with a bottom of the first bottom chord.

6. The modular construction system according to claim 4, wherein each of the second plurality of trusses including a second top chord, a second bottom chord, and second web members extending therebetween; and wherein the second lateral force collector extends perpendicular to the second plurality of trusses, and is mounted on top of the second bottom chords thereof.

7. The modular construction system according to claim 6, wherein the second lateral force collector includes a second extender extending down to the level even with a bottom of the second bottom chord.

8. The modular construction system according to claim 7, wherein the first plurality of support members comprises a first plurality of trusses, each of the plurality of trusses including a first top chord, a first bottom chord, and first web members extending therebetween; and wherein the first lateral force collector extends perpendicular to the first plurality of trusses, and is mounted on top of the first bottom chords of the first plurality of trusses; and wherein the connector extends between the first extender and the second extender.

9. The modular construction system according to claim 8, wherein the connector is configured to connect the first extender and the second extender along bottom surfaces of the first and second extenders.

10. The modular construction system according to claim 1, wherein the second lateral force collector extends parallel to the second plurality of support members.

11. The modular construction system according to claim 10, wherein the first lateral force collector and the second lateral force collector extend along parallel axes; and wherein the second plurality of support members comprises a second plurality of trusses, wherein each of the second plurality of trusses including a second top chord, a second bottom chord, and second web members extending therebetween; and wherein the second lateral force collector comprises one of the second bottom chords.

12. The modular construction system according to claim 1, wherein the first lateral force collector extends parallel to the first plurality of support members.

13. The modular construction system according to claim 12, wherein the first plurality of support members comprises a first plurality of trusses, wherein each of the first plurality of trusses including a first top chord, a first bottom chord, and first web members extending therebetween; and wherein the first lateral force collector comprises one of the first bottom chords.

14. The modular construction system according to claim 6, wherein the first lateral force collector extends out one side of the first prefabricated building component; and wherein the second lateral force collector extends out one side of the second prefabricated building component; and wherein the connector includes a first mating connector on the first lateral force collector, and a second mating connector on the second lateral force collector configured to interconnect with the first mating connector.

15. The modular construction system according to claim 1, further comprising a first wall; wherein the connector comprises: a first wall mounting member configured to mount on a first side of the first wall and configured to receive a first end of the first lateral force collector; a second wall mounting member configured to mount on a second side of the first wall configured to be to receive a first end of the second lateral force collector; and a wall collector configured to mount in the first wall and connected to the first wall mounting member and the second wall mounting member.

16. The modular construction system according to claim 1, further comprising a second wall; and a first L-bracket mounted on a first side of the second wall configured to receive ends of the first plurality of support members or one of the first plurality of support members.

17. The modular construction system according to claim 1, further comprising a first bottom layer on the first plurality of support members, and a first top layer of mounted on the first plurality of support members.

18. The modular construction system according to claim 17, wherein the first bottom layer comprises drywall.

19. The modular construction system according to claim 17, wherein the first top layer comprises concrete.

20. The modular construction system according to claim 1, further comprising a second bottom layer on the second plurality of support members, and a second top layer of mounted on the second plurality of support members.

21. The modular construction system according to claim 20, wherein the second bottom layer comprises drywall.

22. The modular construction system according to claim 20, wherein the second top layer comprises concrete.

23. The modular construction system according to claim 20, further comprising first bridging members extending between adjacent ones of the first plurality of support members, the first lateral force collector and the first top layer.

24. The modular construction system according claim 1, wherein the first prefabricated building component or the second prefabricated building component comprises a shear wall.

25. A modular construction system comprising: a first prefabricated building component including: a first plurality of support members extending parallel to each other in a first direction; and a first lateral force collector configured to transfer lateral forces.

26. The modular construction system according to claim 25, further comprising a connector connected to the first lateral force collector, and configured to connect the first lateral force collector to a second lateral force collector for transferring the lateral forces therebetween.

27. The modular construction system according to claim 26, wherein the first plurality of support members comprises a first plurality of trusses, wherein each of the first plurality of trusses including a first top chord, a first bottom chord, and first web members extending therebetween; and wherein the first lateral force collector extends perpendicular to the first plurality of trusses, and is mounted on top of the first bottom chords of the first plurality of trusses.

28. The modular construction system according to claim 27, wherein the first lateral force collector includes a first extender extending down to a level even with a bottom of the first bottom chord.

29. The modular construction system according to claim 28, wherein the connector is configured to connect the first extender to a second extender in an adjacent floor component along bottom surfaces of the first and second extenders.

30. The modular construction system according to claim 25, wherein the first plurality of support members comprises a first plurality of trusses, wherein each of the first plurality of trusses including a first top chord, a first bottom chord, and first web members extending therebetween; and wherein the first lateral force collector extends parallel to the first plurality of trusses.

31. The modular construction system according to claim 30, wherein the first lateral force collector comprises one of the first bottom chords.

32. The modular construction system according to claim 25, wherein the first lateral force collector extends out one side of the first building components; and wherein the connector includes a first mating connector on the first lateral force collector configured to mate with a second mating connector on the second lateral force collector.

33. The modular construction system according to claim 25, further comprising a first wall; wherein the connector comprises: a first wall mounting member configured to mount on a first side of the first wall and configured to receive a first end of the first lateral force collector; a second wall mounting member configured to mount on a second side of the first wall configured to be to receive a first end of the second lateral force collector; and a wall collector configured to mount in the first wall and connected to the first wall mounting member and the second wall mounting member.

34. The modular construction system according to claim 25, further comprising a first L-bracket for mounting on a first side of a second wall configured to receive ends of the first plurality of support members.

35. The modular construction system according to claim 25, further comprising a first bottom layer on the first plurality of support members, and a first top layer of mounted on the first plurality of support members.

36. The modular construction system according to claim 35, wherein the first bottom layer comprises drywall.

37. The modular construction system according to claim 35, wherein the first top layer comprises one or more of concrete, insulation, RPG, PV cells.

38. The modular construction system according claim 25, further comprising a shear wall connected to the first lateral force collector.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0065] In order to better understand the subject matter that is disclosed herein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0066] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an exemplary prefabricated modular building system;

[0067] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the exemplary prefabricated modular building system of FIG. 1 with the wall coverings removed;

[0068] FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a building component of the exemplary prefabricated modular building system of FIG. 1 with the wall coverings removed;

[0069] FIG. 4 is an enlarged isometric view of a component connector of the building component of the exemplary prefabricated modular building system of FIG. 1 with the wall coverings removed;

[0070] FIG. 5 is a side view of the component connector of FIG. 4 connected to a second building component.

[0071] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a pair of building components of the exemplary prefabricated modular building system of FIG. 1 with the wall coverings removed;

[0072] FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a pair of building components of the exemplary prefabricated modular building system of FIG. 1;

[0073] FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a pair of building components of the exemplary prefabricated modular building system of FIG. 1;

[0074] FIG. 9 is an isometric view of another building component of the exemplary prefabricated modular building system of FIG. 1 with the wall coverings removed;

[0075] FIG. 10 is an enlarged isometric view of a wall connector of the exemplary prefabricated modular building system of FIG. 1 with the wall coverings removed;

[0076] FIG. 11 is an enlarged isometric view of the wall connector of the exemplary prefabricated modular building system of FIG. 1 with the wall coverings removed,

[0077] FIG. 12 is a side view of the wall connector of FIG. 10 connected to a second building component;

[0078] FIG. 13 is an isometric view of the wall connector of FIG. 10;

[0079] FIGS. 14A-14D are side views of a mating panel connectors of the exemplary prefabricated modular building system of FIG. 1;

[0080] FIG. 15 is an enlarged isometric view of the mating panel connectors of FIGS. 14A-14D including a lock washer;

[0081] FIG. 16 is a top view of a building component of the exemplary prefabricated modular building system of FIG. 1 connected to a shear wall component with the wall coverings removed;

[0082] FIG. 17 is an enlarged isometric view of the building component of FIG. 16;

[0083] FIG. 18 is an isometric view of a prefabricated shear wall component of the exemplary prefabricated modular building system of FIG. 1,

[0084] FIG. 19 is an enlarged isometric view of a bottom portion of the prefabricated shear wall component of FIG. 18; and

[0085] FIG. 20 is an enlarged isometric view of a top portion of the prefabricated shear wall component of FIG. 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0086] While the present teachings are described in conjunction with various embodiments and examples, it is not intended that the present teachings be limited to such embodiments. On the contrary, the present teachings encompass various alternatives and equivalents, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art.

[0087] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an example modular building system 1, may comprise a plurality of prefabricated building components including a plurality of prefabricated vertical wall components 11, 12, 13 and 14, a plurality of prefabricated ceiling/floor components 21a, 21b, 22a, 22b and 23, and at least one prefabricated shear wall component 31. Each of the wall components 11 and 12, and the shear wall component 31 may include a plurality of support members 15, e.g. studs, a top plate 16 and a bottom plate 17. The front and back of each wall component may also include a suitable inside covering 18 and outside covering 19, for example drywall for the inside covering 18 and siding as the outside covering 19. Each of the ceiling/floor components 21a, 21b, 22a, 22b and 23 may include a plurality of support members 25, e.g. beams, joists or trusses, fixed together with top lateral bridging 26 and/or internal lateral bridging 27 extending therebetween. The top and bottom of each ceiling/floor component may include a suitable inside covering 28 and outside covering 29, for example drywall as the inside covering 29 and plywood sheeting or cement as the outside covering. The outside covering 29 may depend on the final use of the ceiling/floor component, e.g. when the ceiling/floor component is a ceiling component, the outer covering 29 may include shingles, tin, photovoltaic cells etc. The ceiling/floor components 21a, 21b, 22a, 22b and 23 may be mounted on the wall components 11, 12, 13, 14 and 31 utilizing L-brackets 30 fixed to the wall components 11, 12, 13, 14 and 31, e.g. perpendicular to the support members 15.

[0088] A plurality of building components, e.g. ceiling/floor component 22a and 22b, may be connected together in a same room to form a uniform wall or ceiling, and in a same building to form a composite wall or ceiling. In order for lateral forces, e.g. caused by natural phenomenon, such as wind or earthquakes, to be transferred from each of the wall components, e.g. wall components 11, 12, 13 and 14, and each of the ceiling/floor components 21a, 21b, 22a, 22b and 23, to the one or more shear walls, e.g. shear wall component 31, lateral force collectors may be provided in each of the building components. The lateral force collectors may include a parallel lateral force collectors 41, a wall lateral force connector 42, perpendicular lateral force collectors 43, and a wall lateral force collector 44, as hereinafter described in greater detail. The lateral force collectors, e.g. lateral force collectors 41, 42, 43 and 44, may be aligned collinearly or one or more of the lateral force collectors may be at angle thereto. The lateral force collectors may extend along parallel axes with an additional shunt lateral force collector therebetween.

[0089] With reference to FIGS. 3-8, the ceiling/floor component 22a may include a plurality of support members 25, e.g. beams, joists or trusses, fixed together with the top lateral bridging 26 and/or the internal lateral bridging 27 extending therebetween. In the illustrated example, each support member 25 comprises a ceiling truss including a top chord 51, a bottom chord 52 and a web 53 extending therebetween. The perpendicular lateral force collector 43 extends across, e.g. perpendicular to, the support members 25, mounted on a top surface of the bottom chord 52. The perpendicular lateral force collector 43 may comprise any suitable structural element for transferring lateral forces, e.g. a steel L-beam or C-beam.

[0090] A panel connector 61 may be provided for connecting a perpendicular lateral force collector 43 on a first ceiling/floor component 22a to another perpendicular lateral force collector 43 on a second ceiling/floor component 22b (See FIG. 5). Since the ceiling/floor component 22a may be a sealed unit with the inside covering 28 and the outside covering 29 already in place, an extender 62 may be provided for extending the perpendicular lateral force collector 43 down to a level with the inside covering 28, whereby the panel connector 61 may be mounted on the outside of the inside covering 28 (see FIG. 6). The panel connector 61 may be an elongated flat plate comprised of a suitably strong material, e.g. steel, extending two to six feet in length, and fastened to the extender 62 using a suitable fastener, e.g. bolts. Component connectors 65 may be provided for connecting adjacent building components, e.g. ceiling/floor components 22a and 22b, together. The component connector 65 may comprise an elongated flat plate fixed to the upper chords 51 and/or the bottom chords 52 of adjacent support members 25, e.g. trusses, utilizing suitable fastening members, e.g. bolts.

[0091] The internal lateral bridging 27 may extend between adjacent support members 25, and from the perpendicular lateral force collector 43 to the outer cover 29, thereby enabling any lateral forces generated in the room above the ceiling/floor component 22a or 22b to be transferred to the lateral force collector 43.

[0092] With reference to FIG. 9, the ceiling/floor component 23 may include a plurality of support members 25, e.g. beams, joists or trusses, fixed together with the top lateral bridging (not shown) and/or the internal lateral bridging 27 extending therebetween. In the illustrated example, each support member 25 comprises a ceiling truss including a top chord 51, a bottom chord 52 and a web 53 extending therebetween. The parallel lateral force collector 41 extends along, e.g. parallel to, the support members 25, mounted on a the bottom chord 52. The parallel lateral force collector 41 may comprise any suitable structural element for transferring lateral forces, e.g. a steel L-beam or C-beam.

[0093] Since the parallel lateral force collector 41 already extends along the lower portion, e.g. chord 52, of the support members 25, e.g. the trusses, an extender 62 is not necessary. Accordingly, the parallel lateral force collectors 41 of adjacent ceiling/floor components 23 may be connected together with a panel connector 61, as defined above.

[0094] When a ceiling/floor component 22a or 22b with a perpendicular lateral force collector 43 or a ceiling/floor component 23 with a parallel lateral force collector 41 meets a wall, a wall lateral force connector 42 may be provided for transferring the lateral forces from one lateral force collector through the wall to another lateral force collector. For example, with reference to FIGS. 10-13, the wall lateral force connector 42 includes a first wall mounting member, e.g. a first shelf 71, mounted on one side of the wall 13 for receiving an end of the parallel lateral force collector 41 from the ceiling/floor component 23. The end of the parallel lateral force collector 41 may be fixed to the first shelf 71 using a suitable fastener, e.g. bolts. The wall lateral force connector 42 may also include a second wall mounting member, e.g. a second shelf 72, mounted on an opposite side of the wall 13 for receiving an end of another lateral force collector, e.g. the perpendicular lateral force collector 43 from the ceiling/floor component 22b. The end of the perpendicular lateral force collector 43 may be fixed to the second shelf 72 via an extender 62 using a suitable fastener, e.g. bolts.

[0095] With reference to FIGS. 12 and 13, the wall lateral force connector 42 may also include a wall collector 73 mounted in the wall 13 connected to both the first shelf 71 and the second shelf 72. The wall collector 73 may be mounted between adjacent studs 15 in the wall 13 using stud brackets 74 above and below the wall collector 73 on each of the adjacent studs. The wall collector 73 may comprise a suitably strong material, e.g. steel, and may have a substantially square cross-section. The wall collector 73 may extend twelve to twenty four inches, depending on the distance between the studs 15.

[0096] Ceiling/floor components 21a, 21b, 22a, 22b and 23 may include both parallel lateral force collectors 41 and perpendicular lateral force collectors 43, since the perpendicular lateral force collectors 43 extend across the tops of the bottom chords 52, while the parallel lateral force collectors 41 extend along the bottom chords 52. Accordingly, lateral force collector systems with a plurality of shear wall components 31 may be arranged in perpendicular directions for the modular building system 1.

[0097] With reference to FIGS. 14A-14D and 15, an alternative system for connecting to perpendicular lateral force collectors 43 from two adjacent ceiling/floor components, e.g. 21a and 21b, without using an extender 62 includes a mating panel connector 90. The mating panel connector 90 includes a first mating connector 91 on an end of a first perpendicular lateral force collector 43 of the first ceiling/floor component 21a, and a second mating connector 92 on an end of a second lateral force collector 43 of the second ceiling/floor component 21b configured to interconnect with the first mating connector 91. The first lateral force collector 43 extends out one side of the first ceiling/floor component, e.g. 21a, and the second lateral force collector 43 extends out one side of the second ceiling/floor component 21b. In the illustrated embodiment, the first mating connector 91 comprises a cylindrical rod extending perpendicular to the first lateral force collector 43, and the second mating connector 92 comprises a pair of parallel arms extending from the end of the second lateral force collector 43, each of the pair of parallel arms including a groove configured to receive portions of the cylindrical rod. The cylindrical rod may be threaded on each end for receiving a threaded fastener for locking the cylindrical rod in the grooves.

[0098] With reference to FIG. 15, the mating panel connector 90 may also include a lock washer 93 comprising a first end configured to be mounted on the cylindrical rod of the first mating connector 91, and a second end configured to extend over the top of the arms of the second mating connector 92, thereby preventing the arms of the second mating connector 92 from disengaging from the cylindrical rod of the first mating connector 91.

[0099] With reference to FIGS. 16 and 17, a wall lateral force collector 44 may be used to connect the lateral force collector 43 of the ceiling/floor component 22a to the shear wall component 31. An extender 62 may be used to lower the perpendicular later force collector 43 down to the level of the inner cover 28, as in hereinbefore described, to connect with the wall lateral force collector 44.

[0100] With reference to FIGS. 18-20 a prefabricated shear wall component 31 may include a base support element 322, and a first anchoring element 324 with a first end 324A of the anchoring element 324 connected to the base support element 322. A second end 324B of the first anchoring element 324 is coupled to a first end 326A of a second anchoring element 326 via a coupler 328. The coupler 328 may be a coupler nut having two threaded portions at two ends each configured to be coupled to the first and the second anchoring elements 324 and 326 respectively.

[0101] As seen in FIG. 21, the shear wall component 31 further includes a first alignment element 330A connected to the base support element 322 such that the first anchoring element 324 passes through a base portion 331 of the first alignment element 330A and is locked at the first alignment element 330A by a lock nut 327. The first alignment element 330A is configured to be received into and align a bottom opening of the prefabricated shear wall component 31 while being lowered into position on the base support element 322.

[0102] The prefabricated shear wall component 31 may be lowered onto the base support element 322 while receiving the first anchoring element 324, the first end 326A of the second anchoring element 326, and the coupler 328 within an anchor pathway through a bottom opening of the shear wall component 31. As best seen in FIGS. 22 and 2E, a second end 326B of the second anchoring element 326 protrudes from a top opening of the anchor pathway.

[0103] The shear wall component 31 may include a second alignment element 330B positioned at the top opening of the anchor pathway, such that a through-opening formed in the base portion 331 of the first alignment element 330A is aligned with the top opening. The second end 326B of the second anchoring element 326 passes through the through-opening and is locked at the top opening by a locking element 325. The locking element 325 may include a washer plate placed over a base portion of the second alignment element 330B, a lock nut and a jam nut 325A. The second end 326B of the second anchoring element 326 may constitute a first anchoring element for another top prefabricated shear wall component 31 to be received on the top of the prefabricated shear wall component 31, and the other alignment element 330 positioned at the top opening may be configured to align the bottom opening of the anchor pathway of the other top prefabricated shear wall component 31. The second end 326B of the second anchoring element 326 may include a guiding tip 326C removably connected thereto and configured to assist the guiding of the second end 326B through the anchor pathway, the top opening, and the through-opening.

[0104] The foregoing description of one or more example embodiments has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the disclosure be limited not by this detailed description.