Containerized habitable structures

Abstract

A engineered purpose-built portable habitable structure formed of a transformable rectangular enclosure which is the size of an ISO shipping container and which includes a base shell having hingedly attached exterior and interior walls that fold out to form a habitable structure with the walls of the structure being prewired and preplumbed and adapted to connect to appropriate supply sources exterior to the structure.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A portable habitable structure formed of a engineered, purpose-built transformable rectangular enclosure, said enclosure being dimensioned a standard size of containers used for sending freight by plane or ship, said enclosures comprising: 
 a top wall portion; and    a transformable rectangular container portion integral with said top wall portion, said transformable rectangular container portion comprising: 
 a first container wall, a second container wall, and a base, said container walls having first and second elongated edges, said first elongated edge of said first container wall being hingedly attached to a first elongated edge of said top wall portion such that the first container wall can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the top wall portion, said second elongated edge of said second container wall being hingedly attached to a second elongated edge of said top wall portion such that the second container wall can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the top wall portion, and the base of said container having a first and a second elongated edges;  
 a first and a second end portions, said first and second end portions having top and bottom edges, said top edges of the end portions being fixedly and perpendicularly attached to opposite ends of the top wall portion, said bottom edges of said end portions being fixedly and perpendicularly attached to opposite ends of the base;  
 a first and a second base expander portions, said first and second base expander portions having first and second elongated edges, said first base expander portion being hingedly attached to said first elongated edge of said base at its first elongated edge such that said first base expander portion can be placed in a horizontal or a vertical position relative to said base, said second base expander portion being hingedly attached to said second elongated edge of said base at its second elongated edge such that said second base expander portion can be placed in a horizontal or a vertical position relative to said base;  
 a first roof and a second roof, both being hingedly attached to container top edge which can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the base;  
 a first exterior wall and a second exterior wall, at least one of said exterior walls having at least one window and at least one door, said first exterior wall being hingedly attached to said first elongated edge of the first base expander portion such that the first exterior wall can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the base when the first base expander portion is horizontal to the base, said second exterior wall being hingedly attached to said second elongated edge of the second base expander portion such that the second exterior wall can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the base when the second base expander portion is horizontal to the base, said first and second exterior walls being adapted to detachedly fasten to said second elongated edges of said first and second container walls respectively;  
 a plurality of exterior sidewalls hingedly attached to said first and second end portions such that said exterior sidewalls can pivotally fill gaps between the first and second exterior walls and the first and second end portions; and  
 a plurality of interior walls hingedly attached to the first and second end portions and a frame of the containerized enclosure such that said interior walls can be positioned as desired to compartmentalize the interior of the habitable structure, at least one interior wall having at least one door.  
   
     
     
         2 . The habitable structure of  claim 1  wherein the first and second container walls are multi-piece container walls.  
     
     
         3 . The habitable structure of  claim 1  wherein the base and the base expanders function as a floor for the containerized structure.  
     
     
         4 . The habitable structure of  claim 1  wherein the top wall portion and the container walls function as a roof for the containerized structure.  
     
     
         5 . The habitable structure of  claim 1  wherein the exterior walls are manually positioned and detachedly fastened in place.  
     
     
         6 . The habitable structure of  claim 1  wherein the exterior walls are hingedly attached and fastened in place.  
     
     
         7 . The habitable structure of  claim 1  wherein the expanded-roof is hingedly attached and fastened in place.  
     
     
         8 . The habitable structure of  claim 1  wherein the interior walls are manually positioned and detachedly fastened in place.  
     
     
         9 . The habitable structure of  claim 1  wherein the walls are pre-wired and pre-plumbed.  
     
     
         10 . A portable multi-level habitable structure formed of a plurality of engineered purpose-built transformable rectangular containerized enclosures comprising, said enclosures being dimensioned a standard size of containers used for sending freight by plane or ship, said enclosures comprising: 
 at least two containerized enclosures selectively transformed into a habitable structure and arranged in a stacked configuration, each containerized enclosure comprising: 
 a top wall portion; and  
 a transformable rectangular container portion integral with said top wall portion, said transformable rectangular container portion comprising: a first container wall, a second container wall, and a base, said container walls having first and second elongated edges, said first elongated edge of said first container wall being hingedly attached to a first elongated edge of said top wall portion such that the first container wall can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the top wall portion, said second elongated edge of said second container wall being hingedly attached to a second elongated edge of said top wall portion such that the second container wall can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the top wall portion, and the base of said container having a first and a second elongated edges;  
 a first and a second end portions, said first and second end portions having top and bottom edges, said top edges of the end portions being fixedly and perpendicularly attached to opposite ends of the top wall portion, said bottom edges of said end portions being fixedly and perpendicularly attached to opposite ends of the base;  
 a first and a second base expander portions, said first and second base expander portions having first and second elongated edges, said first base expander portion being hingedly attached to said first elongated edge of said base at its first elongated edge such that said first base expander portion can be placed in a horizontal or a vertical position relative to said base, said second base expander portion being hingedly attached to said second elongated edge of said base at its second elongated edge such that said second base expander portion can be placed in a horizontal or a vertical position relative to said base;  
 a first roof and a second roof, both being hingedly attached to container top edge which can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the base;  
 a first exterior wall and a second exterior wall, at least one of said exterior walls having at least one window and at least one door, said first exterior wall being hingedly attached to said first elongated edge of the first base expander portion such that the first exterior wall can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the base when the first base expander portion is horizontal to the base, said second exterior wall being hingedly attached to said second elongated edge of the second base expander portion such that the second exterior wall can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the base when the second base expander portion is horizontal to the base, said first and second exterior walls being adapted to detachedly fasten to said second elongated edges of said first and second container walls respectively;  
 a plurality of exterior sidewalls hingedly attached to said first and second end portions such that said exterior sidewalls can pivotally fill gaps between the first and second exterior walls and the first and second end portions; and  
 a plurality of interior walls hingedly attached to the first and second end portions and a frame of the containerized enclosure such that said interior walls can be positioned as desired to compartmentalize the interior of the habitable structure, at least one interior wall having at least one door.  
   
     
     
         11 . A portable habitable structure formed of a plurality of engineered purpose-built transformable rectangular containerized enclosures, said enclosures being dimensioned a standard size of containers used for sending freight by plane or ship, said enclosures comprising: 
 at least two containerized enclosures selectively transformed into a habitable structure and arranged in a side-by-side configuration, each containerized enclosure comprising: 
 a top wall portion; and  
 a transformable rectangular container portion integral with said top wall portion, said transformable rectangular container portion comprising: 
 a first container wall, a second container wall, and a base, said container walls having first and second elongated edges, said first elongated edge of said first container wall being hingedly attached to a first elongated edge of said top wall portion such that the first container wall can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the top wall portion, said second elongated edge of said second container wall being hingedly attached to a second elongated edge of said top wall portion such that the second container wall can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the top wall portion, and the base of said container having a first and a second elongated edges;  
 a first and a second end portions, said first and second end portions having top and bottom edges, said top edges of the end portions being fixedly and perpendicularly attached to opposite ends of the top wall portion, said bottom edges of said end portions being fixedly and perpendicularly attached to opposite ends of the base;  
 a first and a second base expander portions, said first and second base expander portions having first and second elongated edges, said first base expander portion being hingedly attached to said first elongated edge of said base at its first elongated edge such that said first base expander portion can be placed in a horizontal or a vertical position relative to said base, said second base expander portion being hingedly attached to said second elongated edge of said base at its second elongated edge such that said second base expander portion can be placed in a horizontal or a vertical position relative to said base;  
 a first roof and a second roof, both being hingedly attached to container top edge which can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the base;  
 a first exterior wall and a second exterior wall, at least one of said exterior walls having at least one window and at least one door, said first exterior wall being hingedly attached to said first elongated edge of the first base expander portion such that the first exterior wall can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the base when the first base expander portion is horizontal to the base, said second exterior wall being hingedly attached to said second elongated edge of the second base expander portion such that the second exterior wall can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the base when the second base expander portion is horizontal to the base, said first and second exterior walls being adapted to detachedly fasten to said second elongated edges of said first and second container walls respectively;  
 a plurality of exterior sidewalls hingedly attached to said first and second end portions such that said exterior sidewalls can pivotally fill gaps between the first and second exterior walls and the first and second end portions; and  
 a plurality of interior walls hingedly attached to the first and second end portions and a frame of the containerized enclosure such that said interior walls can be positioned as desired to compartmentalize the interior of the habitable structure, at least one interior wall having at least one door.  
 
   
     
     
         12 . A method of constructing a portable habitable structure formed of an engineered, purpose-built transformable rectangular enclosure, said enclosure being dimensioned a standard size of containers used for sending freight by plane or ship, said enclosures comprising: 
 a top wall portion; and    a transformable rectangular container portion integral with said top wall portion, said transformable rectangular container portion comprising: 
 a first container wall, a second container wall, and a base, said container walls having first and second elongated edges, said first elongated edge of said first container wall being hingedly attached to a first elongated edge of said top wall portion such that the first container wall can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the top wall portion, said second elongated edge of said second container wall being hingedly attached to a second elongated edge of said top wall portion such that the second container wall can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the top wall portion, and the base of said container having a first and a second elongated edges;  
 a first and a second end portions, said first and second end portions having top and bottom edges, said top edges of the end portions being fixedly and perpendicularly attached to opposite ends of the top wall portion, said bottom edges of said end portions being fixedly and perpendicularly attached to opposite ends of the base;  
 a first and a second base expander portions, said first and second base expander portions having first and second elongated edges, said first base expander portion being hingedly attached to said first elongated edge of said base at its first elongated edge such that said first base expander portion can be placed in a horizontal or a vertical position relative to said base, said second base expander portion being hingedly attached to said second elongated edge of said base at its second elongated edge such that said second base expander portion can be placed in a horizontal or a vertical position relative to said base;  
 a first roof and a second roof, both being hingedly attached to container top edge which can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the base  
 a first exterior wall and a second exterior wall, at least one of said exterior walls having at least one window and at least one door, said second exterior wall being hingedly attached to said second elongated edge of the first base expander portion such that the first exterior wall can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the base when the first base expander portion is horizontal to the base, said second exterior wall being hingedly attached to said second elongated edge of the second base expander portion such that the second exterior wall can be placed in a perpendicular or horizontal position relative to the base when the second base expander portion is horizontal to the base, said first and second exterior walls being adapted to detachedly fasten to said second elongated edges of said first and second container walls respectively;  
 a plurality of exterior sidewalls hingedly attached to said first and second end portions such that said exterior sidewalls can pivotally fill gaps between the first and second exterior walls and the first and second end portions; and  
 a plurality of interior walls hingedly attached to the first and second end portions and a frame of the containerized enclosure such that said interior walls can be positioned as desired to compartmentalize the interior of the habitable structure, at least one interior wall having at least one door, said method of constructing comprising the steps of: 
 folding up the hingedly attached container walls to a horizontal position relative to the top wall portion;  
 fastening the container walls into the horizontal position;  
 folding out the hingedly attached base expanders to a horizontal position relative to the base;  
 fastening the base expanders into the horizontal position;  
 folding out the hingedly attached roof into a horizontal position relative to the base expanders;  
 fastening the roof into the horizontal position;  
 folding out the hingedly attached exterior walls into a perpendicular position relative to the base expanders;  
 fastening the exterior walls into the perpendicular position;  
 folding out the hingedly attached exterior sidewalls to fill gaps in the exterior wall surface;  
 fastening the exterior sidewalls into position;  
 folding out the hingedly attached interior walls to compartnentalize the structure interior; and  
 fastening the interior walls into position.