Prefabricated building and method

Abstract

An improved prefabricated building structure is shown that is easy to assemble, and disassemble. Designs include transportability as a substantially single unit, for example, a standardized shipping container format. Designs shown further include reduction of wasted shipping material by using panels for both the container when collapsed, and the structure when assembled. Features such as fastener designs provide ease of assembly and form a robust structure when assembled.

1 . A prefabricated building structure, comprising: 
 a number of panels;    a number of pre-installed fastening devices to connect the panels together, wherein the fastening devices do not require tools to perform a fastening operation; and    wherein a collapsed configuration of the building structure is the size of a standardized shipping container.    
     
     
         2 . The prefabricated building structure of  claim 1 , wherein selected members of the number of panels serve as an exterior shipping container structure in the collapsed configuration, and also serve as structural portions of the building structure in an assembled configuration.  
     
     
         3 . The prefabricated building structure of  claim 1 , wherein the fastening devices engage in a linear motion by sliding against each other.  
     
     
         4 . The prefabricated building structure of  claim 1 , wherein the standardized shipping container includes an 8 foot width and a 20 foot length.  
     
     
         5 . The prefabricated building structure of  claim 1 , wherein the number of panels are made from substantially all wood.  
     
     
         6 . The prefabricated building structure of  claim 1 , wherein the number of panels include balsam fir dimensional lumber.  
     
     
         7 . A prefabricated building structure, comprising: 
 a number of panels;    a number of pre-installed fastening devices to connect the panels together, wherein the fastening devices do not require tools to perform a fastening operation;    wherein a collapsed configuration of the building structure is transportable substantially as a single unit; and    wherein selected members of the number of panels serve as an exterior shipping container structure in the collapsed configuration, and also serve as structural portions of the building structure in an assembled configuration.    
     
     
         8 . The prefabricated building structure of  claim 7 , wherein the fastening devices engage in a linear motion by sliding against each other.  
     
     
         9 . The prefabricated building structure of  claim 7 , wherein the number of panels are made from substantially all wood.  
     
     
         10 . A prefabricated building structure, comprising: 
 a base portion;    at least one wall panel to couple to the base portion;    a first fastener to hold against the base portion; and    a mating fastener attached within the wall panel, wherein a fastening operation is accomplished without a need to access an interior of the wall panel.    
     
     
         11 . The prefabricated building structure of  claim 10 , wherein the first fastener and mating fastener include male and female threaded fasteners.  
     
     
         12 . The prefabricated building structure of  claim 10 , further including a finished interior wall surface attached to the wall panel prior to assembly of the prefabricated building structure.  
     
     
         13 . A method of assembling a prefabricated building structure, comprising: 
 placing a base portion in a desired location;    coupling a number of wall panels to the base portion;    pouring concrete into at least one region within the base portion, wherein the region contains the concrete while it hardens.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein placing the base portion in a desired location includes placing a steel framework base portion in a desired location.  
     
     
         15 . A method of assembling a prefabricated building structure, comprising: 
 placing a first wall panel on a base portion;    placing a second wall panel on a base portion;    coupling the first wall panel to the second wall panel using a post wherein the post includes a number of pre-installed fastening devices, wherein the fastening devices do not require tools to perform a fastening operation.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first wall panel and the second wall panel are coupled together orthogonal to each other.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first wall panel and the second wall panel are coupled together substantially in line with each other.  
     
     
         18 . A method of assembling a prefabricated building structure, comprising: 
 removing at least one floor panel from a top portion of a collapsed configuration of a building structure that is a size of a standardized shipping container and placing the floor panel adjacent to the ground to form at least a part of a base portion;    coupling a number of wall panels to the base portion; and    coupling the wall panels to each other using a number of fastening devices, wherein the fastening devices do not require tools to perform a fastening operation.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein coupling the number of wall panels to the base portion includes coupling wherein a fastening operation is accomplished without a need to access an interior of the number of wall panels.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein coupling the wall panels to each other includes: 
 placing a first wall panel on the base portion;    placing a second wall panel on the base portion;    coupling the first wall panel to the second wall panel using a post wherein the post includes a number of pre-installed fastening devices, wherein the fastening devices do not require tools to perform a fastening operation.