Modular building unit for a protective shelter

Abstract

A composite panel assembly comprising at least one modular building unit. The modular building unit of the present invention may comprise two tubes aligned immediately adjacent, oriented parallel to each other, and having an integral connection over at least one portion of their outer circumferences. The volume surrounding the integrated tubes may be coated with a wide variety of function specific structural materials, and yet further, the inner diameter of the tubes may be filled with a wide variety of function specific filler materials. The composite panel assembly may be used in a wide variety of construction applications including, but not limited to, load bearing and impact resistant structures. One such application is a protective shelter that can be assembled in a pre-existing structure using common hand tools. The shelter may be assembled from the inside, and is resistant to both high winds and airborne missiles.

1 . A composite panel assembly, comprising:
 at least one modular building unit, comprising,
 a first tube; 
 a second tube aligned immediately adjacent and parallel to said first tube; and 
 at least one integral connection between the outer circumference of said first tube and the outer circumference of said second tube. 
   
   
   
       2 . The composite panel assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a first modular building unit is attached to a second modular building unit, said modular building units being disposed parallel, within the same plane, and having an attachment between said outer circumference of one of said tubes of said first modular building unit and said outer circumference of one of said tubes of said second modular building unit. 
   
   
       3 . The composite panel assembly of  claim 2 , wherein a filler material is disposed within said tubes. 
   
   
       4 . The composite panel assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a structural material disposed about the outer surface of said modular building units. 
   
   
       5 . The composite panel assembly of  claim 4 , wherein said structural material is disposed in a manner providing the outer surface of said structural material a rectangular cross section, a portion of said outer circumference diametric to said integral connection of both said first tube and said second tube remaining uncovered by said structural material. 
   
   
       6 . The composite panel assembly of  claim 5 , wherein a first modular building unit is attached to a second modular building unit, said modular building units being disposed parallel, within the same plane, and having an attachment between said uncovered portion of the outer circumference of one of said tubes of said first modular building unit and said uncovered portion of the outer circumference of one of said tubes of said second modular building unit. 
   
   
       7 . The composite panel assembly of  claim 6 , wherein a filler material is disposed within said tubes. 
   
   
       8 . The composite panel assembly of  claim 6 , wherein abutting surfaces of said structural material on said first modular building unit and said second modular building unit are bonded together to increase the strength of said attachment between said modular building units. 
   
   
       9 . The composite panel assembly of  claim 8 , wherein a filler material is disposed within said tubes. 
   
   
       10 . A protective shelter that protects an inner space, comprising:
 a front wall, said front wall having a door frame assembly therein and a door attached to said door frame assembly;   a rear wall;   two side walls; and   a ceiling panel;   wherein said walls and said ceiling panel each comprise a composite panel assembly, said composite panel assembly comprises a plurality of modular building units, each of said modular building units comprises a first tube, a second tube aligned immediately adjacent and parallel to said first tube, and at least one integral connection between the outer circumference of said first tube and the outer circumference of said second tube.   
   
   
       11 . The protective shelter of  claim 10 , wherein said composite panel assembly comprises a plurality of interconnected modular building units wherein a first modular building unit is attached to a second modular building unit, said modular building units being disposed parallel, within the same plane, and having an attachment between the outer circumference of one of said tubes of said first modular building unit and the outer circumference of one of said tubes of said second modular building unit. 
   
   
       12 . The protective shelter of  claim 11 , wherein a filler material is disposed within said tubes. 
   
   
       13 . The protective shelter of  claim 10 , further comprising a structural material disposed about the outer surface of said modular building units. 
   
   
       14 . The protective shelter of  claim 13 , wherein said structural material is disposed in a manner providing the outer surface of said structural material a rectangular cross section, a portion of said outer circumference diametric to said integral connection of both said first tube and said second tube remaining uncovered by said structural material. 
   
   
       15 . The protective shelter of  claim 14 , wherein a first modular building unit is attached to a second modular building unit, said modular building units being disposed parallel, within the same plane, and having an attachment between said uncovered outer circumference of one of said tubes of said first modular building unit and said uncovered outer circumference of one of said tubes of said second modular building unit. 
   
   
       16 . The protective shelter of  claim 15 , wherein a filler material is disposed within said tubes. 
   
   
       17 . The protective shelter of  claim 15 , wherein abutting surfaces of said structural material on said first modular building unit and said second modular building unit are bonded together to increase the strength of said attachment between said modular building units. 
   
   
       18 . The protective shelter of  claim 17 , wherein a filler material is disposed within said tubes. 
   
   
       19 . The protective shelter of  claim 18 , wherein both the inner upper ends and inner lower ends of said tubes each further comprise at least one fastening hole, wherein an upper connecting means comprises an L-bracket disposed along the upper end of each of said walls for fastening said ceiling panel to said walls, wherein wall bolts and ceiling bolts pass through both said L-bracket and said fastening holes into at least one receiving nut disposed within said tubes and aligned with said fastening holes, and further wherein a lower connecting means comprises an L-bracket disposed along the lower end of each of said walls for fastening said walls to a base, wherein said wall bolts pass through both said L-brackets and said fastening holes into said at least one receiving nut disposed within said tubes and aligned with said fastening holes and wherein base bolts pass through said L-bracket and anchor into said base, thereby fixedly anchoring said walls to said base. 
   
   
       20 . A protective shelter that protects an inner space, comprising:
 a front wall, said front wall having a door frame assembly therein and a door attached to said door frame assembly;   a rear wall;   two side walls; and   a ceiling panel;   wherein said walls and said ceiling panel each comprise a composite panel assembly, said composite panel assembly comprises,
 a plurality of modular building units, each of said modular building units comprises,
 a first tube; 
 a second tube aligned immediately adjacent and parallel to said first tube; and 
 at least one integral connection between the outer circumference of said first tube and the outer circumference of said second tube, 
 
 a structural material disposed about the outer surface of said plurality of modular building units, wherein said structural material is disposed in a manner providing the outer surface of said structural material a rectangular cross section with a portion of said outer circumference diametric to said integral connection of both said first tube and said second tube remaining uncovered by said structural material, wherein a first modular building unit is attached to a second modular building unit, said modular building units being disposed parallel, within the same plane, and having an attachment between the outer circumference of one of said tubes of said first modular building unit and the outer circumference of one of said tubes of said second modular building unit, abutting surfaces of said structural material on said first modular building unit and said second modular building unit being bonded together to increase the strength of said attachment between said modular building units, 
 wherein both the inner upper ends and inner lower ends of said tubes each further comprise at least one fastening hole, wherein an upper connecting means comprises an L-bracket disposed along the upper end of each of said walls for fastening said ceiling panel to said walls, wherein wall bolts and ceiling bolts pass through both said L-bracket and said fastening holes into at least one receiving nut disposed within said tubes and aligned with said fastening holes, and a lower connecting means comprises an L-bracket disposed along the lower end of each of said walls for fastening said walls to a base, wherein said wall bolts pass through both said L-brackets and said fastening holes into said at least one receiving nut disposed within said tubes and aligned with said fastening holes and wherein base bolts pass through said L-bracket and anchor into said base, thereby fixedly anchoring said walls to said base.