Expandable building systems

Abstract

The present disclosure describes an expandable residential dwelling unit and a set of modular, prefabricated components which can be built offsite, shipped to site, and assembled. The prefabricated components and expandable dwelling unit enable faster, and more cost effective method for adding additional square footage onto a residential dwelling unit. These prefabricated wall components attach to the existing dwelling unit via mechanical connections that maintain a constant thermal and water barrier. Multiple preferred aspects are described herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A removable wall assembly for attachment to an exterior wall of a housing unit, wherein the housing unit comprises a first longitudinal wall portion and a second longitudinal wall portion, wherein the first longitudinal wall portion and the second longitudinal wall portion are substantially parallel to one another, wherein the first longitudinal wall portion and the second longitudinal wall portion define an opening therebetween, and wherein the opening defines an opening height and an opening width, and wherein the removable wall assembly is attached the housing unit and defines a wall structure to fill the opening between the first longitudinal wall portion and the second longitudinal wall portion, wherein the removable wall assembly comprises:
 a patch panel, wherein the patch panel comprises:
 a first vertical side; 
 a second vertical side, wherein the first vertical side and the second vertical side are substantially parallel to one another; 
 a bottom portion; 
 a top portion, wherein the bottom portion and the top portion are substantial parallel to one another, wherein the first vertical side, the second vertical side, the bottom portion, and the top portion are connected to form the patch panel, and wherein the patch panel has a patch panel height, a patch panel width, and a patch panel thickness; and 
 an attachment mechanism operable between an engaged condition and a disengaged condition; 
   wherein the first vertical side of the patch panel is configured to abut a portion of the first longitudinal wall portion when the patch panel is attached to the housing unit, wherein the bottom potion of the patch panel is configured to abut a portion of a floor system of the housing unit when the patch panel is attached to the housing unit, and wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to releasably attach the patch panel to the housing unit when the attachment mechanism is in the engaged condition.   
     
     
         2 . The removable wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to releasably attach the bottom portion of the patch panel to the floor system of the housing unit. 
     
     
         3 . The removable wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to releasably attach the first vertical side of the patch panel to the first longitudinal wall portion of the housing unit. 
     
     
         4 . The removable wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a cam latch configured to cammingly engage a corresponding attachment portion of the housing unit and releasably attach the patch panel to the housing unit. 
     
     
         5 . The removable wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a key latch, wherein the key latch is operable between an open condition and a locked condition, wherein the key latch is configured to engage a corresponding attachment portion of the housing unit and releasably attach the patch panel to the housing unit when the key latch is moved from the open condition to the locked condition. 
     
     
         6 . The removable wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises an attachment pin configured to engage a corresponding attachment portion of the housing unit and releasably attach the patch panel to the housing unit. 
     
     
         7 . The removable wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises an attachment fin configured to engage a corresponding attachment portion of the housing unit and releasably attach the patch panel to the housing unit. 
     
     
         8 . The removable wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises an attachment bracket configured releasably attach the patch panel to the housing unit. 
     
     
         9 . The removable wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the patch panel defines a first patch panel and wherein the removable wall assembly further comprising a second patch panel, wherein the second patch panel comprises:
 a first vertical side;   a second vertical side, wherein the first vertical side and the second vertical side of the second patch panel are substantially parallel to one another;   a bottom portion;   a top portion, wherein the bottom portion and the top portion of the second patch panel are substantial parallel to one another, wherein the first vertical side, the second vertical side, the bottom portion, and the top portion of the second patch panel are connected to form the second patch panel, and wherein the second patch panel has a second patch panel height, a second patch panel width, and a second patch panel thickness; and   a second attachment mechanism operable between an engaged condition and a disengaged condition;   wherein the first vertical side of the second patch panel is configured to abut the second vertical portion of the first patch panel when the first and second patch panels are attached to the housing unit, wherein the second vertical side of the second patch panel is configured to abut a portion of the first longitudinal wall portion when the second patch panel is attached to the housing unit wherein the bottom potion of the second patch panel is configured to abut a portion of a floor system of the housing unit when the second patch panel is attached to the housing unit, and wherein the second attachment mechanism is configured to releasable attach the patch panel to the housing unit when the second attachment mechanism is in the engaged condition.   
     
     
         10 . The removable wall assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the top portion of the first patch panel and the top portion of the second patch panel define a removable wall assembly width, and wherein the removable wall assembly width is substantially the same as the opening width. 
     
     
         11 . A method for horizontally expanding a housing unit, comprising the removable wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:
 releasing the patch panel from the housing unit by moving the attachment mechanism from the engaged condition to the disengaged condition;   removing the patch panel from the housing unit;   installing a horizontal addition onto the housing unit;   releasably attaching the addition to the housing unit; and   reattaching the patch panel to the horizontal addition by moving the attachment mechanism from the disengaged condition to the engaged condition.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a cam latch configured to cammingly engage a corresponding attachment portion of the housing unit and releasably attach the patch panel to the housing unit. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a key latch, wherein the key latch is configured to be moved between an open condition and a locked condition, wherein the key latch is configured to engage a corresponding attachment portion of the housing unit and releasably attach the patch panel to the housing unit when the key latch is moved from the open condition to the locked condition. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises an attachment pin configured to engage a corresponding attachment portion of the housing unit and releasably attach the patch panel to the housing unit. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises an attachment fin configured to engage a corresponding attachment portion of the housing unit and releasably attach the patch panel to the housing unit. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises an attachment bracket configured releasably attach the patch panel to the housing unit. 
     
     
         17 . A patch panel, wherein the patch panel comprises:
 a first vertical side;   a second vertical side, wherein the first vertical side and the second vertical side are substantially parallel to one another;   a bottom portion;   a top portion, wherein the bottom portion and the top portion are substantial parallel to one another, wherein the first vertical side, the second vertical side, the bottom portion, and the top portion are connected to form the patch panel, and wherein the patch panel has a patch panel height, a patch panel width, and a patch panel thickness; and   an attachment mechanism operable between an engaged condition and a disengaged condition;   wherein the first vertical side of the patch panel is configured to abut a portion of a wall portion of a modular housing unit when the patch panel is attached to the modular housing unit, wherein the bottom potion of the patch panel is configured to abut a portion of a floor system of the modular housing unit when the patch panel is attached to the housing unit, and wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to releasable attach the patch panel to the modular housing unit when the attachment mechanism is in the engaged condition.   
     
     
         18 . The patch panel of  claim 17 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a cam latch configured to cammingly engage a corresponding attachment portion of a modular housing unit and releasably attach the patch panel to the modular housing unit. 
     
     
         19 . The patch panel of  claim 17 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a key latch, wherein the key latch is configured to be moved between an open condition and a locked condition, wherein the key latch is configured to engage a corresponding attachment portion of a modular housing unit and releasably attach the patch panel to the modular housing unit when the key latch is moved from the open condition to the locked condition. 
     
     
         20 . The patch panel of  claim 17 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises an attachment pin configured to engage a corresponding attachment portion of a modular housing unit and releasably attach the patch panel to the modular housing unit.