Prefabricated Building System

Abstract

A multi-sided structure, constructed from a plurality of prefabricated components consisting of fewer than 12 different prefabricated structural components, includes a floor assembly; a roof assembly; and a side assembly connected to the floor assembly and the roof assembly and extending between the floor assembly and the roof assembly. The floor assembly includes a plurality of the floor panels, each floor panel in direct structural connection with at least one other floor panel. The roof assembly includes a plurality of the roof panels, each roof panel in direct structural connection at least one other roof panel. The side assembly includes a plurality of the wall panels, each wall panel in direct structural connection with at least one floor panel and at least one roof panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-sided structure constructed from a plurality of prefabricated components consisting of fewer than 12 different prefabricated structural components, the multisided structure comprising:
 a floor assembly;   a roof assembly; and   a side assembly connected to the floor assembly and the roof assembly and extending between the floor assembly and the roof assembly,   wherein the floor assembly comprises a plurality of the floor panels, each floor panel in direct structural connection with at least one other floor panel,   wherein the roof assembly comprises a plurality of the roof panels, each roof panel in direct structural connection at least one other roof panel, and   wherein the side assembly comprises a plurality of the wall panels, each wall panel in direct structural connection with at least one floor panel and at least one roof panel.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-sided structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each floor panel comprises:
 a floor surface having at least one edge; and   a floor engagement member extending parallel to the at least one edge of the floor surface; and   wherein each roof panel comprises:
 a roof surface having at least one edge; and 
 a roof engagement member extending parallel to the at least one edge of the floor surface. 
   
     
     
         3 . The multi-sided structure according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the wall panels is a fixed wall panel comprising:
 a fixed wall surface having a bottom edge, a top edge, and a side edge;   a first engagement member extending parallel to the bottom edge;   a second engagement member extending parallel to the top edge; and   a third engagement member extending parallel to the side edge.   
     
     
         4 . The multi-sided structure according to  claim 3 , wherein the first engagement member of the fixed wall panel is configured to rigidly connect to the floor engagement member of one of the floor panels, and wherein the second engagement member of the fixed wall panel is configured to rigidly connect to the roof engagement member of one of the roof panels. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-sided structure according to  claim 3 , wherein the floor engagement member of each floor panel comprises a channel, and wherein the first engagement member of each wall panel comprises a rail configured to extend into the channel. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-sided structure according to  claim 3 , wherein the floor engagement member of each floor panel comprises a weather seal configured to engage the first engagement member of each wall panel. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-sided structure according to  claim 1 , further comprising a service module, the service module comprising:
 a base panel having a least one edge configured to rigidly connect to at least one of the floor panels; and   at least one of a plumbing system, a climate control system, and a sanitary system.   
     
     
         8 . The multi-sided structure according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the floor panels further comprises a duct extending below the floor surface, and wherein the duct of each of the floor panels is configured to be in fluid communication with the duct of each adjacent floor panel. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-sided structure according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the floor panels, roof panels, and wall panels comprises a first conduit configured to be in alignment with a second conduit of an adjacent one of the floor panels, roof panels, and wall panels. 
     
     
         10 . A building system comprising a plurality of prefabricated structural components, wherein each of the plurality of prefabricated structural components is connectable with at least one other of the plurality of prefabricated structural components, the plurality of prefabricated structural components comprising:
 (a) at least one floor panel, each floor panel comprising:
 (i) a floor surface having at least one edge; and 
 (ii) a floor engagement member extending parallel to the at least one edge of the floor surface; 
   (b) at least one fixed wall panel, each fixed wall panel comprising:
 (i) a fixed wall surface having a bottom edge, a top edge, and a side edge; 
 (ii) a first engagement member extending parallel to the bottom edge; 
 (iii) a second engagement member extending parallel to the top edge; and 
 (iii) a third engagement member extending parallel to the side edge; and 
   (c) at least one roof panel, each roof panel comprising:
 (i) a roof surface having at least one edge; and 
 (ii) a roof engagement member extending parallel to the at least one edge of the floor surface. 
   
     
     
         11 . The building system according to  claim 10 , wherein the first engagement member of each fixed wall panel is configured to rigidly connect to the floor engagement member of each floor panel, and wherein the second engagement member of each fixed wall panel is configured to rigidly connect to the roof engagement member of each roof panel. 
     
     
         12 . The building system according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one fixed wall panel comprises a first fixed wall panel and a second fixed wall panel, and wherein the third engagement member of the first fixed wall panel is configured to rigidly connect to the third engagement member of the second fixed wall panel. 
     
     
         13 . The building system according to  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of prefabricated structural components further comprises a service module, the service module comprising:
 a base panel having a least one edge configured to rigidly connect to another of the plurality of prefabricated structural components; and   at least one of a plumbing system, a climate control system, and a sanitary system.   
     
     
         14 . The building system according to  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of prefabricated structural components further comprises a sliding wall panel, the sliding wall panel comprising:
 a sliding wall surface having a bottom edge and a top edge;   a first engagement member extending parallel to the bottom edge; and   a second engagement member extending parallel to the top edge,   wherein the first engagement member of the sliding wall panel is configured to slidably connect to the floor engagement member of each floor panel, and   wherein the second engagement member of the sliding wall panel is configured to slidably connect to the roof engagement member of each roof panel.   
     
     
         15 . The building system according to  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of prefabricated structural components further comprises at least one foundation pile, each foundation pile configured to be secured in a ground surface and connected to each of the floor panels. 
     
     
         16 . The building system according to  claim 10 , wherein each of the floor panels further comprises a duct extending below the floor surface, and wherein the duct of each of the floor panels is configured to be in fluid communication with the duct of each adjacent floor panel. 
     
     
         17 . The building system according to  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the plurality of prefabricated structural components comprises a first conduit configured to be in alignment with a second conduit of an adjacent one of the plurality of prefabricated structural components. 
     
     
         18 . The building system according to  claim 10 , wherein the floor engagement member of each floor panel comprises a channel, and wherein the first engagement member of each fixed wall panel comprises a rail configured to extend into the channel. 
     
     
         19 . The building system according to  claim 10 , wherein the floor engagement member of each floor panel comprises a weather seal configured to engage the first engagement member of each fixed wall panel. 
     
     
         20 . The building system according to  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of prefabricated structural components consists of fewer than 12 different prefabricated structural components, and wherein a complete building is constructable from only the plurality of prefabricated structural components. 
     
     
         21 . The building system according to  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of prefabricated structural components consists of fewer than 10 different prefabricated structural components, and wherein a complete building is constructable from only the plurality of prefabricated structural components. 
     
     
         22 . The building system according to  claim 10 , wherein at least two of the floor engagement member of each floor panel, the first engagement member of each fixed wall panel, the second engagement member of each fixed wall panel, the third engagement member of each fixed wall panel, and the roof engagement member of each roof panel have a substantially identical profile. 
     
     
         23 . The building system according to  claim 10 , wherein the first engagement member, the second engagement member, and the third engagement member of each fixed wall panel have a substantially identical profile. 
     
     
         24 . A method for constructing a building with a plurality of prefabricated structural components, comprising:
 arranging a plurality of floor panels on a foundation assembly, each floor panel comprising a floor surface having at least one edge and a floor engagement member extending parallel to the at least one edge of the floor surface;   arranging a plurality of fixed wall panels substantially perpendicularly to the plurality of floor panels, each fixed wall panel comprising a fixed wall surface having a bottom edge, a top edge, and a side edge, a first engagement member extending parallel to the bottom edge, a second engagement member extending parallel to the top edge, and a third engagement member extending parallel to the side edge;   arranging a plurality of roof panels spaced vertically apart from the plurality of floor panels, each roof panel comprising at least one edge and a roof engagement member extending parallel to the at least one edge of a floor surface of at least one floor panel of the plurality of floor panels;   connecting the first engagement member of each fixed wall panel to a corresponding floor engagement member of a floor panel of the plurality of floor panels; and   connecting the second engagement member of each fixed wall panel to a corresponding roof engagement member of a roof panel of the plurality of roof panels.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , further comprising completing the building with only the plurality of prefabricated structural components, wherein the plurality of prefabricated structural components consists of fewer than 12 distinct prefabricated components.