Building modules and techniques to make them

Abstract

The present invention relates to a building module to be used for the construction of structures. The building module includes a fabric sheet, a filling material and a holding means. The fabric sheet wraps around the filling material to form folds over the filling material, with the edges of the wrap's folds to be held in place by the holding means. The wraps can be continuously filled from above to make building modules in a continuous and simplified manner, rather than as a series of difficult, labour-intensive steps. Structures can accordingly be constructed quickly and in a cost-effective way.

1 . A building module ( 1 ) comprising:
 a fabric sheet ( 2 );   a filling material ( 3 ); and   a holding means ( 4 );   wherein the fabric sheet ( 2 ) wraps around the filling material ( 3 ) to form folds over the filling material ( 3 ), with overlapping edges ( 5 ) of the wrap's folds being held in place by the holding means ( 4 );   the holding means ( 4 ) is made up of one or more of:
 pins, barbed wires, staples, stakes, spikes, pegs, or stitches affixed to the wrap; 
 adhesives provided between to adjacent overlapping edges ( 5 ) of the folds of the wrap; and 
 a further building module placed atop the building module; and 
   the building module is formed by placing the filling material on top of the fabric sheet and compacting the filling material using a compressing means prior to wrapping the fabric sheet around the compressed filling material and applying the holding means to the overlapping edges of the formed folds.   
     
     
         2 . The building module ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the fabric sheet ( 2 ) is made of synthetic material, natural fibre material, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The building module ( 1 ) as claimed in either of  claims 1  or  2 , wherein the filling material ( 3 ) is selected from sand, silt, clay, gravel, other types of earth material, organic material, recycled waste, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The building module ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the filling material further comprises a bonding agent from lime, clay, cement, proteins, gypsum, fibre or glue, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The building module ( 1 ) as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  4  comprising more than one fabric sheet ( 2 ), wherein an end of a second fabric sheet ( 2 ) wraps around one end of a first fabric sheet ( 2 ), and wherein both the first fabric sheet ( 2 ) and the second fabric sheet wraps ( 2 ) around the filling material ( 3 ) and the edges ( 5 ) of one or more of the wraps are held by the holding means ( 4 ). 
     
     
         6 . The building module ( 1 ) as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the fabric sheet ( 2 ) wraps around the filling material ( 3 ) in a spiral configuration, whereby the folds are formed over the filling material ( 3 ) about the turns of the spiral in a continuous manner, and the overlapping edges ( 5 ) are formed between consecutive turns of the spiral. 
     
     
         7 . A method for making a building module comprising the steps of:
 spreading a fabric sheet ( 2 );   placing a filling material ( 3 ) atop the spread fabric sheet ( 2 );   compressing the filling material ( 3 );   wrapping the fabric sheet ( 2 ) up and over the compressed material ( 3 ) by folding one side of the fabric sheet ( 2 ) along a length of the sheet onto another; and   providing a holding means ( 4 ) to hold the wrapping of the fabric sheet firmly.   
     
     
         8 . A device ( 10 ) for making a building module ( 1 ) as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  5 , the device ( 10 ) comprising:
 a filling means ( 8 ) comprising a top part having a top opening and a bottom part having a bottom opening, the filling means ( 8 ) arranged to receive filling material ( 3 ) via the top opening and dispense the received filling material ( 3 ) through the bottom opening and onto a fabric sheet ( 2 ) arranged beneath the device ( 10 ); and 
 a folding means ( 11 ) adapted to fold the edges of the fabric sheet ( 2 ) one over another when the filling material ( 3 ) is placed onto the fabric sheet ( 2 ); 
 wherein the device ( 10 ) is adapted to enable a compressing means to be applied to the filling material ( 3 ) between the filling means ( 8 ) and folding means ( 11 ). 
 
     
     
         9 . The device ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein:
 the folding means ( 11 ) comprises two walls ( 12   a ,  12   b ), the filling means ( 8 ) being slidable therebetween and leaving a gap; and   the gap between the filling means and walls ( 12   a ,  12   b ) is adapted to receive the sides of the fabric sheet ( 2 ) such that said fabric sheet sides pass therethrough.   
     
     
         10 . The device ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the walls ( 12   a ,  12   b ) of the folding means ( 11 ) are further adapted to be slidable over a base or a further building module, such that the building module ( 1 ) being made by the device ( 10 ) is made on top of the base or the further building module, respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The device ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising one or more pairs of guiding means ( 13 ) coupled to the walls ( 12   a ,  12   b ) of the folding means ( 11 ), said guiding means ( 13 ) enabling the device ( 10 ) to be positioned directly on top of the base or further building module. 
     
     
         12 . The device ( 10 ) as claimed in any one of  claims 8  to  11 , wherein:
 the folding means ( 11 ) comprises two flanges ( 14   a ,  14   b ) adapted to receive the side edges ( 5 ) of the fabric sheet ( 2 ), said side edges coupling thereto; 
 a front part of each of the flanges ( 14   a ,  14   b ) is outspread such that each side edge ( 5 ) coupled thereto is spread when proximal to the front part; 
 a middle part of each of the flanges ( 14   a ,  14   b ) is bent upwards such that the fabric sheet ( 2 ) is shaped into a form to receive and contain the filling material and enable compaction thereof when proximal to the middle part; and 
 a back part of each of the flanges ( 14   a ,  14   b ) is shaped to become parallel to the other flange, such that each side edge ( 5 ) coupled thereto is directed to form the fold with the side edges ( 5 ) overlapping when proximal to the back part. 
 
     
     
         13 . The device ( 10 ) as claimed in any one of  claims 8  to  12 , further comprising a compressing means ( 9 ) to compress the filling material ( 3 ) when it is placed onto the fabric sheet ( 2 ) through the filling means ( 8 ). 
     
     
         14 . The device ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the compressing means ( 9 ) comprises one or more compressing rollers ( 15 ) which compresses the filling material ( 3 ) from above when it is placed onto the fabric sheet ( 2 ) through the filling means ( 8 ). 
     
     
         15 . The device ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the compressing means ( 9 ) comprises one or more vibrating compactors which compresses the filling material ( 3 ) from above when it is placed onto the fabric sheet ( 2 ) through the filling means ( 8 ). 
     
     
         16 . The device ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising a pinning roller ( 17 ) with one or more grooves ( 18 ), whereby there is passed through the pins ( 7 ) or spikes of a barbed wire ( 8 ) to pierce and embed the pins ( 7 ) or spikes into fabric layers, and yet still protrude sufficiently to hold subsequent courses of a previous building module ( 1 ). 
     
     
         17 . The device ( 10 ) as claimed in  claim 16 , whereby when the pins ( 7 ) or spikes of the barbed wire ( 6 ) get embedded into the sides of the fabric sheet ( 2 ), the sides of the fabric sheet ( 2 ) are directed by the flanges ( 14   a ,  14   b ) to fold the fabric sheet ( 2 ) around and over the filling material ( 3 ) and over each other due to the structural correlation of the flanges ( 14   a ,  14   b ) to each other, and the pins ( 7 ) or spikes of the barbed wire ( 6 ) gets embedded onto the folds so created when the device ( 10 ) moves. 
     
     
         18 . The device ( 10 ) as claimed in either of  claims 16  or  17 , further comprising spools ( 19 ) which hold the pins ( 7 ) or the barbed wire ( 6 ), and that are functionally coupled to the pinning rollers ( 17 ), whereby when the device ( 10 ) moves, the spools ( 19 ) supply the pins ( 7 ) or the barbed wire ( 6 ) to be continuously attached to the fabric sheet ( 2 ) by the set of pinning rollers ( 17 ). 
     
     
         19 . The device ( 10 ) as claimed in any one of  claims 16  to  18 , further comprising a sheet holder ( 20 ) which holds the fabric sheet ( 2 ), and is functionally coupled to the pinning rollers ( 17 ), whereby when the device ( 10 ) moves, the sheet holder ( 20 ) passes on the fabric sheet ( 2 ) to the pinning rollers ( 17 ).