Expandable and collapsible building unit

Abstract

A collapsible and deployable building unit includes a base frame, a roof frame, and hingedly mounted walls that fold between collapsed and deployed configurations. Right and left side walls include rollers at their top corners that engage tracks in the roof frame, allowing the walls to pivot upward while rolling the roof frame to its deployed height. Front and rear walls are hingedly mounted to lay flat in the collapsed state and pivot upward after side wall deployment. The unit provides simplified assembly and reduced space requirements for transport and storage through an efficient folding mechanism and rolling wheel system. Applications include temporary/permanent housing, offices, laboratories, medical clinics, emergency shelters, and retail spaces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A collapsible and deployable building unit comprising:
 a base frame having adjustable base frame supports;   a roof frame;   a right wall and a left wall, each hingedly mounted to the base frame and having rollers at top corners that engage roller tracks on an interior of the roof frame;   a front wall hingedly attached to the base frame;   a rear wall hingedly attached to a rear wall support panel mounted to the base frame;   wherein the right wall, left wall, front wall and rear wall are configured to fold between:
 a collapsed configuration where the walls lay horizontally with the front wall against the base frame and the rear wall positioned horizontally above the front wall, and 
 a deployed configuration where the walls are positioned vertically to form an enclosed space. 
   
     
     
         2 . The building unit of  claim 1 , wherein the base frame supports are height adjustable via threaded elements engaging adjustable feet. 
     
     
         3 . The building unit of  claim 1 , wherein the rear wall support panel has a height that is at least equal to a thickness of the front wall to enable the rear wall to sit horizontally without interfering with the front wall in the collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The building unit of  claim 1 , wherein each of the right wall and left wall is pivotably mounted to the base frame at a hinge positioned inward from a side panel of the base frame. 
     
     
         5 . The building unit of  claim 1 , wherein the right wall and left wall each provide an interior space defined by outer bottom and side edges to accommodate the front wall and rear wall when in the collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         6 . A method of deploying a collapsible building unit comprising:
 providing a building unit having a base frame, a roof frame, and hingedly mounted right, left, front and rear walls in a collapsed configuration;   pivoting the right wall and left wall upward from a horizontal position to a vertical position while rolling top corners of the right and left walls along tracks in the roof frame to raise the roof frame;   after the right and left walls are vertical, pivoting the rear wall upward from a horizontal position to a vertical position; and   pivoting the front wall upward from a horizontal position to a vertical position to complete deployment.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising adjusting base frame supports to level the building unit prior to deployment. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the right and left walls are pivoted upward manually or with assistance from mechanical lifting devices. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising installing internal elements selected from furniture, shelving, cabinetry, industrial equipment, laboratory equipment, medical equipment, and office equipment after deployment. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the deployed building unit has dimensions of 20 ft in length, 8 ft in height, and 8 ft in width. 
     
     
         11 . A collapsible building unit comprising:
 a base frame;   a roof frame;   side walls hingedly mounted to the base frame and having rollers engaging tracks in the roof frame; and   end walls hingedly mounted to fold horizontally in a collapsed state;   wherein the side walls are configured to pivot upward while the rollers move along the tracks to raise the roof frame to a deployed height; and   wherein the end walls are configured to pivot upward after the side walls are deployed to form an enclosed space.   
     
     
         12 . The building unit of  claim 11 , wherein the base frame includes adjustable supports at each underside corner. 
     
     
         13 . The building unit of  claim 11 , wherein the side walls include hinge blocks at bottom edges that engage hinges positioned inward from side panels of the base frame. 
     
     
         14 . The building unit of  claim 11 , wherein the end walls comprise a front wall hingedly mounted directly to the base frame and a rear wall hingedly mounted to a raised support panel. 
     
     
         15 . The building unit of  claim 11 , wherein multiple units are configured to be stacked atop one another in the collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The building unit of  claim 11 , further comprising integrated hydraulic and mechanical systems to facilitate controlled expansion and contraction.