Housing unit system and method of manufacture

Abstract

A housing unit includes a central mast configured to be coupled to a portion of terrain, and upper ring, a lower ring, one or more wall panels, wherein the upper ring, the lower ring, and the one or more wall panels define a living space outer boundary, a plurality of first tensile members each configured to couple the upper ring to the central mast at a first central mast region, wherein the upper ring is configured to be suspended by the plurality of first tensile members below the first central mast region, and a plurality of second tensile members each configured to couple a periphery of the lower ring to a periphery of the upper ring, wherein the lower ring is configured to be suspended by the plurality of second tensile members below the upper ring and above the portion of terrain, wherein the upper ring and the lower ring are coupled to the portion of terrain only at the central mast.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A housing unit, comprising:
 a central mast configured to be coupled to a portion of terrain:   an upper ring:   a lower ring:   one or more wall panels, wherein the upper ring, the lower ring, and the one or more wall panels define a living space outer boundary:   a plurality of first tensile members each configured to couple the upper ring to the central mast at a first central mast region, wherein the upper ring is configured to be suspended by the plurality of first tensile members below the first central mast region; and   a plurality of second tensile members each configured to couple a periphery of the lower ring to a periphery of the upper ring, wherein the lower ring is configured to be suspended by the plurality of second tensile members below the upper ring and above the portion of terrain, wherein the upper ring and the lower ring are coupled to the portion of terrain only at the central mast.   
     
     
         2 . The housing unit of  claim 1 , wherein a lower portion of the central mast comprises a helical pier configured to couple to the portion of terrain. 
     
     
         3 . The housing unit of  claim 1 , wherein a lower portion of the central mast is configured to statically engage with hardened concrete. 
     
     
         4 . The housing unit of  claim 1 , wherein the mast comprises a mast cross-sectional area at a section between the upper ring and the lower ring, and wherein an annular flooring is located at or near a vertical level of the lower ring and comprises a living space flooring surface area bounded by the one or more wall panels and the central mast, wherein a living space ratio R is between about 220 and about 360, wherein R is defined by the equation R=X/Y, wherein X is the living space flooring surface area and Y is the mast cross-sectional area. 
     
     
         5 . The housing unit of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more wall panels comprise a plurality of wall panels that are of similar construction to each other. 
     
     
         6 . The housing unit of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a plurality of floor panels configured to form substantially continuous flooring adjacent to the lower ring, wherein the lower ring comprises a polygon; and   a plurality of T-shaped or L-shaped portions carried by the lower ring, each of the plurality of T-shaped or L-shaped portions comprising an inwardly-extending projection comprising a substantially horizontal planar face and an upwardly-extending projection comprising a substantially vertical planar face, the inwardly-extending projection configured to couple to one of the plurality of triangular floor panels and the upwardly-extending projection configured to couple to one of the plurality of wall panels.   
     
     
         7 . The housing unit of  claim 5 , wherein each one of the plurality of wall panels comprises:
 an inner substantially impermeable, substantially fire-retardant sheet:   an outer high-strength rigid sheet; and   an intermediate insulative layer comprising one or both of an air gap and/or a substantially thermally insulative material.   
     
     
         8 . The housing unit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of roof panels configured to form substantially continuous roofing above to the upper ring, one or more of the plurality of roof panels comprising a containment portion configured to hold a solar panel.   
     
     
         9 . The housing unit of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a hollow tube configured to be held substantially vertically at a location exteriorly adjacent to the living space outer boundary; and   a substantially horizontal drainage conduit having a first elevated end and a second end comprising a lower apex, wherein the apex is adjacent to an upper portion of the hollow tube and configured to guide rainwater that has collected on the drainage conduit and moved via the effect of gravity toward the apex into an interior of the hollow tube.   
     
     
         10 . A housing unit, comprising:
 a central mast configured to be coupled to a portion of terrain:   an upper ring:   a lower ring:   one or more wall panels, wherein the upper ring, the lower ring, and the one or more wall panels define a living space boundary:   a plurality of first tensile members each configured to couple the upper ring to the central mast at a first central mast region, wherein the upper ring is configured to be suspended by the plurality of first tensile members below the first central mast region; and   a plurality of second tensile members each configured to couple a periphery of the lower ring to a periphery of the upper ring, wherein the lower ring is configured to be suspended by the plurality of second tensile members below the upper ring and above the portion of terrain, wherein the only portion of the housing unit extending into the terrain is located at the central mast.   
     
     
         11 . The housing unit of  claim 10 , wherein a lower portion of the central mast comprises a helical pier configured to couple to the portion of terrain. 
     
     
         12 . The housing unit of  claim 10 , wherein a lower portion of the central mast is configured to statically engage with hardened concrete. 
     
     
         13 . The housing unit of  claim 10 , wherein the mast comprises a mast cross-sectional area at a section between the upper ring and the lower ring, and wherein an annular flooring is located at or near a vertical level of the lower ring and comprises a living space flooring surface area bounded by the one or more wall panels and the central mast, wherein a living space ratio R is between about 220 and about 360, wherein R is defined by the equation R=X/Y, wherein X is the living space flooring surface area and Y is the mast cross-sectional area. 
     
     
         14 . The housing unit of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more wall panels comprise a plurality of wall panels that are of similar construction to each other. 
     
     
         15 . The housing unit of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a plurality of floor panels configured to form substantially continuous flooring adjacent to the lower ring, wherein the lower ring comprises a polygon; and   a plurality of T-shaped or L-shaped portions carried by the lower ring, each of the plurality of T-shaped or L-shaped portions comprising an inwardly-extending projection comprising a substantially horizontal planar face and an upwardly-extending projection comprising a substantially vertical planar face, the inwardly-extending projection configured to couple to one of the plurality of triangular floor panels and the upwardly-extending projection configured to couple to one of the plurality of wall panels.   
     
     
         16 . The housing unit of  claim 14 , wherein each one of the plurality of wall panels comprises:
 an inner substantially impermeable, substantially fire-retardant sheet:   an outer high-strength rigid sheet; and   an intermediate insulative layer comprising one or both of an air gap and/or a substantially thermally insulative material.   
     
     
         17 . The housing unit of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a plurality of roof panels configured to form substantially continuous roofing above to the upper ring, one or more of the plurality of roof panels comprising a containment portion configured to hold a solar panel.   
     
     
         18 . The housing unit of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a hollow tube configured to be held substantially vertically at a location exteriorly adjacent to the living space outer boundary; and   a substantially horizontal drainage conduit having a first elevated end and a second end comprising a lower apex, wherein the apex is adjacent to an upper portion of the hollow tube and configured to guide rainwater that has collected on the drainage conduit and moved via the effect of gravity toward the apex into an interior of the hollow tube.   
     
     
         19 . A housing unit community, comprising:
 a plurality of housing units each comprising:
 a central mast configured to be coupled to a portion of terrain; 
 a polygonal upper ring; 
 a polygonal lower ring; 
 one or more wall panels, wherein the upper ring, the lower ring, and the one or more wall panels define a living space outer boundary; 
 a plurality of first tensile members each configured to couple the upper ring to the central mast at a first central mast region, wherein the upper ring is configured to be suspended by the plurality of first tensile members below the first central mast region; 
 a plurality of second tensile members each configured to couple a periphery of the lower ring to a periphery of the upper ring, wherein the lower ring is configured to be suspended by the plurality of second tensile members below the upper ring and above the portion of terrain, wherein the upper ring and the lower ring are coupled to the portion of terrain only at the central mast; 
   wherein each of the plurality of housing units comprises a plurality of sides; and   wherein one side of each of the plurality of housing units is adjacent and parallel to another side of another of the plurality of housing units.   
     
     
         20 . The housing unit community of  claim 19 , wherein the polygonal upper ring comprises a hexagonal upper ring, and wherein the polygonal lower ring comprises a hexagonal lower ring.