Modular construction system

Abstract

A modular building system can include a first freight container and an adjacent second freight container connected to form opposing U-shaped units. A first unit connector can connect a first space of the first container and a third space of the second container with a connector hallway to form a U-shaped first unit. A second unit connector can connect a second space of the first container and a fourth space of the second container with another connector hallway to form a U-shaped second unit. A common hallway can extend through the first container and second container between and separating the U-shaped first unit and the U-shaped second unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A modular building system comprising:
 a first freight container including a first longitudinal axis and a first wall spanning between a first end and a second end of the first freight container, a first unit connector first opening defined by the first wall adjacent the first end, a second unit connector second opening defined by the first wall adjacent the second end, and a first common hallway opening defined by the first wall between and distal from each of the first unit connector first opening and the second unit connector second opening;   a second freight container including a second longitudinal axis, the second freight container placed alongside the first freight container with the first longitudinal axis parallel to the second longitudinal axis, the second freight container including a second wall spanning between a third end and a fourth end of the second freight container, such that the first end is adjacent the third end and the second end is adjacent the fourth end, a first unit connector third opening defined by the second wall adjacent the third end, a second unit connector fourth opening defined by the second wall adjacent the fourth end, and a second common hallway opening defined by the second wall between and distal from each of the first unit connector third opening and the second unit connector fourth opening;   a common hallway extending through the first common hallway opening and the second common hallway opening, the common hallway delineating the first freight container and second freight container into a first space and a third space on a first side of the common hallway, and a second space and a fourth space on a second side of the common hallway;   a first unit connector hallway extending through the first unit connector first opening and first unit connector third opening thereby forming a U-shaped first unit including the first space and the third space on the first side of the common hallway; and   a second unit connector hallway extending through the second unit connector second opening and second unit connector fourth opening to form a U-shaped second unit including the second space and the fourth space on the second side of the common hallway.   
     
     
         2 . The modular building system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the U-shaped first unit and the U-shaped second unit oppose one another across the common hallway,   wherein the first unit connector hallway and the second unit connector hallway are disposed at opposing ends of the first freight container and the second freight container.   
     
     
         3 . The modular building system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein each of the first freight container and the second freight container has a length of about 53 feet, a width of about 8 feet 6 inches and a height of about 9 feet 6 inches.   
     
     
         4 . The modular building system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the common hallway is bounded by a first hall wall on the first side and a second hall wall on the second side,   wherein the first hall wall includes a first hall wall first portion that bounds the first space inside the first freight container, and a first hall wall second portion that bounds the third space inside the second freight container,   wherein only one of the first hall wall first portion and the first hall wall second portion includes a door to provide singular ingress and egress to the common hallway relative to the U-shaped first unit.   
     
     
         5 . The modular building system of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the second hall wall includes a second hall wall first portion that bounds the second space inside the first freight container, and a second hall wall second portion that bounds the fourth space inside the second freight container,   wherein only one of the second hall wall first portion and the second hall wall second portion includes a door to provide singular ingress and egress to the common hallway relative to the U-shaped second unit.   
     
     
         6 . The modular building system of  claim 1  comprising:
 a first bay window disposed at the first end of the first freight container, 
 a second bay window disposed at the third end of the second freight container, 
 wherein the first bay window and the second bay window provide natural illumination to the first space and the third space simultaneously. 
 
     
     
         7 . The modular building system of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the first freight container includes a first bottom and a first roof joined with the first wall and separated a first distance,   wherein the second freight container includes a second bottom and a second roof joined with the second wall and separated a second distance,   wherein the first bay window spans at least 60% of the first distance,   wherein the second bay window spans at least 60% of the second distance.   
     
     
         8 . The modular building system of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the first bay window and the second bay window are separated by a first unit connector hallway interior wall that spans across a first corner post of the first freight container and a third corner post of the second freight container.   
     
     
         9 . The modular building system of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the first wall is corrugated,   wherein the second wall is corrugated,   wherein the first wall and second wall are separated by a first unit internal void between the first unit connector hallway and the common hallway,   wherein at least one of electrical wire and a plumbing pipe is disposed within the first unit internal void.   
     
     
         10 . The modular building system of  claim 1  comprising:
 a third freight container disposed adjacent a fourth freight container forming a U-shaped third unit and U-shaped fourth unit, 
 wherein the U-shaped third unit and U-shaped fourth unit both are at least one of above and beside the U-shaped first unit and the U-shaped second unit. 
 
     
     
         11 . The modular building system of  claim 1  comprising:
 a plurality of vertical supports disposed under the first freight container and the second freight container, each of the plurality of vertical supports supporting the first freight container and the second freight container at least eight feet above a ground surface to provide a plurality of parking spaces under the first freight container and the second freight container. 
 
     
     
         12 . The modular building system of  claim 11  comprising:
 a third freight container shorter than each of the first freight container and the second freight container, 
 wherein the third freight container is disposed under the first freight container and the second freight container, 
 wherein the third freight container has a third longitudinal axis, 
 wherein the third longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis. 
 
     
     
         13 . The modular building system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a third freight container disposed adjacent a fourth freight container forming a U-shaped third unit and U-shaped fourth unit,   wherein the third freight container is disposed adjacent the first freight container opposite the second freight container,   wherein the common hallway extends through a middle section of each of the third freight container and the fourth freight container,   wherein the U-shaped third unit and the U-shaped fourth unit oppose one another across the common hallway,   wherein each of the third freight container and the fourth freight container has a length of about 53 feet, a width of about 8 feet 6 inches and a height of about 9 feet 6 inches.   
     
     
         14 . A modular building system comprising:
 a first freight container including a first longitudinal axis, a first top rail, a first bottom rail below the first top rail, a first wall spanning between the first top rail and the first bottom wall, a first corner post disposed at a first end of the first freight container, the first corner post spanning between the first top rail and the first bottom rail, a first intermediate post distal from the first end and spanning between the first top rail and the first bottom rail, a second corner post disposed at a second end of the first freight container distal from the first end and spanning between the first top rail and the first bottom rail, a second intermediate post distal from the second end and spanning between the first top rail and the first bottom rail between the second corner post and the first intermediate post, a first unit connector first opening defined by the first wall between the first corner post and the first intermediate post, and between the first top rail and the first bottom rail, a second unit connector second opening defined by the first wall between the second corner post and the second intermediate post, and between the first top rail and the first bottom rail, and a first common hallway opening defined by the first wall between the first intermediate corner post and second intermediate corner post midway between the first end and the second end;   a second freight container including a second longitudinal axis, the second freight container placed adjacent the first freight container with the first longitudinal axis parallel to the second longitudinal axis, the second freight container including a second top rail, a second bottom rail below the second top rail, a second wall spanning between the second top rail and the second bottom wall, a third corner post disposed at a third end of the second freight container, the third corner post spanning between the second top rail and the second bottom rail, a third intermediate post distal from the third end and spanning between the second top rail and the second bottom rail, a fourth corner post disposed at a fourth end of the second freight container distal from the third end and spanning between the second top rail and the second bottom rail, a fourth intermediate post distal from the fourth end and spanning between the second top rail and the second bottom rail between the fourth corner post and the third intermediate post, a first unit connector third opening defined by the second wall between the third corner post and the third intermediate post, and between the second top rail and the second bottom rail, a second unit connector fourth opening defined by the second wall between the fourth corner post and the fourth intermediate post, and between the second top rail and the second bottom rail, and a second common hallway opening defined by the second wall between the third intermediate post and fourth intermediate corner post midway between the third end and the fourth end,   wherein the first common hallway opening and the second common hallway opening are aligned and a common hallway extends through the first common hallway opening and the second common hallway opening, the common hallway delineating the first freight container and second freight container into a first space and a third space on a first side of the common hallway, and a second space and a fourth space on a second side of the common hallway,   wherein the first unit connector first opening and first unit connector third opening are aligned and a first unit connector hallway extends through the first unit connector first opening and first unit connector third opening to form a U-shaped first unit including the first space and the third space on the first side of the common hallway,   wherein the second unit connector second opening and second unit connector fourth opening are aligned and a second unit connector hallway extends through the second unit connector second opening and second unit connector fourth opening to form a U-shaped second unit including the second space and the fourth space on the second side of the common hallway.   
     
     
         15 . The modular building system of  claim 14 , comprising:
 a third freight container disposed adjacent a fourth freight container forming a U-shaped third unit and U-shaped fourth unit,   wherein the third freight container is disposed adjacent the second freight container opposite the first freight container,   wherein the common hallway extends through a middle section of each of the third freight container and the fourth freight container,   wherein the U-shaped third unit and the U-shaped fourth unit oppose one another across the common hallway,   wherein each of the third freight container and the fourth freight container has a length of about 53 feet, a width of about 8 feet 6 inches and a height of about 9 feet 6 inches.   
     
     
         16 . The modular building system of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the common hallway is bounded by a first hall wall on the first side and a second hall wall on the second side,   wherein the first hall wall includes a first hall wall first portion that bounds the first space inside the first freight container, and a first hall wall second portion that bounds the third space inside the second freight container,   wherein only one of the first hall wall first portion and the first hall wall second portion includes a door to provide singular ingress and egress to the common hallway for the U-shaped first unit,   wherein the second hall wall includes a second hall wall first portion that bounds the second space inside the first freight container, and a second hall wall second portion that bounds the fourth space inside the second freight container,   wherein only one of the second hall wall first portion and the second hall wall second portion includes a door to provide singular ingress and egress to the common hallway for the U-shaped second unit.   
     
     
         17 . The modular building system of  claim 14 , comprising:
 a first bay window disposed at the first end of the first freight container,   a second bay window disposed at the third end of the second freight container,   wherein the first bay window and the second bay window provide natural illumination to the first space and the third space,   wherein the first bay window and the second bay window are separated by a first unit connector hallway interior wall that spans across a first corner post of the first freight container and a third corner post of the second freight container.   
     
     
         18 . The modular building system of  claim 14 , comprising:
 a plurality of supports under the first freight container and the second freight container establishing a ground level vehicle parking area under the U-shaped first unit and U-shaped second unit.   
     
     
         19 . The modular building system of  claim 18 ,
 wherein a plurality of additional freight containers are disposed above and beside the first and second freight containers to form a multi-story multi-unit living building,   wherein each pair of additional freight containers form opposing U-shaped living units, each having a pair of bay windows on opposite ends of each pair of additional freight containers.   
     
     
         20 . A modular building system comprising:
 a first freight container and a second freight container placed longitudinally adjacent one another;   a first unit connector connecting a first space inside the first freight container and a third space inside the second freight container with a first unit connector hallway to form a U-shaped first living unit spanning within the first freight container and the second freight container;   a second unit connector connecting a second space inside the first freight container and a fourth space inside the second freight container with a second unit connector hallway to form a U-shaped second living unit spanning within the first freight container and the second freight container; and   a common hallway extending through the first freight container and the second freight container between and separating the U-shaped first living unit from the U-shaped second living unit.