FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is in the field of modular structures.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Various structures, including shipping containers are rectangular in shape, with varying lengths and widths. The length of a standard container is generally 6 meters whilst the width is 2,4 meters.

These structures are extremely difficult to transport, and are generally transported one by one or stacked on top of each other. There is a limit as to how many of these structures can be transported at once.

To assist with the transport of these structures, there have been various modular solutions which have been engineered to provide a more efficient solution and to limit logistical constraints.

These modular structures allow for assembly of a standard size structure, or a structure of extra length. The inventor believes that a need exists for a modular structure which allows for assembling a structure with dimensions required by the user, specifically a structure which can be extended in width and length.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a modular structure comprising one or more walls, at least one floor portion, at least four reinforcing uprights connectable to the floor portion, and horizontal roof lintels connectable to the reinforcing uprights which allow for a roof portion to be fitted thereto; the modular structure further comprising extension elements connectable to various parts of the structure and providing for the extension of the width of the structure.

The width of the structure may be extended along a part of the length thereof or along the full length thereof.

Each floor portion comprises two half portions each having an area of 3 meters x 1 ,2 meters, the half portions being mirror images of each other, and being securable to each other to form a floor portion..

Each half portion comprises an end and two side elements and includes between the side elements, one or more intermediate elements having the same length as the side elements; the intermediate elements including at the free ends thereof, a plate member for engaging a similar plate element on the half portion to which it is to be joined. The plate elements include at the top thereof, support surfaces for receiving a floor board.

The floor portion may include a recess for receiving one or more floor boards.

In the preferred form, the recess is formed by a lip running about the interior of the end and side elements of the half floor portions. Further support members for the floor boards may be provided within the interior of the half floor portions.

The floor portion may be manufactured from various materials including but not limited to fabricated sections and / or steel piping, joined together and configured as a base. The floor portion may be 3 meters x 2.4 meters and may be connectable to further floor portions, by various means, thereby extending the floor area of the structure.

The structure may grow in 3 meter increments, length wise. A standard 6 meter x 2,4 meter structure comprises 4 half floor portions connected together.

The uprights include a series of apertures which, when the uprights are brought into engagement with floor portions, register with complemental apertures in the floor portions. Various forms of fasteners are receivable by the apertures in register for securing the uprights to the floor portions. The number of uprights required will depend on the size of the structure.

There are two types of uprights, firstly a corner upright which is configured to define a corner of the structure, and furthermore comprising various apertures complementally located to provide for attachment to at least one wall, and for receiving various attachment means. Secondly, there is a joining upright, generally placed in between two walls thereby providing a means of connecting two wall portions and further assisting with reinforcing the structure once assembled.

The walls may be corrugated to provide extra strength to the walls. The walls may be manufactured from a suitable material including but not limited to aluminium. The walls may, furthermore, be insulated to prevent heat escaping the structure, once it has been assembled. The base of the walls include apertures shaped to receive attachment means, the apertures being complementally located to allow for connection to a floor portion.

The walls may furthermore comprise windows and/ or doors. Different walls may be used, depending on the needs of the user. Horizontal roof lintels may include complementally placed apertures for receiving attachment means and allowing for attachment to the uprights. Once attached to the uprights, the lintels may provide an extended height of the structure. Once assembled, the lintels further provide for a structure to which the pre-formed roof portion can be fitted. The lintels may form the boundary of the structure being located about the periphery and may further be located as a reinforcing lintel in the centre of the structure in a transverse orientation, to provide stability..

The roof portion is manufactured in specific sizes, which is fit onto the lintels when assembled. A typical 6 meter structure includes six roof portions. The roof portions are manufactured to cover the length of the structure, when assembled. The number of roof portions utilised is dependent on the area of the floor portion. The roof portion may include air extraction devices.

The extension elements of the modular structure are shaped and dimensioned to allow for the extension of the width of the structure. These extension elements comprise a floor extension element; at least one wall extension element and a roof extension element.

The floor extension elements are shaped and dimensioned to fit between two floor portions and providing for the width ways extension of the width of a structure. The width ways extension may be in the amount of 2,4 meters, in addition to the width of the extension elements. The floor extension element comprises various apertures for receiving attachment means, the apertures located complementally to apertures on the floor portions, thereby allowing for attachment of two floor portions via the floor extension element. The floor extension element may be channel shaped. The channel shape may include a recess, complemental to the recess of the floor portion, allowing for fitment of a floor board. The floor extension element may vary in width, but the width chosen will be identical to that of the width of the wall extension elements and the roof extension element.

A wall extension element comprises a channel shaped section with complementally located apertures to receive attachment means which allow for the attachment thereof to uprights. The wall extension elements will be attachable to the floor extension element and the roof extension element, and will be the same width as the floor extension element. The recess in the channel shaped section of the wall extension element could be used as a storage area.

The roof extension element comprises a channel shaped section and provides for the fitment of two roof portions. The roof extension element is shaped and dimensioned to provide or act as a gutter, thereby ensuring that there is no water build up on the join of the structure which is being extended width ways. The roof extension element is configured to attach to two lintels of a structure.

The assembly and attachment of the extension elements provides for the attachment of further floor portions, uprights, lintels and walls. The assembly and attachment of extension elements can provide for the extension of the width of a structure.

The attachment means may include but not be limited to nuts and bolts.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a kit for a modular structure, comprising at least one floor portion, walls, uprights, lintels, roof portions and extension elements, thereby allowing for the assembly of a structure which may be extended width ways.

The modular structure may be assembled to dimensions required by the user.

The parts of the modular structure, as described above, may be manufactured from various suitable materials including but not limited to ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, plastic compounds and fibre glass.

The parts of the modular structures, in accordance with the invention, may be flat - packed and transported to the required destination. The modular structure parts may be transported by a 1 ,5 ton pick - up truck, and would be able to be unloaded manually. Once assembled the modular structure may have various applications including but not limited to storage, temporary housing, disaster management facilities, classrooms, merchandising outlets, clinics and any easy access secure space application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be explained with reference to the following non-limiting drawings:

Figures 1 a-d are perspective, end and side views of a modular structure according to the invention; and

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a floor portion of a modular structure of the invention;

Figures 3a and b are perspective and plan views respectively of a half portion of the floor portion of figure 1 ;

Figure 4 shows a side view of a lintel;

Figure 5 shows a perspective side view of a corner lintel;

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a wall extension element;

Figure 7 shows a perspective top view of a floor extension element;

Figure 8 shows a perspective top view of a roof extension element; Figure 9 shows a perspective side view of a wall; and

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A modular structure, in accordance with the invention, comprises at least four walls 10, at least one floor portion 12, at least four reinforcing uprights 14 connectable to a floor portion 12, horizontal roof lintels 16 connectable to the reinforcing uprights 14 which allow for a roof portion 18 to be fit thereto, the modular structure comprising extension elements 20, connectable to various parts of the structure and providing for the extension of the width of the structure. The width of the structure may be extended along a part of the length of the structure or along the full length of the structure.

The walls 12 of the structure are corrugated to provide extra strength to the walls. The walls 10 are connectable to a floor portion 12, via complementally located apertures (not shown) for connecting the wall 10 to uprights 14 and to lintels 16 in assembly of the modular structure. The walls 10 are manufactured from a suitable material including but not limited to aluminium, and in an embodiment of the invention the walls 10 are insulated. Depending on the user's requirements, the walls 10 can comprise window/doors.

The floor portion 12 of the modular structure is manufactured from fabricated sections and / or steel piping, joined together and configured as a base of the modular structure. The floor portion 12 is 3 meters x 2.4 meters and is connectable to further floor portions 12, by various means, thereby extending the floor area of the structure. The floor portion 12 comprises two half portions A and B (3 meters x 1 .2 meters) which are joined together to make a standard floor portion.

Each half floor portion (A or B) comprises an end element 40 and two side elements 42 and includes between the side elements, one or more intermediate elements 44 having the same length as the side elements; the intermediate elements including at the free ends thereof, a plate member 46 for engaging a similar plate element on the half portion to which it is to be joined. The plate elements include at the top thereof, support surfaces 48 for receiving a floor board.

The floor portion 12 includes a recess 20 for receiving a floor board (not shown). the recess 20 is formed by a lip 50 running about the interior of the end 40 and side elements 42 of the half floor portions. Further support members 52, 54 for the floor boards may be provided within the interior of the half floor portions.

The uprights 14 include a series of apertures which, when the uprights are brought into engagement with floor portions 12, register with complemental apertures in the floor portions 12. Various forms of attachment means are receivable by the apertures in register for securing the uprights 14 to the floor portions 12. The amount of uprights 14 required will depend on the size of the structure.

These uprights 14 extend vertically and comprise further apertures (not shown) complementally placed to provide for attachment of the horizontal roof lintels 16. The uprights 14 comprise further apertures (not shown) complementally placed to provide for attachment of at least one wall 10. There are two types of uprights 14, firstly a corner upright 22 which is shaped to define a corner of the structure, and furthermore comprising various apertures (not shown) complementally placed to provide for attachment to at least one wall 10. Secondly, there is a joining upright 24, generally placed in between two walls 10 thereby providing a means of connecting two walls 10 and further assisting with reinforcing the structure once assembled.

Horizontal roof lintels 16 include complementally located apertures (not shown) to allow for attachment to the uprights 14. Once attached to the uprights 14, the lintels 16 provide an extended height of the structure and thereby providing a structure to which the pre-formed roof portion 18 can be fit, once assembled. Lintels 16 form the boundary of the structure and are further used as a reinforcing lintel 16 in the centre of the structure, to provide stability and attachment to uprights 14.

All complementally located apertures receive attachment means (not shown), thereby attaching the parts of the modular structure to each other.

The roof portion 18 is manufactured in specific sizes, which is fit onto the lintels 16 when assembled.

Typically a six meter structure includes six roof portions. The roof portions are manufactured to cover the floor portions 12 of the structure, when assembled. The amount of roof portions utilised depend on the area of the floor portion.

To extend a structure width ways, the extension elements are utilised. The extension elements comprise a floor extension element 26; at least one wall extension element 28 and a roof extension element 30.

The floor extension element 26 is shaped and dimensioned to fit between two floor portions 12. The floor extension element 26 comprises various apertures (not shown) which are located complementally to apertures on the floor portions 12, thereby allowing for attachment of two floor portions 12 via the floor extension element 26. The floor extension element 26 is channel shaped and includes a recess, complemental to the recess of the floor portion 12, allowing for fitment of a floor board. The floor extension element 26 varies in width, the width being identical to that of the width of the wall extension elements 28 and the roof extension element 30.

A wall extension element 28 comprises a channel with complementally located apertures (not shown) which allow for the attachment of the transition wall pieces to uprights 14. The wall extension elements 28 will be attachable to the floor extension element 26 and the roof extension element 30, and will be the width of the floor extension element 26. The roof extension element 30 comprises a channel and provides for the fitment of two roof portions. The roof channel piece 30 is shaped and dimensioned to provide for a gutter 32, thereby ensuring that there is no water build up on the join of the structure which is being extended width ways. The roof extension element 30 is configured to attach to two lintels 16 of a structure.

The modular structure is generally in the form of a kit, and provides a solution to the user which minimises logistical constraints by providing a more efficient method of packing, transport and assembly of the modular structure. The parts of the modular structures, in accordance with the invention, are flat - packed and transported to the required destination. The modular structure parts can be transported by a 1 ,5 ton pick - up truck, and would be able to be unloaded manually. Once assembled the modular structure is used for various applications including but not limited to storage, temporary housing, disaster management facilities, classrooms, merchandising outlets, clinics and any easy access secure space application.

The modular structure, as described above, is manufactured from various suitable materials including but not limited to ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, plastic compounds and fibre glass.

EDWARD NATHAN SONNENBERGS APPLICANTS' PATENT ATTORNEYS