VERTICALLY STACKABLE DWELLING DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a vertically stackable dwelling device.

PRIOR ART

The invention relates to a dwelling device having a plurality of unilaterally open dwelling units for a respective temporary accommodation of one or more people. Each dwelling unit comprises a uniform hexagonal honeycomb-shaped outer profile with a base panel and a screen panel arranged parallel to the base panel. Each dwelling unit further comprises two upper and two lower side panels connecting the base panel and screen panel in an area of opposing side edges. Each dwelling unit is made of a material whose stability is dimensioned to ensure both the stability of a dwelling unit as a single piece of furniture as well as an adjacent vertical stacking of a plurality of dwelling units in a safe manner without the use of further aids.

Dwelling devices of the type mentioned above are known in the prior art in a variety of different designs. However, the known dwelling devices have the disadvantage that they are often not designed robust enough to be stacked one or more times vertically one on top of the other for the purpose of saving space in a horizontal direction.

Furthermore, the known dwelling devices generally have a spatial form which prevents a relaxed ergonomic leaning of the back of a person staying in a dwelling unit against a part of an inner wall being adapted to the natural dimensions of the outer wall, and thus prevents a comfortable stay inside the dwelling unit. During a relaxed sitting within the known dwelling units a risk of falling out of the dwelling unit may also be given, since an effective support opportunity is lacking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is therefore to provide a dwelling device with a predeterminable plurality of dwelling units, in which the dwelling units can be sturdily and securely stackable on top of each other, and wherein, by creating appropriate supporting and leaning possibilities, a safe and comfortable stay inside a dwelling unit without the risk of falling out of the dwelling unit is provided.

For a dwelling device of the type mentioned above, this object is achieved with the features of claim 1.

In the dwelling device according to the invention, with the aid of the feature combination that at least one dwelling unit comprises one or more cross struts for increasing the stability and for acting as leaning units for people staying within a dwelling unit, wherein one cross strut is shaped in the form of a ladder, firstly both the stability of a dwelling unit as a single piece of furniture as well as the stability of a plurality of adjacent, vertically stackable dwelling unit without any further aids is ensured. Secondly, a robust and safe vertical stackability while simultaneously providing a basic comfort at a significantly increased safety against a person falling out of a dwelling unit is provided.

Thereby, the accessibility of a dwelling unit according to the invention and the comfort and safety within a dwelling unit according to the invention are substantially improved over the prior art.

The dwelling device according to the invention can be used in particular as a so-called learning honeycomb wall (German: “Lernwabenwand”), which represents a spatial vessel in between furnishing and an architectural space divider. The dwelling device consists of individual whole honeycombs and half honeycombs, which stacked on top of each other create a wall structure that can be climbed by means of ladders. The dwelling device provides persons, children as well as adults, with space cells to retreat to for learning and studying, to read and do smaller activities, as well as to relax over lunch, to listen to music etc. A half-honeycomb placed on a floor of a room as a shelf forms an even smaller space, which a small child can crawl into and hide.

In addition, for a group of two or three people, whole honeycombs in particular can be used for a discussion of a group work. The dwelling device may form an efficient space extension and diversification of learning venues in a classroom or academies and different places where persons, children and adults, are present. In addition, it offers persons the opportunity for unconventional movements and promotes motoric skills without having large space requirements.

According to a first preferred embodiment of the dwelling device according to the embodiments herein, it is provided that the ladder is vertically arranged in the region of a front fagade of the dwelling unit and is firmly connected to at least one dwelling unit in the region of at least one predetermined connection point.

According to a second preferred embodiment of the dwelling device according to the embodiments disclosed herein, it is provided that a first longitudinal strut of the ladder is formed to extend to an upper screen panel and a second longitudinal strut of the ladder is formed to extend to a connection point between two adjacent neighbouring side panels and thus is correspondingly shorter than the first longitudinal strut.

According to a third preferred embodiment of the dwelling device, the hexagonal honeycombshaped outer profile of the dwelling unit is formed uniformly with a base panel, a screen panel and upper and lower side panels of identical shapes.

The base panel, the screen panel and the two upper and lower side panels are aligned with each other in such a way, that an intersection of the respective surface normal of these panels forms the centre of a honeycomb forming the dwelling unit.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the dwelling device according to the embodiments herein, the angle between the base panel and a respective lower side panel, between the screen panel and a respective upper side panel and also between a lower and an upper side panel is set at 120°.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the dwelling device according to the embodiments herein, two of a plurality of dwelling units are placed side by side on a flat storage surface, such that the distance between the connecting edge of an upper side panel and a lower side panel of a first dwelling unit and the connecting edge of an upper side panel and a lower side panel of a second dwelling unit adjacent to the first dwelling unit corresponds to the length of a base panel of a third dwelling unit arranged between the first and the second dwelling unit. A third dwelling unit is thereby preferably placed above a respective first and second dwelling unit, wherein the dwelling units are arranged in several floors on top of each other.

Furthermore, fastening devices are preferably provided on each dwelling unit, by means of which the dwelling unit can be anchored vertically to a wall.

The hexagonal honeycomb-shaped wall of a dwelling unit may preferably be integrally formed as a single piece. Alternatively, the hexagonal honeycomb-shaped wall of a dwelling unit may be formed in several pieces, wherein the hexagonal honeycomb-shaped wall of the dwelling unit in particular may be made of six individual panels connected to form a hexagonal honeycomb.

Furthermore, one or more cross struts can be accommodated within a dwelling unit for increasing the stability and for acting as leaning units for people staying within a dwelling unit.

The angle of 120° corresponds to an ergonomic backrest of a seat, wherein an opposite lower wall panel forms an ergonomic footrest.

The size of a panel preferably corresponds to the length of the back of a human body including the head height. For an adult person this may correspond to a length of approximately 90 cm to 95 cm. The size of a honeycomb shaped dwelling unit may be derived from these dimensions.

The dimensions of a dwelling unit are preferably designed to allow simultaneous accommodation of 1 to 4 people.

A dwelling device has a plurality of laterally open dwelling units for temporary accommodation of one or more people. The dwelling can be accessible from the front side and the back side or the back side can be closed with a wall or standing against a wall. Each dwelling unit has a uniform hexagonal honeycomb-shaped outer profile with a horizontal base panel, a horizontal roof panel arranged in parallel to the horizontal base panel, and two upper and two lower oblique side panels joining together the horizontal base panel and the horizontal roof panel in the region of the opposite side edges. This says that there are six panels, two horizontal ones and four oblique ones forming each dwelling, wherein of course adjacent dwelling share a common wall. The panels are made of a material whose stability is dimensioned to provide both stability of a dwelling unit as a single piece of furniture and to ensure a safe adjacent vertical stacking of a plurality of dwelling units without additional aids. The hexagonal honeycomb-shaped cross-section profile of the dwelling unit is uniformly formed, with the horizontal base panel, the horizontal roof panel and the upper and lower oblique side panels being essentially identical in shape and dimensions, wherein the middle plan of each of the panels providing each one of the dwelling units meets with at a middle edge running from a front edge to a back edge of each of the two adjacent panels for each connecting edge.

In a different wording said feature can also be expressed as that the dwelling device has a base panel, a screen panel and the two upper side panels and lower side panels aligned with each other such that the point of intersection of the respective surface normal of these panels forms the centre of a honeycomb forming a dwelling unit.

Preferably, for the dwelling device, at the connecting edge of two oblique panels, the panel edge of each of the two oblique panels is a miter cut at 30 degrees. Then at least one hole or groove can be provided orthogonally to the miter cut plan and at least a closure element is provided in said hole or groove.

Furthermore, preferably, for the dwelling device, at the connecting edge of one horizontal panel with two oblique panels, the panel edge of each of the two oblique panels is a orthogonal cut and the free end of the connecting edge of the horizontal panel is at a 30 degrees tapered cut. Then at least one hole or groove can be provided orthogonally in each of the two oblique panels on the side towards the horizontal plan at different distances to the front respective back edges and at least one closure element is provided in each of said holes or grooves.

The closure element can be a plug or a closure element with a pivotable closure hook, especially pivotable via a small hole in the corresponding panel wall reaching into an actuating element provided in the groove.

Preferably, at least one ladder is provided, comprising a left strut and a right strut as well as a number of rungs, wherein the distance between the left strut and a right strut is such that, at adjacent superposed dwelling units, the left strut is positioned just left of the connecting point with a left oriented horizontal panel and the right strut is positioned just right of the connecting point with a right oriented horizontal panel of the said superposed dwelling units.

Then, the ladder struts can comprise a plurality of predetermined grooves and recesses on the side oriented towards the edge of the horizontal panels in a predetermined height engaging and affixed to these horizontal panels of the superposed dwelling units, whereas the ladder rungs are provided on the opposite side of the grooves and recesses.

Here, the rungs can be provided in a distance from one another that one rung at least is at the height of each horizontal panel and comprises a side panel sheet connected to the edge of the horizontal panel.

It is then a further improvement when one ladder is vertically arranged at the front edge of each second connecting portion of oblique panels of adjacent superposed dwellings, and at this said second connecting portion of oblique panels of adjacent superposed dwellings a further ladder is vertically arranged at the opposite back edge of said second connecting portion of oblique panels of adjacent superposed dwellings.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are subject of the subclaims, the elements of which act in the sense of further improvements of the approach to the solution on which the invention is based.

The honeycomb dwelling is designed as a grid structure and not as a stack of individual honeycombs. The axes of the honeycomb walls always meet at one edge (point in cross section) avoiding a displacement of the structure which would add up as an 'error'.

The different wall panels are cut equally (vertically) at the front and back edges so that they can also be used rotated during installation. There are six basic types of wall panels, with three different front sides as connecting cut: vertical cut, mitre cut 60° and central pointed 2x 30°. Fig. 6 reflects the vertical cut and the pointed cut, whereas Fig. 5 shows a miter cut.

In the cuts, 4-6 Lamello grooves can be arranged next to each other so that they are opposite each other for the panel connection. The six wall panel types are created by the different combinations of cuts. Where two panels are joined, on the crust of the honeycomb wall, there is room for six lamello millings along the length of the cut edge. Where three panels meet, connections with seat bottoms, four millings must be placed next to each other on the tapered side. The added cut edges are provided with four opposite millings accordingly. The lamella millings are not centered on the axis in order to achieve the required wood depth in the diagonal cuts.

The vertical ladder stringers are cut out in such a way that they interlock with all seat bottoms of the horizontal plates lying one above the other and transfer the loads to the floor. Each seat base is preferably fixed diagonally by at least one ladder cheek or rear wall.

Half combs can be created for the horizontal floor finish. A half honeycomb floor plate is milled in such a way that the impacting wall plate of the crust hits the wood vertically and the shear forces are absorbed.

The honeycomb wall can be built on a base which absorbs external thrust forces in the horizontal plane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the following with reference to the drawings, which are for the purpose of illustrating the present preferred embodiments of the invention and not for the purpose of limiting the same. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view representation of a dwelling device according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a detail schematic perspective view of one dwelling unit with connections to an adjacent dwelling unit;

Fig. 3 shows a detail schematic perspective view of adjacent walls of superposed dwelling units with the parallel longitudinal struts of a ladder (omitting the connecting ladder rungs);

Fig. 4 shows a detail schematic cross-section view of a corner connection with a groove for a closure element;

Fig. 5 shows a detail schematic cross-section view of a center connection with grooves for a closure element; and

Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of a closure element for the corner or center connection of Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, respectively.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The dwelling device according to the invention herein is initially explained below with reference to an embodiment, which is shown in Fig. 1.

The dwelling device 100 according to the invention as shown in Fig. 1 comprises a plurality of unilaterally open dwelling units 110, 110', 110" for a respective temporary accommodation of one or more people. Each dwelling unit 110, 110', 110" comprises a uniform hexagonal honeycombshaped outer profile 120 having a base panel 11 , a screen panel 112 arranged in parallel to the base panel 111 , and two upper and two lower side panels 113, 113', 114, 114' interconnecting the base panel 111 and the screen panel 112 in the region of the opposing side edges 115, 115'.

Each dwelling unit 110, 110', 110" is made of a material whose stability is dimensioned to ensure an adjacent vertical stacking of a plurality of dwelling units 110, 110', 110" in a safe manner. In the example shown, the respective panels of the dwelling units 110, 110', 110" are formed out of medium density wood fibre boards. The panels can also be made out of plastic and/or composite fibres.

Furthermore, at least one cross strut in the shape of a ladder 300 is arranged on a plurality of dwelling units 110, 110', 110" in order to increase the stability of the dwelling unit and acting as a leaning unit for people staying within the dwelling unit, wherein in the case of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 a cross strut is formed in the shape of a ladder 300.

The ladder 300 is vertically arranged in the region of a front facade of the dwelling units 110, 110’, 110" and may be firmly connected to at least one dwelling unit 110 in the region of predetermined connection points 400.

Furthermore, a first longitudinal strut 301 of the ladder 300 may be formed to extend to an upper screen panel 112 and a second longitudinal strut 302 of the ladder 300 may be formed to extend to a connection point 401 at a base panel or screen panel 112 between two adjacent neighbouring side panels 113, 114; 113', 114", especially as near as possible to the connecting edge point 115'. The two longitudinal struts 301 and 302 of each ladder comprise on the outside of the ladder struts 301 , 302, a number of rungs or ladder spoke 303. These ladder rungs 303 can have an side extension 304 when the height of such a ladder rung is at the height of a horizontal panel 111, 112.

The hexagonal honeycomb-shaped outer profile 120 of a dwelling unit 110 are uniform, i.e. base panel 111 , screen panel 112 and upper side panels 113, 113' and lower side panels 114, 114' may be identical in shape and dimensions. The wording lower or upper side panel 113 or 114 depends on the dwelling 110 or 110' which is looked at.

The base panel 111, the screen panel 112, the two upper side panels 113, 113' and the two lower side panels 114, 114' are aligned with each other such that the intersection 115' of the respective surface normal of these panels forms the centre of a honeycomb forming the dwelling units 110 110', 110". Furthermore, the angle between the base panel 111 and a respective lower side panel 114, 114', between the screen panel 112 and a respective upper side panel 113, 113' and between a lower side panel 114, 114' and an upper side panel 113, 113' is 120°.

Two of a plurality of dwelling units 110, 110', 110" may be respectively placed next to each other on a flat storage surface, such that the distance between the connecting edge 115' of an upper side panel 113' and a lower side panel 114' of a first dwelling unit 110 and the connecting edge 115 of an upper side panel 113 and a lower side panel 114 of a second dwelling unit 110' adjacent the first dwelling unit 110 corresponds to the length of a base panel 111 of a third dwelling unit 110" arranged between the first dwelling unit 110 and the second dwelling unit 110'.

The third dwelling unit 110" may be placed on top of a respective first dwelling unit 110 and second dwelling unit 110'. The remaining dwelling units 110, 110', 110" are arranged in a corresponding manner in a multi-story arrangement.

At each dwelling unit 110, 110', 110" fastening means may be provided, by means of which the dwelling unit 110, 110', 110" may be vertically anchored to a wall. In the illustrated case, the dwelling units 110, 110', 110" are anchored by means of hooks and eyelets to a wall located behind them.

For the dwelling units 110, 110', 110" shown in the figures, the respective hexagonal honeycombshaped wall is formed by several pieces 111 , 112, 113 an d 114 and is formed out of six individual panels connected to a hexagonal honeycomb, wherein adjacent honeycombs share panels.

Within some of the dwelling units 110, 110', 110", a further ladder 300 may be provided as a cross strut for increasing the stability and for acting as a leaning unit for people staying within a dwelling unit 110, 110', 110".

It is especially an advantage, when ladders 300 are provided at opposite sides of adjacent panels 110. Adjacent panels 110 means the panels which are sharing one or two lower and/or upper panels 113, 114. If the ladder 300 is provided itself between two adjacent panels 110, 110' and not at the end side, then the distance between the ladder struts 301 and 302 of one ladder 300 is such that one strut 301 or 302 is attached on the panels 111, 112 just left beside the connecting point 115' and the other strut 302 or 301 is attached on the adjacent panel 111 or 112 on the intermediate level just right of the connecting point 115'. If the ladder is provided at one end side of the dwelling construction, then the inner strut is attached as mentioned before, i.e. on the horizontal panels 111, 112 while the outer strut is attached at the outer connecting edge 115 only.

This providing of a plurality of ladders allows for a self-standing structure, when ladders are provided as mentioned above on both opposite sides of adjacent dwelling units 110 as shown in Fig. 1 when a further ladder 300 is provided on the opposite side (here at the back, instead of the front side) of the dwelling unit 110 at these adjacent sides of the two adjacent dwelling units 110, since then each horizontal panel 111 , 112 is connected at the front side and diagonally opposite at its back side to a ladder strut 301, 302, while the adjacent dwelling units 110 are connected via the rungs 303 of the ladder attached at the horizontal panels 111, 112. It is then a double advantage to have the side extensions 304 at the rungs 304, since they allow an easier access to the dwelling unit for the user but at the same time they increase the stability, when connected with the corresponding front edge 119 or back edge 129 of the horizontal panel 111 , 112 they are attached too.

The dimensions of the dwelling unit 110, 110', 110" shown may be designed to allow simultaneous accommodation of 1 to 4 people.

Fig. 2 shows a detail schematic perspective view of one dwelling unit 110 with connections to an adjacent dwelling unit 110; and Fig. 3 shows a detail schematic perspective view of adjacent walls of superposed dwelling units 110. 110' with the parallel longitudinal struts 301 and 302 of a ladder 300, omitting the connecting ladder rungs 303 to better explain features of the struts 301 and 302.

It can be seen from Fig, 2 that the lower and upper panels 113 and 114 are connected at an outer connecting edge 115. The edge 115 is running from a front edge 119 to an back edge 129 of the panel. The same connecting edge 115, with an different angle, can be found connecting the base panel 111 and the lower panel 114.

To the contrary, there is a connecting edge 115', when a horizontal panel 111 or 112 is connected to two oblique panel 113, 114. The angle between two adjacent panels 111 to 114 or 114 to 113 or 113 to 112 or 112 to 114 is always 120 degrees, wherein in the case of the edge 115, the connecting surface is at an 60 degree angle, and wherein in the case of a participating horizontal panel 112 and two oblique panels 113 and 114, the horizontal panel 112 is worked to have a middle edge 125 at the free end and two connecting edge surfaces to connect the oblique panels 113 and 114. This will be elaborated further when the connection of the panels is discussed in connection with Figs. 4 and 5. The main point is that the middle plan 125 of each of the panels 111 , 112, 113 or 114 which are building each one of the dwelling units 110 meets at a middle edge 126 running from a front edge 119 to a back edge 129 of each of the at least two adjacent panels 111, 112, 113 or 114 for each connecting edge 115, 115'. This edge line 126 is in the center of the connection edge surface 115 or 115'.

Fig. 3 shows the attachment of the struts 301 and 302 of one ladder to the front edges 119 of the different dwelling units 110. As explained above, the backside of the struts 301, 302 is connected via grooves 310 or recesses 311 with the horizontal panels 111 , 112 as near as possible to the three-panel connecting edges 115'. This is automatically achieved by the choice of the distance between the struts 301 , 302 predetermined by the fastened rungs 303 (as shown in Fig. 1) which are fastened on the front side of the struts 301 , 302. If such a rung 303 has a side extension 304, it has preferably the form of a small sheet to be connected with the front edge 119 of the horizontal panel 111 , 112 with a recess near the strut 301, 302 to end as a smaller width rung 303. Since the dimensions of the oblique panels 113, 114 is known and the angle is 120 degrees between them, the distance of the grooves 310 one from the other is predetermined as well as the position of the recesses 311. At the same time, the height position of the rungs 303 is preferably chosen that there is a rung 303 at each level of a horizontal panel 111, 112. In a similar way the recesses are chosen for the exterior side of the struts 391, 302 to be connected to the outer edges 115.

Fig. 4 shows a detail schematic cross-section view of an outside corner connection 115 with a groove for a closure element 500; Fig. 5 shows a detail schematic cross-section view of a three-panel center connection 115' with grooves for a closure element 500; and Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of a two-part 501 , 502 comprising closure element 500 for the corner 115 or center connection 115' of Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, respectively.

The oblique panels 113 and 114 are joined together at a horizontal outer edge surface 115, running from the front edge 119 towards the back edge 129 of the two panels. They are preferably connected in a removable manner, although it is possible to nail of glue the part together via the edge surface 115. The simplest embodiment is to have a number of preferably at least two grooves 201 provided orthogonally through the edge surface 115 as holes. Into which wooden plugs or timber connectors are pushed. One such hole would be nearer to the front edge 119, one nearer to the end edge 129, and then there can be a third one in the middle in-between or there can be two times two.

The embodiment shown here starts with longitudinal arcuate grooves 201 in the body of panels 113 and 114, wherein the grooves are orthogonal to the drawing plan and possess an undercut 202. The arcuate groove 201 is meant to accommodate one part 501 or 502 of the closure element 500, i.e. the curvature of the outer surface 503. The male part 501 and the female part 502 each comprise at said outer surface 503 an dove tail extension 504. This allows to push the part 501 or 502 into the groove 201 and it stays there and cannot fall out. A first connection is achieved with the plugs 505 reaching in opposite holes 506 but this connection is further stabilized by turning a closure hook 510 with one or two sidewise extensions 511 in complementary undercuts 512 in the female part 502. This rotating or pivoting movement is achieved via an hexagon socket screw key 520 providing the (parallel) pivoting axis for the closure hook 510.

It is noted that the groove 201 in the oblique panels 113 and 114 is provided nearer to the inner edge with the smaller angle, in order to have more material of the panel 113 and 114 in the depth of the groove 201.

A second attachment position arises at the three-panel connection 115' . The edge is marked 115' and is horizontal at the middle of the panel 111, 112. The small side end surface of the panel 111, 112 between the front edge 119 and back edge 129 is tapered to the middle edge 115' plane, creating two surface 117 having an angle of 30 degrees with the plane of edge 115'. The outer groove 204 and the inner groove 203, in view of the distance from the front edge 119 and preferably there are two times two and therefore also in view of the distance from the back edge 129 are provided on the inner side and even inner half of the oblique panel 113 and 114 in order to obtain more groove 201 position inside the material of horizontal panel 111 , 112 farer away from the tapered end. Since the grooves 203 and 204, which take some place outside the drawing plane, cannot share the same position, number of different panels 113 and 114 are to be provided, since they can have at the opposite end a further three-panel connection or a two-panel connection at the border. As mentioned above, it is also possible not to use the system of Fig 6, but wood plus alone (similar to plugs 505) or a different closure system from the furniture industry. The advantage of a system similar to Fig. 6 is that the hexagon socket screw key 520 (or a similar socket key system only needs a small hole orthogonal to the groove 201 , 203 or 204 towards preferably the inside of an 120 degree angle which is then less visible and can even be covered.

The honeycomb walls can comprise wall plates of 24mm plywood, back walls of 12mm and ladders of 24mm, whereby back walls and ladders (ladder stringers) act as static elements. If the structure is higher than 1 1/2 honeycombs, they should be located at least in the diagonal corners of the seat base to ensure sufficient stability. Back walls can be used instead of the ladders at the back edge 129 of the structure. Back walls are folded halfway through the panel thickness into the opening of a honeycomb and stabilize the honeycomb shape. They are screwed onto the wall panel cut surfaces from behind. The same applies to the half honeycomb form.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

100 dwelling device 203 inner groove

110 dwelling unit 204 outer groove

110' dwelling unit 300 ladder

110" dwelling unit 301 first longitudinal strut

111 base panel (horizontal panel) 302 second longitudinal strut

112 screen panel (horizontal panel) 303 rung

113 upper side panel (oblique panel) 304 side extension of rung 113' upper side panel (oblique panel) 310 groove

114 lower side panel (oblique panel) 311 recess

114' lower side panel (oblique panel) 400 connection point

115 opposing side edges or 500 closure element connecting edge (outer connecting edge) 501 male part 115' opposing side edges or 502 female part connecting edge (three-panel connecting 503 outer surface edge) 504 dove tail extension

117 joining edge 505 plug

119 front edge 506 hole

129 back edge 510 closure hook

120 outer profile 511 sidewise extension

125 middle line 512 undercut

201 groove 520 hexagon socket screw key

202 undercut