Collapsible shelter

• US 20050284035A1
• Filed: 06/15/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dietrich Industries Incorporated (Worthington Enterprises, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dietrich Industries Incorporated (Worthington Enterprises, Inc.)
• Inventors: DeOvando, Michael J., Gordy, Gaylen L.
• Application Number:
  US10/867,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20050284035A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/79.1
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/3431 with only one level of nesting
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 2001/1283 Small buildings of the ISO containers type

Abstract

A collapsible shelter. One embodiment may include a lower shelter portion that has substantially rigid lower walls and a floor therein. An upper shelter portion that has substantially rigid upper walls and a roof is telescopingly coupled to the lower shelter portion such that the upper shelter portion is selectively vertically moveable relative to the lower shelter portion between a first collapsed position and a second extended position. In addition, the shelter may include a selectively releasable retainer assembly for selectively supporting the upper shelter portion relative to the lower shelter portion in the second extended position.

Claims

1. A collapsible shelter, comprising:

a lower shelter portion having substantially rigid lower walls and a floor therein;

an upper shelter portion having substantially rigid upper walls and a roof and being telescopingly coupled to said lower shelter portion such that the upper shelter portion is selectively vertically moveable relative to said lower shelter portion between a first collapsed position and a second extended position;

a selectively releasable retainer assembly for selectively supporting said upper shelter portion relative to said lower shelter portion in the second extended position.

2. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 further comprising an actuation system coupled to said lower and upper shelter portions for selectively moving said upper shelter portion between said collapsed and said extended positions.

3. The collapsible shelter of claim 2 wherein said actuation system is powered by a battery.

4. The collapsible shelter of claim 3 further comprising a solar panel on said shelter and coupled to said battery.

5. The collapsible shelter of claim 2 wherein said actuation system comprises:

a cylinder supported in one of said upper and lower shelter portions, said cylinder having a selectively extendable and retractable piston; and

at least one cable having one end thereof attached to said extendable and retractable piston and another end thereof attached to said upper shelter portion such that movement of said extendable and retractable piston relative to the cylinder causes the upper shelter portion to move between the first collapsed position and the second extended position.

6. The collapsible shelter of claim 5 wherein said cylinder is supported in said lower shelter portion under said floor.

7. The collapsible shelter of claim 5 wherein said cylinder is hydraulically powered.

8. The collapsible shelter of claim 7 wherein said cylinder is powered by a hydraulic pump is supported in said lower shelter portion under said floor and accessible through a portion of said lower shelter portion.

9. The collapsible shelter of claim 7 wherein said hydraulic pump is powered by a battery.

10. The collapsible shelter of claim 9 wherein said hydraulic pump is also manually actuatable.

11. The collapsible shelter of claim 9 further comprising a solar panel supported on said collapsible shelter and coupled to said battery.

12. The collapsible shelter of claim 10 further comprising a solar panel supported on said collapsible shelter and coupled to said battery.

13. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 wherein said lower shelter portion comprises:

a plurality of lower upstanding wall sections interconnected to define a floor area therebetween; and

a floor supported in said floor area.

14. The collapsible shelter of claim 13 wherein said upper shelter portion comprises a plurality of interconnected upper wall portions and a roof coupled thereto.

15. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 wherein said lower shelter portion comprises:

a lower front wall portion;

a lower rear wall portion;

two lower side wall portions coupled to said lower front wall portion and said lower rear wall portion and extending therebetween to define a floor area; and

a floor supported in said floor area.

16. The collapsible shelter of claim 15 wherein said upper shelter portion comprises:

an upper front wall portion corresponding to said lower front wall portion;

an upper rear wall portion corresponding to said lower rear wall portion;

two upper side wall portions corresponding to said lower side wall portions and coupled to said upper front wall portion and said upper rear wall portion and extending therebetween to define an upper area therebetween such that upper ends of each of said lower front wall portion, said lower rear wall portion and said lower side wall portions can be movably received within said upper area to enable said shelter to assume said collapsed position; and

a roof coupled to said upper front wall, said upper rear wall and said upper sidewalls and extending therebetween.

17. The collapsible shelter of claim 16 further comprising an actuation system coupled to said first and second shelter portions for selectively moving said upper shelter portion between said collapsed and said extended positions.

18. The collapsible shelter of claim 17 wherein said actuation system is powered by an actuator supported in said lower shelter portion and accessible through an access opening in said lower front wall portion.

19. The collapsible shelter of claim 16 further comprising:

a lower door segment mounted in said lower front wall portion; and

an upper door segment mounted in said upper front wall portion and cooperating with said lower door portion to form a unitary door into said shelter when said upper shelter portion is in said extended position.

20. The collapsible shelter of claim 19 wherein said lower door portion is pivotally coupled to said lower front wall portion and supported within a lower door opening in said lower front wall portion and wherein said upper door portion is pivotally coupled to said upper front wall portion and supported within an upper door opening in said upper front wall portion.

21. The collapsible shelter of claim 19 wherein said upper door portion is latchable to said lower door portion to form a unitary door portion when said upper shelter portion is in said extended position.

22. The collapsible shelter of claim 18 further comprising:

a lower door segment movably mounted in a lower door opening in said lower front wall portion; and

an upper door segment movably mounted in an upper door opening in said upper front wall portion and cooperating with said lower door portion to form a unitary door into said shelter when said upper shelter portion is in said extended position.

23. The collapsible shelter of claim 22 wherein said upper door is movably mounted within said upper door opening and movable between open and closed positions, said upper door opening being oriented in said upper front wall portion such that when said upper shelter portion is in said collapsed position, said access opening coincides with at least a portion of said upper door opening to provide access to said access opening therethrough when said upper door portion is in said open position.

24. The collapsible shelter of claim 23 wherein said upper door portion is lockable in said closed position to prevent unauthorized access to said access opening when said upper shelter portion is in said collapsed position and said upper door portion is in said closed position.

25. The collapsible shelter of claim 16 further comprising at least one bearing assembly between one of said lower sidewalls and said upper sidewall which corresponds to said lower sidewall.

26. The collapsible shelter of claim 25 further comprising at least one other bearing assembly between another one of said lower side walls and said upper side wall which corresponds to said another one of said lower side walls.

27. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 wherein at least one of said upper and lower shelter portions is thermally insulated.

28. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 wherein said upper and lower shelter portions each include bulletproof panels.

29. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 further comprising at least one window in said upper shelter portion.

30. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 further comprising a fresh water-holding tank supported within said lower shelter portion.

31. The collapsible shelter of claim 30 further comprising a sub floor structure in said lower shelter portion and wherein said fresh water holding tank is supported within said sub floor structure.

32. The collapsible shelter of claim 30 further comprising:

at least one of a sink, a shower and a toilet mounted within said shelter; and

a pump coupled to said fresh water holding tank and said at least one of a sink, a shower and toilet for supplying fresh water thereto from said fresh water holding tank; and

a drain water holding tank supported within said lower shelter portion for collecting drain water from said at least one of a sink, a shower and a toilet.

33. The collapsible shelter of claim 32 further comprising means for adding chemicals to said toilet.

34. The collapsible shelter of claim 32 wherein said fresh water holding tank has at least a sixty gallon capacity and wherein said holding tank has at least a three hundred gallon capacity.

35. The collapsible shelter of claim 32 wherein said pump is powered by a pump battery.

36. The collapsible shelter of claim 35 further comprising at least one solar panel supported on said shelter and being electrically coupled to said pump battery for recharging said pump battery.

37. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 further comprising at least one bed/storage assembly supported on said floor, said bed/storage assembly having at least one upper surface which forms a sleeping surface.

38. The collapsible shelter of claim 5 wherein said selectively releasable retainer comprises:

a retainer lock movably coupled to a portion of said lower shelter portion such that when said extendable and retractable piston is moved to an extended position which causes said upper shelter portion to be in said extended position, said retainer lock retains said extendable piston in said extended position; and

a release mechanism in said lower shelter portion and communicating with said retainer to move said retainer lock out of retaining engagement with said extendable piston.

39. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 further comprising means on said lower shelter portion for cooperating with material handling means for manipulating the shelter.

40. The collapsible shelter of claim 39 wherein said means for cooperating comprises cleats on said lower shelter portion and wherein said material handling means comprises a fork truck.

41. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 further comprising means for leveling the lower shelter portion.

42. The collapsible shelter of claim 41 wherein said means for leveling comprises a plurality of adjustable jacks attached to said lower shelter portion.

43. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 wherein said collapsible shelter has an overall exterior height of not more than substantially nine feet six inches when said upper shelter portion is in said extended position and an overall exterior height of not more than substantially five feet three inches when said upper shelter portion is in said collapsed position.

44. The collapsible shelter of claim 1 wherein said upper shelter portion and said lower shelter portion define an interior space and wherein a height of said interior space is not more than substantially seven feet eight inches wherein said upper shelter portion is in said extended position and wherein a height of said interior space of said shelter portion is substantially forty inches when said upper shelter portion is in said collapsed position.

45. The collapsible shelter of claim 14 further comprising at least one skylight mounted to the roof.

46. A collapsible shelter, comprising:

a lower shelter portion;

a sub floor structure attached to said lower shelter portion;

a floor supported on said sub floor structure;

at least one of a sink, a shower and a toilet supported on said floor;

at least one of a fresh water holding tank supported on said sub floor structure and a drain water holding tank supported on said sub floor structure beneath said floor; and

an upper shelter portion telescopingly coupled to said lower shelter portion and being selectively vertically moveable relative to said lower shelter portion between a first collapsed position and a second extended position.

47. The collapsible shelter of claim 46 further comprising a selectively releasable retainer assembly for selectively supporting said upper shelter portion relative to said lower shelter portion in the second extended position.

48. The collapsible shelter of claim 46 further comprising an actuation system coupled to said lower and upper shelter portions for selectively moving said upper shelter portion between said collapsed and said extended positions.

49. The collapsible shelter of claim 48 wherein said actuation system is powered by a battery.

50. The collapsible shelter of claim 49 further comprising a solar panel on said shelter and coupled to said battery.

51. The collapsible shelter of claim 48 wherein said actuation system comprises:

a cylinder supported in one of said upper and lower shelter portions, said cylinder having a selectively extendable and retractable piston;

at least one pulley attached to an end of said extendable and retractable piston;

a plurality of other pulleys supported on one of said upper and lower shelter portions; and

a cable member extending through said at least one pulley and said plurality of other pulleys, said cable having one end attached to said upper shelter portion and another end attached to said upper shelter portion.

52. The collapsible shelter of claim 51 wherein said cylinder is supported in said lower shelter portion under said floor.

53. The collapsible shelter of claim 51 wherein said cylinder is powered by a hydraulic pump.

54. The collapsible shelter of claim 53 wherein said hydraulic pump is supported in said lower shelter portion under said floor and accessible through a portion of said lower shelter portion.

55. The collapsible shelter of claim 53 wherein said hydraulic pump is powered by a battery.

56. The collapsible shelter of claim 55 wherein said hydraulic pump is also manually actuatable.

57. The collapsible shelter of claim 55 further comprising a solar panel supported on said shelter and coupled to said battery.

58. The collapsible shelter of claim 46 further comprising a cable system supported on said sub floor structure and coupled to said upper shelter portion to support said upper shelter portion in said extended and collapsed positions.

59. The collapsible shelter of claim 46 wherein said sub floor structure comprises:

at least two metal rims; and

a plurality of metal braces extending between and coupled to at least two of said at least two metal rims.

60. The collapsible shelter of claim 46 wherein said lower shelter portion further comprises a plurality of lower upstanding wall sections interconnected to said sub floor structure.

61. The collapsible shelter of claim 60 wherein said upper shelter portion comprises a plurality of interconnected upper wall portions and a roof coupled thereto.

62. A collapsible shelter comprising:

means for forming a lower shelter portion;

floor means within said means for moving a lower shelter portion;

means for moving an upper shelter portion that is telescopingly coupled to means for forming a lower shelter portion and being selectively vertically moveable relative to said means for forming said lower shelter portion between a first collapsed position and a second extended position;

means for selectively moving said means for forming an upper shelter portion between said extended and collapsed positions; and

means for selectively retaining said means for forming said upper shelter portion in said extended position.

a selectively releasable retainer coupled to said lower shelter portion for selectively supporting said upper shelter portion relative to said lower shelter portion.

63. A method for establishing a shelter in a desired location, comprising:

fabricating a first shelter that can be collapsed for transportation purposes and selectively expanded to an extended position for accommodating personnel therein after the first shelter has been transported to the desired location;

transporting the first shelter to the desired location; and

extending the first shelter to the extended position, without the use of tools.

64. The method of claim 63 wherein said transporting comprises placing the first shelter on a trailer and securing it thereto when the first shelter is in a collapsed position.

65. The method of claim 64 wherein said placing comprises lifting the first shelter with a forklift and placing it onto the trailer.

66. The method of claim 64 further comprising stacking a second shelter on the first shelter after the first shelter has been placed on the trailer.

67. The method of claim 63 wherein the first shelter has a first lower shelter portion and a first upper shelter portion telescopingly mounted to the lower shelter portion and being movable between a collapsed position and an extended position and wherein said extending comprises actuating a lift system coupled to the first upper and first lower shelter portions to move the first upper shelter portion to the extended position.

68. The method of claim 67 wherein the lift system comprises a cable system actuated by a battery-powered pump and wherein said actuating comprises starting the battery powered pump.

69. The method of claim 68 wherein the cable system is coupled to an extendable and retractable piston such that when the piston is extended, the cable system causes the first upper shelter portion to move to the extended position and when the piston is retracted, the cable system causes the first lower shelter portion to move to the collapsed position.

70. The method of claim 69 further comprising mechanically locking the piston in the extended position.