Portable expandable shelter
View Patent ↗In one example, a portable expandable shelter includes an enclosure with one or more movable portions such as a side or end, and further includes a foldable frame configured and arranged for operation in unison with movement of the movable portion of the enclosure. This example of the portable expandable shelter also includes a cover that encloses at least a portion of a space defined by the movable portion and the foldable frame.
1. A portable expandable shelter, comprising:
an enclosure having a fixed portion and a movable portion that comprises one or more of a side and an end of the enclosure, the movable portion of the enclosure being movable between a substantially vertical position and a substantially horizontal position;
a flexible cover connected to the enclosure such that while changing the movable portion between the substantially vertical position and the substantially horizontal position the flexible cover remains attached to the enclosure;
a rigid, load bearing, foldable frame to which the flexible cover is connected, the rigid, load bearing, foldable frame being connected to the movable portion and to the fixed portion of the enclosure in both the substantially vertical position and the substantially horizontal position, and the rigid, load bearing, foldable frame changing between a stowed position and a deployed position in response to the movable portion of the enclosure changing between the substantially vertical position and the substantially horizontal position such that the flexible cover comprises a top portion of an additional volume of the shelter and encloses the additional volume when the foldable frame is in the deployed position, and
wherein:
the rigid, load bearing, foldable frame comprises a first frame element and a second frame element;
the first frame element hingedly folds onto the second frame element when in the stowed position; and
the rigidity of the foldable frame provides load bearing support to the movable portion when the movable portion is in the substantially horizontal position.
2. The portable expandable shelter of claim 1 , wherein:
responsive to movement of the movable portion of the enclosure from the substantially vertical position to the substantially horizontal position, the rigid, load bearing, foldable frame moves from the stowed position to the deployed position; and
responsive to movement of the movable portion from the substantially horizontal position to the substantially vertical position, the rigid, load bearing, foldable frame moves from the deployed position to the stowed position.
3. The portable expandable shelter of claim 1 , wherein:
when the rigid, load bearing, foldable frame is in the deployed position, the flexible cover substantially encloses a space at least partly defined by the rigid, load bearing, foldable frame and the movable portion of the enclosure; and
when the rigid, load bearing, foldable frame is in the stowed position, a substantial portion of the flexible cover is stowed in an interior of the enclosure.
4. The portable expandable shelter of claim 1 , wherein the movable portion of the enclosure comprises one of the sides of the enclosure.
5. The portable expandable shelter of claim 1 , wherein the movable portion of the enclosure comprises one of the ends of the enclosure.
6. The portable expandable shelter of claim 1 , wherein the portable expandable shelter comprises one of a TRICON, a BICON, and a QUADCON.
7. The portable expandable shelter of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure of the portable expandable shelter is substantially similar in configuration to a 20 foot long ISO shipping container.
8. The portable expandable shelter of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure of the portable expandable shelter is substantially similar in configuration to a 40 foot long ISO shipping container.
9. The portable expandable shelter of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure of the portable expandable shelter is less than about 20 foot long.
10. The portable expandable shelter of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure of the portable expandable shelter is greater than about 20 foot long and less than about 40 feet long.
11. The portable expandable shelter of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure of the portable expandable shelter is greater than about 40 foot long.
12. A portable expandable shelter, comprising:
an enclosure that defines an interior and includes a top, bottom, two sides and two ends, each of the sides and ends comprising a movable portion of the enclosure, each of the movable portions of the enclosure being movable between a substantially vertical position and a substantially horizontal position, each of the movable portions corresponding to:
a flexible cover connected to the enclosure and at least partially defining a doorway;
a foldable frame to which the flexible cover is connected, the foldable frame being connected to the corresponding movable portion and to the enclosure, and the foldable frame being configured to move between a stowed position and a deployed position in response to movement of the corresponding movable portion between the substantially vertical position and the substantially horizontal position, and the foldable frame provides rigid load bearing support and retains the corresponding movable portion when the corresponding movable portion is in the substantially horizontal position; and
wherein:
the foldable frame comprises a first frame element and a second frame element; and
the first frame element is configured to hingedly fold relative to the second frame element when in a stowed position.
13. The portable expandable shelter of claim 12 , wherein the portable expandable shelter comprises one of a TRICON, a BICON, and a QUADCON.
14. The portable expandable shelter of claim 12 , wherein the enclosure of the portable expandable shelter substantially conforms to a configuration other than an ISO configuration.
15. The portable expandable shelter of claim 12 , wherein:
when the foldable frame is in the deployed position, the flexible cover substantially encloses a space at least partly defined by the foldable frame and the movable portion; and
when the foldable frame is in the stowed position, a substantial portion of the flexible cover is stowed in the interior of the enclosure.
16. The portable expandable shelter of claim 12 , wherein the foldable frame is configured to limit a range of motion of the movable portion.
17. The portable expandable shelter of claim 12 , wherein the foldable frame supports and retains the movable portion from above when the movable portion is in the substantially horizontal position.
18. The portable expandable shelter of claim 12 , further comprising a rigid door connected to a door frame that is rotatably connected to the movable portion, the door frame configured to be aligned with the doorway defined by the cover.
19. The portable expandable shelter of claim 12 , wherein the foldable frame is rigid, such that when the foldable frame is in the deployed position, the foldable frame prevents the movable portion from moving toward the vertical position or to a position below the horizontal position.
20. A portable expandable shelter, comprising:
an enclosure that defines an interior and includes a top, a bottom, two ends and two sides, at least one of the sides or ends comprising a movable portion of the enclosure, the movable portion of the enclosure being movable between a substantially vertical position in which the interior has a volume and a substantially horizontal position in which the interior has an auxiliary volume;
a flexible cover connectible to the enclosure and defining and enclosing the auxiliary volume of the interior when the movable portion is in the substantially horizontal position; and
a load bearing, foldable frame to which the flexible cover is connectible, the load bearing, foldable frame connectible at least indirectly to the movable portion and to the enclosure, and the load bearing, foldable frame being configured so that, when connected to the enclosure and the movable portion, the load bearing, foldable frame is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position in response to respective corresponding movements of the movable portion, and the load bearing, foldable frame supporting the movable portion from above when connected to the movable portion and the movable portion is in the substantially horizontal position; and wherein:
the load bearing, foldable frame provides rigid load bearing support to the movable portion in the substantially horizontal position;
the load bearing, foldable frame comprises a first frame element and a second frame element; and
the first frame element hingedly couples to the second frame element.
21. The portable expandable shelter of claim 20 , wherein the load bearing, foldable frame is rigid, such that when the load bearing, foldable frame is in the deployed position, the load bearing, foldable frame prevents the movable portion from moving toward the vertical position or to a position below the horizontal position.
22. A portable expandable shelter, comprising:
an enclosure that defines an interior volume and includes a top, a bottom, two ends and two sides, one of the ends being rotatably connected to the enclosure and movable between a substantially vertical position and a substantially horizontal position;
a flexible cover connected to the enclosure; and
a foldable frame connected to the flexible cover, the foldable frame connected to the rotatable end and also connected to the enclosure at one or more locations, the foldable frame being configured to move between a stowed position and a deployed position in unison with respective corresponding movements of the rotatable end such that, as a result of movement of the rotatable end from the substantially vertical position to the substantially horizontal position, the foldable frame moves from the stowed position to the deployed position, wherein in the deployed position, the flexible cover forms a portion of the top, substantially enclosing an expansion to the interior volume collectively defined by the flexible cover and the rotatable end, and wherein when the rotatable end moves from the substantially horizontal position to the substantially vertical position, the foldable frame folds in unison with the rotatable end from the deployed position to the stowed position; and
wherein:
the foldable frame provides load bearing support in the deployed position;
the foldable frame comprises a first frame element hingedly connected to a second frame element; and
the first frame element folds relative to the second frame element when in the stowed position.
23. The portable expandable shelter of claim 22 , further comprising a third frame element coupled to the first and second frame elements.
24. The portable expandable shelter of claim 23 , wherein the third frame element extends away from and terminates at a higher elevation than the first and second frame elements.
25. The portable expandable shelter of claim 23 , wherein the third frame element terminates at a higher elevation than the enclosure top.