Granted Patent B2

US 12,497,797 · App. 18/114,713 · Granted Dec 16, 2025

Inventors: John W. Fuller (Dripping Springs, TX); Bernardo Gomez-Gonzalez (Mexico City, MX)

E04H9/029E04C5/08E04H9/14

Abstract

Claims (26)

1 . A natural disaster shelter comprising:

lightweight steel prefabricated field assembled frames, including perimeter ground beams, and vertical light weight steel corner and central columns integrated with the ground beams to form wall units;

a geo-membrane foundation structurally integrated with the ground beams;

plastic wall separators attached transverse to and between the steel columns; and

an impregnated cloth membrane covering on all surfaces of the structure, including the foundation and a roof,

wherein the lightweight steel frames are cold rolled steel frames structurally integrated by means of tensors or tendons connected between the ground beams and columns.

2 . The natural disaster shelter of claim 1 , further comprising wall spaces created by the wall separators and surfaced/covered with the impregnated cloth membrane.

3 . The natural disaster shelter of claim 1 , wherein the shelter is a stand-alone structure or is incorporated within a complete house as a safety core, as a kitchen, a bathroom or a reduced emergency living space.

4 . The natural disaster shelter of claim 1 , wherein the shelter is incorporated with one or more shelter modules into a school or a community shelter.

5 . The natural disaster shelter of claim 1 , wherein the plastic wall separators are made of plastic.

6 . A method of forming a natural disaster shelter, comprising:

providing lightweight steel prefabricated field assembled frames, including perimeter ground beams, and vertical lightweight steel corner and central columns integrated with the ground beams to form wall units;

providing a geo-membrane foundation structurally integrated with the ground beams;

providing plastic wall separators attached transverse to and between the steel columns; and

providing an impregnated cloth membrane covering on all surfaces of the structure, including the foundation and a roof,

wherein the lightweight steel frames are cold rolled steel frames structurally integrated by means of tensors or tendons connected between the ground beams and columns.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising providing wall spaces created by the wall separators and surfaced/covered with the impregnated cloth membrane.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the shelter is a stand-alone structure or is incorporated within a complete house as a safety core, as a kitchen, a bathroom or a reduced emergency living space.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the shelter is incorporated with one or more shelter modules into a school or a community shelter.

10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the plastic wall separators are made of plastic.

11 . A kit of parts for forming a natural disaster shelter, comprising:

lightweight steel frames configured to be field assembled, wherein the lightweight steel frames include perimeter ground beams, and vertical lightweight steel corner and central columns configured to be integrated with the ground beams to form wall units;

a geo-membrane foundation configured to be structurally integrated with the ground beams;

plastic wall separators configured to be attached transverse to and between the steel columns; and

an impregnated cloth membrane configured to cover all surfaces of the structure, including the foundation and a roof,

wherein the lightweight steel frames are cold rolled steel frames configured to be structurally integrated by means of tensors or tendons configured to be connected between the ground beams and columns.

Continuity (2)

References Cited (21)