Granted Patent B2

US 12,618,251 · App. 18/197,047 · Granted May 5, 2026

Inventor: John P. Hunter (Riverhead, NY)

E04H1/02E04H1/005

Abstract

Claims (61)

1 . A method of assembling and disassembling a temporary housing shelter unit comprising the steps of:

preparing a foundation including a rectangular-shaped perimeter;

mounting, to side surfaces of the rectangular-shaped perimeter of said foundation, a base of each of a plurality of identical T-shaped uprights spaced equally apart along the rectangular shaped perimeter of the foundation, wherein each T-shaped upright further comprises an outstanding leg, said outstanding leg of each of the plurality of T-shaped uprights facing away from the foundation;

nesting prefabricated insulated wall panels between and against the outstanding leg of adjacent T-shaped uprights and releasably securing the prefabricated wall panels to one side of the base of each of the adjacent T-shaped uprights using removable fasteners extending into pre-drilled receptacle holes;

some of said wall panels containing a built-in doorway and windows;

installing prefabricated floor units including floor units with built-in kitchen and bathroom facilities including major appliances;

installing a plurality of pairs of T-shaped roof rafters, each pair formed into a triangular shape and spanning respective uprights at opposite sides of the foundation, portions of each roof rafter having notches engaging a top end of each respective upright, and facing the outstanding leg of each of the plurality of T-shaped roof rafters upwardly and away from the foundation;

sliding and nesting insulated roof panels into place between and against the outstanding leg of adjacent T-shaped sloped members of adjacent roof rafters to enclose a roof area of said housing shelter unit;

releasably securing said roof panels to said roof rafters using removable fasteners extending into pre-drilled receptacle holes;

disassembling said housing shelter unit by removing all of said removable fasteners and packaging said roof panels and wall panels, uprights and roof rafters;

whereby said housing shelter unit is constructed without use of nails or adhesives to facilitate both assembly and disassembly; and

disassembling and packing the housing shelter unit in a pod thereby readying the housing shelter unit for field assembling of the temporary housing shelter unit at a next selected site.

2 . The method of claim 1 in which said foundation comprises concrete pier footings.

3 . The method of claim 1 in which said wall panels are constructed of a plastic foam.

4 . The method of claim 3 in which said wall panels are provided with a polyurea coating making said wall panels waterproof, weatherproof, windproof, airtight and mold resistant without requiring separate roofing or siding.

5 . The method of claim 1 in which all parts of said unit are prefabricated and flat-packed for shipping to a site for assembly.

6 . The method of claim 1 comprising the step of mounting a ridge strap at an apex of each roof rafter.

7 . The method of claim 1 in which a screw gun is employed to engage and disengage said fasteners.

8 . The method of claim 1 in which said notches formed in each roof rafter are precisely angled to accommodate upper portions of said uprights to insure vertical plumb line of structural sides of said housing shelter unit.

9 . The method of claim 1 in which said T-shaped uprights are vertical support posts which form nesting regions for wall, floor and roof framing panels.

10 . The method of claim 1 in which said roofing panels are identical to said wall panels except for doors and windows in some wall panels.

11 . The method of claim 1 further comprising: installing the kitchen floor unit and the bathroom floor unit on an elevated platform to accommodate water and waste pipes below which are pre-installed and ready to be attached to hookups.

12 . The method of claim 11 further comprising: installing the kitchen floor unit adjacent to the bathroom floor unit to accommodate using common plumbing and waste lines.

13 . A pod containing components of a housing shelter unit comprising:

a plurality of uprights, each of said uprights formed with a T-shaped cross-section having a base leg, and a centrally positioned outstanding leg protruding away from said base leg, and each said outstanding leg extending outwardly away from a foundation of said modular house shelter unit when said base of said T-shaped uprights are installed against a side surface of the foundation;

a plurality of wall panels each configured to nest between and against said outstanding leg of adjacent said uprights and be releasably secured to a corresponding said base leg during assembly to form vertical walls of the housing shelter unit;

prefabricated floor units including floor units with built-in kitchen and bathroom facilities;

a plurality of roof panels;

a plurality of pairs of roof supports with each pair formed into a triangular shape, each of said roof supports formed with a T-shaped cross-section having a base leg, and an outstanding leg protruding away from said base leg; wherein said outstanding leg is configured to protrude upwardly and away from of said T-shaped uprights when each said pair of said T-shaped roof supports are installed upon a corresponding pair of said uprights, and thereby support said roof panels of the housing shelter unit upon each said base leg and between adjacent said outstanding legs;

said components being constructed in a factory and ready for assembly on site; and

said components configured to be flat stacked in said pod to be ready for being shipped to a housing site.

14 . The pod of claim 13 said wall panels are constructed of a plastic foam.

15 . The pod of claim 14 in which said wall panels are provided with a polyurea coating making said wall panels waterproof, weatherproof, windproof, airtight and mold resistant without requiring separate roofing or siding.

16 . The pod of claim 15 in which said roofing panels are identical to said wall panels except for doors and windows in some wall panels.

17 . The pod of claim 16 in which said kitchen facility and said bathroom facility are configured to be installed on one or more elevated platforms to accommodate water and waste pipes below which are pre-installed and ready to be attached to hookups.

18 . A modular house shelter unit configured for assembly and disassembly using only screws and a screwdriver, said modular house shelter unit comprising:

a plurality of preformed concrete piers, each configured for a first portion to be received beneath a ground surface and for a second portion to protrude above the ground surface;

a plurality of circumferentially extending joists; said second portion of each of said plurality of preformed concrete piers configured to support a portion of said plurality of circumferentially extending joists;

a plurality of rows of floor beams configured to extend between portions of said plurality of circumferentially extending joists;

a plurality of floor panels removably fastened to said plurality of circumferentially extending joists and to said plurality of rows of floor beams;

a plurality of uprights, each of said plurality of uprights formed with a T-shaped cross-section having a base leg, and an outstanding leg protruding away from said base leg and extending outwardly from said modular house shelter unit;

wherein pairs of said plurality of uprights are removably secured to opposite sides of said plurality of circumferentially extending joists with said outstanding leg facing away from said foundation;

a plurality of wall panels;

wherein each of said plurality of wall panels in configured to nest between said outstanding leg of each adjacent pair of said uprights;

a plurality of pairs of roof rafters with each pair formed into a triangular shape; each said rafter formed with a T-shaped cross-section having a base leg and an outstanding leg configured to protrude away from said base leg of said rafter; and each said pair of roof rafters comprising:

a first rafter,

a second rafter, and

a connector, said connector configured join a first end of said first rafter to a first end of said second rafter to form a triangular shape;

wherein each said pair of roof rafters are positioned, in said triangular shape, to rest upon, and releasably secure to, an opposing pair of said plurality of uprights with said outstanding leg of each of said pairs of roof rafters facing upwardly and away from said foundation;

a plurality of roof panels; and

wherein each of said plurality of roof panels is configured to nest between said outstanding leg of each adjacent pair of said roof rafters and be releasably secured to one side of said base of each of each adjacent pair of said roof rafters, to form a gable roof without a conventional ridge plank.

19 . The modular house shelter unit according to claim 18 , wherein said connector is a hinge, said hinge configured to pivotally couple said first end of said first rafter to said first end of said second rafter, being thereby configured to occupy a retracted position for transport, where said first and second rafters are positioned substantially parallel to each other, and an extended position, where said first end of said first rafter butts against said first end of said second rafter, and said first and second rafters form said triangular shape.

20 . The modular house shelter unit according to claim 18 , wherein said connector is a ridge strap.

21 . The modular house shelter unit according to claim 18 , further comprising:

a plurality of screws;

wherein one or more of said plurality of screws are configured to releasably secure a first side of each said wall panel to said base leg of a first one of said adjacent pair of said uprights; and one or more of said plurality of screws are configured to secure a second side of each said wall panel to said base leg of a second one of said adjacent pair of said uprights; and

wherein one or more of said plurality of screws are configured to releasably secure a first side of each said roof panel to said base leg of a first one of said adjacent pair of said roof rafters;

and one or more of said plurality of screws are configured to secure a second side of each said roof panel to said base leg of a second one of said adjacent pair of said roof rafters.

22 . The modular house shelter unit according to claim 18 ,

wherein one of said plurality of wall panels comprises: a doorway; and

wherein at least one of said plurality of wall panels comprises: a window.

Continuity (2)

References Cited (60)