Modular Building Structure

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to modular building structures.

2. Prior Art

The problem with known modular components and structures is that they require many complicated and often bulky parts. Consequently, such structures take much time to assemble or disassemble.

It is an object of the present invention to provide modular building structures using a minimum number of component parts.

Another object is to provide such structures which may be quickly and easily assembled or disassembled.

A further object is to provide such structures having component parts which may be assembled to provide structures of a variety of shapes.

It is also an object to provide such structures particularly adapted to form exhibit arrays for art galleries or museums.

The foregoing objects can be accomplished by providing wall panels which can be supported by their lower ends being secured to modular floor components or which can be interconnected by upwardly directed hooks projecting outwardly from the panel edges. Multisided hollow connection members having a downwardly-opening lower longitudinal slot in each side connect adjacent panels by the panel hooks being received in the connection member lower slots. Panels can be connected at angles to be mutually supporting. To steady connected panels, overhead beams are connected to each other and to the upper ends of the panels by downwardly directed beam hooks received in upwardly-opening upper longitudinal slots in the connection members. Further support is provided by clamping the lower portions of the panels between modular floor components.

FIG. 1 is an exploded top perspective of some representative component parts of a modular building structure in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary exploded top perspective of an upper corner of a wall panel in accordance with the present invention with some parts broken away.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of a wall panel with its hook in retracted position with some parts broken away.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevation of two wall panels connected by a connection member, some parts being broken away and some parts being shown in section.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan of three wall panels connected by a square connection member, and FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan of three panels connected by a hexagonal connection member.

FIG. 7 is a top perspective of several wall panels connected at angles to each other for mutual support.

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are top perspectives of wall panels connected edge-to-edge to provide support and stability of the panels such as in forming display cases.

FIG. 11 is a top perspective of an exhibit array of wall panels supported by modular floor components.

FIG. 12 is a top perspective of wall panels connected edge-to-edge to form a display case with overhead beams connected to each other and to the wall panels by beam connection members.

FIGS. 13 and 14, on the drawing sheet with FIGS. 5 and 6, are top perspectives of exhibit arrays with coplanar connected wall panels steadied by overhead beams.

FIG. 15, on the drawing sheet with FIG. 7, is a top perspective of an exhibit array with some wall panels connected at angles to each other for mutual support, some wall panels supported by floor components and some wall panels steadied by overhead beams.

As shown in FIG. 1, representative component parts of a modular building structure in accordance with the present invention include floor components 1 of equilateral triangle cross section. The sides of each floor component are formed by base strips 2 covered by a top 3 whose edges are coplanar with the outside of the strips. The floor components are maintained with a side of one component parallel to, spaced from and in alignment with a side of another floor component by a spacer 4 secured to both components such as by bolts extending through apertures in the base strips and spacer. One of the floor components may have a side secured to the lower portion of a wall panel 5 which has upwardly directed hooks 6 projecting outwardly from the opposite vertical edges of such panel. Panel 5 is positioned with an edge adjacent to the edge of another panel 5' which also has upwardly directed hooks 6. The two panels are connected by their adjacent hooks being received in the lower longitudinal slots 7 in opposite sides of multisided hollow connection members 8 formed of short lengths of tubular extrusion. An overhead beam 9 having a fixed downwardly directed beam hook 10 projecting from each of its ends is connected to the panels by beam connection members 11 which have upper longitudinal slots 12 receiving the beam hooks and lower longitudinal slots 13 receiving panel hooks.

As best seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, each wall panel is of conventional construction and includes a core 14 enclosed by perimetric channel members 15, the flanges of which define an outwardly opening groove 16, and a thin outer wall covering or facing 17. Hooks may be fixedly secured to the panel edges at corresponding locations on different panels. However, in the panel shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 each hook 6 is carried by a bracket 18 which includes a return bent channel portion 19 forming an outwardly-opening slot 20 and attachment flanges 21. Such flanges are secured to a vertical edge of the panel by screws 22 so that the bracket channel portion is received in the panel perimetric groove. The panel edge is recessed to receive the bracket flanges.

A panel hook 6 is swingably carried by bracket 18 by a pivot 23. Such hook is movable from a position where it projects outwardly from the panel edge to a position retracted substantially within the bracket slot 20 and the panel groove 16. Outward swinging of the hook is limited by a stop 24. As best seen in FIG. 3, access to a retracted hook is provided by a transverse notch 25 in the panel edge and an aligned notch 26 in the bracket.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, two coplanar panels can be connected edge-to-edge by their adjacent projected hooks 6 being received in the lower longitudinal slots in the opposite sides of a panel connection member 8, shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, or a beam connection 11, shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The tips of hooks 6 are beveled to guide a connection member as it is fitted over the hooks. The margins of a filler strip 33 of sheet material may be fitted into the grooves of the panels to bridge between the adjacent panel edges.

As best seen in FIG. 5, if connection members having a square cross section are used, two or more panels can be interconnected so that each panel is perpendicular to at least one other panel. As shown in FIG. 6, connection members 27 of hexagon cross section may be used to connect panels to each other at angles of 60 degrees or multiples of 60 degrees. The distance between the opposite sides of the square connection member 8 is the same as the distance between the opposite sides of the hexagonal connection member 27. However, the width of each side of the square connection member is slightly greater than the thickness of a panel, whereas the width of each side of the hexagon connection member is slightly less than the thickness of a panel.

As shown in FIG. 7, several panels may be connected at angles to each other so that such panels are mutually supporting. FIGS. 8 and 9 show one or more panels 5' having viewing apertures 28 connected edge-to-edge to unapertured panels 5 to form a substantially enclosed display case. In the display case of FIG. 10, a double width apertured panel is connected to standard unapertured panels.

In the exhibit array of FIG. 11, connected panels are supported by floor components 1 secured to the lower portions of such panels. The floor components may all be of the same height, or floor components of different heights may be used to provide steps 29 for staging or seating depending upon the degree of difference of elevation between the various levels. Spacers 4, also shown in FIG. 1, between adjacent floor components are of a height at least as great as an assembled floor component to keep the component tops 3 from sliding. Hexagonal plugs 30 fill the gaps between the vertices of the connected floor components. Some of the panels act as spacers and are clamped between floor components.

Another method of supporting connected panels is shown in FIG. 12. In that figure eight panels are connected to form a square display case with the length of each side of the square equal to the combined widths of two panels and a panel connection member, and overhead beams 9 have an equal length. The fixed downwardly directed hooks of the overhead beams are received in the upper slots of beam connection members 11. The lower slots of the beam connection members receive adjacent panel hooks at the upper corners of the display case. Each of the beams has an upper groove, best seen in FIG. 1, for receiving electrical wiring or downwardly projecting lugs of display accessories such as lights or specialized power outlets. In several of the panels a glass enclosed display box 31 is mounted in a panel viewing aperture 28 as alternates to windows or openings.

In FIGS. 13 and 14 an exhibit array of panels 5 is steadied by interconnected overhead beams 9. In FIG. 13 square beam connection members 11 are used, whereas in FIG. 14 hexagonal beam connection members 32 are used. The exhibit array shown in FIG. 15 illustrates all three methods of supporting and steadying connected panels. Some of the panels 5a are arranged in freestanding groups, such panels being connected at angles to adjacent panels for mutual support; many of the panels 5b are steadied by interconnected overhead beams; and some of the panels 5c can have their lower portions secured to modular floor components. Each beam end is connected to the top of a panel by a hexagonal beam connection member 32. However if a beam connection member interconnects several beams, such as the member numbered 32' in FIG. 15, such member could be replaced by a panel connection member and the panel under such member could be removed without greatly affecting the stability of the array.

In each of the above embodiments the majority of the panels have the same width; the connection members, whether square or hexagonal, have the same width; the floor components are of equilateral triangle cross section with a side of the triangle of a length equal to the width of a panel; and each overhead beam is of a length equal to the combined widths of two panels and one connection member. Consequently, the building structure components can be quickly and easily interconnected to form exhibit arrays of a variety of shapes. All components are flat for stacking during storage or shipping. The adjacent ends of the floor component strips 2 can be connected by hinges or pins to secure them in triangular relationship to support the flooring sections 3.