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EP-4739857-A1 - MODULAR BUILDING ASSEMBLY

EP4739857A1EP 4739857 A1EP4739857 A1EP 4739857A1EP-4739857-A1

Abstract

There is disclosed a modular building assembly comprising a staircase, the modular building assembly forming at least part of a building. One modular building assembly (12) disclosed in this document comprises: first and second modular building units (14, 18), each modular building unit comprising a floor structure (122, 128), a ceiling structure (124, 130) and side structures (126, 132) connecting the floor and ceiling structures; and a staircase connecting portion (134). The second modular building unit is configured to be stacked on top of the first modular building unit. The first modular building unit comprises a first staircase portion (136) having a plurality of steps (138) configured to form part of a staircase (66) for accessing the second modular building unit from the first modular building unit. The staircase connecting portion comprises at least a part of a riser (140) and is configured to couple to at least one of the first staircase portion and the floor structure of the second modular building unit to complete the staircase. When fitted, the staircase connecting portion extends below the floor structure of the second modular building unit.

Inventors

  • SHENTON, Edward Ross

Assignees

  • SANO DEVELOPMENT LIMITED

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240702

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A modular building assembly comprising: first and second modular building units, each modular building unit comprising a floor structure, a ceiling structure and side structures connecting the floor and ceiling structures; and a staircase connecting portion; wherein the second modular building unit is configured to be stacked on top of the first modular building unit; wherein the first modular building unit comprises a first staircase portion having a plurality of steps configured to form part of a staircase for accessing the second modular building unit from the first modular building unit; wherein the staircase connecting portion comprises at least a part of a riser and is configured to couple to at least one of the first staircase portion and the floor structure of the second modular building unit to complete the staircase; and wherein when fitted the staircase connecting portion extends below the floor structure of the second modular building unit.
  2. 2. A modular building assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the staircase connecting portion comprises at least one complete riser for at least one step of the staircase, and at least part of a tread for at least one step of the staircase, the riser being connected to and depending from the tread to form the step.
  3. 3. A modular building assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the second modular building unit comprises a floor defining a main part of a landing, and in which the staircase connecting portion defines at least part of the landing, the part of the landing defined by the staircase connecting portion configured to cooperate with the main part of the landing to form the completed landing in the second modular building unit.
  4. 4. A modular building assembly as claimed in claim 3, in which the staircase connecting portion comprises at least one complete riser for at least one step of the staircase, and said part of the landing, the riser being connected to and depending from the said part of the landing to form the step.
  5. 5. A modular building assembly as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, in which the staircase connecting portion is configured to form at least part of at least one further step of the staircase.
  6. 6. A modular building assembly as claimed in claim 5, in which the staircase connecting portion comprises a first complete step comprising said riser, and a further riser forming at least part of a second step, the further riser configured to cooperate with a tread of the first staircase portion to form the second step.
  7. 7. A modular building assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the staircase connecting portion comprise a plurality of components, and is transportable in a form ready to be coupled to at least one of the first staircase portion and the floor structure following stacking of the modular building units.
  8. 8. A modular building assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the floor structure of the second modular building unit is of a first height, and said riser of the staircase connecting portion is of a second height, the first height being less than the second height.
  9. 9. A modular building assembly as claimed in claim 8, in which the first height is defined between a lower support surface of the floor structure and an upper support of the floor structure, the lower surface configured to contact the top of the first modular building unit when the units are stacked, and the upper surface configured to support a floor provided in the second modular building unit.
  10. 10. A modular building assembly as claimed in either of claims 8 or 9, in which the ceiling structure of the second modular building is of a third height which is greater than the first height.
  11. 11. A modular building assembly as claimed in claim 10, in which the third height is defined between a lower support surface of the ceiling structure, and an upper support surface of the ceiling structure.
  12. 12. A modular building assembly as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 1 1, in which the first height of the floor structure is in the region of about 50mm (-1.968”) to about 70mm (-2.756”), and in which the second height of said riser is up to around 200mm (-7.874”).
  13. 13. A modular building assembly as claimed in either of claims 10 or 11, in which the third height of the ceiling structure is in a range of about 150mm (-5.906”) to about 300mm (-11.811”).
  14. 14. A modular building assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a gap is provided between the modular building units when stacked, the gap providing a space for one or more service conduit, and in which said riser of the staircase connecting portion is configured to bridge across the gap when the units are stacked.
  15. 15. A modular building assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the staircase connecting portion comprises at least part of a newel configured, in use, to extend into the second modular building unit.
  16. 16. A modular building assembly as claimed in claim 15, in which the first staircase portion comprises a first part of the newel and the staircase connecting portion comprise a second part of the newel, and in which the second part of the newel is configured to be connected to the first part of the newel to form the completed newel, when the staircase connecting portion is fitted.
  17. 17. A modular building assembly as claimed in either of claims 15 or 16, in which the part of the newel extending into the second modular building unit forms part of a barrier disposed, in use, at an edge region of a landing in the second modular building unit.
  18. 18. A modular building assembly as claimed in claim 17, in which the barrier is a balustrade comprising a plurality of balusters disposed generally parallel to the newel part, the balusters supporting a balustrade handrail.
  19. 19. A modular building assembly as claimed in claim 16, in which one of the first and second newel parts comprises at least one male connection component, and the other one of the first and second newel parts comprises at least one female connection component configured to receive the male component, for connecting the first and second newel parts relative to one another.
  20. 20. A modular building assembly as claimed in claim 19, in which the male connection component takes the form of a dowel and the female connection component takes the form of a recess shaped to receive the dowel.

Description

MODULAR BUILDING ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to a modular building assembly comprising a staircase, a building system comprising the modular building assembly, a building formed using the modular building system, a staircase connecting portion for a modular building assembly, and a method of forming a staircase in a modular building assembly. In particular, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a modular building assembly comprising first and second modular building units, the second modular building unit configured to be stacked on top of the first modular building unit, the modular building assembly comprising a staircase for accessing the second modular building unit from the first modular building unit. Prefabricated buildings (also known as ‘modular’ buildings) are well known in the construction industry, particularly modular residential buildings such as houses, flats or apartments, and hotels. Modular buildings typically comprise a series of building units which are constructed in a factory, transported to a final location (or site) for the building, and then arranged in a predetermined configuration and coupled together to form the finished building. The modular building units are typically constructed to a substantially assembled form in the factory, in which they can be transported to the final location. Construction of the building can involve forming a modular building assembly comprising a first (or lower) modular building unit, and a second (or upper) modular building unit stacked on the first unit. It is known to provide the modular building assembly with a staircase for accessing the second modular building unit from the first modular building unit. Typically, the first modular building unit will include a main portion of the staircase, and the second modular building unit a further portion of the staircase. When the second modular building unit is stacked on the first unit, the main portion of the staircase in the first unit cooperates with the further portion of the staircase in the second unit, to provide a completed staircase. Modular building units generally comprise a floor portion, a ceiling portion, and a support structure which serves to connect the ceiling portion to the floor portion, and to transmit structural loading from the ceiling portion to the floor portion. Many modular building units comprise a structural frame defining the floor portion, ceiling portion and support structure. Options for the structural frame include metallic frames formed from a metal or metal alloy, and timber-based structural frames. Metallic frames are generally preferred as they provide a good balance of structural strength and relatively low weight. The floor portions of most modular building units are conventionally relatively deep, of the order of perhaps 300-500mm. This provides structural support for the unit (both self-loading, and loads imparted on it during use), and accommodates a deep layer of thermal insulation. The latter has been viewed as a particular requirement in modular building units having metallic frames, to restrict thermal energy transfer between the interior and exterior of the unit (particularly between a foundation of the building and the frame of the modular building unit). In modular building units having such deep frames, the conventional practice for forming a staircase in the assembly of stacked units has been to provide the upper unit with an aperture which communicates with a main staircase portion in the lower unit, and one or more step within or adjacent the aperture, comprising a tread portion and a riser portion depending from the tread. The step is contained completely within the floor portion of the unit, and mates with an upper step tread of the main staircase portion in the first modular building unit. Hybrid buildings have been developed by the applicant which comprise a first building section that is constructed at a final location for the building, and a second building section comprising one or more modular building unit constructed in a dedicated facility, away from the final location. The hybrid buildings and associated construction techniques are disclosed in International patent publication nos. WO2022/243696, WO2022/243695, WO2022/243694, WO2022/243693 and WO2023/222853. The hybnd buildings can comprise two or more storeys, and so can include a modular building assembly of the type described above, having stacked first and second modular building units. The applicant has recognised that it is generally desirable to reduce the depth of the floor portions in modular building units, for reasons including savings in weight, volume and material costs, and resultant benefits in terms of transportation and handling. The applicant has further recognised that this can have an impact on construction of the staircase in stacked modular building units, particularly if the depth of the floor portion frame is reduced to less than the he