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Method and apparatus for building homes in a factory lacking a roof or exterior wall

Method and apparatus for building homes in a factory lacking a roof or exterior wall description/claims

This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/431,196 entitled “Building Transport Device” and filed on May 9, 2006; Ser. No. 11/620,103 entitled “Device and Method for Transporting a Load” and filed on Jan. 5, 2007; Ser. No. 11/559,229 entitled “Transport Device Capable of Adjustment to Maintain Load Planarity” and filed on Nov. 13, 2006; Ser. No. 11/620,560 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Mobile Stem Wall” and filed on Jan. 5, 2007; Ser. No. 11/681,052 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Stationary Home Building Within a Factory” and filed on Mar. 1, 2007; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/887,696, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Integrated Inventory and Planning” and filed on Feb. 1, 2007 the entire contents of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Typically, large buildings (e.g., single-family homes, townhouses, apartment complexes, commercial structures, multi-story buildings, buildings legally or physically too large to be transported substantially intact via public roads, etc.) are built upon their permanent locations. A foundation is prepared, and raw materials and perhaps small components (e.g., preformed roof or floor trusses, door frames, window frames, etc.) are brought to the site and assembled piece by piece onto the foundation to form the building. However, such a stick-building arrangement is inefficient for many purposes. For example, if many large buildings are to be built as part of a development, workers and materials would need to be moved to many different locations which may be far from each other. Further, temperature, wind, precipitation, insect infestations and other weather or environmental issues can cause delays in production or damage to partly completed buildings.

In one embodiment, a building manufacturing system is provided. The system includes a manufacturing facility. The manufacturing facility includes one or more walls arranged to form a substantially complete perimeter. The manufacturing facility further includes a substantially open top. The system also includes one or more component assembly areas associated with the manufacturing facility. One or more components for a large building are assembled in the component assembly areas. The system also includes one or more assembly stations associated with the manufacturing facility. The large building is assembled substantially completely from a plurality of components in the stations.

In one embodiment, the building manufacturing system also includes a component transporting device configured to transport at least one component from at least one component assembly area to at least one assembly station. In another embodiment, the components include walls, floors, roofs, foundations or stem walls. In still another embodiment, the component assembly areas are all located within the substantially complete perimeter. In yet another embodiment, the assembly stations are all located within the substantially complete perimeter.

In another embodiment, a building manufacturing system includes a manufacturing facility, which includes zero or more walls arranged to form a substantially incomplete perimeter. The manufacturing facility further includes a roof. The system also includes one or more component assembly areas associated with the manufacturing facility. One or more components for a large building are assembled in the component assembly areas. The system also includes one or more assembly stations associated with the manufacturing facility. The large building is assembled substantially completely from a plurality of components in the stations.

In one embodiment, the system includes a component transporting device configured to transport at least one component from at least one component assembly area to at least one assembly station. In another embodiment, the components include walls, floors, roofs, foundations or stem walls. In still another embodiment, the component assembly areas are all located within the substantially incomplete perimeter. In yet another embodiment, the assembly stations are all located within the substantially incomplete perimeter.

Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description and the figures.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a building manufacturing system in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view diagram of a building manufacturing system in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a building manufacturing system in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view diagram of a building manufacturing system in accordance with one embodiment.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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