EP1156168A2

EP1156168A2 - Foldable prefabricated module for modular housing unit

Info

Publication number: EP1156168A2
Application number: EP01111423A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alessandro Colombo; Paola Garbuglio
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-05-17
Filing date: 2001-05-10
Publication date: 2001-11-21
Also published as: EP1156168A3; IT1317552B1; ITMI20001094A1; ITMI20001094A0

Abstract

A prefabricated module for a modular housing unit comprises at least one floor (1), one front wall (2), one rear wall (3), and one roof (4), hinged two by two together, so as to form an articulated ensemble (9) foldable on itself basically to form a parallelepiped (10) and unfoldable like a book by rotation of the front wall (2) and rear wall (3). The face (W) of the parallelepiped (10) opposite to the floor (1) is made up at least partially of the folded front wall (2) and/or of the folded rear wall (3), which function so as to form a lid. The front wall (2) and rear wall (3) may have two rigid folds (11,12), which run in the longitudinal direction of the prefabricated unit. The unit may be quickly installed by unfolding the articulated ensemble (9).

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a prefabricated module for a housing unit, in particular a module foldable on itself for temporary use and/or for use in situations of emergency. The present invention also relates to some methods for the installation of said prefabricated module.

Prior art

The technical proposals for making mobile modular housing units to be used in emergency situations (or in any case in situations where it is desirable to maximize the speed of installation and the operations of disassembly of said units) today make up a vast literature. Some examples of said situations may be the equipping of more or less temporary shelters following upon natural calamities, shelters for refugees, for military operations, or the equipping of construction sites. In particular, prefabricated structures are known that comprise foldable elements for speeding up the operations of installation and possibly removal of the units. However, disadvantages that are widely encountered in the present state of the art are the need to resort, for carrying out said operations, to cranes, or in any case to lifting means capable of lifting heavy loads, and the need for equally heavy means of transportation, such as lorries or heavy-transport helicopters, which are either unsuitable, or at least not sufficiently agile, when it is necessary to reach particularly inconvenient localities, for instance ones that can be reached only with light-transport means or with a helicopter. Frequently, the solutions so far proposed have solved the above problems by breaking down the prefabricated unit into a more or less numerous set of components to be reassembled, thus slowing down the assembly operation and consequently rendering it laborious. Solutions which, instead, have aimed in the direction of speeding up assembly by resorting to the massive use of foldable elements permanently connected together, both before and after installation, have generally proved far from efficient in providing good interior living spaces, and this is often accompanied by poor exploitation of the external surface occupied by the unit. Another widespread defect encountered in the present state of the art is the poor aesthetic quality of the exterior of the prefabricated units, which frequently present the appearance of monotonous parallelepipeds or containers.
It is a purpose of the present invention to provide a prefabricated housing unit which can easily be transported onto the site where it is to be used, also employing light and non-specialized means of transport, including light helicopters, and which at the same time can also be easily and quickly installed.

Summary of the Invention

These purposes are achieved with a prefabricated module for a housing unit having the characteristics specified in Claim 1. One advantage of a housing unit thus defined is its reduced overall dimensions and a considerable compactness when it is completely folded up: it is possible to obtain prefabricated modules which present a ratio between the internal living space and the volume of the folded module that is particularly high. The parallelepipedal form of the folded module enables stacking of several modules and considerable efficiency of transportation, also adapting the dimensions of the parallelepiped to the standard ones of the transporting bodies of lorries or railway trucks. The above structures are moreover not tied to the exterior appearance of the parallelepiped; instead, the invention enables a considerable freedom of external shapes, with consequent advantages from the aesthetic standpoint, together with the possibility of obtaining housing units which, by introducing appropriate dissymmetries in their structure, exploit more effectively, as compared to the known art, the advantages of an optimal orientation of the unit with respect to the sun, prevailing winds, and other local environmental factors. These advantages are achieved without detriment to an improved speed and facility of installation and to the possibility of folding and re-utilizing the same prefabricated module a number of times. The present invention makes it possible to obtain modules of reduced weight, which are particularly solid and suitable for prolonged inhabitable use as dwellings (for example, up to several months from the occurrence of an earthquake or similar catastrophe, or as multi-purpose modules for military, civilian or sanitary uses), or for use over a length of time that is not easy to foresee. Depending upon the materials employed, the modules may be rendered even very light, in order to facilitate transportation and installation, or else particularly heavy and robust (for example, armoured modules for military uses).

Brief Description of the Drawings

Further advantages will emerge more evidently to the person skilled in the sector from the following detailed description of some preferred embodiments of a nonlimiting nature, with reference to the annexed figures, in which:
Figure 1 shows a schematic view of the cross section of the prefabricated module for a housing unit according to the present invention, in a completely unfolded configuration;
Figure 2 represents a schematic view of the cross section of the module of Figure 1 in a completely folded configuration;
Figures 3a and 3b represent two schematic views - respectively in a completely unfolded configuration and in a folded configuration - of an alternative embodiment of a prefabricated module according to the present invention;
Figures 4a and 4b represent a further embodiment in the open and closed configurations;
Figures 5a to 5e are a schematic representation of some instants of the sequence of unfolding or folding of the prefabricated modular housing unit of Figure 1;
Figures 6a and 6b represent two schematic three-dimensional views of the prefabricated module of Figure 1;
Figures 7 and 8 are schematic representations of details of the hinges of the prefabricated module of Figure 1;
Figure 9 is a schematic representation of a foot for supporting the floor of the prefabricated module of Figure 1;
Figures 10a and 10b are schematic representations of two instants of a sequence of installation of the prefabricated module of Figure 1;
Figures 11a-b-c-d are schematic representations of four instants of a second sequence of installation of the prefabricated module of Figure 1;
Figures 12a-b-c-d are schematic representations of four instants of a third method for installation of the prefabricated module of Figure 1; and
Figures 13a-b are representations of two schematic views of a fourth method for installation of the prefabricated module of Figure 1.

Detailed description

Figure 1 shows a cross section of an example of preferred embodiment of the prefabricated module for a housing unit according to the present invention in a completely unfolded configuration. The prefabricated module comprises, in addition to two side walls 20, 21 (not shown in Figure 1; see Figures 3b, 6a, 6b), a plurality of substantially rigid elements 90 - comprising at least a floor 1, a front wall 2, a rear wall 3 and a roof 4 - permanently connected together two by two by means of the hinges 5, 6, 7, 8 so that the cross section of the unit, shown in Figure 1, forms an articulated ensemble 9. The hinges 5, 6, 7, 8 enable rotation of the rigid elements 90 according to axes that are all parallel to one another and parallel to the plane of the floor 1.
The front wall 2 and rear wall 3, the floor 1, the roof 4, and the possible other rigid elements 90 are each made of one, or possibly more, substantially rigid structural panels (in the latter case rigidly interconnected together), such as, for example, panels made of aluminium, of composite material, such as fibreglass-reinforced plastic, carbon fibre, possibly insulated with thermo-insulating foams and the like (for example sandwiches made of aluminium and polystyrene foam), and in any case with structural characteristics adequate for the different uses.
The front wall 2 and rear wall 3 each present a fold (respectively, 11 and 12) in the proximity of the bottom hinges 5 and 8. The fold 11 separates the front wall 2 into two faces: a smaller face 13, in the proximity of the floor 1, and a larger face 14, nearer the side of the roof 4. Likewise, the fold 12 separates the rear wall 3 into two faces: a smaller face 15, towards the floor 1, and a larger face 16, towards the side of the roof 4. The two folds 11 and 12 project towards the outside of the modular housing unit, and - as may be seen from Figures 12a-d - present a horizontal pattern in the direction of the length (Y axis) of the modular housing unit.
Advantageously (Figures 1 and 2), the larger faces 14, 16 and smaller faces 13, 15 of the front wall 2 and rear wall 3 form 90° folds 11, 12: this enables optimization of the external overall dimensions and exploitation of the space of internal containment when the modular housing unit is completely closed.
The folds 11, 12 of the walls 2, 3 when the unit is open constitute a protection for the external passage of electric power-supply cables and possibly water pipes or the like, function as gutters for the drainage of the rain water, and also enable a marked gain in internal living space and a high ratio between said living space with the module unfolded and the volume occupied by the completely folded parallelepiped 10.
However, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the front wall 2 and rear wall 3 may be made plane and without the presence of the folds 11, 12 just described, according to what is shown in Figures 3a-b. In addition, the larger faces 14, 16 and the roof 4 are made preferably, but not necessarily, plane; if need be, they may also be curved in various ways.
Represented in Figure 2 is a section of the unit of Figure 1 in the completely folded configuration for storage. As also represented in Figures 3a and 4a, according to one aspect of the present invention, the dimensions of the front wall 2 and rear wall 3, of the floor 1, of the roof 4, and of the possible other rigid elements 90 and the hinges 5, 6, 7, 8 are such as to enable the articulated ensemble 9 to be folded so as to form a parallelepiped 10, thus obtaining a container of which the floor 1 constitutes the bottom, and the front wall 2 forms the face W opposite to the floor 1 (i.e., a sort of lid of the folded parallelepiped 10, and in which the rigid elements 90 lie substantially parallel to the floor 1 (in the case where the front wall 2 and rear wall 3 present the rigid folds 11 and 12, it will be the larger faces 14 and 16 that lie substantially parallel to the floor 1). The articulated ensemble 9 may be unfolded in booklike fashion by rotation of the front wall 2 and rear wall 3 (Figures 5a-e).
Without departing from the scope of the present invention, the face W opposite to the floor 1 of the closed parallelepiped 10 may be made up not only of the front wall 2 but also of the rear wall 3 (as represented schematically in Figures 4a-b, which present an alternative embodiment of a prefabricated module according to the present invention, in the completely closed configuration and completely open configuration, respectively), or else may be made up of one of the two walls (either 2 or 3) plus other possible rigid elements 90.
In the completely folded configuration, the front wall 2, the rear wall 3, the roof 4, and possibly other rigid elements 90 are piled up on the floor 1. Advantageously, as in the example of Figure 1, the articulated ensemble 9 has a permanently closed cross section and an even number of rigid elements 90, and it may be that the hinges are never disconnected throughout the operations of folding or unfolding of the prefabricated module. In other embodiments, which are not represented but do not depart from the scope of the present invention, in particular certain examples in which there is an odd number of rigid elements 90, the particular system for folding the articulated ensemble 9 may require that at least one of the hinges be disconnected in order to enable folding of the module. The modular housing unit completely folded to form a parallelepiped 10 is easy to stack and far from cumbersome.
Returning to Figures 1 and 2, preferably the floor 1 comprises two raised edges 17,18 on each of which are fixed, respectively, the bottom hinges 5, 8, and which are sized so as to be able to contain, at least in part - when the modular housing unit is completely folded - the pile made up of the front wall 2, rear wall 3, and roof 4, and of the side walls 20, 21 (Figure 5a), as well as of possible other foldable elements that are hinged to the floor 1, which, during storage of the folded modular housing unit are piled up on the internal bottom 18 of the floor 1. The above-mentioned other foldable elements may, for example, be internal partition walls, or internal furniture which are foldable and hinged to the floor 1. The raised edges 17, 18 provide, among other things, when the module is unfolded, thermal insulation from the ground and a protection from water, as well as a space available for housing internal wiring, pipes or the like. On the ends of the raised edges 17 and 18 there are the bottom hinges 5 and 8 to which the front wall 2 and rear wall 3 are connected.
According to another advantageous characteristic of the present invention, the smaller faces 13, 15 of the front wall 2 and rear wall 3 have widths different from one another, so as to enable, together with the raised vertical edges 17, 18 - when the unit is completely folded - one of the two walls 2 or 3 to be contained in the other (respectively 3 or 2), as well as other folded and piled elements, described in greater detail in what follows, to be contained. The fact that the smaller faces 13, 15 are of different widths moreover enables, as will be described in greater detail in what follows, different inclinations of the two larger faces 14 and 16 when the modular housing unit is unfolded.
Figures 5a to 5e are schematic representations of some instants of the sequence for opening a modular housing unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Starting from the completely closed module (Figure 5a), in which it basically has the form of a parallelepiped 10, the module is unfolded by first opening the front wall 2 like a book (in the example of embodiment illustrated in Figure 5a, the said front wall 2 constitutes the lid of the parallelepiped 10), rotating it about the corresponding bottom hinge 5 (Figure 5b), so that the front wall 2 draws along with it also the roof 4. In so doing it is advantageous that the cross section of the articulated ensemble 9 is closed. A sufficiently large area of the front wall 2 (or of its larger face 14, for example an area such as to cover at least half of the width W_pav of the plan of the parallelepiped 10) further favours the unfolding operations, enabling the roof 4 and the other rigid elements 90 of the articulated ensemble 9 to be drawn along more easily. Figure 5c is a schematic representation of a subsequent intermediate position of stable equilibrium, in which the weight of the front wall 2, if appropriately sized, is counterbalanced by the pull of the articulated structure made up of the roof 4 and of the rear wall 3. In this position, it is not necessary to support or constrain the articulated ensemble 9, and it is possible for example - as will emerge more clearly from what follows - to detach completely and re-position possible sets of ropes used for unfolding the prefabricated module.
As small a number as possible of rigid elements 90 of the articulated ensemble 9 (for instance four, as in the particular example described here, where the ensemble 9 is made up only of the floor 1, the front wall 2 and rear wall 3, and the roof 4) reduces the lability of the articulated ensemble 9 and facilitates its subsequent unfolding or folding. Next (Figure 5d), the hinge 7 is pulled outwards, thus proceeding with the rotation, already started, of the rear wall 3 and of the roof 4. Finally (Figure 5e), the walls 2, 3 and the roof 4 are blocked into the position that will be definitive.
To fold the articulated ensemble 9 the aforesaid operations are carried out in reverse order.
As shown in Figures 3b, 6a and 6b, the modular housing unit may comprise also two side walls 20 and 21 made advantageously by hinging the rigid side panels 95 and 96 permanently to the floor 1, by means of the side hinges 22 and 23, respectively. When the prefabricated module is completely folded, the rigid panels 95 and 96 are laid down on the internal bottom of the floor 1 and piled up together with the front wall 2 and rear wall 3 and with the roof 4 to form the parallelepiped 10. After completing opening of the articulated quadrilateral 9 (Figure 5e), the side panels 95 and 96 are erected by rotating them about the side hinges 22 and 23, respectively. The sides 24 and 25 are then fastened to the corresponding edges of the roof 4 (Figures 6a-b). The fastening system is in itself known, and may, for example, be a system with surfaces that bear upon one another and are fastened together by screwing or using slot-in pegs. The side walls 20, 21 are completed by then mounting the additional panels 97, 98 (respectively 97', 98'), which can be completely detached (and previously laid down together with the others on the floor 1 of the folded parallelepiped 10), or else can be hinged vertically to the side panels and can fold like two folding leaves.
Without departing from the scope of the present invention, once the unit is completely folded, the side panels can be laid down on the internal bottom of the floor 1, completely detached and not hinged to the floor 1 itself.
Advantageously, when the unit is unfolded, the larger faces 14, 16 of the front wall 2 and rear wall 3 have different inclinations with respect to the vertical, and the roof 4 is also inclined with respect to the horizontal.
By giving two different inclinations to the two walls, i.e., the front wall 2 and rear wall 3, the dissymmetry of the structure of the module enables more effective exploitation of the orientation with which the module is positioned. For instance, it will in fact be possible to position the front wall 2, more inclined with respect to the vertical, towards the south in cold climates or in the case of winter use, to exploit the heat of the sun better, whereas, particularly in hot climates, it will be preferable to orient it towards the north. What has been said above also applies to the prevailing winds and to the other climatic factors normally considered in the orientation of buildings. The inclination of the roof 4 constitutes a sloping surface which favours roof drainage of rainwater. Preferably, when the unit is unfolded, the faces of the front wall 2, rear wall 3, and the roof 4 are inclined respectively with respect to the vertical and to the horizontal at angles of between 0° and 15° (α, β, γ in Figure 1).
The inclinations of the walls 2, 3 and of the roof 4, which, however, may be varied according to the shape that is given to the perimeter of the side walls 20, 21, bestows on the modular housing unit also a more pleasant appearance than the parallelepipedal shape 10 typical of so many emergency modular housing units.
It is also possible to confer on the side walls 20 and 21 inclinations with respect to the vertical, which are the same as or different from one another.
When the articulated quadrilateral 9 has been unfolded and the side walls 20 and 21 have been erected, the possible internal partitions or division walls are set in position, the latter contributing to the structural solidity of the unit, and these too could be laid down on the bottom of the completely folded unit, together with the side walls 20, 21, and possible foldable furniture and furnishings.
Figure 7 is a schematic representation of one of the hinges 5, 6, 7, 8 according to one aspect of the present invention. In order to protect the hinges themselves, the material of the panels and the internal living space from the external atmospheric agents, from damp, possible pollution and draughts (as well as to contribute to the thermal insulation of the module), the hinges 5, 6, 7, 8 are protected in a weatherproof and/or waterproof way by being set inside impermeable weathersheet seals 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57 made of sheets of impermeable and flexible material, for example rubber or other synthetic materials (including fabrics), set on both faces of the panels 1, 2, 3, 4, in order to ensure a protection towards the outside in whatever configuration (folded, unfolded or intermediate) the prefabricated module may assume.
Figure 8 shows in detail the set of hinges 5, 6, 7, 8 and of the impermeable weatherproof seals with the modular housing unit completely unfolded. The various sheets 50-57 of the weatherproofing, on the internal and external sides of the module, must have appropriate lengths so as to allow the hinges 5, 6, 7, 8 the freedom of rotation necessary for passing from the completely closed condition (Figure 5a) to the completely unfolded one (Figure 5e). From the sequence of Figures 5a-5e it may be noted that the hinges 5, 6, 8, to pass from one to another of the aforesaid extreme configurations, perform rotations not greater than approximately 90°, whilst the hinge 7 must perform a rotation of approximately 270°, minus the inclinations of the slope of the roof 4 and of the front wall 2 and rear wall 3. The lengths of the various sheets of the weatherproofing must be sized accordingly. Likewise, the arms 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67 with respect to the hingepins 70, 71, 72, 73 of the hinges 5, 6, 7, 8 must be sized and designed with shapes such as to enable the aforesaid angles of rotation, as exemplified in Figure 8.
Figure 9 is a schematic representation of one of the adjustable feet 80, in itself known, on which the floor 1 may be rested so as to level it as desired (generally levelling is with respect to the horizontal).
Of course doors, windows or transparent panels for the internal illumination are positioned on the prefabricated module as required.
A prefabricated module according to the present invention is suitable for being unfolded and installed in a wide range of ways, the simplest of which - when the weight of the rigid panels so allows - is directly by hand.
Figures 10a-b are schematic representations of a different method for opening the prefabricated module of Figure 1, performed by means of a block-and-tackle hoist, windlass, winch, or pulley, suspended to the supporting structure 100. The rope 101 is fixed to appropriate hooking means 102 set in the proximity of the top hinges 6, 7 that connect the roof 4 to the front wall 2 - or, in any case, to the wall at the top of the pile of panels piled up in the completely re-closed parallelepiped 10 -consisting, for example, of eyebolts, hooks or fold-away rings, and pulled in a direction that is inclined with respect to the horizontal so as to lift the front wall 2, rotating it on the hinge 5 and starting to open the articulated ensemble 9 as far as its position of stable equilibrium, illustrated in Figure 5c. It is then possible to unhook the rope 101 from the hooking means 102 and - possibly after displacing the supporting structure 100 - to fix it to the other hooking means 102 in the proximity of the hinge 7 between the roof 4 and the rear wall 3 (or in any case between the wall folded under the roof 4 and the wall at the top of the pile of panels piled up in the parallelepiped 10 when the housing unit is closed) and pull it so as to favour and complete the opening of the rear wall 3.
The walls 1, 2, 3, 4 of the modular housing unit may also be equipped with appropriate handles so as to be able to help manually the manoeuvre of opening performed either using the block-and-tackle hoist, or else with suction pads.
Figures 11a-d show a third method for opening the prefabricated module according to the present invention, using a crane for vertical hoisting. According to this latter method, the hooking means 102 employed are only two, positioned along the two shorter sides of the roof 4. The crane lifts vertically a rocker arm 103, at the two ends 104 and 105 of which are fixed two ropes 101 and 101'. The two hooking means 102 and 102', to which the ropes 101 and 101' are fixed, may enable a number of complete rotations of the roof 4 about a an axis A-A that is approximately parallel to the rocker arm 103. According to the installation sequence illustrated in Figures 12a to 12d, the vertical force applied by the crane on the roof 4 exerts the greater tractive force of opening by lifting the front wall 2 and rear wall 3, whilst personnel on the site may guide and facilitate the movements of the various mobile parts 2, 3, 4 by hand.
Figures 12a-b-c-d exemplify a fourth method for opening the prefabricated module of Figure 1, the said module being unfolded by applying a torque on one or more of the hinges 5, 6, 7, 8 so as to provide a motor-driven opening-up of the module. In this way, the prefabricated unit may be erected independently without having to resort to cranes or block-and-tackle hoists. This is particularly advantageous, for instance, in the case where the site of use of the unit is reachable only by helicopter. In the case of extremely fast installations (putting up a large number of modular housing units in a limited period of time following upon earthquakes, or during military operations), the torque may be supplied by a motor installed on the unit or nor belonging to the unit (for example, the drive shaft of a jeep) or also by a crank or gear wheel/worm-screw mechanism.
Figures 13a-b are schematic representations of a further method for opening the folded modular housing unit, as described in what follows.
According to this method, a rope 101 is connected to the hooking means 102. The rope 101 may be pulled by people, by a lorry 110, by a windlass or winch, or by any other motor-driven means that is not located far above ground level. The pull of the rope 101 applied to the hooking means 102 is deviated and oriented upwards, so as to overcome the initial dead point of a pull that is far from inclined with respect to ground level (H₁ is not very high, i.e., something less than 1 m), with the aid of appropriate means 130 that are able to move the rope 101 away from the wall 2 (or 3). In the example of embodiment illustrated in Figures 13a-b, the means 130 consist of a single rigid rod 131 or pairs of such rods, for example metal section, wooden posts or poles, or large branches of trees - connected together so as to form a single triangular structure 132 or more than one triangular structure 132. Each of these triangular structures is inserted into appropriate supporting bases 133 suitably pre-arranged on the mobile walls 2 and 3 in the proximity of the bottom hinges 5 and 8 (for example, on the smaller faces 13, 15), so as to rotate integrally with the front wall 2 and rear wall 3 during opening of the parallelepiped 10. The rope 101 is made to pass over the vertex 134 of the triangular structure 132, and is advantageously fastened to it, for example, with a knot 135, in such a way that it not cannot either slide - in which case it would cause the poles 131 to bend, and hence break the supporting bases 133 or the poles 131 themselves of the triangular structure 132 - or come out of the aforesaid position.
In this way, the pull of the rope 101 acts on the wall 2 or 3 with a lever arm that is much more favourable than if the rope were simply pulled, for example, by a lorry or by a group of people without the aid of a suspended block-and-tackle hoist, such as the one illustrated in Figures 11a-11b, enabling, at the same time, installation of the modular housing unit also with makeshift means. Figure 13c is a closer schematic view of an example of embodiment of the bases 133.
The triangular structure 132 may also be replaced by a single pole 131.
Preferably, the modular housing units, when completely folded as shown in Figure 4a, are stored wrapped in a protective plastic film, for instance made of PVC, polyethylene or polypropylene, possibly of the thermoshrinking or vacuum-applied type. This solution is particularly advantageous in the case of prefabricated modules for purposes of civil protection. In fact, said modules are typically stored, after sale, in large quantities and for long periods, awaiting use in the case of exceptional events, and are therefore subject to the risk of deterioration due to damp, mould and negligence of various kinds.
Other examples of embodiment of the present invention are possible, in particular modular housing units in which the articulated ensemble 9 is made up of five, six or possibly more rigid elements 90, without departing from the sphere of protection of the present invention.
It is moreover possible to add together a number of prefabricated modules as described above, to create a wide variety of possible solutions for housing or other uses, for example by connecting the prefabricated modules together in the proximity of the side walls 20, 21, which, if necessary, may be removed either partially or totally.

Claims

A prefabricated module for a housing unit, comprising a plurality of rigid elements (90) amongst which at least a floor (1), a front wall (2), a rear wall (3), and at least a roof (4), characterized in that the rigid elements (90) are hinged together two by two, so that they can rotate according to axes which are all parallel to the plane of the floor (1) and parallel to one another, and so that they form an articulated ensemble (9) foldable on itself to form substantially a parallelepiped (10) in which the rigid elements (90) lie substantially parallel to the floor (1), said parallelepiped (10) being unfoldable like a book by rotation of the front wall (2) and rear wall (3), and further characterized in that the face (W) opposite to the floor (1) of the parallelepiped (10) comprises at least one between the folded front wall (2) and folded rear wall (3).
Prefabricated module for a housing unit according to Claim 1, characterized in that the articulated ensemble (9) has a permanently closed cross section.
Prefabricated module for a housing unit according to Claim 2, characterized in that the articulated ensemble (9) consists of a floor (1), a front wall (2), a rear wall (3), and a roof (4).
Prefabricated module for a housing unit according to Claim 2, characterized in that said at least one between the front wall and rear wall comprised in the lid of the parallelepiped (10), when the parallelepiped (10) is completely folded, covers more than half of the width (W_pav) of the floor plan of the parallelepiped (10).
Prefabricated module for a housing unit according to Claim 1, characterized in that the floor (1) comprises at least two raised vertical edges (17, 18), on each of which one of the at least two bottom hinges (5, 8) is fixed, and said raised edges (17, 18) suitable for containing at least part of the pile comprising the front wall (2), rear wall (3), and the roof (4) when the modular housing unit is completely folded.
Prefabricated module for a housing unit according to Claim 1, characterized in that the two walls, i.e., the front wall (2) and rear wall (3), each have a rigid fold (respectively 11 and 12) which follow a horizontal pattern and project towards the outside of the aforesaid unit, said rigid fold 11 (respectively 12) dividing each wall (i.e., the front wall (2) and rear wall (3)) into two faces, a smaller one (respectively 13, 15), adjacent to the side of the floor (1), and a larger one (respectively 14, 16), nearer to the roof (4), and further characterized in that, when the unit is completely folded, the larger faces (14, 16) respectively of the front wall (2) and of the rear wall (3) lie substantially parallel to the floor (1).
Prefabricated module for a housing unit according to Claim 6, characterized in that the larger faces (14) and (16) and the other rigid elements (90) are substantially plane.
Prefabricated module for a housing unit according to Claim 6, characterized in that the larger faces (14, 16) and smaller faces (13, 15) respectively form angles of 90° between them.
Prefabricated module for a housing unit according to Claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises two side walls (20, 21), each of which comprises at least one rigid side panel (respectively 95, 96) permanently hinged to the floor (1), and in that, when the module is completely folded, it is piled up together with the front wall (2), rear wall (3), and the roof (4) to form said parallelepiped (10).
Prefabricated module for a housing unit according to Claim 1, characterized in that, when the unit is unfolded, the front wall (2) and rear wall (3) have different inclinations with respect to the vertical, and in that the roof (4) is not horizontal.
Prefabricated module for a housing unit according to Claim 10, characterized in that, when the unit is unfolded, the faces of the front wall (2) and rear wall (3) are inclined with respect to the vertical, and the roof (4) with respect to the horizontal, with angles (α, β, γ) comprised between 0° and 15°.
Prefabricated module for a housing unit according to Claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of rigid elements (90) are hinged together by means of hinges (5, 6, 7, 8) protected so that they are weatherproof and are set inside impermeable weathersheeting seals (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57).
Prefabricated module for a housing unit according to Claim 1, characterized in that unfolding/folding of the module is performed by applying a torque to at least one of the hinges (5, 6, 7, 8).
Prefabricated module for a housing unit according to Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises, at least in the proximity of the roof (4), hooking means (102) suitable for enabling the opening and/or the folding of the module by pulling said hooking means (102).
A method for unfolding the prefabricated module according to Claim 14, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

in the folded configuration applying, integrally at least to the wall (2) that functions as a lid of the parallelepiped (10), means (130) designed to move away, from of the said wall (2), in the proximity of its bottom hinge (5), a rope (101) connected, at its end, to the hooking means (102) close to the area of the wall (2) near to the roof (4); and

opening the wall (2) by pulling the rope (101) in the direction of the bottom hinge (5) and in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said bottom hinge (5).
Method according to Claim 15, characterized in that the means (130) consist of a rigid structure (132) fixed on one of its sides to the wall (2), which functions as a lid for the parallelepiped (10), in the proximity of the bottom hinge (5) of said wall (2), and in the proximity of the other side of said structure (132) where the rope (101) passes.
Method for packing a housing unit according to Claim 1, comprising the operation of protecting the completely closed unit with a plastic film.
Method for packing a housing unit according to Claim 17, characterized in that the unit is completely vacuum-wrapped with a plastic film.