Prefabricated service module for a dwelling unit

Claim 2

A service module for a dwelling unit, comprising a center wall having spaces within it, a stairway extending upwardly along one side of the center wall and having the top ending adjacent one end of said center wall, a stair ceiling along the one side of the center wall above the stairway and defining a space above the stair ceiling for accommodation of an air-temperaturechanging system, a floor panel extending laterally from the other side of the center wall at about the level of the top of said stairway and defining with said center wall a space above the floor panel for a bath and a space below the floor panel for a kitchen, at least a part of an air duct system extending from said space above said stair ceiling downwardly through said center wall adjacent said one end of said center wall and extending laterally at least in the direction of said floor panel beneath said floor panel, a vent system extending upwardly through said center wall adjacent said air duct system and having exhaust duct connections for an exhaust fan opening into said kitchen space, and the bath space generally along the line of said vent system, an electrical system extending generally upwardly through said center wall adjacent the vent system and having leads extending upwardly to said space above said stair ceiling for connection to an electric air-temperature-changing system, leads extending into said kitchen space at least for a kitchen range, leads extending into the space beneath said stairs for an electric hot water heater, and leads for electrical outlets, a water supply system extending generally upwardly in the center wall in the space adjacent the electrical system and having connections opening into the space beneath the stairway for connection to a hot water heater, connections opening into said kitchen space for connection to a kitchen sink, and connections opening into said bath space for connection to a lavatory, a commode and a tub shower, and a drainage system in said space with said water supply system and having a vent stack extending to the top of the center wall and drainage connections extending into said bath space for a commode, a lavatory and a tub, and a drainage connection extending into said kitchen for a sink.

Claim 3

A service module as claimed in claim 1 in which said vent system has a further exhaust duct connection opening into the space beneath said stairway for an exhaust fan, said water supply system has further connections Opening into the space beneath said stairway for a commode and a lavatory, and said drainage system has a further connection opening into said space beneath said stairway for a commode.

Claim 4

A service module as claimed in claim 1 in which said vent system has a further exhaust duct connection opening into said bath space adjacent said one end of said center wall for connection to a clothes dryer vent, said water supply system has connections opening into said bath space adjacent said one end of said center wall for connection to a clothes washer, said electrical system has a lead extending to the bath space adjacent said one end of said center wall for connection to a clothes washer and dryer, and said drainage system has a connection extending to the bath space adjacent said one end of said center wall for connection to a clothes washer.

Claim 5

A service module as claimed in claim 1 in which said water supply system further has a connection extending into said kitchen space for connection to a dishwasher, said electrical supply system has a lead extending into said kitchen space for connection to a dishwasher, and said drainage system has a connection extending into said kitchen space for connection to a dishwasher, and said drainage system has a connection extending into said kitchen space for connection to a dishwasher.

Claim 6

A service module for a dwelling unit, comprising a center wall having studs with wall panels on opposite faces thereof with spaces between the studs, a stairway extending upwardly along one side of the center wall and having the top ending adjacent one end of said center wall, a stair ceiling along one side of the center wall above the stairway and defining a space above the stairway and defining a space above the stair ceiling for accommodation of an air-temperature-changing system, an upper floor panel extending laterally from the other side of the center wall at about the level of the top of said stairway and defining with said center wall a space above the upper floor panel for a bath, a false ceiling spaced downwardly from said upper floor panel and defining with said upper floor panel a false ceiling space and with said center wall a space below the false ceiling for a kitchen, a face panel between the free edges of said upper floor panel and said false ceiling, at least a part of an air duct system extending from said space above said stair ceiling downwardly through the first stud space at said one end of said center wall and extending laterally through said false ceiling space and opening through said face panel, a vent system extending upwardly through said center wall in the stud space next adjacent the stud space in which said air duct system is positioned, said vent system having exhaust duct connections for an exhaust fan opening into said kitchen space and said bath space generally along the line of said stud space in which it is positioned, an electrical system extending generally upwardly through said center wall in the stud space next adjacent the stud space in which said vent system is positioned, and having leads extending upwardly to the space above said stair ceiling for connection to an electric air-temperature-changing system, leads extending into said kitchen space adjacent said one end of said center wall for a kitchen range, leads extending into the space beneath the lower end of said stairs for an electric hot heater, and leads for electrical outlets, a water supply system extending generally upwardly in the center wall in the stud space next adjacent the space in which said electrical system is located, said water supply system having connections opening into the space beneath the stairway for connection to a hot water heater, connections opening into the kitchen space for connection to a kitchen sink adjacent said stud space in which said water supply system is located, and connections opening into said bath space for connection to a lavatory, a commode and a tub shower, and a drainage system in said stud space with said water Supply system and having a vent stack extending to the top of the center wall and drainage connections extending into said bath space for a commode, a lavatory and a tub, and a drainage connection extending into said kitchen for a sink.

Claim 7

A service module for a dwelling unit, comprising a center wall having studs with wall panels on opposite faces thereof with spaces between the studs, a stairway extending upwardly along one side of the center wall and having the top ending adjacent one end of said center wall, a stair ceiling along one side of the center wall above the stairway and defining a space above the stairway and defining a space above the stair ceiling for accommodation of an air-temperature-changing system, an upper floor panel extending laterally from the other side of the center wall at about the level of the top of said stairway and defining with said center wall a space above the upper floor panel for a bath, a false ceiling spaced downwardly from said upper floor panel and defining with said upper floor panel a false ceiling space and with said center wall a space below the false ceiling for a kitchen, a face panel between the free edges of said upper floor panel and said false ceiling, at least a part of an air duct system extending from said space above said stair ceiling downwardly through the first stud space at said one end of said center wall and extending laterally through said false ceiling space and opening through said face panel, a vent system extending upwardly through said center wall in the stud space next adjacent the stud space in which said air duct system is positioned, said vent system having exhaust duct connections for an exhaust fan opening into said kitchen space and said bath space generally along the line of said stud space in which it is positioned, an electrical system extending generally upwardly through said center wall in the stud space next adjacent the stud space in which said vent system is positioned, and having leads extending upwardly to the space above said stair ceiling for connection to an electric air-temperature-changing system, leads extending into said kitchen space adjacent said one end of said center wall for a kitchen range, leads extending into the space beneath the lower end of said stairs for an electric hot heater, and leads for electrical outlets, a water supply system extending generally upwardly in the center wall in the stud space next adjacent the space in which said electrical system is located, said water supply system having connections opening into the space beneath the stairway for connection to a hot water heater, connections opening into the kitchen space for connection to a kitchen sink adjacent said stud space in which said water supply system is located, and connections opening into said bath space for connection to a lavatory, a commode and a tub shower, and a drainage system in said stud space with said water Supply system and having a vent stack extending to the top of the center wall and drainage connections extending into said bath space for a commode, a lavatory and a tub, and a drainage connection extending into said kitchen for a sink.

Claim 8

A service module as claimed in claim 5 in which said stairway has the lower end thereof spaced inwardly from said other end of said center wall and spaced above the bottom of the center wall, and a stair landing removably mounted on said center wall and extending from the bottom of the stairway to said other end of said center wall, whereby access can be gained to the space under said stairway by removal of the stair landing.

Claim 9

A service module as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a powder room wall portion extending from said one end of said center wall beneath the top of said stairway and having a powder room door therein, a backwall panel extending downwardly from beneath said stairway defining the backwall of the powder room, and said vent system has a further exhaust duct connection opening into the space beneath said stairway for an exhaust fan for said powder room, said water supply system has further connections opening into the space beneath said stairway in the corner between said center wall and said powder room wall portion for a lavatory, and through said backwall panel for a commode, and said drainage system has a further connection opening through said backwall panel for a commode.

Claim 10

A service module as claimed in claim 7 further comprising an outer sidewall over the side of the stairway remote from said center wall and enclosing said stairway and defining with said center wall stairway and backwall a powder room space beneath said stairs.

Claim 11

A service module as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a bottom floor panel attached to the bottom of said center wall and the bottom of said outer sidewall and forming a bottom for said service module.

Claim 12

A service module as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a lavatory in the corner of said powder room space defined by said center wall and said powder room wall portion and connected to said water supply connections and said commode connection to said drainage system.

Claim 13

A service module as claimed in claim 5 in which said vent system has a further exhaust duct connection opening into said bath space adjacent said one end of said center wall for connection to a clothes dryer vent, said water supply system has connections opening into said bath space adjacent said one end of said center wall for connection to a clothes washer, said electrical system has a lead extending into the bath space adjacent said one end of said center wall for connection to a clothes dryer, and said drainage system has a connection extending to the bath space adjacent said one end of said center wall for connection to a clothes washer.

Claim 14

A service module as claimed in claim 11 further comprising a washer-dryer end panel extending away from said center wall along said upper floor panel and a washer-dryer side panel extending from said washer-dryer end panel along the free edge of said upper floor panel to the said one end thereof to define with said washer-dryer rear panel a washer-dryer space into which said connections for a washer and dryer open.

Claim 15

A service module as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a combination clothes washer and dryer in said washer-dryer space coupled to said washer and dryer connections to the water supply system, the electrical system, the drainage system and the vent system.

Claim 16

A service module as claimed in claim 5 in which said water supply system further has a connection extending into said kitchen space for connection to a dishwasher, said electrical supply system has a lead extending into said kitchen space for connection to a dishwasher, and said drainage system has a connection extending into said kitchen for connection to a dishwasher.

Claim 17

A service module as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a bottom floor panel attacHed to the bottom of said center wall and forming a bottom for said service module.

Claim 18

A service module as claimed in claim 15 further comprising an electric kitchen range in said kitchen space adjacent said one end of said center wall and against said center wall and connected to the range connection to said electrical supply system, an exhaust fan above said range and connected to the duct connection in said vent system which opens into said kitchen space, a dishwasher on said floor panel next to said kitchen range and against said center wall and connected to the dishwasher connections of said water supply system, said electrical system and said drainage system, and a kitchen sink on said center wall next to said dishwasher and connected to the sink connections of said water supply system and said drainage system.

Claim 19

A service module as claimed in claim 16 further comprising a cabinet in which said kitchen sink is mounted, and further cabinets mounted along said center wall and on the bottom surface of the false ceiling at least over said range, said dishwasher and said sink.

Claim 20

A service module as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a bottom floor panel attached to the bottom of said center wall and forming a bottom for said service module.

Claim 21

A service module as claimed in claim 18 further comprising an electric kitchen range in said kitchen space adjacent said one end of said center wall and against said center wall and connected to the range connection of said electrical supply system, an exhaust fan above said range and connected to the duct connection in said vent system which opens into said kitchen space, and a kitchen sink on said center wall connected to the sink connections of said water supply system and said drainage system.

Claim 22

A service module as claimed in claim 18 further comprising cabinets mounted along said center wall and on the bottom of said false ceiling.

Claim 23

A service module as claimed in claim 18 further comprising an electric kitchen range in said kitchen space adjacent said one end of said center wall and against said center wall and connected to the range connection of said electrical supply system, an exhaust fan above said range and connected to the duct connection in said vent system which opens into said kitchen space, a kitchen sink on said center wall connected to the sink connections of said water supply system and said drainage system, and cabinets mounted along said center wall and on the bottom of said false ceiling at least over said range and sink.

Claim 24

A service module as claimed in claim 5 further comprising means on the opposite ends of said center wall and connected to said center wall and said upper floor panel for imparting rigidity to said service module.

Claim 25

A service module as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a full transverse end wall on the other end of said center wall and extending transversely thereof and extending the full height of said center wall and being attached to the upper floor panel, and a partial transverse end wall on the one end of said center wall and extending transversely thereof, said partial transverse end wall extending from the bottom of the center wall to the upper floor panel and extending transversely of the center wall only in the direction of the upper floor panel and to the free edge of the upper floor panel.

Claim 26

A service module as claimed in claim 23 further comprising a bottom floor panel attached to the bottom of said center wall and said transverse end walls and forming a bottom for said module.

Claim 27

A service module as claimed in claim 23 further comprising an outer sidewall over the side of the stairway remote from said center wall and enclosing said stairway and defining with said stairway and said center wall a space beneath said stairway, said outer sidewall having an opening therein for access to the lower end of said stairway.

Claim 28

A service module as claimed in claim 25 further comprising a bottom floor panel attached to the bottom of saiD center wall and said transverse end panels and said outer side panel and forming a bottom for said module.

Claim 29

A service module as claimed in claim 23 further comprising a top panel attached to the top of said center wall and to the top of said full transverse end wall and serving as a top for said service module.

Claim 30

A service module as claimed in claim 27 further comprising an outer sidewall over the side of the stairway remote from said center wall and depending from the free edge of said top panel and attached to the free edge of said full transverse end panel and enclosing the space above said stair ceiling and enclosing said stairway.

Claim 31

A service module as claimed in claim 28 in which said stair ceiling has an upwardly inclined portion extending parallel to the steps on said stairway, said upwardly inclined portion being hinged at the lower end to the remainder of said stair ceiling and being pivotable downwardly to provide access to the space above the stair ceiling.

Claim 32

A service module as claimed in claim 29 further comprising an air-temperature-changing system mounted in said space above said stair ceiling coupled to said air duct system, said service module including air return passages extending into said space above said stair ceiling.

Claim 33

A service module as claimed in claim 30 in which said center wall has a further stud space adjacent said other end extending from said space beneath said stairway upwardly to said space above said stair ceiling, and said outer sidewall has stud spaces therein extending upwardly into said space above said stair ceiling and having openings into said stud spaces from the side facing away from said stairway.

Claim 34

A service module as claimed in claim 5 further comprising an electric water heater in the space beneath said stairway coupled to said water heater connection of said water supply system and said electrical system.

Claim 35

A service module as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a lavatory in said bath space against said center wall and connected to the lavatory connections of said water supply system and said drainage system, and a commode next to said lavatory and connected to the commode connections of said water supply system and said drainage system.