US Patent 8650806 Hard-sided expandable shelter

A thermally isolated portable expandable shelter may include a frame substantially similar in configuration to a shipping container and a movable portion comprising a plurality of rigid panels. The shelter may be movable between a stowed state and a fixed state, wherein the plurality of panels is folded into the frame in the stowed state and fold out during deployment. In some embodiments the plurality of panels may comprise structural insulated panels so that an interior defined by the expandable shelter is thermally isolated from an exterior. The portable expandable shelter may have reduced installation time, improved strength in both the stowed and deployed states, and reduced energy requirements.