JP7526705B2 - Storage unit and storage device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a storage unit and a storage device incorporating the storage unit.

Conventionally, a storage unit that is mounted on a wall surface is known as a tiered platform structure, as shown in Patent Document 1. This tiered platform structure is equipped with a side structure that is supported by a wall and has two shelves, one above the other, and a front door that is installed in front of the side structure and opens and closes the front opening of the side structure. The base end of a plate-shaped movable part (internal door) is attached to the front end of the two shelves so that it can rotate between a vertical position (standing position) and a horizontal position. In Patent Document 1, the movable part is configured to be used as a cover that covers the front side of the shelf inside the front door in the vertical position, and to extend flush with the front side of the shelf in the horizontal position and be used as a desk.

Utility Model Registration No. 3137056

However, the storage unit in Patent Document 1 uses a cantilever structure in which the movable part (internal door) is connected to the shelf only at its base end (rear end in horizontal position, bottom end in vertical position). Therefore, when a heavy object is placed on the movable part used as a desk in the horizontal position, there is a risk that the movable part will bend or the hinge will come off, resulting in a problem of a lack of load-bearing capacity. In particular, the greater the depth (front-to-back length) of the movable part, the more the movable part will bend, making the problem more pronounced.

The present invention was made in consideration of these points, and its purpose is to improve the load-bearing capacity of a shelf used as a desk in a storage unit equipped with a shelf having a movable part that rotates between a vertical position and a horizontal position.

To achieve the above object, the present invention is configured such that the movable part in the above storage unit, which is in a horizontal position, is supported from below by a support member that spans between the inner surfaces of the left and right door panels of the double door.

Specifically, the first invention is a storage unit comprising a storage body having left and right side panels and opening to the front, a shelf board fixed to the storage body with a portion disposed inside the storage body, and left and right door panels attached to the front ends of the left and right side panels of the storage body so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis between a closed position extending from the front end of each side panel toward the front end of the other side panel and an open position extending forward from the front end of each side panel, the shelf board being fixed within the storage body. It has a fixed part, a movable part that is rotatably attached to the front end of the fixed part around a horizontal axis extending in the left-right direction and can rotate between a vertical position extending upward from the front end of the fixed part and a horizontal position extending forward from the front end of the fixed part, a support member that spans between the inner surfaces of the left and right door panels in the open position and supports the movable part from below in the horizontal position, and two holding members that are provided on the inner surfaces of the left and right door panels, respectively, and detachably hold the ends of the support member.

In the first invention, the movable part of the shelf is not only rotatably attached to the front end of the fixed part around a horizontal axis extending in the left-right direction and supported by the fixed part, but also the load is supported by the left and right door panels via the support member and two holding members. In other words, in the first invention, the movable part of the shelf, which previously had a cantilever structure supported only by the base end, is supported not only by the base end but also by the part that abuts against the support member. Therefore, even if a heavy object is placed on the movable part when it is used as a desk in the horizontal position, there is no risk of the movable part bending or the hinge or other fixing device supporting the base end coming off. In other words, according to the first invention, the load-bearing capacity of the shelf used as a desk can be improved in a storage unit equipped with a shelf having a movable part that rotates between a vertical position and a horizontal position.

The support member is configured so that both ends are detachably held by two holding members provided on the inner surface of the left and right door panels. Therefore, when the movable part is not being used as a desk, the support members can be removed from the left and right door panels, so that the original functions of the left and right door panels are not hindered even if the movable part is supported by the support members.

In addition, according to the first invention, when the two holding members hold both ends of the support member, the support member is bridged between the inner surfaces of the left and right door panels. The support members arranged in this manner restrict the left and right door panels in the open position from rotating to the closed position. This allows the movable part to be stably supported by the left and right door panels in the open position via the support members and holding members when the movable part is used as a desk.

The second invention is the first invention, characterized in that two internal holding members are provided on the left and right inner wall surfaces of the storage body, respectively, for detachably holding the ends of the support member that spans between the left and right inner wall surfaces.

In the second invention, both ends of the support member removed from the two holding members provided on the inner surface of the left and right door panels can be held by two internal holding members provided inside the storage body. In other words, the support member can be stored inside the storage body.

The third invention is the second invention, characterized in that the holding member and the internal holding member are formed in the same shape.

In the third invention, the storage unit can be constructed easily and inexpensively by using a common member for both the retaining member provided to bridge the support member between the inner surfaces of the left and right door panels and the internal retaining member provided to store the support member inside the storage body.

The fourth invention is any one of the first to third inventions, characterized in that the support member has a support surface that abuts against the lower surface of the movable part in the horizontal position to support the movable part, and is configured to be able to change the height of the support surface.

In the fourth invention, the support member has a support surface that abuts against the underside of the movable part in a horizontal position to support the movable part, and is configured to be able to change the height of the support surface. With this configuration, the support surface of the support member can be reliably abutted against the underside of the movable part in a horizontal position by appropriately changing the height of the support surface. Therefore, when the movable part is used as a desk, the movable part is stably supported by the support member, and rattling can be suppressed.

The fifth invention is the fourth invention, characterized in that the support member has a cross member that is spanned between the inner surfaces of the left and right door panels in the open position, and a bolt that is screwed into the upper surface of the cross member, and the support surface is the upper surface of the head of the bolt.

In the fifth invention, the support member is constructed from a cross member and a bolt, making it easy to construct a support member whose support surface height can be changed.

The sixth invention is the fifth invention, characterized in that a groove into which the head of the bolt fits is formed on the underside of the movable part in the horizontal position.

In the sixth invention, when the movable part is in a horizontal position, the head of the bolt of the support member fits into a groove formed on the underside of the movable part and abuts against the peripheral wall of the groove, thereby suppressing left-right wobble of the movable part.

The seventh invention is any one of the first to sixth inventions, characterized in that casters are attached to the lower ends of the left and right door panels, and each of the door panels is in contact with the floor surface via the casters.

In the seventh invention, the left and right door panels are in contact with the floor surface via casters attached to their lower ends. Therefore, the left and right door panels are supported not only by the base ends rotatably attached to the front ends of the side panels, but also by the parts where the casters are attached. In this way, when the movable part is supported by the left and right door panels via the support members and holding members, the left and right door panels are supported by the floor surface, so the left and right door panels do not sink due to the weight of the movable part, and the movable part can be stably supported.

The eighth invention is a storage device constructed by incorporating a storage unit according to any one of the first to seventh inventions, characterized in that the left and right side panels of the storage unit form partition panels for the storage device.

In the eighth invention, the storage unit is installed so as to be incorporated into a part of the storage device installed on the wall, and at that time the left and right side panels of the storage unit form partition panels of the storage device. By configuring it in this way, the storage unit can be easily incorporated into a part of the storage device.

As explained above, according to the present invention, in a storage unit equipped with a shelf having a movable part that rotates between a vertical position and a horizontal position, the movable part in the horizontal position is supported from below by a support member that spans between the inner surfaces of the left and right door panels of the double door, thereby improving the load-bearing capacity of the shelf used as a desk.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage device in which a storage unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention is installed. FIG. 2 is a view equivalent to FIG. 1, showing the state in which the front door of the storage unit is open and the movable parts of the first and second shelves are in the horizontal position. FIG. 3 is a front view of the storage unit showing the front door open and the movable portions of the first and second shelves in the vertical position. FIG. 4 is a front view of the storage unit showing a state in which the front door is open and the movable portions of the first and second shelves are in a horizontal position. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the storage unit with the front door closed and the movable portions of the first and second shelves in the vertical position. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the storage unit showing a state in which the front door is open and the movable parts of the first and second shelves are in a horizontal position. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the storage unit with the front door closed and the movable portions of the first and second shelves in the vertical position. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the storage unit with the front door open and the movable portions of the first and second shelves in the horizontal position. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a connection support structure for connecting the movable parts of the first and second shelf boards to the fixed parts. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining the support structure and the storage structure. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining the structure of the support structure. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a support member of a storage unit according to another embodiment.

The following describes in detail the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are essentially preferred examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

First Embodiment of the Invention
1 and 2 show a storage device A according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is installed on a wall W of a room of a building or the like, covering the entire area between a ceiling C and a floor F. The storage device A may also be installed as part of the wall W. In the present invention and this embodiment, the front side facing the wall W is defined as the "front", the back side as the "rear", the left side as the "left", and the right side as the "right".

The storage device A has a known structure, and although not shown, it is made up of multiple partition plates extending vertically up and down on the surface of the wall W, and multiple upper and lower shelves, top plates, and bottom plates extending horizontally left and right, which are crossed and connected together, and the space partitioned by these is used as the storage space.

The storage unit U according to embodiment 1 of the present invention is partially incorporated into the storage device A. The storage unit U is formed as a thin, elongated unit, for example, 740 mm wide, 1975 to 2025 mm high, and 150 mm deep, and is incorporated with its lower end in contact with, for example, the floor F (see Figures 3 to 6). As a result, the storage device A into which the storage unit U is incorporated is also formed to be thin.

As shown in Figures 1 to 7, the storage unit U has a rectangular box-shaped storage body 1 that opens to the front. In detail, the storage body 1 has a rectangular back panel 2, for example, located on the rear side (wall W side), left and right side panels 3, 3 that extend in the vertical direction and are arranged and connected to face each other on both left and right sides of the front of the back panel 2, a top panel 4 connected between the upper ends of the both side panels 3, 3, and a bottom panel 5 connected between the lower ends of the both side panels 3, 3, which are assembled into a rectangular box shape. In a structure in which the storage unit U is incorporated into the storage device A, the left and right side panels 3, 3 of the storage body 1 form partition panels of the storage device A, the top panel 4 forms a shelf panel of the storage device A, and the bottom panel 5 forms a bottom panel of the storage device A. The back panel 2 may be used in common with the back panel of the storage device A.

In the storage body 1 of the storage unit U, six shelves 7, 7, 8, 8, 11, 12 are arranged, for example, one above the other, extending horizontally from left to right. Two lower shelves 7, 7 are arranged near the bottom end of the storage body 1 near the bottom plate 5, and two upper shelves 8, 8 are arranged near the top end of the storage body 1 near the top plate 4. These shelves 7, 7, 8, 8 are fixed to the left and right side plates 3, 3, or are attached with dowels or the like so that their height can be changed.

In the storage body 1, a first shelf 11 is disposed slightly below the center of the vertical height, and a second shelf 12 is disposed above the first shelf 11. As shown in FIG. 6, the height h1 of the top surface of the first shelf 11 from the top surface of the floor F is set to, for example, h1 = 720.5 mm, and the height h2 of the top surface of the second shelf 12 is set to, for example, h2 = 1098.5 mm.

The first and second shelves 11, 12 are fixed to the storage body 1 with a portion (rear portion) of each disposed inside the storage body 1. Both shelves 11, 12 are bendable shelves, and have a fixed portion 15 fixed inside the storage body 1 and a movable portion 16 attached to the front end of the fixed portion 15 so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis extending in the left-right direction. The fixed portion 15 and the movable portion 16 will be described with the same reference numerals for the shelves 11, 12.

The fixing parts 15 of the first and second shelves 11, 12 are disposed within the storage body 1, with their left and right ends fixed to the left and right side panels 3, 3. Each fixing part 15 is made of a rectangular plate whose left and right width (e.g., 709.5 mm) is slightly smaller than the distance between the inner surfaces of the side panels 3, 3 (e.g., 710 mm) so that it fits between the side panels 3, 3 of the storage body 1. The depth of each fixing part 15 is slightly smaller than the depth of the side panels 3, 3 of the storage body 1. The front end face of each fixing part 15 is recessed rearward from the front end faces of the side panels 3, 3, leaving space in front of the front end faces (see Figures 5 and 6).

Although not shown, a stopper member made of hard resin, rubber, or the like is attached to the front end surface of each fixed part 15 of the first and second shelf boards 11, 12. When each movable part 16 of the first and second shelf boards 11, 12 is in a horizontal position, the stopper member abuts against the rear end surface (end grain surface) and is sandwiched between the front end surface (end grain surface) of the fixed part 15, thereby holding the movable part 16 in the horizontal position when the movable part 16 rotates to the horizontal position.

Each movable part 16 of the first and second shelves 11, 12 is formed of a rectangular plate whose left-right width (e.g., 670 mm) is smaller than the left-right width of the fixed part 15. Each movable part 16 is rotatably attached at its base end (rear end in horizontal position, lower end in vertical position) to the front end of the fixed part 15, and is configured to rotate within an angular range of 90° between a horizontal position in which the upper surface protrudes to the front of the storage body 1 so as to be continuous with the fixed part 15 and flush with the fixed part 15, and a vertical position (standing position) in which the upper surface extends vertically upward from the front end of the fixed part 15.

9 and 10, each movable part 16 is connected to be rotatable around a horizontal axis extending in the left-right direction by, for example, a plurality of left and right hinges 18, 18, ... (only the right side is shown in Fig. 9) attached between the base end and the upper surface of the front end of the fixed part 15. In addition, bendable downstays 19, 19 (only the right side is shown in Fig. 9, and not shown in Fig. 10) are connected between the base end (rear end in horizontal position, lower end in vertical position) of the left and right edges of the movable part 16 and a position higher than the fixed part 15 on the inner surface of the left and right side plates 3, 3 (mounting plate 6 described later). The downstays 19, 19 unfold from a V-shaped bent state to an I-shaped state as the movable part 16 rotates from a vertical position to a horizontal position, and the unfolded state (I-shaped state) is maintained to fix the movable part 16 in a horizontal position. When the movable part 16 is in a horizontal position, the movable part 16 and the fixed part 15 are continuous with each other as a single plate, with their respective upper surfaces flush with each other. On the other hand, when the movable part 16 rotates from a horizontal position to a vertical position, the down stays 19, 19 bend and return to their original V-shape.

As shown in FIG. 8, the left-right width (e.g., 670 mm) of the movable parts 16 of the first and second shelves 11, 12 is smaller than the left-right width of the fixed parts 15 of the first and second shelves 11, 12. Therefore, the downstays 19, 19 are attached to the inner surface of a mounting plate 6 of a predetermined thickness that is fixed to the inner surface of the side panel 3.

As shown in Figures 5 and 11, two grooves 14, 14 into which the heads of the bolts 32, 32 of the support member 30 described later fit are formed at a position near the tip (near the front end in the horizontal position) of the lower surface of the movable part 16 of the first shelf board 11. The grooves 14, 14 are formed at positions corresponding to the heads of the bolts 32, 32 so that the heads of the bolts 32, 32, which have a circular cross section, fit when the movable part 16 of the first shelf board 11 is rotated from a vertical position to a horizontal position, and are formed in a circular cross section with a diameter slightly larger than that of the heads of the bolts 32, 32 (e.g., Φ = 27.8 mm, depth 8 mm). Details will be described later, but when the heads of the bolts 32, 32 fit into the grooves 14, 14, the heads of the bolts 32, 32 abut against the peripheral walls of the grooves 14, 14, thereby restricting the movement of the support member 30 in the left and right direction, thereby restricting the rotation of the left and right door panels 27, 27. A receiving member of the same shape (cylindrical shape with a bottom) not shown may be embedded in the grooves 14, 14.

As shown in FIG. 6, the depth d1 in the front-to-rear direction of the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11 is, for example, d1 = 350 mm, which is greater than the depth d2 (for example, 190 mm) of the movable part 16 of the second shelf 12. As shown in FIG. 6, the depth d1 in the front-to-rear direction of the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11 is smaller than the height h3 between the first and second shelves 11, 12 (d1 < h3). The depth d2 in the front-to-rear direction of the movable part 16 of the second shelf 12 is smaller than the height h4 between the second shelf 12 and the upper shelf 8 above it (d2 < h4).

Due to the above dimensional relationship, when the movable parts 16 of the first and second shelves 11, 12 are in the vertical position, as shown in Figures 1, 3, 5, and 7, they fit into the space between the upper shelf (the second shelf 12 for the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11, and the upper shelf 8 for the second shelf 12) in the space in front of the fixed part 15 in the storage body 1, with their rearward facing surfaces (the upper surfaces when in the horizontal position) abutting or close to the front end surface of the fixed part 15. Also, as shown in Figure 3, when the movable parts 16 are in the vertical position and the front door 26 is open (the left and right door panels 27, 27 are in the open position), they become inner doors that close the opening of the storage body 1 at the upper and lower middle parts.

On the other hand, as shown in Figures 2, 4, 6 and 8, when the movable parts 16 of the first and second shelves 11, 12 are in a horizontal position, the parts other than the base end are located outside the storage body 1, and become the desk board (desk top). As shown in Figure 2, the first shelf board 11, which has a large depth d1, can be used, for example, as a desk for a seated position where a user sits on a chair Ch on the floor F to work. On the other hand, the second shelf board 12, which has a small depth d2 and is located at a higher position than the first shelf board 11, can be used, for example, as a shelf for storage or a desk for a standing position where a user works while standing.

As shown in Figures 4 to 6, an outlet mounting member 23 having an L-shaped cross section is connected between the left and right side panels 3, 3 and fixed integrally to the rear end of the upper surface of the fixed portion 15 of the first shelf board 11. This outlet mounting member 23 has a front side portion 23a extending vertically from the upper surface of the fixed portion 15 of the first shelf board 11, and an upper side portion 23b extending horizontally rearward from the rear surface of the upper end of the front side portion 23a and having its rear end fixed to the back panel 2, and a space is defined in front of the back panel 2 by this outlet mounting member 23. An outlet unit 24 for connecting a commercial power source, a USB terminal, and other connection terminals is attached by penetrating through the front side portion 23a of the outlet mounting member 23, for example, at the right end. In this way, the outlet mounting material 23 is attached to the top surface of the fixed portion 15 of the first shelf board 11, and the outlet mounting material 23 is fixed to the left and right side panels 3, 3. This means that the fixed portion 15 of the first shelf board 11 is also firmly fixed to the side panels 3, 3 by the outlet mounting material 23. As a result, when the movable portion 16 is rotated (opening and closing the desk) to use the first shelf board 11 as a desk, the force applied to the fixed portion 15 can be prevented from bending, and the front end of the fixed portion 15 can be prevented from bouncing up.

The wiring (not shown) connected to the outlet unit 24 is housed in the space within the outlet mounting material 23 and is pulled out to the outside of the storage unit U. Specifically, the wiring pull-out structure may be, for example, a structure in which a pull-out hole is formed through the fixed portion 15 of the first shelf board 11 so as to communicate with the space within the outlet mounting material 23, and a pull-out hole is formed at a position below the fixed portion 15 of the side plate 3, and the wiring is pulled out from this pull-out hole; a structure in which a gap is formed by cutting out one of the left and right corners of the rear end of the fixed portion 15 of the first shelf board 11, the lower shelf board 7, and the bottom plate 5, and the wiring is pulled out from this gap; a structure in which a pull-out hole is formed through the back plate 2 so as to communicate with the space within the outlet mounting material 23, and the wiring is pulled out from this pull-out hole to the wall W on the rear side (back side) of the back plate 2. These structures may be selected or combined as necessary.

A double-hinged front door 26 is disposed on the front of the storage body 1, which opens and closes a portion of the front opening of the storage body 1 (the middle and lower portions in this embodiment 1). In this embodiment 1, the front door 26 is composed of left and right door panels 27, 27.

The left and right door panels 27, 27 are formed to a length extending from a little above the upper shelf panel 8 below the upper shelf panel 8 of the two upper and lower shelves 8, 8 to the bottom panel 5, and open and close the middle and lower sections of the front opening of the storage body 1. Each of these door panels 27 is made of a rectangular plate-like body (panel), and the base end of each is attached to the front end of the corresponding side panel 3 so as to be freely rotatable around a vertical axis. Specifically, each door panel 27 is connected to be rotatable around a vertical axis by, for example, multiple upper and lower hinges (not shown) attached between the inner surface of the front end of the corresponding side panel 3 and the inner surface of the base end of the door panel 27. In this way, the left and right door panels 27, 27 are configured to be rotatable between a closed position in which they extend from the front end of the side panels 3, 3 to the other side and cover the left and right halves of the middle and lower sections of the front opening of the storage body 1, and an open position in which they extend forward from the front end of the side panels 3, 3.

In addition, a caster 29 is attached to the lower end of each door panel 27 of the front door 26. The caster 29 is attached so that when each door panel 27 is rotated from the closed position to the open position, the wheels touch the upper surface of the floor F and run on the upper surface of the floor F. By attaching such casters 29, the door panel 27 always touches the upper surface of the floor F in both the closed position and the open position.

[Support structure]
In the first embodiment, the depth d2 (e.g., 190 mm) of the movable part 16 of the second shelf 12 is less than one-third of the left-right width (e.g., 670 mm), whereas the depth d1 (e.g., 350 mm) of the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11 is one-third or more of the left-right width (one-half or more in the first embodiment), and is longer than the depth d2 of the movable part 16 of the second shelf 12. The movable part 16 of the first shelf 11, which has a long depth d1 relative to the left-right width, is connected to the fixed part 15 only at the base end and supported in a cantilever structure, and when a heavy object such as a personal computer PC is placed on the movable part 16, it may bend or the hinge 18 and the down stay 19 may come off. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11 is configured so that the load is supported not only by the hinge 18 and the down stay 19 but also by the left and right door panels 27, 27 of the front door 26 via the support structure S.

As shown in Figures 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 11, the support structure S includes a support member 30 that spans the left and right door panels 27, 27 in the open position to support the movable part 16, and holding members 40, 40 that hold both ends of the support member 30.

As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the support member 30 has a cross member 31 and two bolts 32, 32. The cross member 31 spans the left and right door panels 27, 27, and the two bolts 32, 32 are screwed into the upper surface of the cross member 31.

The cross member 31 is formed from a U-shaped metal rod member. The cross member 31 has a long portion 33 and two legs 34, 34 that extend in the same direction from both ends of the long portion 33.

The long portion 33 is shorter than the distance L1 between the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27 in the open position, and is formed to a length that is approximately the same as or slightly shorter than the left and right width of the movable portion 16. The long portion 33 has base portions 35, 35 that are formed to be thicker than other portions. The two base portions 35, 35 are formed at positions that are an equal distance away from both ends of the long portion 33 (positions symmetrical on the left and right). The two base portions 35, 35 are formed in a substantially circular shape in a plan view, and have screw holes 35a, 35a in the center into which the bolt 32 is screwed.

The two legs 34, 34 are shorter than the long portion 33, and are formed to a length of about 50 mm. The two legs 34, 34 extend in the same perpendicular direction from the end of the long portion 33. The two legs 34, 34 are inserted between the curved portions 41, 41 of the holding members 40, 40 described later and the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27.

The bolt 32 has a generally cylindrical head of a size (e.g., Φ=25 mm, height 13 mm) that fits into the groove 14 formed on the underside of the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11. The bolt 32 is screwed into a screw hole 35a formed in the long part 33 (base part 35) of the cross member 31. A cushion member (not shown) made of hard resin, rubber, or the like is attached to the upper surface of the head of the bolt 32.

The holding member 40 has a curved portion 41 and flat plate portions 42, 42 formed on both sides of the curved portion 41. The holding member 40 forms the curved portion 41 between the two flat plate portions 42, 42 by curving the middle portion in the longitudinal direction of a rectangular metal plate. The curved portion 41 is formed in a U-shape large enough to allow the leg portion 34 to be inserted therein. The two flat plate portions 42, 42 have insertion holes for screws 43, 43.

The holding members 40 are attached to the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27, one each. The holding members 40 are attached to the inner surfaces 27a, 27a with screws 43, 43 inserted through the insertion holes, with the two flat plate portions 42, 42 abutting against the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27.

The two holding members 40, 40 are provided at equal heights and front-to-back positions on the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27. When the left and right door panels 27, 27 are in the open position, the legs 34, 34 of the support member 30 are inserted from above to below between the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27 and the curved portions 41, 41 of the left and right door panels 27, 27, respectively, so that the holding members 40, 40 detachably hold the ends of the support member 30. This allows the support member 30 (cross member 31) to span between the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27 in the open position.

The left and right door panels 27, 27 are rotated to the open position by the holding members 40, 40 configured in this way, and both ends of the support member 30 (the legs 34, 34 of the cross member 31) are held by the holding members 40, 40. Then, the movable part 16 of the first shelf board 11 is rotated to a horizontal position. The heads of the bolts 32, 32 of the support member 30 fit into the grooves 14, 14 on the underside of the movable part 16, so that the movable part 16 is supported by the support member 30. In this embodiment 1, the upper surfaces of the heads of the bolts 32, 32 come into contact with the underside of the movable part 16 of the first shelf board 11 in the horizontal position, becoming a support surface that supports the movable part 16. Therefore, the height of the support surface can be easily changed by changing the amount of screwing in the bolts 32, 32.

[Support member storage structure]
The storage unit U is provided with a storage structure H for storing the support member 30 inside the storage body 1 when it is not in use (when the movable part 16 of the first shelf board 11 is not used as a desk). As shown in Fig. 10, the storage structure H includes internal holding members 50, 50 for holding both ends of the support member 30 inside the storage body 1.

The internal holding member 50 is formed in the same shape as the holding member 40. Like the holding member 40, the internal holding member 50 has a curved portion 51 and flat plate portions 52, 52 formed on both sides of the curved portion 51. The internal holding member 50 has the curved portion 51 formed between the two flat plate portions 52, 52 by curving the middle portion in the longitudinal direction of a rectangular metal plate. The curved portion 51 is formed in a U-shape large enough to allow the leg portion 34 to be inserted therein. The two flat plate portions 52, 52 have insertion holes for screws 53, 53.

The internal holding members 50 are attached to the left and right inner wall surfaces 1a, 1a of the storage body 1, one each. The internal holding members 50 are attached to the inner wall surfaces 1a, 1a with screws 53, 53 inserted into the insertion holes, with the two flat plate portions 52, 52 abutting against the left and right inner wall surfaces 1a, 1a. The internal holding members 50, 50 detachably hold the end portions of the support member 30 by inserting the legs 34, 34 of the support member 30 from above and below between the left and right inner wall surfaces 1a, 1a and the curved portions 51, 51, respectively. As a result, the support member 30 (cross member 31) is bridged between the left and right inner wall surfaces 1a, 1a of the storage body 1 and stored inside the storage body 1.

Although not shown in FIG. 10, in this embodiment 1, inside the storage body 1 where the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11 is stored, a mounting plate 6 is attached to the inner surface of the side plate 3. As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, in this embodiment 1, the two internal holding members 50, 50 are attached to the inner surfaces (inner wall surfaces 1a, 1a) of the left and right mounting plates 6, 6.

Here, the distance L2 between the inner surfaces of the left and right mounting plates 6, 6 is shorter than the distance L1 between the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27 in the open position. Therefore, if internal holding members 50, 50 of the same shape as the holding members 40, 40 are provided facing the same position in the front-to-rear direction on the inner wall surfaces 1a, 1a (the inner surfaces of the mounting plates 6, 6) as the holding members 40, 40, the distance L2 between the inner wall surfaces 1a, 1a is too short compared to the length of the support member 30 (the length of the cross member 31), so the legs 34, 34 of the support member 30 cannot be held by the two internal holding members 50, 50.

In this embodiment 1, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the two internal holding members 50, 50 are provided on the left and right inner wall surfaces 1a, 1a (the inner surfaces of the left and right mounting plates 6, 6) at the same height but at different, offset positions in the front-to-back direction. In this embodiment 1, by providing the two internal holding members 50, 50 with offset positions in the front-to-back direction in this manner, the support member 30 can be bridged diagonally in the left-to-right direction inside the storage body 1. In other words, the support member 30 can be stored inside the storage body 1.

-Example of use-
In the first embodiment configured as described above, six shelves, namely, two lower shelves 7, 7, a first shelf 11, a second shelf 12, and two upper shelves 8, 8, are provided at intervals in the storage body 1 of the storage unit U, of which the first and second shelves 11, 12 are of a folding type having a fixed part 15 fixed inside the storage body 1 and a movable part 16 rotatably supported at the front end of the fixed part 15. By individually switching the movable parts 16 of these shelves 11, 12 between a horizontal position and a vertical position, the storage unit U can be used in various ways and its multi-functional usage can be selected.

1 and 5, the movable parts 16 of the first and second shelves 11, 12 are both in a vertical position, and the left and right door panels 27, 27 of the front door 26 are closed. The left door panel 27 overlaps from the front with approximately half of the left side of each movable part 16 of the first and second shelves 11, 12, and the right door panel 27 overlaps from the front with approximately half of the right side. The left and right door panels 27, 27 close the middle and bottom parts of the opening of the storage body 1, and the movable parts 16 of the first and second shelves 11, 12 act as inner doors that cover part of the middle part of the opening of the storage body 1 on the inside of the left and right door panels 27, 27. At this time, the support member 30 of the support structure S that supports the movable portion 16 of the first shelf board 11 is held at both ends (legs 34, 34) by two internal holding members 50, 50 attached to the left and right inner wall surfaces 1a, 1a of the storage body 1, and is stored inside the storage body 1. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, by using the support member 30 stored in this way as a pressing member, a PC, a book, etc. can be stored by leaning it against the back side of the support member 30.

In addition, in the use state shown in Figures 2, 4, 6 and 7, the left and right door panels 27, 27 of the front door 26 are open and in the open position, and the movable parts 16 of the first and second shelves 11, 12 are rotated downward from the vertical position to the horizontal position. The lower first shelf 11 can be used as a desk for the seated position where a user can sit and work in a chair Ch, and the upper second shelf 12 can be used as a shelf for storage or a desk for the standing position where a user can work while standing. In this use state, the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11, which is long in the front-to-back direction and is used as a desk for the seated position, is supported not only at the base end but also at the part that abuts against the support member 30 of the support structure S.

In order to support the movable part 16 with the support member 30 of the support structure S, first, the support member 30 is moved in the opposite direction (upward) of the arrow shown in FIG. 10 from the state in which it is stored inside the storage body 1 by the internal holding members 50, 50 of the storage structure H, and removed from the internal holding members 50, 50. Next, both ends (legs 34, 34) of the support member 30 removed from the internal holding members 50, 50 are inserted between the curved parts 41, 41 of the two holding members 40, 40 and the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27 in the open position. This causes the support member 30 to span between the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27. Then, the movable part 16 of the first shelf board 11 is rotated from the vertical position to the horizontal position. As a result, the heads of the bolts 32, 32 of the support member 30 fit into the grooves 14, 14 formed on the underside of the movable part 16, and the upper surfaces of the heads abut against the bottom surface of the groove 14, so that the movable part 16 is supported by the support member 30. At this time, the load of the movable part 16 is supported by the door panels 27, 27 via the support member 30 and the holding members 40, 40. As a result, the lower first shelf board 11 can be used as a desk for a seating position where heavy objects can be placed and the user can sit and work in a chair Ch.

When storing the support member 30 inside the storage body 1, the above steps are reversed. That is, the movable portion 16 of the first shelf 11 is rotated from a horizontal position to a vertical position, and the support member 30 is moved upward and removed from the holding members 40, 40. Then, both ends (legs 34, 34) of the support member 30 removed from the holding members 40, 40 are inserted between the curved portions 41, 41 of the two internal holding members 50, 50 attached inside the storage body 1 and the left and right inner wall surfaces 1a, 1a. As a result, the support member 30 is stored inside the storage body 1 by bridging between the left and right inner wall surfaces 1a, 1a inside the storage body 1.

In addition, although not shown, it is also possible to use the storage unit in a state in which the left and right door panels 27, 27 are open and in the open position, only the movable part 16 of the first shelf panel 11 is rotated downward from the vertical position to the horizontal position, and the movable part 16 of the second shelf panel 12 is in the vertical position. The movable part 16 of the second shelf panel 12 acts as an inner door to close part of the middle part of the opening of the storage unit 1, and only the first shelf panel 11 can be used as a desk.

Conversely, it can also be used in a state where the left and right door panels 27, 27 are open and in the open position, the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11 is in the vertical position, and only the movable part 16 of the second shelf 12 is rotated downward from the vertical position to the horizontal position. The movable part 16 of the first shelf 11 acts as an inner door to close part of the middle part of the opening of the storage body 1, and only the second shelf 12 can be used as a shelf for storage or a standing desk where the user can work while standing.

--Effects of the First Embodiment--
As described above, according to the first embodiment, the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11 is not only rotatably attached to the front end of the fixed part 15 fixed in the storage body 1 around a horizontal axis extending in the left-right direction and supported by the fixed part 15, but also the load is supported by the left and right door panels 27, 27 via the support member 30 and the two holding members 40, 40. In other words, in the first embodiment, the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11, which has a cantilever structure supported only by the base end in the past, is supported not only by the base end but also by the part that abuts against the support member 30. Therefore, even if a heavy object is placed on the movable part 16 when the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11 is used as a desk in a horizontal position, there is no risk of the movable part 16 bending or the fixing device such as a hinge (hinge 18 and down stay 19) supporting the base end coming off. In other words, according to this embodiment 1, in a storage unit U equipped with shelves 11, 12 having movable parts 16 that rotate between vertical and horizontal positions, the load-bearing capacity of the first shelf 11 used as a desk can be improved.

The support member 30 is configured so that both ends (legs 34, 34) are detachably held by two holding members 40, 40 provided on the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27. Therefore, when the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11 is not used as a desk, the support member 30 can be removed from the left and right door panels 27, 27. Therefore, even if the movable part 16 is supported by the support member 30, the original functions of the left and right door panels 27, 27 are not hindered.

In addition, according to the first embodiment, when the holding members 40, 40 hold both ends of the support member 30 (the legs 34, 34 of the cross member 31), the support member 30 (cross member 31) is bridged between the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27. The support member 30 arranged in this manner restricts the left and right door panels 27, 27 from being in the open position from rotating to the closed position. As a result, when the movable part 16 of the first shelf board 11 is used as a desk, the movable part 16 of the first shelf board 11 can be stably supported by the left and right door panels 27, 27 in the open position via the support member 30 and the holding member 40.

In addition, in this embodiment 1, two internal holding members 50, 50 are provided on each of the left and right inner wall surfaces 1a, 1a of the storage body 1, which detachably hold the ends (legs 34) of the support member 30 that spans between the left and right inner wall surfaces 1a, 1a. Therefore, in this embodiment 1, both ends (legs 34, 34) of the support member 30 removed from the two holding members 40, 40 provided on the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27 can be held by the two internal holding members 50, 50 provided inside the storage body 1. In other words, the support member 30 can be stored inside the storage body 1.

In addition, in this embodiment 1, the holding members 40, 40 provided to bridge the support member 30 between the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27, and the internal holding members 50, 50 provided to store the support member 30 inside the storage body 1 are formed to be the same shape. In this way, by using common materials for the holding members 40, 40 and the internal holding members 50, 50, the storage unit U can be constructed easily and inexpensively.

In addition, in this embodiment 1, the support member 30 has a support surface that abuts against the underside of the movable part 16 of the first shelf board 11 when the shelf board 11 is in a horizontal position to support the movable part 16, and is configured so that the height of the support surface can be changed. With this configuration, the support surface of the support member 30 can be reliably abutted against the underside of the movable part 16 when the movable part 16 is in a horizontal position by appropriately changing the height of the support surface. Therefore, when the movable part 16 of the first shelf board 11 is used as a desk, the movable part 16 is stably supported by the support member 30, and rattling can be suppressed.

Furthermore, in this embodiment 1, the support member 30 is composed of a cross member 31 that is spanned between the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27 in the open position, and bolts 32, 32 that are screwed into the upper surface of the cross member 31, and the upper surface of the bolt head is abutted against the lower surface of the movable part 16 to form a support surface that supports the movable part 16. With this configuration, it is easy to configure a support member 30 that can change the height of the support surface.

In addition, in this embodiment 1, grooves 14, 14 into which the heads of the bolts 32, 32 fit are formed on the underside of the movable part 16 of the first shelf board 11 in the horizontal position. With this configuration, when the movable part 16 of the first shelf board 11 is in the horizontal position, the heads of the bolts 32, 32 of the support member 30 fit into the grooves 14, 14 formed on the underside of the movable part 16 and abut against the peripheral walls of the grooves 14, 14, thereby suppressing rattling of the movable part 16 to the left and right.

In addition, in this embodiment 1, casters 29, 29 are attached to the lower ends of the left and right door panels 27, 27, and each door panel 27 is configured to be grounded on the upper surface of the floor F via the casters 29. Therefore, in this embodiment 1, the left and right door panels 27, 27 are supported not only by the base ends rotatably attached to the front ends of the side panels 3, 3, but also by the parts to which the casters 29, 29 are attached. In this way, when the movable part 16 of the first shelf board 11 is supported by the left and right door panels 27, 27 via the support member 30 and the holding member 40, the left and right door panels 27, 27 are supported by the upper surface of the floor F, so that the left and right door panels 27, 27 do not sink due to the load of the movable part 16, and the movable part 16 can be stably supported.

In addition, in this embodiment 1, the storage unit U is incorporated into the storage device A so that the side panels 3, 3 of the storage unit U form partition panels of the storage device A. According to this embodiment 1, by configuring it in this way, the storage unit U can be easily incorporated into a part of the storage device A.

Other Embodiments
In the above embodiment 1, the support member 30 supporting the movable part 16 of the first shelf board 11 is composed of a U-shaped rod-like member, but the configuration of the support member 30 is not limited to this. The support member 30 may be any member as long as the end portion is held by the holding members 40, 40. For example, the end portion of the cross member 31 may be formed into a spherical shape, and the holding members 40, 40 may be formed to hold a sphere, or the cross member 31 may be composed of a straight rod-like member (not having the leg portion 34, only the long portion 33), and the holding members 40, 40 may be composed of a U-shaped member attached to the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27, and the end portion of the cross member 31 may be inserted from above the U-shaped member and supported at the bottom.

The support member 30 may have any shape as long as it is bridged between the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27 and can abut against the underside of the movable part 16 to support the movable part 16, and may be composed of a plate-like member.

Furthermore, the support member 30 may not have bolts 32, 32, and the upper surface of the long portion 33 of the cross member 31 may be formed as a flat surface to form a support surface that abuts against the lower surface of the movable part 16. The support member 30 may also be provided with a member that moves up and down other than the bolts 32, 32 on the cross member 31. In that case, the upper surface of the member that moves up and down becomes the support surface that supports the lower surface of the movable part 16.

Also, the support member 30 may be configured as an H-shaped rod member as shown in FIG. 12. In this configuration, the cross member 31 has legs 34, 34 extending downward from both ends of the long portion 33 and retaining portions 36, 36 extending upward, and the movable portion 16 of the first shelf board 11 in the horizontal position is disposed between the retaining portions 36, 36. With this configuration, it is possible to further suppress rattling in the left-right direction of the movable portion 16 of the first shelf board 11 in the horizontal position.

In addition, in the above embodiment 1, the left and right door panels 27, 27 that make up the front door 26 and the two holding members 40, 40 that hold the ends of the support member 30 are constructed separately, and the holding members 40, 40 are attached to the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27, but the left and right door panels 27, 27 and the holding members 40, 40 may be molded integrally.

Furthermore, the holding member 40 and the internal holding member 50 may be formed in any shape as long as they are capable of holding the end of the support member 30.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment 1, the two internal holding members 50, 50 are provided at the same height and at different front and rear positions on the inner surface of the left and right mounting plates 6, 6, and the support member 30 is held by the two internal holding members 50, 50 diagonally across the left and right direction inside the storage body 1. However, the mounting positions of the two internal holding members 50, 50 are not limited to this. For example, when the left and right door panels 27, 27 in the open position are at the same position in the left and right direction as the left and right side panels 3, 3, and the two internal holding members 50, 50 are attached to the inner surfaces of the left and right side panels 3, 3, the distance between the left and right inner wall surfaces 1a, 1a (the inner surfaces of the side panels 3, 3) of the storage body 1 to which the two internal holding members 50, 50 are attached becomes equal to the distance L1 between the inner surfaces 27a, 27a of the left and right door panels 27, 27 in the open position. In such a case, two internal holding members 50, 50 can be provided at positions on the left and right inner wall surfaces 1a, 1a at equal heights and front-to-back positions. In this case, the support member 30 is supported by the two internal holding members 50, 50, spanning the left and right directions inside the storage body 1.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment 1, the left and right door panels 27, 27 of the front door 26, to which the load of the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11 is applied via the support member 30 and the holding member 40, are grounded to the upper surface of the floor F via the casters 29. However, instead of the casters 29, a support leg that moves up and down may be attached to the lower end of each door panel 27, and the support leg may be grounded to the upper surface of the floor F when each door panel 27 supports the load of the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11 in the open position.

In the above-mentioned first embodiment, among the multiple shelves 11, 12 having fixed parts 15 and movable parts 16, only the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11, whose depth d1 is at least one-third of the left-right width, is configured to be supported by the support member 30 in a horizontal position. However, the storage unit according to the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration, and the movable part 16 of the second shelf 12 as well as the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11 may be supported by the support member 30 in a horizontal position.

In the above embodiment 1, the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11 is formed so that the depth d1 in the front-rear direction is smaller than the height h3 between the first and second shelves 11 and 12 (d1<h3). However, the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11 may be formed so that the depth d1 in the front-rear direction is equal to or greater than the height h3 between the first and second shelves 11 and 12. In such a case, the depth of the fixed part 15 of the second shelf 12 is made shorter than the depth of the fixed part 15 of the first shelf 11 so that the movable parts 16 of the first and second shelves 11 and 12 can be accommodated in the storage body 1 even in the vertical position (so that the movable parts 16 of the first and second shelves 11 and 12 do not abut even in the vertical position). The difference in depth between the fixed parts 15 of the first and second shelves 11 and 12 is a length slightly larger than the thickness of the movable part 16 of the first shelf 11. With this design, the movable parts 16 of the first and second shelves 11, 12 will fit inside the storage body 1 without coming into contact even when in the vertical position.

In addition, in the above embodiment 1, the storage body 1 is provided with two shelves 11, 12 each having a fixed portion 15 and a movable portion 16, but the number of shelves each having a fixed portion 15 and a movable portion 16 provided in the storage body 1 is not limited to two. The storage body 1 may be provided with only the first shelf 11, or the storage body 1 may be provided with three or more shelves each having a fixed portion 15 and a movable portion 16.

In addition, in the above embodiment 1, the storage unit U is provided with two side panels 3, 3, six shelves 7, 7, 8, 8, 11, 12, and a front door 26, but the storage unit according to the present invention may be provided with two side panels 3, 3, a first shelf 11, and a double-door type front door 26 (left and right door panels 27, 27).

In addition, in the above embodiment 1, the storage unit U is partially incorporated and installed in the lower part of the storage device A, but the storage unit U may be installed separately on the wall W. Also, the storage unit U does not have to be installed on the wall W. The storage unit U and the storage device A may be provided along the wall W, or may be installed on the floor F away from the wall W.

As described above, the present invention is useful for storage units and storage devices incorporating such storage units.

1 Storage unit
1a Inner wall surface
3 Side plate
11 First shelf (shelf)
14 Groove
15 Fixing part
16 Movable part
27 Door Panel
27 Inner Surface
30 Support member
31 Cross member
32 Volts
40 Holding member
50 Internal holding member

Claims (8)

A storage body having left and right side panels and opening to the front;
A shelf board fixed to the storage body with a portion of the shelf board disposed inside the storage body;
A storage unit including left and right door panels rotatably attached to front ends of the left and right side panels of the storage body around a vertical axis, the left and right door panels being rotatable between a closed position extending from the front end of each side panel toward the front end of the other side panel and an open position extending forward from the front end of each side panel,
The above shelf boards are
A fixing part fixed in the storage main body;
a movable part that is rotatably attached to a front end of the fixed part about a horizontal axis extending in the left-right direction, and that is rotatable between a vertical position extending upward from the front end of the fixed part and a horizontal position extending forward from the front end of the fixed part;
a support member that is bridged between inner surfaces of the left and right door panels in the open position and supports the movable part from below in the horizontal position;
a storage unit comprising: two holding members provided on the inner surfaces of the left and right door panels, respectively, for detachably holding the ends of the support members. 2. The storage unit according to claim 1,
A storage unit characterized in that two internal holding members are provided on each of the left and right inner wall surfaces of the storage body, each of which detachably holds an end of the support member spanning between the left and right inner wall surfaces. 3. The storage unit according to claim 2,
The storage unit is characterized in that the holding member and the internal holding member are formed in the same shape. In the storage unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A storage unit characterized in that the support member has a support surface that abuts against the underside of the movable part when it is in the horizontal position and supports the movable part, and the height of the support surface is configured to be changeable. 5. The storage unit according to claim 4,
The support member has a cross member that is spanned between the inner surfaces of the left and right door panels in the open position, and a bolt that is screwed into an upper surface of the cross member,
A storage unit, wherein the support surface is an upper surface of the head of the bolt. 6. The storage unit according to claim 5,
A storage unit characterized in that a groove into which the head of the bolt fits is formed on the underside of the movable part when in the horizontal position. In the storage unit according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The left and right door panels are fitted with casters at their lower ends.
A storage unit characterized in that each door panel is in contact with a floor surface via the casters. A storage device constructed by incorporating a storage unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
A storage device characterized in that the left and right side panels of the storage unit constitute partition panels of the storage device.

Images